How to meal prep when traveling

When we travel we want to carry different things with us. It is a tricky question for all passengers what is allowed to bring. Different kinds of liquids, souvenirs, and especially food for those who are following a special diet might cause some problems. Thus, doing a great meal prep when traveling will make your life so much easier.

Meals and food we can buy on airplanes are not something that we eat at home. Some travelers have allergies or food restrictions, or just want to have their own prepped meal during the flight.

To bring your meal-prepped food, the most important thing to know is what kind of food you can or can`t bring onboard. If it is a long-distance flight or you just like to prep your meals, you need to be sure that you are carrying the right things.

Let`s see what food is allowed and if can you adjust meal prep when traveling for air trips. Also, there are things that we need to pay attention to, so we can have a careless trip.

Airplane food

Foods that we usually get during the flight are warmed-up plastic meals, bars, and nuts and we do not have enough information about that. We don`t know anything about the preparation procedure, meal selection, or where it came from.

Meals are usually produced on the ground near airports. Catering facilities are making them and then they stay in refrigerators for the cabin crew to heat and serve on board.

It is safe to eat airplane food. But, when you make meals yourself you know what you eat, where it came from and the process of preparation. It is better to get your prepared meals because you are sure that they are good for your diet.

Food that you can take on the airplane

There is a rule for carrying food on the plane. You can carry your snacks as long as they comply with TSA regulations. The liquid rule 3-1-1 applies to spreadable foods, like soft cheese, or peanut butter, and liquids like yogurt, chocolate milk, and so on. However, this rule does not apply to liquids and foods bought after going through airport security. You can have as many foods and beverages as long as you buy them at the airport shop.

Transportation security administration will allow you to transport solid food in your carry-on. But, gel or liquid food items bigger than 3.4 oz have to be in checked baggage if possible.

Liquid and gel foods are things that can spread, spray, pour, or spill. If they are smaller than 3.4 oz you can have them in your bag. Remember, only one bag like this is allowed per passenger.

When you go through security you must have natural, whole foods like veggies or fruits. Also, they have to be in a wrapper or a container. Loose cheeseburgers or sandwiches are not things that you can carry. Everything that you carry will go through X-rays.

List of the foods that you can take

When you want to have your meal prep when traveling on the plane you need to know what food you can include in your dishes:

1.     Spreadable food.

If spreadable edibles or cream cheese, peanut butter, or Nutella, are in your carry-on bag, you must pack them by the 3-1-1 rule. Every container must be 3.4oz or smaller.

2.     Cans and bottles.

This food follows the same regulations as spreadable foods if we can spill or pour them. For example, jellies, jams, honey, soups, and dips have to be decanted into 100 milliliters (or 3.4 ounces) or smaller containers. They should be in checked bags if possible because they appear on x-rays.

3.     Packaged food and vacuum-sealed meals.

Their products are safe to travel with because they are sealed and non-liquid. Pre-sealed products or insulated bags are available in lots of stores and are small enough so they can fit in your checked bag or carry-on.

4.     Cakes and pies.

Whole or slices of cakes and pies are acceptable for carry-ons. You have permission to transport brownies, donuts, cupcakes, cookies, gingerbread, fruitcake, and dry baking mixes. They might ask you to place them beneath the seat in front of you, not in the overhead bin.

5.     Seafood and meat.

Meat is something that you can take with you, but it must be properly packed. Wrapping or sealing is important because it will prevent odors or fluids from escaping. Seafood has the same rules as meat.

6.     Solid food and cheese.

Sandwiches, chips, crackers, grains, dry beans, and pasta can be in your carry-on luggage. All kinds of solid and dry foods are good to go, but to be sure, always check TSA`s list of prohibited items. Solid chocolate, cheese, peanuts, and almonds can also carry with you.

These rules, of course, can be different for every state or airline. That is why before you plan your meals, check the rules of the airline you are using and the country that you are traveling to.

Meal prep when traveling

When you travel a lot, and if your flights are long, meal prep can be a lifesaver. You need delicious, nutritious, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly food. Here are some easy ideas to try next time you go on a journey.

For breakfast, you can use overnight oats. Make sure that you put something like dry or fresh fruits, nuts, or any other solid food. Avoid peanut butter or honey. It might happen that this causes a problem because it is considered liquid. You can eat a nutritious breakfast and then recycle the container.

You can buy coffee when you pass the security, if you have a plastic or silicon straw and coffee mug, even better. This way it can be easier to handle it on a flight.

Lunch can be something like spaghetti squash with grated parmesan, ground turkey, and spinach. You can put that in a collapsible silicone meal prep container. They are good because they don`t take up a lot of space in your bag.

For snacks, you can make protein bars or balls made of oatmeal, almond butter, and chocolate chips. Pack them in an empty jar so they don`t change their shape in your bag. You can recycle empty jars when you eat them.

