43 Easy & Cheap Keto Meal Prep Recipes - Meal Prepify (2024)

Table of Contents
How long does it take to get into ketosis? How to get into Ketosis fast 1. Skip the pre-diet carb binge 2. Deplete your energy 3. Do a mini-fast 4. Ramp up your fat-intake 43 Easy and Cheap Keto Meal Prep Recipes 8 Keto Breakfast Ideas 1. Keto Sausage and Egg Sandwich 2. My Favorite Keto Breakfast Sandwich 3. Crustless Spinach Bacon Quiche 4. Keto Breakfast Pepper Rings 5. Keto Egg Muffins with Sausage and Veggies 6. Low Carb Breakfast Pizza 7. Mostly Prepped Sausage and Eggs 8. Green Smoothie 15 Keto Meal Prep Recipes for Lunch 9. Healthy Air Fryer Turkey Burger 10. 12-Minute Asian Broccoli Salad 11. Greek Lemon Garlic Chicken Salad 12. Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce 13. Hot and Sour Soup 14. Paleo + Whole30 Mexican Turkey Burgers 15. Tuna Salad Recipe 16. Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas 17. Keto Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas 18. Jamaican Oxtail Stew 19. Pepperpot 20. Philly Cheese Steak 21. Rancher’s Texas Chili 22. Mongolian Beef 23. Paleo Filipino Skirt Steak Cauliflower Fried Rice 16 Dinner Keto Meal Prep Recipes 24. Loaded up Chicken Caesar Salad (My recipe) 25. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas 26. Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, Ranch Lettuce Wraps 27. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps 28. Mozambique Peri Peri Chicken 29. Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps 30. Thai Chicken Noodle Soup,without the noodles, obviously! 31. 4 Ingredient Keto Coconut Chicken Curry 32. 30 Minute Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup 33. One Pan Healthy Italian Sausage & Veggies 34. Paleo Pork Egg Roll in a Bowl (Crack Slaw) 35. Chicken Tikka Masala 36. Shrimp Avocado Salad with Tomatoes 37. Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon in Garlic Butter 38. Sweet Chili Salmon Meal Prep 39. African Okro Soup 4 Keto Side Dish Recipes 40. Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli and Green Beans 41. Brussel Sprouts (My recipe) 42. Asparagus 43. Seriously the Best Kale Chips Frequently Asked Questions for Keto Meal Prepping What can you eat on a keto diet? What do you eat the first week of keto? How do I meal prep for a week of keto? Does weight stay off after the keto diet? How long does it take to start losing weight on keto? Can you drink alcohol on keto? How do I start a ketogenic diet on a budget? Final Thoughts FAQs

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I’m coming to you today with my list of cheap keto meal prep recipes, fully updated for 2022.

If you’re trying to find cheap keto meal prep recipes that are easy, and that actually taste good, this list is exactly what you need. I’m a huge fan of eating low-carb when I’m trying to diet, so I’ve got a few recipe lists you can use to find exactly what you’re looking for:

  • These keto crockpot recipes that are perfect if you just want to dump food in the pot and let it cook while you’re at work.
  • Here are 45+ keto breakfast ideasif you’re looking for something to kickstart your day!
  • I’ve also got a list of insanely cheap meals that are are less than $2 a serving that will help you save money meal prepping.

If you need some extra help, you can also sign up for one of my favorite meal prepping apps!

I can also help you learn how to meal prep, find easy meal prep ideas like one pot meals or sheet pan dinners! I’ve also got a list of 75 cheap crockpot recipes for less than $3 a pop.

