Discover Cheap Keto Meal Prep Ideas That Save Money and Boost Fat Loss!

Sticking to a ketogenic lifestyle can be simplified through effective meal preparation. Keto meal prep involves planning, organization, and making meals easy and accessible. By dedicating time to plan and prepare weekly meals, adherence to a keto-friendly lifestyle becomes more manageable. This article explores various cheap keto meal prep ideas, providing options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, while also focusing on cost-saving strategies.

Why Keto Meal Prep?

Keto meal prep solves the problem of nightly dinner dilemmas and ensures consistent adherence to a ketogenic diet. Preparing your own food simplifies maintaining keto carb goals, demanding dedication and time in the kitchen. Whether you're an experienced cook or new to meal prep, there are methods to save time and money while avoiding burnout.

General Tips for Keto Meal Prep on a Budget

Plan Ahead: The key to meal prepping is planning.
Buy in Bulk: Buying in bulk is the easiest way to save money at the grocery store. Load up on whatever item is on sale that day and plan your meals around that. For example, a whole chicken will cost you less than $1 per pound, where a chicken breast will usually cost over $2 per pound.
Cook at Home: Cooking at home is always going to be cheaper than eating out, getting fast food, and even buying precooked foods at the grocery store. After all, you’re paying someone to cook it for you. The same goes for processed foods. You can actually eat healthier for cheaper than it costs to eat junk food. The downside is you have to invest a little more time.
Focus on Budget Foods: Eggs, ground beef, and chicken thighs are high in fat, nutrient, and calorie-dense, and are very cheap. A dozen eggs is always under $2. Ground beef can be found for under $4 per pound (often under $2 if you look hard enough).
Master Meal Prepping: This allows you to buy in bulk, cook at home, and focus on cost effective foods. If you’ve never meal prepped before it is a great skill to develop. It condenses all of your cooking for the week into a couple hours on the weekend. Meal prepping on keto sets you up for success because you always have food ready for you in the refrigerator. Meal prepping is the secret to eating on a tight budget. It allows you to buy the items that are on sale, in bulk, and prepare them for quick access throughout the week.

Strategies for Efficient Keto Meal Prep

Two primary approaches to meal prep include batch cooking complete recipes or bulk prepping ingredients. Batch cooking involves preparing full keto recipes in large quantities and dividing them into individual meals. Bulk prepping ingredients means cooking individual ingredients separately and then portioning them out to build your meals for the week.

The key to conquering meal prep is to master the art of mise en place, a French term that means "everything in its place". This includes not only planning recipes or making a grocery list ahead of time but also organizing the kitchen before starting the cooking process.

Keto Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas

Blueberry Muffins: Blueberry muffins are a classic breakfast choice and perfect for a quick morning meal. Made with almond flour, fresh blueberries and a touch of granulated erythritol as a sugar substitute, they’re moist, fluffy and naturally sweet.
Keto Pancakes: A keto lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to give up a good ol’ stack of pancakes. These keto-friendly cream cheese pancakes combine a few ingredients, like cream cheese, eggs, almond flour and a dash of vanilla, for a light and sweet breakfast that’s perfect for meal prep.
Keto Oatmeal: If you’re missing traditional oatmeal on keto, this creamy, low-carb option is the way to go. Preparing low-carb and gluten-free oatmeal is simple, swap out the starchy oats for keto-friendly nuts and seeds!
Chaffles: Chaffles, aka cheesy waffles, are a keto meal prep must. Made with mozzarella cheese and eggs, they’re crispy and versatile and they can make your mornings easier.
Egg Muffins: If you’re looking for a savory, grab-and-go keto breakfast, egg muffins are a great choice. Filled with eggs, cheese and whatever veggies or meat your heart desires, these muffins make for a perfect keto meal prep idea for a tasty breakfast.
Keto Breakfast Sandwich: A keto breakfast sandwich is the perfect meal prep to start your day right.
Keto Yogurt Parfaits: Keto yogurt parfaits make meal prep feel like a treat.
Keto Smoothie: Make this keto breakfast smoothie with spinach and fresh berries using any plant-based milk you like. You can also swap the hemp seeds for any nuts or seeds.
Herb Omelette with Fried Tomatoes: Make a perfect, protein-rich brunch or breakfast for two people.
Tomato Baked Eggs: Whip up these easy baked eggs with a garlicky tomato sauce and serve with crusty keto bread for a lazy weekend brunch, or light lunch, that's sure to satisfy.
Mushroom Brunch: You only need mushrooms, eggs, kale and garlic to cook this tasty one-pan brunch. It's comforting yet healthy, fibre rich and gluten-free too.
Keto Avocado Toast: This keto avocado toast recipe is going to be your new go-to low-carb breakfast or snack.
Keto Egg Bites: This recipe is composed of two amazing recipes: these beyond-fluffy keto cloud bread, and of course our famous and delicious keto egg bites (say goodbye to store-bought egg bites after you've tasted these!).
Chia Seed Pudding: Learn how to prepare a simple chia seed pudding recipe and customize it to your taste!

