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These 25+ easy keto lunch ideas will make sticking to your diet feel like a breeze. Enjoy them hot or cold, made fresh or meal-prepped!
For better or worse, lunch is the meal that gets overlooked the most in my house. We’re usually out and about or short on time. When I finally do notice I’m hungry for lunch, the last thing I want to do is plan and cook an elaborate meal.
That said, having easy keto lunches in my arsenal is key if I’m going to stick to a keto diet. That’s why, of all my keto recipes, I’ve rallied up my favorite keto breakfasts, dinners, and now, my favorite low-carb lunch ideas.
Table of Contents
Tips for making keto lunches
Coming up with new and creative lunch recipes every day is exhausting, but so is eating the same thing over and over again. Here are some of my top tips for crafting the perfect low-carb lunch:
- Plan ahead. I’m a stickler for meal planning, which is why I like coming up with a week or two worth of lunch ideas and then using that list to guide me at the grocery store. No decision fatigue and I never have to run to the store because I have everything I need.
- Meal prep. My #1 tip for healthy lunches is to prep in advance! I usually reserve Sundays for grocery shopping and meal prepping, which saves tons of time later in the week.
- Don’t overcomplicate. Stick to the same one or two proteins throughout the week, then spice up each meal with different sauces or dressings. Cold dishes or dishes that reheat easily are key.
Hearty keto salads
I probably have salads for lunch more than anything else. They’re great cold, don’t weigh me down, and are easy to customize with your favorite keto salad dressings or toppings.
- Keto spinach salad with hot bacon dressing– We eat a lot of bacon in my house, and one of our favorite ways to use up bacon fat is in this savory, mouthwatering dressing.
- Keto chicken salad– The beauty of this chicken salad recipe is that you can make it with last night’s leftover grilled chicken tenders, plus some celery, grapes, and a creamy mayo dressing.
- Curried egg salad– Make this lightly seasoned, tangy egg salad with hard-boiled eggs, curry spices, mayo, and a secret ingredient: Greek yogurt!
- Cauliflower potato salad– Swap the potatoes for cauliflower and get a hearty, low-carb potato salad that makes a great standalone meal or side to some air fryer shrimp.
Keto sandwiches and wraps
Sandwiches are a no-brainer for lunch, but they’re rarely keto-approved. Each of these recipes can easily be made keto-friendly with some keto bread or wraps.
- Keto sandwich– Light, satisfying, and loaded with fresh veggies, cheddar cheese, and creamy avocado.
- Keto avocado toast– I love avocados, and I see no reason why avocado toast should be relegated to breakfast alone. Just toast some bread, pile on the avo, a little sea salt, and red chili flakes, and you’ve got the perfect lunch.
- Chicken lettuce wraps– These lettuce cups are piled high with juicy seasoned ground chicken. Keep the lettuce and chicken separate, and it’ll stay fresh for hours.
- Air fryer hamburgers– We never tire of burgers in my house, and making them keto-friendly is surprisingly easy. Just use a keto bun and pile on your favorite keto-friendly toppings.
- Keto tacos– One of my favorite keto ground beef recipes, featuring juicy seasoned ground beef piled on keto tortillas and an assortment of fixings.
Keto soups and stews
Any time I make soup for dinner, I can rest easy knowing I’ll be enjoying the leftovers for lunch. These soups reheat beautifully and taste just as good (or better) the next day.
- Keto chili– Made without beans or legumes, this keto chili recipe is loaded with flavor and reheats effortlessly.
- Keto broccoli cheese soup– Thick, creamy, and rich; I could eat this broccoli cheese soup every meal of the day.
- Keto taco soup– Using savory taco meat and a creamy tomato beef broth, this soup recipe makes the perfect comfort food lunch. Don’t forget the keto guacamole and keto salsa.
- keto ramen– We make our fair share of ramen in my house, and the thought of saying goodbye to ramen when I went keto was a hard no. So, I made this keto-friendly version.
- Keto beef stew– Warm, comforting, hearty beef stew made in jicama in place of potatoes. It’s so satisfying, and you’d never guess it has ZERO net carbs.
Easy-to-reheat keto lunches
Make them for dinner, then pop them in the microwave right before lunch. It doesn’t get more convenient than that.
- Zucchini boats– Cheesy, flavorful, and easy to customize, these ground turkey-stuffed zucchini boats come together in 15 minutes and pack just 6 grams of carbs per boat.
- Zucchini lasagna– Made with layers of tender zucchini noodles, savory meat sauce, and plenty of melty cheese. All that’s missing is the garlic bread.
- Sautéed salmon– These quick and easy sautéed salmon bites come together in 10 minutes and reheat even faster. Serve them as is or on top of cauliflower rice or sautéed broccolini.
- Keto stir fry– An already effortless 15-minute meal makes for the perfect meal prep. Switch up the veggies or use whatever protein you have on hand to make this fiber and protein-packed dish.
- Keto pizza casserole– Everyone knows pizza makes the best leftovers, and this low-carb, crustless version makes even BETTER leftovers.
- Bacon wrapped chicken– Perfect hot or cold, can you ever go wrong with bacon?
- Bowls– Swap out the rice for cauliflower fried rice in a salmon bowl, steak bowl, or taco bowl for a well balanced and flavor packed meal.
Meal prep keto lunches
Each of these recipes can be enjoyed cold or reheated quickly in the microwave so you can satisfy your hunger and then get on with your day.
- Keto pasta salad– Pasta salads make for the perfect quick lunch, especially when they’re made with low-carb, protein-packed pasta noodles.
- Cauliflower rice– Fried rice is a go-to in our house, and this low-carb version is every bit as hearty and flavorful as classic fried rice.
- Curried salmon patties– Made with canned salmon and a dash of fresh curry spices, these patties taste great alone, with ranch, in a wrap, or on a bed of spinach.
- Keto egg roll in a bowl– Think of it as a deconstructed egg roll made with juicy ground pork, coleslaw mix, and an umami-forward sauce. You won’t even miss the carbs.
- Keto sushi– I love having sushi for lunch, and this easy low-carb version comes together effortlessly. Build them fresh in minutes, and use whatever seafood you have in the fridge.
- Pan-seared chicken tenders– I love these crispy and juicy chicken tenderloins which I batch prep on the weekend and save for meals during the week.
Frequently asked questions
Protein and fats are typically safe bets to eat freely on keto. Foods like chicken, steak, salmon, and eggs all have zero carbs but plenty of protein and some fat. Some dairy products like cheese and cream are also safe bets, provided they are full-fat and have no additives in them.
Traditional hummus made with chickpeas is not allowed, but you can easily make keto hummus, which uses cauliflower as the base.
25+ Keto Lunch Ideas
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast cooked
- 5 large boiled eggs
- 1 cup broccoli steamed
- 1 cup green beans steamed
- 1/2 cup pecans or any nuts of choice
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach loosely packed
- 5 tablespoons keto salad dressing
Instructions
- Prepare five containers or lunch boxes and set aside.
- Cook the chicken as instructed and let it cool completely.
- Divide the chicken amongst the five containers. Slice the boiled eggs in half and place two halves in each. Divide the broccoli, green beans and pecans, followed by the baby spinach. Pour one tablespoon of dressing into each container.
Most of these aren’t even keto 😂
Every single one of these are keto, try learning about it before making yourself look stupid 😀
Love your recipes!! Always look forward to your posts. Your recipes are easy to do and usually I have to ingredients on hand! IMHO, your posts are the best! Thank you!