Dinner can contain similar food as lunch. For example, grilled chicken, vegetables, potatoes, and anything that doesn`t classify as a liquid. Of course, they need to be properly packed in separate bags that you can recycle later.

You need to make sure that, whatever food you choose, has a proper package and that it does not contain liquid. It has to be in a ziplock bag, a jar that you can seal, or a plastic leak-through container.

How to pack your plane food properly?

Meal prep when traveling is a great thing and has many benefits. Preparing ahead of time and finding the food you enjoy is a great thing and you don`t have to stop doing that when you are traveling. However, taking food on the airplane has some rules that you need to follow.

When you pack food in your carry-on luggage, use tightly sealed, transparent ziplock bags. You can pack meals that you prefer or allergy-free, vegan, or vegetarian food. Prepare some protection or small packs of ice in case you need to carry food that needs preservation.

Pack your items in little bags, so you don`t fill up the whole bag. For example, you can pack two bags of bars and nuts, instead of one bag with a sandwich.

Divide the bags into meal-sized portions for better packing. That is to say, one bag can have veggies, one hard-boiled egg, hard cheese, grilled chicken, and so on. Also, you can get a few more individual snacks or desserts like cookies or cupcakes.

Choose food that you can`t spay, spill, spread, or pour or that is not gel or liquid, pack it according to the ideas above and there should not be problems at the airport.

The bottom line

These days, food restrictions are different and they are more strict than they were a couple of decades ago. So, the advice is to check all the regulations for the airline you are using and the country you are visiting. Stay well informed and there will be no problems.

The good news is that there are a lot of options for meal prep because there is a lot of food that you can have on the plane. So you will be able to find  TSA-approved food and snacks for your next flight.

Follow the rules for meal prep and for carrying food on a plane. This way you will enjoy the food you love and you will, for sure, enjoy your flight.

Athletic Meal Plan (& Tips for Making One)

A meal plan that has a balance is essential for athletes. It is suitable for performance and general health, too.  That is why athletes need to know what types of foods to eat that will provide what they desire.

Most parts of an athletic diet are not much different from diets that other people want to be healthy eaters. However, athletes often need more macronutrients, calories, and in general more meals to keep energy and strength. After all, they usually compete at a high level.

The first part that athletes need to optimize is training and performance through nutrition. They have to be sure that they consume enough calories so they won`t lose weight, muscle mass, or performance abilities. As a result, everything they eat must be in proper amounts of all macronutrients – proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

In this text, you can read important things to consider before making or choosing the athletic meal plan you want. If you are unsure always seek professional help so they can help you decide.

Balance is key

As previously mentioned, athletes must find a balanced athletic meal plan so they can reach their goals and stay on the right track. Those meals will help them:

  • Have enough protein to help muscles to repair and recover
  • Vitamins and minerals will provide health and they will feel well
  • Carbohydrates will give them the energy to recover and repair from training
  • Fats will provide joint lubrication, vitamin absorption, long-term energy, and hormone production

As an athlete, you are probably wondering what to eat and not getting bored with the lack of variety in your diet. Therefore, if you are not sure what to eat, make your meals including food from these four groups:

  • Small amounts of fats
  • Lean protein
  • Micronutrients or vegetables
  • High-fiber carbohydrates

Make sure that the portion sizes and ratios of these groups need to be different. They depend on goals, body size, age, and activity level.

Nutrition has an essential role in exercise

Eating the right food is vital for the ability to recover after training. Exercise can create damage at the cellular level because of the contractions required by your muscles to produce movement during training. It can act as a stressor for your body, which can make it weaker over time.

Without proper nutrition, your body can not receive the building blocks that need to recover. The eating plan needs to provide enough nutrients to repair and recover. If it doesn`t do that, poor nutrition can lead to poor recovery and eventually to poor performance.

The benefits of athletic meal plans are numerous and here are some of the great things you will get when you balance your diet:

  • Improving performance
  • Reducing the risk of injuries
  • Improving motivation and focus
  • Decreasing stress
  • Needing less recovery time from injury or exercise stress
  • Increasing muscle mass
  • Decreasing fat mass
  • Higher strength levels
  • Improvement in the immune system functions

Food is the source of nutrients that our body needs. It is used for energy, but also for cell functioning, repairing muscles, and health. We need to eat a large number of nutrients. This is called nutrient density and it is important for nutritional habits.

Diet that contains food high in nutrient density has many benefits for athletes’ health. For instance, muscles can develop and grow faster, your body will get more essential nutrients, and it will recover faster.

What to consider before choosing an athletic meal plan

Before you choose a meal plan of your preference, there are some things that you need to consider. You should work with the food that you like. However, it doesn`t have to be a perfect eating schedule, it just has to be perfect for you. If there is a food that you don`t like, try to find a healthy alternative.