43 Easy & Cheap Keto Meal Prep Recipes - Meal Prepify (1)

Contents

  • How long does it take to get into ketosis?
  • How to get into Ketosis fast
    • 1. Skip the pre-diet carb binge
    • 2. Deplete your energy
    • 3. Do a mini-fast
    • 4. Ramp up your fat-intake
  • 43 Easy and Cheap Keto Meal Prep Recipes
  • 8 Keto Breakfast Ideas
    • 1. Keto Sausage and Egg Sandwich
    • 2. My Favorite Keto Breakfast Sandwich
    • 3. Crustless Spinach Bacon Quiche
    • 4. Keto Breakfast Pepper Rings
    • 5. Keto Egg Muffins with Sausage and Veggies
    • 6. Low Carb Breakfast Pizza
    • 7. Mostly Prepped Sausage and Eggs
    • 8. Green Smoothie
  • 15 Keto Meal Prep Recipes for Lunch
    • 9. Healthy Air Fryer Turkey Burger
    • 10. 12-Minute Asian Broccoli Salad
    • 11. Greek Lemon Garlic Chicken Salad
    • 12. Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
    • 13. Hot and Sour Soup
    • 14. Paleo + Whole30 Mexican Turkey Burgers
    • 15. Tuna Salad Recipe
    • 16. Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
    • 17. Keto Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
    • 18. Jamaican Oxtail Stew
    • 19. Pepperpot
    • 20. Philly Cheese Steak
    • 21. Rancher’s Texas Chili
    • 22. Mongolian Beef
    • 23. Paleo Filipino Skirt Steak Cauliflower Fried Rice
  • 16 Dinner Keto Meal Prep Recipes
    • 24. Loaded up Chicken Caesar Salad (My recipe)
    • 25. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
    • 26. Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, Ranch Lettuce Wraps
    • 27. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
    • 28. Mozambique Peri Peri Chicken
    • 29. Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps
    • 30. Thai Chicken Noodle Soup,without the noodles, obviously!
    • 31. 4 Ingredient Keto Coconut Chicken Curry
    • 32. 30 Minute Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup
    • 34. Paleo Pork Egg Roll in a Bowl (Crack Slaw)
    • 35. Chicken Tikka Masala
    • 36. Shrimp Avocado Salad with Tomatoes
    • 37. Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon in Garlic Butter
    • 38. Sweet Chili Salmon Meal Prep
    • 39. African Okro Soup
  • 4 Keto Side Dish Recipes
    • 40. Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli and Green Beans
    • 41. Brussel Sprouts (My recipe)
    • 42. Asparagus
    • 43. Seriously the Best Kale Chips
  • Frequently Asked Questions for Keto Meal Prepping
    • What can you eat on a keto diet?
    • What do you eat the first week of keto?
    • How do I meal prep for a week of keto?
    • Does weight stay off after the keto diet?
    • How long does it take to start losing weight on keto?
    • Can you drink alcohol on keto?
    • How do I start a ketogenic diet on a budget?
  • Final Thoughts

How long does it take to get into ketosis?

This is the golden question for all keto dieters! The sooner you can get your body into ketosis, the sooner you start using fat for fuel! Most people who have studied keto diets say that it takes between 2-4 days to get into ketosis and it can take up to a week. Check out my full list of signs of ketosis to find out if you are in keto or not!

The first time you try a keto diet, it will take your body longer to make the switch. But every time after that, your body will make the switch quicker.

How to get into Ketosis fast

If you want to get into ketosis as fast as possible, you need to do a couple of things right.

1. Skip the pre-diet carb binge

The worst thing you can do for getting into ketosis is to eat an insane amount of carbs right before you start. Imagine you are trying to use up all the gas in the car. When you eat a high-carb meal right before starting keto, you are basically topping off your gas tank and filling up a few extra gas cans. This will just take you longer to get into ketosis.

You MUST avoid having an all-out binge the night before starting your keto diet.

2. Deplete your energy

You need to get rid of all that energy (glycogen from carbs) you have stored up as fast as possible. The easiest & most painful way to do this is to do high intensity fasted cardio the first few days of your keto diet. The higher intensity, the more of that stored up energy you’ll use up.

3. Do a mini-fast

One of the most effective ways to get into ketosis fast is to to a short fast before actually starting your keto diet. Let’s say you wanted to start your keto diet on a Monday, you might eat your last meal Sunday at around lunch-time and just have a handful of nuts or veggies for dinner.

4. Ramp up your fat-intake

When you’re in ketosis, your body is using fat for energy. This means you need to give your body the energy it needs! My favorite keto meal prep recipe to get started on keto is #29 on this list. I love to add in half an avocado to really increase the fat intake.

43 Easy and Cheap Keto Meal Prep Recipes

8 Keto Breakfast Ideas

One of the biggest challenges to eating keto is breakfast. Sure, the idea of eating eggs and bacon everyday sounds appealing at first. After a week though, you’ll start to crave variety. The key is to change things up and find what works for you. If breakfast is your biggest challenge, then check out my list of 50 healthy breakfast ideas.

If you struggle giving yourself enough time each day to cook before work, then give any of these keto breakfast ideas a try! Here is a friend of mine’s monthly grocery plan if you want an example to follow!

I’ve also got a list of 35+ Keto fat bomb recipes that are super tasty and easy to make. They are perfect for a low carb, keto snack!