Keto Lunch Meal Prep Ideas

Chicken Salad: A hearty chicken salad loaded with mixed greens, avocado, tomatoes and a simple vinaigrette makes for an easy, protein-packed lunch. Prepare the chicken ahead of time and assemble your salad base. Then, mix your dressing in a small mason jar for easy storage.
Keto Coleslaw: Keto coleslaw is a creamy, crunchy salad option that stays fresh in the fridge for days.
Keto Bread Sandwich: Enjoy a sandwich made any way you like with keto bread. This bread is a keto-friendly, low-carb option made with almond flour.
Cod with Cucumber, Avocado & Mango Salsa Salad: If you're looking for a healthy lunch bursting with the colours and flavours of summer, this delicious cod, avocado and mango salad is low in fat and calories.
Barbecued Bavette Steak & Tomato Salad: Barbecue bavette steak and drape over Tom's simple tomato, red onion and feta salad. It makes a lovely lunch or light supper in summertime.
Baked Salmon: Get all the goodness of omega-3 with easy baked salmon for lunch or supper. It's super versatile and makes a great partner for salads, veggies and pasta.
Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad with Salmon: Enjoy a tangy and hearty lemon parmesan kale salad topped with omega-3-packed salmon! This simple recipe is a must-make for your weekly keto meal prep, perfect for lunch or dinner.
Chicken Salad Wraps with Guacatillo: Guacatillo is a bright creamy sauce that coats proteins incredibly well. These salad wraps are incredibly tasty and simple to make. Use this recipe as a base for a solid keto chicken salad, adding any extra toppings as desired!
Peruvian and Mexican Ceviche-Inspired Dish: This is another recipe that is simple to make, and that takes its inspiration out of coastal Peruvian and Mexican ceviche dishes.
Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Wraps: These lettuce wraps provide a lighter, low-carb alternative to traditional cheesesteaks.