Try to work with a professional or your trainer so you can be sure that you can find a plan that works for you. It can be very helpful because that way you can build trust by working with someone who has experience in that field. Also, not every sport is the same so, this way it will be individualized and more suitable.

In the beginning, the good idea would be not to change the entire eating habits. Try to do that step by step so you can slowly get used to changes. Additionally, it will help you understand what some foods can do for you and your performance.

Moreover, when you decide to choose a meal plan, make sure it goes well with your lifestyle and your responsibilities throughout the day. Plan your meal time depending on your sleep, work, and training schedule. Try to tailor your meal plan according to the thing you do during the day.

 Meal ideas for athletes

Here are some ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to help you figure out what you should eat.

Breakfast

  1. High fiber or wholegrain cereal, protein or cow milk, or calcium or protein enriched alternatives.
  2. Ricotta or greek yogurt and fruit toast
  3. Eggs (scrambled/boiled/poached), spinach, sourdough/wholegrain toast, and avocado
  4. Milk or greek yogurt, porridge, crushed seeds or nuts, banana, and natural peanut butter
  5. Greek yogurt, muesli, and berries
  6. Sourdough or wholegrain toast, cheese (cottage, ricotta, sliced), and tomato
  7. Avocado, french toast, and vegetable sides
  8. Fresh fruit smoothie, protein powder or greek yogurt, spinach or kale(or any other vegetable), and nuts or seeds
  9. Sourdough or wholegrain toast, tomato, ham, avocado, and mushrooms
  10. Green vegetable bowl with sweet potato, poached eggs, kale, and almonds
  11.  Sourdough or wholegrain toast, sliced cheese, and baked beans
  12. Spinach, mushroom, and tomato omelet, and toast
  13. Sourdough or wholegrain toast, peanut butter, and protein shake or greek yogurt

Lunch

  1. Roast vegetables, garden salad, mixed legumes, and chopped almonds
  2. Sandwiches on sourdough or whole grain bread, salad, avocado, and lean meat
  3. Salad, grilled chicken, tuna or tofu, sweet potato, a little bit of extra virgin olive oil
  4. Wrap, cheese or lean meat, salad, or cooked veggies
  5. Sushi with grilled salmon or chicken, and seaweed salad
  6. Pasta salad with vegetables, tuna, or chicken, without creamy dressings
  7. Couscous, brown rice, or quinoa salad, roast or fresh vegetables, and lean meat
  8. Baked beans or legumes, baked potato, salad, and avocado
  9. Ham and cheese toastie on sourdough or wholegrain bread and vegetable soup
  10. Wholegrain toast, avocado, hommus, feta, and cherry tomato

 Dinner

  1. Tomato and roasted vegetable pasta and chicken
  2. Grilled lean meat, baked potatoes, and vegetables salad
  3. Stir-fried veggies, beef, pork or chicken, and baked potatoes
  4. Slow-cooked casseroles with vegetables and potatoes
  5. Egg frittata with sweet potato, feta, and zucchini
  6. Tuna in extra virgin olive oil, green beans, or other veggies
  7. Potato pie with pork or beef and vegetables
  8. Spaghetti bolognese with salad or lots of vegetables, zucchini, or carrot
  9. Curries made with lean meat, vegetables, basmati rice, and light coconut milk
  10. Lasagna made with ricotta or cheese, vegetable salad
  11.  Homemade pizza with a wrap for the base, eggplant, zucchini, tomato, mushrooms, spinach, lean meat, and a little bit of cheese
  12. Baked potatoes and grilled fish, steamed asparagus, and broccoli
  13. Burrito bowls with cheese, tomato, rice or corn, onion, and guacamole
  14. Homemade burger whit wholemeal bread roll, salad vegetables, avocado, or hommus

Summary

The best way of finding your athletic meal plan is to avoid any overly restrictive diets. In another word, they might be more difficult to follow or unsustainable for a long time, so give yourself time to adjust to changes.

Always consider your goals, dietary restrictions, or preferences when selecting a meal plan. Also, as we already mentioned, make sure to ask for help from a professional if you need it.

Make sure to consume enough nutrients, especially if you have high-intensity training. Likewise, keep track of the number of meals that you need and target calorie intake. This is the key to keeping your performance and health at the best level.

Is it Safe to Meal Prep for a Week?

It’s incredible what meal planning can accomplish to help us get through a challenging week. Making meals quick and simple to prepare not only lessens stress but also increases our likelihood of cooking when we are tempted to order pizza. However, is it safe to meal prep for a week?

How to prepare a week’s worth of meals isn’t always straightforward. To help make the process simpler and smoother, we wanted to share our best weekly meal prep advice with you.