1. Keto Sausage and Egg Sandwich

This first recipe comes from one of my favorite resources for low carb recipes! This sausage and egg sandwich is basically a keto friendly egg mcmuffin and it is seriously delicious. The eggs might be a bit difficult to prep, but I recommend making the sandwiches and then sticking them in the freezer once you’ve got them all prepped.

Make these on Sunday and every morning you can heat one up before you head out the door for work! Super easy & keto friendly.

2. My Favorite Keto Breakfast Sandwich

My go-to breakfast used to be a homemade english muffin sandwich. I could make a dozen of them ahead of time and all I had to do was stick it in the oven or toaster for a few minutes before walking out the door. This recipe has been the perfect substitute!

You can make several sandwiches at a time, wrap them in parchment paper, and freeze or refrigerate them. They are delicious, easy to make, and no-carb. The perfect, cheap keto meal prep recipe for breakfast.

If you want a low carb sandwich option, check out these keto psyllium buns!

3. Crustless Spinach Bacon Quiche

If you’re trying to get some extra “hidden” veggies into your keto diet, then this spinach quiche is perfect for you. If you’re on a keto diet, the more greens you eat, the better you’ll feel.

This quiche is super easy to make & tastes surprisingly good reheated! I recommend eating it within a few days of first making it though.

4. Keto Breakfast Pepper Rings

Honestly, this might be my favorite recipe on this list of keto breakfast ideas. The peppers stuffed with sausage and an over-easy egg is impossible to beat. The recipe is super simple as well: cook sausage, stuff it in a bell pepper, add an egg and bake until ready.

For meal prepping, I recommend keeping the egg pretty runny on the first cook through. That way, when you reheat it, it isn’t tough or overdone.

5. Keto Egg Muffins with Sausage and Veggies

Finding breakfast meal prep ideas that taste good days after is tough, but the secret for me has been these keto egg muffins. They heat up easily and with a little bit of sriracha or cholula, are great to eat for several days. I usually make 24 at a time and eat 4-6 a day for breakfast or a quick protein packed snack.

You can also change up the meat and veggies used each time you make it! Once made, they take about a minute to heat up and can easily be eaten on the go.

The only thing you need is a good non-stick muffin tray and don’t forget to spray the pan before cooking!

6. Low Carb Breakfast Pizza

If you’re on a keto diet, I really think that breakfast is the most important meal of the day to get right. If you can start your day off feeling full & happy, you’ll be a lot less likely to slip up throughout the day.

This low carb pizza is the perfect answer if you’re looking for easy keto meal prep recipes. It’s loaded with eggs, veggies, and you can top it with bacon, sausage, steak or whatever else your heart desires.

The best part of this recipe though is how well it heats up throughout the week.

7. Mostly Prepped Sausage and Eggs

This one right here is sort of a half-done meal prep.

If you have a bit of extra time in the morning or you’re willing to get up a few minutes early, then this is what I recommend: meal prep your meat + veggies and then each day cook the eggs fresh.

  1. Dice onion, bell peppers, mushrooms
  2. Saute sausage, bacon, or whatever else

Once you’ve got your base prepped and ready, all you have to do each day is wake up, crack some eggs into a good-quality nonstick pan and when they’re halfway done, add the sausage and veggies you’ve already prepped.

This lets you have a fresh breakfast every day while also cutting down on the time you have to spend each morning.If you want to save time, you can buy yourself an egg cooker!

If you hate eggs, you can also try one of my favorite breakfasts without eggs!

8. Green Smoothie

If you’ve never run a keto diet before, let me break something down for you. Keto diets are high in fat and protein, but have no or very low amounts of trace carbs. You know what you’ll never find in meat or cheese?

Fiber.

After a week of eating keto, you’ll start to feel stopped up–literally. The lack of fiber in your diet keeps things from, ahem… moving.

When you’re on a keto diet, you have to be eating lots of green veggies to get enough daily fiber. Breakfast is the hardest though. No one wants to eat broccoli or brussel sprouts for breakfast!

I started making these simple green smoothies. They don’t taste good. I don’t like them. But they are tolerable and keep me healthy. That’s what adults do right?

3 Step Green Smoothies:

  1. Fill blender with spinach, kale, or mixed greens
  2. Fill halfway up with water & blend thoroughly.
  3. Add cucumber, celery, or both. Blend some more.

Jar it up and drink one every morning. Want more ideas like this? Here are the 40 best protein shakes out there!

15 Keto Meal Prep Recipes for Lunch

Most of these cheap keto meals would work well for dinner, but I thought I’d give you a few of my favorite keto lunch meal prep ideas! I prefer lighter and easier to re-heat meals for lunch so all of these will definitely be on the healthier side for keto. Here’s a bigger list of healthy meal prep recipes for weight loss!