Keto Dinner Meal Prep Ideas

Keto Vegetable Soup: This keto vegetable soup is a hearty and comforting meal that makes six servings - perfect for a week’s worth of keto meal prep. This flavorful soup is packed with veggies like cauliflower, bell peppers and zucchini, with some added heavy cream to make it extra rich.
Keto Pizza: If you’re looking for a keto-friendly pizza that still tastes delicious, this recipe will become a staple in your meal prep rotation. Using almond flour for the crust, you can prep personal pizzas in advance and load them with your favorite toppings.
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps: Looking for a light lunch to meal prep? These Asian turkey lettuce wraps are packed with flavor and make around four servings.
Stuffed Bell Peppers: These stuffed bell peppers are balanced, satisfying and hearty. Packed with ground beef and topped with cheese, this recipe makes six servings and is super easy to make in advance.
No-Bean Chili: This filling, no-bean chili recipe is filled with ground beef, peppers and yummy spices for a comforting meal with lots of protein.
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce: Spaghetti squash is a keto favorite, putting a spin on traditional pasta. This recipe features a homemade tomato sauce that’s delicious and filling.
Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry: This quick and easy stir-fry features ground beef, lots of broccoli and a flavorful soy sauce base.
Garlic Lemon Chicken Breast: Packed with garlic and lemon flavors, this juicy chicken breast recipe is a flavorful and easy dinner idea.
Keto Taco Casserole: This keto taco casserole is filled with ground beef, bell peppers, tomatoes, cheese and tons of seasoning for a flavor-packed meal.
Keto Beef Stew: This classic keto beef stew is a hearty, comforting meal perfect to prep.
Ground Beef Casserole: Ground beef casserole is another hearty, cheesy dish that’s great for meal prep.
Keto Chicken Parm: This keto chicken Parm delivers the same classic flavors minus the carbs. The chicken breasts are covered in a crispy Parmesan almond crust, smothered in tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese.
Keto Taco Soup: This keto taco soup is a warm, comforting meal packed with savory flavors, ground beef, bell peppers and diced tomatoes. It’s rich, hearty and perfect for meal prep.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole: Casseroles are the way to go if you’re looking for easy meal prep options. This casserole dish is loaded with broccoli, cheese, garlic and onions - it tastes great alone or paired with a protein.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken: This recipe features tender chicken breasts coated in fresh garlic, Parmesan and cream for the ultimate savory dinner.
Mediterranean turkey-stuffed peppers: This low-calorie dinner from Joe Wicks is 3 of your 5-a-day, rich in vit C and folate too. Filling the peppers with low-fat turkey breast mince keeps it lean.
Superhealthy salmon burgers: If you're after something a bit lighter than potato-packed fishcakes, try these simple salmon burgers with ginger, soy sauce and coriander.
Ham, mushroom & spinach frittata: Try a filling frittata that's low in calories and guaranteed to keep you going until lunch. Save half in the fridge overnight if you're cooking for one.
Spanish chicken traybake with chorizo & peppers: Add this easy dinner recipe to your repertoire - simply pop herby chicken thighs into a roasting tin with colourful veg and spicy sausage. To make this keto-friendly, serve with keto bread.
Baked Salmon & Leek parcel: A simple salmon dish, parcelled up to seal in the flavours. With creamy mascarpone and fresh leeks, this keto-friendly fish supper is easy and rich in omega-3.
Masala frittata with avocado salsa: A spicy twist on a simple frittata recipe, with Masala paste, coriander and plump cherry tomatoes. Pair it with our avocado salsa for a light and budget-friendly supper.
Peanut butter chicken: You'll love this new, budget chicken dish. Any leftovers freeze well and make a handy lunch.
Tarragon, mushroom & sausage frittata: Serve up this filling frittata in just 20 minutes. With tarragon and mustard to boost the flavour and asparagus to top up your greens, it's also rich in folate.
Ginger & soy salmon en papillote: Steaming the salmon in a parcel, in its own marinade, with the spiralized veg, ensures the fish is juicy and full of flavour. Serve with cauliflower rice for a keto-friendly meal.
Thai broccoli rice: Replacing rice with broccoli that's been blitzed to grains makes a colourful and healthy, quick-cook vegetarian keto meal.
Keto Mac n' Cheese: This keto mac n' cheese recipe is absolutely excellent with its mix of cheeses made on a base of cauliflower that is perfect when paired with steak.
Salmon Cakes: These salmon cakes are incredibly simple to make and a great use of our Trifecta salmon.
Keto Beef Stroganoff: This creamy beef stroganoff uses keto-friendly ingredients for a comforting meal.
Feta & Herb-Crusted Salmon: This salmon dish offers a flavorful and healthy dinner option.
Keto Bacon Chicken Thighs With Garlic Cream Sauce: These chicken thighs are rich in flavor and keto-friendly.
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken: This chicken dinner combines the flavors of bacon and ranch.
Cauliflower Fried Rice: This recipe is a lighter alternative to traditional fried rice.
Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash: This combines cheesy flavors with healthy spaghetti squash.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust: This provides a healthy and gluten-free alternative to traditional pizza crust.
Lemon-Brown Butter Salmon: This salmon dish is rich in flavor and easy to prepare.
Cowboy Butter Steak: This steak recipe involves searing a ribeye and basting it with a zesty, smoky butter.
Garlicky Greek Chicken: This chicken dish offers a flavorful and healthy dinner option.
Keto Pork Chops: These pork chops are a simple and delicious keto-friendly meal.
French Onion Pot Roast: This pot roast combines the flavors of French onion soup.

