Life is busy, and making time for healthy meals can feel daunting. But when you follow the Keto Zone way, eating well can actually be a snap. And one of the best ways to stay on track is with easy, healthy meals and a little keto meal prep.

To help you prep healthy keto meals more simply, here are some tips to save you time and keep you in the Keto Zone.

First, Decide on Meals You’ll Have for the Week

Start your keto meal prep by quickly outlining all of the meals you want to eat for the next week.

Here’s a simple “blueprint” of the meals you can plan for each day:

• Breakfasts can be keto coffee or a couple eggs with grass-fed butter and avocado.
• Lunches can be a big salad with a keto protein, low-carb veggies, and a quick extra virgin olive oil/apple cider vinegar dressing.
• Dinners can look like a keto protein with lots of low-carb veggies, steamed, topped with a mix of melted grass-fed butter and olive oil.

Account for the amount of people who will be eating these meals and which days you’ll have leftovers or be repeating the same meals (both are recommended to make things easier).

(One you’re in the Keto Zone, snacks aren’t usually needed—but here are some easy keto snacks you can include.)

These simple keto meals are quick to make. You can also use the meal plans in the Keto Zone Diet book and rotate them every few days.

Embrace Simplicity and Repetition

At its core, Keto Zone meals are actually very simple. And although you can mix things up with different recipes, keto meal prep is pretty basic. Aim for three things:

• Healthy keto fats: 2-3 tablespoons per meal for women, 3-4 tablespoons per meal for men
• Keto-friendly proteins: 3-4 ounces per meal for women, 3-6 ounces per meal for men
• Keto-friendly vegetables: 2-6 cups of salad and 1-2 cups of cooked keto vegetables per day, spread throughout meals as you wish.

Having the same easy meals time and again reduces decision fatigue (you can just do it without thinking too much) and makes eating keto more effortless.

Make a List and Shop for Everything at Once

Take each recipe and write down the exact ingredients—and amounts of each—you’ll need. Try to group ingredients by sections of the grocery store, starting with foods you come across when you first walk in.

Decide which day you want to shop and, if you can, try to buy everything on the same day so you’re going back and forth to the store. (This can save a lot of money too!)

Pro tip: Focus on the outside of the grocery store most of all. This is where the healthiest, freshest foods are usually found. And don’t bother with any items or aisle not on your list—they’re not worth the temptation!

Next, decide on what day you’ll cook your meals! And when you do…

Look Over Your Recipes Before Cooking

To make cooking and meal prepping as easy as possible, use these tips:

• Get all ingredients out before starting to cook. This way, everything is at your fingertips and you don’t waste time opening the fridge or pantry many times.
• Read each recipe completely, and start with steps that will take the most time.
• Pre-cut or chop vegetables you’re going to use either before you start or while you’re waiting for other things to cook or boil.
• Once you’re done cooking, store everything in containers. And if you have enough containers, separate each meal into serving sizes so it’s easy to grab and go exactly how much you need.

Other Easy Keto Meal Prep Tips

A few more words of wisdom for your keto meal prep include:

• Don’t be afraid of leftovers: If there’s a Keto Zone-approved meal that you love, making extra to have more than once throughout the week!
• Keep simple staples on hand: Try to keep your kitchen stocked with some extra meats, dairy, nuts, veggies, healthy oils, and spices. These are good for if you fall behind on meal prepping, come home from a long day of work, or forget an ingredient while shopping. You can turn to some of your staples to fix something more quickly.
• Make the time for yourself: We often find it easy to make time everyone but ourselves. But remember that you and your health deserve the extra time meal prepping can require. Caring for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s a necessary investment that ultimately allows you to give more to those around you!

Your body is a precious part of Creation that deserves the quality nutrition and peace of mind from a healthy diet—and that includes some keto meal prep to keep you on track. For more specific meal plans and more helpful tips on making keto as easy as (low-carb) pie, check out our Keto Zone recipes and read the Keto Zone Diet.

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