9. Healthy Air Fryer Turkey Burger

These turkey burgers are one of my favorite air fryer recipes! They’re really quick and easy to make, while still being packed with flavor. They’re freezer-friendly so you can save time in the kitchen and double batch for next month.

Opt for a high-fat ground turkey mince to give these an extra kick of energy.

10. 12-Minute Asian Broccoli Salad

A delicious broccoli salad that uses aromantic healthy ingredients like ginger which also gives this recipe superb health benefits. This recipe is packed with vitamins and minerals that can sometimes be slacking in a keto diet.

11. Greek Lemon Garlic Chicken Salad

Most people know that mediterranean food is healthy! Almost every dish is loaded with veggies, chicken or fish. This greek chicken is one of my favorites! The flavors come together so well and the marinade is super easy to make!

This is definitely one of my favorite keto lunch meal prep recipes because it is light and filling at the same time. I can eat a good amount to stave off the hunger without getting tired from all the fats of most keto recipes.

12. Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce

Few foods bring me to my happy place faster than a plate full of delicious greek good with plenty of tzatziki. These greek meatballs are the perfect protein packed snack or keto friendly lunch. You’ll need to skip the breadcrumbs to make sure they stay keto, but they’ll still hold up decently well without them.

I recommend getting 2 lbs of meat (half turkey, half lamb) and cooking a few dozen of these meatballs. They heat up well and are super easy to store in your favorite meal prep container.

13. Hot and Sour Soup

Now it’s pretty obvious that if you’re on a keto diet, you’re going to be consuming A LOT of meat. The diet really is designed for people who have an appetite for meat and like it so much they can get by without eating carbs.

But even for the carnivores out there like me, sometimes you need a break from chewing on chicken and steak.

This hot and sour soup recipe is a delicious keto friendly meal! The tofu makes it *somewhat* filling but if you aren’t feeling like eating a big meal and want to save a few bucks, this is a great option for you. Just make sure to go light on the cornstarch or skip it all together! A few whole eggs or egg yolks dropped into the soup can provide it a good, rich consistency.

14. Paleo + Whole30 Mexican Turkey Burgers

I’ll be real, normally I’m not a huge fan of ground turkey, but if I’m trying to keep my fat intake in check while eating keto, then it is a great sub for ground beef.

These turkey burgers fit almost every healthy “fad” diet around: whole 30, paleo, keto, gluten-free, grain-free. Pretty much everything free.

This keto turkey recipe is clean eating at its absolute purest form.

Best part is?

They taste amazing. Seriously.

15. Tuna Salad Recipe

Back in high school I’d eat tuna during wrestling season when I needed a lot of protein with no extra calories…

Nowadays though, I actually like to enjoy my food.

This tuna recipe is super easy to make & tastes great with any kind of lettuce or vegetable. You don’t have to worry about re-heating it or anything like that! Just make a batch and enjoy it all week. This is by far one of my favorite keto meal prep recipes.

16. Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas

These sheet pan fajitas right here are one of my go-to recipes! My wife and I eat fajitas probably once a week, at least! If I’m on a keto diet, I’ll eat the meat and veggies by themselves or on a salad. The spice blend Melissa recommends here is absolutely perfect for bringing out the meat flavor of the steak without being over-seasoned.

When it comes to keto meal prep recipes, this is one of the best!

17. Keto Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas

This recipe is amazing. If you love fajitas and want the ease of doing them all at once in the oven, this is the recipe for you.

BUT…

I almost didn’t include this recipe because the site is covered with ads. I mean filled to the brim. 15-16 in this one recipe. Frustrating, but the recipe is SO good that I couldn’t not include it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

18. Jamaican Oxtail Stew

I’m not exaggerating when I say that this oxtail stew is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Rich in flavor, great texture, and one of the most savory dishes I’ve ever made. The best part is that if you skip putting it on a bed of rice, you’ve got yourself a great keto meal prep recipe.

Oxtail itself is pretty high in fat and not the cheapest cut of meat, so I recommend putting in a few other cuts of beef like boneless short ribs. If you want to cut the cost in half, substitute a chuck roast for the oxtail. You’ll get more meat for half the price.

19. Pepperpot

No I haven’t made this one yet, but it is on my list of upcoming recipes to test out. You can use any cut of beef, chicken, or pork. To make sure it is keto friendly, skip the brown sugar, but it shouldn’t affect the taste too much.