Keto Snack Meal Prep Ideas

Keto Ranch and Veggies: Keto ranch and veggies is a simple and flavorful snack that’s perfect for meal prep. The ranch combines mayonnaise, sour cream, heavy cream and different herbs for a low-carb version of the classic dipping sauce.
Parmesan Brussels Sprouts: These crispy Parmesan keto Brussels sprouts are a tasty and crunchy snack that’s easy to prep in advance. They’re coated with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and spices, and with crispy bacon on top, you’ll be craving this snack over and over again.
Parmesan Crisps: Parmesan crisps are the perfect alternative for chips and are highly versatile. Eat these crunchy snacks alone or use them as a topping for salads and other lunches.
Fat Bombs: These fat bombs have to be some of the most popular keto snacks ever developed by our culinary team. Follow the recipe and feel free to make any version your heart desires.
Spiced Nuts: Even though you may see the recipe as a 'paleo' recipe, these spiced nuts qualify 100% as keto as well. Find a fun recipe that explains how to make any mixed nuts taste better all while making them tons more interesting. Adjust the spices to your own creativity if you so desire!
Egg Salad: Whether you're just not a fan of mayo or looking for a healthy keto egg salad recipe to add to your meal prep, we've got you. This recipe is a combination as if the guacamole and egg salad had a baby, creating a delicious result.
Chicken Salad: With little to no prep time and a ton of flavor, you'll never want to go back to boring traditional chicken salad ever again.
Keto hot chocolate: Who doesn’t love a warm mug of hot chocolate? This keto-friendly hot chocolate combines cream and chocolatey flavors for a rich drink perfect for cold days. Make a large batch, store it in the fridge and pop it in the microwave for a warm drink to end your day.
Keto biscuits: Keto biscuits are a game-changer for your meal prep, especially when you’re craving something warm and fluffy. Made with almond flour, these biscuits are soft on the inside with a slightly crispy outside layer.

Sauces for Keto Meal Prep

Romesco: Romesco is a popular is Spanish sauce that is typically made with bread. This smoky, and peppery sauce uses almonds instead making it great when following a keto diet.
Keto Zhoug Sauce: Pronounced like "zoog", this exotic-sounding sauce is easier to make than you'd think! It's highly flavorful, super simple, and a perfect pairing for just about any protein. Much like chimichurri, this sauce goes incredibly well with some flat iron steak and rice.
Classic Pesto: Another Herb based sauce that's delicious on just about everything!
Tabbouleh: This refreshing almond and walnut tabbouleh recipe is a vegan, keto, paleo, and clean-eating friendly twist on the classic Lebanese tabbouleh salad.
Chimichurri sauce: Chimichurri sauce is one of those sauces that goes well with most proteins and dishes.

Keto on a Budget Meal Plan Example

This plan is for 1200 calories a day. That is on the low end of what most people are going to need. If you’re eating more than 1200 calories a day you can very easily scale this up! This plan delivers slightly more protein than most people starting keto will need. The easiest way to counteract this is by adding more fat to meals.

Read also: Is Beef Tallow a Good Moisturizer?

One of the meals you will see recurring frequently in the meal plan is a Cobb Salad. We are big advocates for the Cobb Salad! Really though, we find Cobb Salads to be a great way to get a meal with perfect keto macros as well as pack in some much needed micro-nutrients. We love them so much we made a video to show everyone how we make them! The other meals we have listed in the meal plan mostly come from the meal prep items. We make 2 different types of simple stir fry dinners. One using some of the whole chicken we prepped and one using the extra ground beef.

Heat a pan over medium heat.
Add broccoli/cauliflower mixture and butter
Cook until broccoli/cauliflower are soft, but still a bit al dente
Heat a pan over medium heat.
Add ground beef. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add broccoli/cauliflower and butter. Cook for about 10 more minutes.

That’s a quick primer on the essentials for creating meals tailored to this meal plan. See how easy eating keto on a budget can be? This shopping list and meal plan can be heavily substituted to meet your needs. The first thing you’ll want to do is scan it over and make sure you like eating all of the foods listed here. Eating delicious foods is a big part of adhering to a diet long term! If there is a particular item you can’t stand just do a bit of research and find a substitution. Just make sure the item you decide to substitute in is similar in nutrition to the one you’re eliminating.

Substitutions

For the Meat: The whole chicken we got was $1 per pound, which is a great deal! You can sub in thighs or legs if you find those to be cheaper. Try to get it with the skin on so your meat comes with some fat! In the videos we got 2 pounds of sausage at $3 per pound. That’s a deal we couldn’t pass up! You can substitute any sausage in for that(check for sugar) or you can opt for ground beef.
For the Vegetables: Avocado’s are a huge staple food for most keto dieters and we’re no different. You might be able to find a good deal on premade guacamole though. If that’s the case, feel free to go for that and sub out the avocado. If you don’t like broccoli or cauliflower you can try mushrooms or zucchini. If you don’t like any of those you should probably learn to like vegetables!!!
Other Substitutions: In this guide the only form of pure fat we use is butter. If possible, coconut oil would really be a nice upgrade. We couldn’t fit coconut oil into our $5 a day keto on a budget meal plan, but it’s cheap if you buy in bulk. Another good substitution would be olive oil or coconut oil and vinegar instead of the premade salad dressing.

Read also: Delicious Pasta on a Budget

Read also: Delicious and Affordable Meals

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