There are some more unique ingredients to this recipe, so it may not be the cheapest. But it looks amazing!

20. Philly Cheese Steak

Philly cheese steak without the bread is a keto dieter’s dream. Sauteed peppers, mushrooms, and all the cheese you want on a bed of thinly sliced steak. This is one of my go-to meals whenever I’m deep into a keto diet and need to reward myself. Not the healthiest, but it is keto friendly!

  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil.
  2. Saute 1 Onion, 1 Green bell pepper, and 8oz mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  3. Thinly slice 1 lb steak (ribeye is ideal) but sirloin can work if you’re on a budget. Saute in pan. Add veggies back in and stir all together.
  4. Serve in a bowl & put cheese on top

21. Rancher’s Texas Chili

As someone who was born and raised in Texas, I grew up eating chili on a weekly basis in the fall and winter. I don’t blame my mom for making this a staple in my house. Super easy to make, cooks plenty for leftovers, cheap, and healthy. Everything I’m looking for.

What set’s Texas chili apart is the use of non-ground beef. Get yourself a chuck roast, trim the fat, and you’ll be set. To make sure this is a keto friendly recipe, you may want to skip the pinto beans and the brown sugar.

Even if you aren’t on a keto diet, this recipe is amazing and you need to try it today. This week. Try it. If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other healthy ground beef ideas!

22. Mongolian Beef

It’s usually hard for me to find asian recipes that are keto friendly because they tend to use a lot of honey, brown sugar, or cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

This mongolian beef recipe is based off one a PF Chang’s classic and it actually works! The sauce isn’t as thick, but the flavors are still amazing even without the added sugar.

If you want a great asian dish to add to your list of keto meal prep recipes, this one is your best bet! This is a super easy meal prep idea for college students.

23. Paleo Filipino Skirt Steak Cauliflower Fried Rice

Full disclosure… I haven’t made this recipe yet myself, but I’ll be cooking it sometime in the next week and I will absolutely update this post.

But it looks freaking amazing! Skirt steak, veggies, and a fried egg to mix it all together with sounds amazing. Someone please try this as soon as possible and let me know how it is. Be sure to check out my full list of rice alternatives for meal prepping!

16 Dinner Keto Meal Prep Recipes

24. Loaded up Chicken Caesar Salad (My recipe)

This is a super quick recipe I eat ALL the time! It takes about 15-20 minutes to prepare and can easily make you 5-6 meals.

Ingredients:

  • Romaine lettuce
  • 2 lbs chicken breast
  • Bacon
  • Avocado
  • Caesar dressing
  1. Chop the romaine & cube the avocado
  2. Cook the bacon however you like (I prefer to cook in a pan and then use the bacon grease for the chicken).
  3. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through. Let rest & slice when done.

25. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

This is another great recipe by Melissa of the “Number-2-pencil” blog!

What I love about this recipe is how well it holds up in the days after meal prepping. Some recipes have a pretty short “shelf-life” after cooking, but the chicken and veggies here almost taste better the next day when the flavors have time to sink in.

My one piece of advice is to give it a little spurt of lime juice after reheating them! This is one of my go to meal prep ideas for picky eaters in my house.

26. Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, Ranch Lettuce Wraps

This recipe is almost exactly like the salad recipe up above, except instead of a salad, you’re eating lettuce wraps.

Obviously the easiest way to make any recipe keto-friendly is to make any meat & veggie heavy dish and instead of putting it in or on carbs, put it over lettuce.

The combination of chicken, bacon, and ranch is impossible to beat. Avocado on top just takes these wraps to the next level.

27. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The food I miss most when dieting are chicken wings. There truly is no substitute for good wings, but this buffalo chicken can *almost* satisfy the craving when I’m a few weeks into a cut cycle. I love using the chicken to make some mini lettuce tacos. Add some ranch & blue cheese to jazz it up.

28. Mozambique Peri Peri Chicken

I made this chicken dish for some friends a few months back and I fell in love with it! The spice blend & marinade is amazing and I’ve used it on a bunch of other chicken dishes. The coconut milk in the marinade gives the chicken a richness that is hard to beat.

It was super easy to prepare and it should absolutely be a staple in your list of keto chicken recipes.

If you want to lower the fat content of the meal, you can sub in chicken breast for the thighs.

29. Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I’m pretty sure this is the last lettuce wrap recipe I’ll include, but this chipotle copy-cat recipe is insanely good. I’ve made this chicken a few times now and it is a forever staple in my cooking toolbelt.

My wife makes fun of me, but every time I meal prep chicken or steak I will put at least a pound of meat into 4 different small containers. They are the perfect protein-packed snack when you want something filling and healthy!

30. Thai Chicken Noodle Soup,without the noodles, obviously!

I’ll warn you up front that this recipe takes quite a bit of prep, but it is absolutely worth it! The flavors are seriously amazing and it is one of the best keto meal prep recipes out there. You can use chicken, shrimp, and I bet any kind of flaky white fish would go really well with it.

31. 4 Ingredient Keto Coconut Chicken Curry

I recommended this one in my list of 46 easy & cheap meal prep recipes that can all be made for less than $2 a serving! It is one of my favorite keto chicken recipes and comes from my favorite food blogger out there: Fit Men Cook.

With only 4 ingredients, it is one of my favorite, keto meal prep recipes for rookies in the kitchen. Loaded with flavor, this chicken curry is a great high-protein option. The best part is, this recipe only takes about 20 minutes start to finish, so you can pull it off when you’re in a hurry!

You could easily put the chicken on a salad or in a veggie wrap to jazz it up some.

32. 30 Minute Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup

This recipe right here is one of the few soups that I love to eat! The veggies and turkey meatballs make it a soup that actually fills me up. It takes a bit of time to prep the turkey meatballs, but once they’re done, it takes no time at all.

One tip though: To keep this one keto friendly, you’ll need to use almond flour or another low-carb flour option. Standard flour will knock you out of ketosis.

33. One Pan Healthy Italian Sausage & Veggies

Chelsea’s blog is one of my go-to for healthy meal prep recipes. Almost every single one is loaded with veggies and I’m pretty sure she might be the best food photographer out there.

This sheetpan sausage and veggies recipe is by far one of my favorite easy meal preps out there. You simply cut the veggies and sausage, season it all up, and stick it in the oven.

To make this recipe keto friendly, skip the red potatoes.

34. Paleo Pork Egg Roll in a Bowl (Crack Slaw)

This egg roll in a bowl recipe is about as addicting as it sounds. The combination of ground pork, cabbage, and all the asian sauce/seasonings, makes for a perfect keto meal prep recipe.

Whenever I’m on a keto diet, this recipe is one of my go-to’s. Lots of keto meal prep recipes just don’t taste quite “finished” without the carbs, but this one truly does not need them.

35. Chicken Tikka Masala

Getting tired of just chicken and veggies? Look no further! This dish is perfect if you’re looking to switch it up and add a little flair to your chicken! This meal is low carb (KETO!!) and only takes about 25 minutes to make!

The best thing about this dish is that you can make chicken tikka masala wraps with the leftovers!

36. Shrimp Avocado Salad with Tomatoes

When you first start on a keto diet, the idea of stuffing your face with meat and cheese is amazing. But after a few weeks, you’ll be tired of chicken and beef. This shrimp salad is AMAZING and incredibly easy to make. It seriously takes about 10-15 minutes to have 3-4 salads worth of food.

The shrimp taste great with cajun seasoning, blackened, or simply salt/pepper/garlic. It’s refreshing, light, and packed with flavor.

If you want a recipe that checks all the “healthy eating” options, this one is it: Keto friendly, gluten free, paleo, and whole30.

37. Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon in Garlic Butter

My wife and I LOVE salmon. Unfortunately, it is usually out of my budget, especially because she is all about that fresh-caught, atlantic salmon. I can get by with the farm stuff, but even that is expensive for me.

This spinach stuffed salmon though is freaking good. Like, mouth-watering, stomach growling, kind of good. If you want to finish your dinner and feel like you just ate out at a fancy restaurant, then you need to make this salmon.

38. Sweet Chili Salmon Meal Prep

Here’s another bomb salmon recipe for you that is a bit more sweet/spicy than savory. This asian-style, sweet chili salmon is one of the easiest keto meal prep recipes on this list because you simply put the fish in a baking dish, cover it with marinade, and bake it.

SO easy and really good to eat throughout the week.

39. African Okro Soup

So the past few months I’ve had a crazy new obsession with all things African food. It started when a friend took me to a restaurant here in Houston and I’ve been searching out new recipes since then.

The great thing about African food is that it is generally pretty healthy and they are really well seasoned/spiced!

This is the third recipe I’ve recommended from African Bites (my favorite food blog for African food)!

I actually haven’t made this one yet, but it looks amazing and easy to make. I’ll test it out soon to see if it re-heats well and I’ll report back soon!

See more ideas:

Lazy keto meals that are made in under 30 minutes
Meal prep ideas for bodybuilding
Vegan keto recipes for meal prep

4 Keto Side Dish Recipes

One of the keys to having success with a keto diet is to make sure you’re eating plenty of vegetables. The more green veggies you can eat, the better you and your stomach will feel. A diet without carb sources tends to be severely lacking in fiber, so eating lots of vegetables are an absolute necessity.

Here are a few of my favorite side dishes that I make when I’m on keto. They’re all super easy, tasty, and go well with most of the dishes on here.

40. Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli and Green Beans

If you haven’t noticed already, I love me some sheet pan recipes. They are a staple of easy meal prep recipes because the clean-up is so minimal.

This sheet pan recipe of broccoli and green beans is a perfect side dish. You can prepare 6-8 servings in less than 15 minutes!

41. Brussel Sprouts (My recipe)

This brussel sprout recipe is one of my own and it takes about 20 minutes to prepare, but they are freaking delicious! If you have any kind of chicken or steak dish, these brussel sprouts are the perfect keto side dish for you.

They aren’t the healthiest way to prepare them, but you’ll never go back to eating plain brussel sprouts again.

  1. Chop the ends off and rinse.
  2. Slice into thirds or do a rough chop on all the sprouts.
  3. Cook in pan for 10ish minutes with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
  4. Once browned, add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
  5. Add in a ½-1 cup of parmesan. Mix it all in and serve hot.

42. Asparagus

Asparagus is one of those super easy to cook green veggies. If you can buy them in season, you can usually get bunches of them at a decent price.

Here is my super quick, go-to recipe:

  1. Rinse and cut the ends off the asparagus. Dry off.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder.
  3. Cook in oven at 350 for 8-12 minutes depending on your texture preference. The longer you cook them, the softer they will get.

43. Seriously the Best Kale Chips

This past week I made a round of green smoothies (#8 way up above) and I had some leftover kale that I needed to cook. With a bit of searching on Pinterest, I found this recipe for kale chips.

Now for starters, I hardly consider kale to be food. It’s basically dirt.

But it is healthy dirt so I act like an adult and eat it anyways.

I have no clue if this is the best kale chips recipe out there, but it worked for me, so I’ll call that a win!

Frequently Asked Questions for Keto Meal Prepping

What can you eat on a keto diet?

On a keto diet the rule is to eat foods that have no or very low amounts of carbs. You can eat all kinds of meat, fish, veggies, and cheese.

What do you eat the first week of keto?

During your first week of keto, it is best to start off eating higher fat content and absolutely zero carb: bacon, avocado, higher fat cuts of meat, fish, and lots of green veggies to make sure you eat enough fiber.

How do I meal prep for a week of keto?

Your first keto meal prep should be simple and food you know you’ll enjoy. Grill up your favorite kind of meat or fish and meal prep some vegetables to go along with it.

Does weight stay off after the keto diet?

The keto diet is notorious for having bad weight rebounds when people stop their keto diet. It is normal to gain 4-8lbs of water weight immediately once you add carbs back into your diet. The best advice is to make sure you keep your calories consistent and slowly add carbs back in.

How long does it take to start losing weight on keto?

Weight loss on the keto diet is almost immediate! Within a week you should lose 4-8lbs, but the majority of that will be water weight. It takes a couple of weeks to get into ketosis and actually start burning fat.

Can you drink alcohol on keto?

Alcohol is not recommended when you are on a keto diet, but you can drink small amounts and stay in ketosis. Here is a list of keto friendly alcoholic beverages!

How do I start a ketogenic diet on a budget?

Keto diets tend to be expensive because of the high volume of meat. If you want to eat keto on a budget, use the cheap keto meal prep recipes we suggested in this post!

Final Thoughts

I’m hoping to add to this list over time! I’m currently not running a keto diet, but I’m always on the lookout for good low-carb recipes that I can eat throughout the week.

If you’ve got any favorite keto meal prep recipes, share them in the comments below!

43 Easy & Cheap Keto Meal Prep Recipes - Meal Prepify (2)

Richmond Howard

Richmond Howard started Meal Prepify in 2019 and has helped over a million people learn how to meal prep, get better at meal planning, and create a kitchen they love to use. He’s an avid home chef and loves to bbq, grill out, and make awesome food for family and friends. He’s been featured on MSN, Renaissance Periodization, and Good Financial Cents.

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  1. 50 Easy Keto Breakfast Ideas to Lose Weight
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  3. 46 Easy Keto Crock Pot Recipes to Lose Weight
  4. 50 Dirt-Cheap Meal Prep Ideas (all less than $2 per serving!
  5. 40 Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas to Kickstart your Day
43 Easy & Cheap Keto Meal Prep Recipes - Meal Prepify (2024)

FAQs

What is the cheapest keto food? ›

Some good cheap keto foods include eggs, canned tuna or salmon, chicken thighs, ground beef, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, cheese, and nuts.

What is the lazy keto plan? ›

Lazy keto is a low-carb diet that limits your daily net carbohydrate intake to under 20–50 grams per day. Unlike a strict keto diet, you don't need to track how much protein or fat you eat. You also don't need to track how many calories you consume.

What is the best first meal for keto? ›

What to eat in the first week of your keto diet
  • Breakfast: You can fry two eggs in butter and serve them with sauteed greens of your choice.
  • Lunch: Go with a bunless burger and top it with vegetables of your choice (mushrooms, tomatoes, or peppers) and some cheese and avocado.
Jun 15, 2022

What foods can I eat unlimited on keto? ›

Foods you can eat on the keto diet include fish and seafood, meat and poultry, non-starchy vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini, avocados, berries, nuts and seeds, eggs, high-fat dairy products, olive oil and other oils, and high-cocoa chocolate.

Can I eat peanut butter on keto? ›

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

What is dirty keto? ›

In essence, dirty keto is a variation of the keto diet (a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet) that allows you to consume whatever you want as long as it meets your macro goals. While it still reduces carb intake, it does not pay attention to the nutritional value of the fats and protein consumed.

What happens if you eat keto but not in ketosis? ›

Without getting into true ketosis, dieters risk ingesting an enormous amount of fat—and potentially a lot of saturated fat, if you're eating animal meat—without any of the fat-burning effects of ketosis. “The fat is the thing that's problematic for a lot of people on keto,” Fung says.

What's a better diet than keto? ›

Sustainability: A lower-carb diet is likely to be more sustainable than a very low-carb, high fat diet such as the ketogenic diet. A low-carb diet provides a more balanced approach to eating and allows for a wider variety of foods overall.

What food has no carbs? ›

Food and drinks allowed on a no-carb diet include meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, oils, water, and plain coffee or tea. If you're less stringent, you can also eat nuts, seeds, non-starchy vegetables, and high fat fruits like avocado and coconut since these foods are low in net carbs.

What is the simplest way to do keto? ›

Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and filling up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils ( 6 ). It's also important to moderate your protein consumption.

What does a typical keto dinner look like? ›

Keto Dinners

The meal can center around a hearty protein, like fish, poultry, steak or eggs. Pair with a delicious vegetable-forward side dish and a serving of healthy fat, and viola, the perfect keto dinner. Keto soups, salads, sheet-pan meals and zoodle pasta dishes all work beautifully too.

What foods to avoid when starting keto? ›

- Grains: Rice, wheat, oats, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat, etc. - Starchy Vegetables: Potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, yams, corn, cassava, artichoke, etc. - Refined Carbs: Bread, pasta, pastries, tortilla, sandwich, etc. Due to the high-carb content of these food items, they are not keto-friendly.

How to do keto when you're broke? ›

9 tips for following the keto diet without going broke
  1. Shop locally. Check out your local farmers' markets. ...
  2. Buy in bulk. ...
  3. Stock up on eggs. ...
  4. Buy whole chickens instead of just chicken breasts. ...
  5. Meal prep in advance. ...
  6. Buy in-season vegetables. ...
  7. Buy vegetables in bulk and freeze them. ...
  8. Eat all parts of an animal.
Jun 26, 2018

What is the cheapest keto protein source? ›

Oils, cheap cuts, and eggs are your staples. The egg is a perfectly Ketogenic food—high in fat, moderate in protein, low in carbs, and rich in micronutrients like folate, iron, and choline. And though organic eggs are more nutritious, regular eggs are an acceptable (and affordable) substitute.

How can I get into ketosis for free? ›

Here are 7 effective tips to get into ketosis.
  1. Minimize your carb consumption. ...
  2. Include coconut oil in your diet. ...
  3. Ramp up your physical activity. ...
  4. Increase your healthy fat intake. ...
  5. Try a short fast or a fat fast. ...
  6. Maintain adequate protein intake. ...
  7. Test ketone levels and adjust your diet as needed.

What to do if you broke keto? ›

Overall, you can get back into ketosis as soon as 12-16 hours after your last cheat meal (with the help of fasting and exercise) or it can take as long as it did when you first started keto. If you'd like to get a better understanding of ketosis, check out our recent article on the topic.

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