What does meal preparation mean in practice?

But first, what does meal preparation entail? Why is meal planning beneficial?

Some individuals define “meal prep” as making entire meals or dishes in advance. It usually refers to prepping materials or portions of meals ahead of time. This way, cooking or assembling your meals may go much more quickly.

Meal preparation is, in other words, the washing, peeling, and cutting of vegetables that will be used later on in the week. Making marinades or vinaigrettes is what it is. It involves cooking grains like rice or other grains so they are prepared for use when needed. And certainly, there are occasions when it involves making complete dinners or recipes that reheat nicely.

Making a home-cooked supper may be accomplished in a matter of minutes if you do as much as you can in advance. Knowing that all you need to do on a hectic night is sear some meat, put together a salad, or reheat a prepared soup with pre-made wild rice is a lifesaver. Additionally, you can be more strategic and organized with your activities when you prep in advance. You spend less time cooking each week, waste less food, and therefore spend less on groceries.

Are you convinced yet? Next, let’s discuss the advice!

Prior to meal preparation…

Unbelievably, the majority of the preparation labor for a meal occurs before you begin cutting and mixing. You may make dinner preparation much more successful and efficient by being prepared each week. This will also lower the likelihood that you’ll waste food you’ve previously worked hard to prepare.

Discover how to create a food plan

First things first: Prior to meal prep for a week, you must decide what you will consume. Meal planning is therefore a crucial initial action.

Of course, some people choose to live dangerously and improvise. We strongly advise meal planning as a strategy to save money on groceries and lessen food waste. However, you can absolutely prepare enough vegetables to last a week and figure out how to utilize them afterward.

Try not to “go big or go home”

Okay, so you’re probably already at home if you’re meal preparation. But here’s the thing: It’s alright to start off modestly. Don’t expect to prepare everything. You’ll need for the entire week every week if you want to make meal planning a habit. You’ll appreciate having a head start for the week even if you only prepare one meal. Meal preparation is a habit that you may develop once it becomes established, but all habits take time to form.

Buy lots of containers to meal prep for a week

You need more refrigerator space and meal prep containers when you prep. We adore these glass containers since they prevent aromas from ruining the fridge and because of their tight seal, which prevents leaking. Metal is heavier but less reliable than plastic, and plastic makes it more difficult to recall what’s inside. Regardless of the kind, make sure to get containers in a range of sizes. To make sauces, spice blends, marinate meats, and other things, you’ll need a variety of sizes, from large ones for chopped root vegetables to tiny ones for minced garlic.

Establish a regular time each week

You can only prepare meals if you set aside time for it. Set a time for your preparation today and repeat it every week on your calendar or in your reminder app. This will increase your likelihood of sticking to your plan and make developing a habit of weekly meal preparation much simpler.

Figure out how to cut effectively

Knowing just how to meal prep for a week and cut any fruit or vegetable you’re using will save you a ton of time. Long-term benefits will come from making the effort to acquire and practice these abilities now. By honing your abilities today, you’ll be doing your future self a favor!

Keep your blades sharp

Your preparation will go more quickly if you use the right tools and take care to keep them in good shape. If you can, get your knives professionally sharpened every six to a year; if not, sharpen them yourself at least once every few months. Although some individuals are terrified of sharp knives, you are safer when using ones that have been properly honed. If the knife slides, you’ll need to apply less pressure to the object you’re slicing, making it less likely that you’ll get hurt. A sharp knife is also less prone to slip.

Understand how long components last

Within a day or two after being sliced, cucumber becomes soft. In the refrigerator, tomatoes get mushy. However, most marinades may be prepared a full week in advance. Preparing items that will get rancid, mushy, or sour before you can utilize them will waste your time and effort. Know how long your ingredients will last, both whole and after preparation, and when you want to use them in recipes. Some components are simply not worth preparing ahead of time!

It’s time to begin your preparations now that you have a strategy! Here are some suggestions for speeding up and streamlining the actual preparation so you can go on with the rest of your day.

1.    Your jobs should be batch-processed

Making a list also makes it easier to identify areas where you can group chores. For example, if you’re chopping broccoli and bell peppers for supper, chop the vegetables directly after the sweet potatoes so you don’t need to wash the cutting board twice. To avoid constantly pulling out and putting away the same bottles of vinegar, soy sauce, and oil as well as washing measuring spoons before you’re finished using them, prepare any vinaigrettes or sauces at the same time

2.    From the firmest to the messiest

When cutting vegetables, start with those that are firm and don’t contain a lot of liquid. Then go on to a slightly messier vegetable, and eventually conclude with vegetables like tomatoes that will ruin the cutting board. By doing this, you may save time by avoiding the need to wash and dry the cutting board and knife in between each vegetable. By chopping raw proteins last, you may clean your cutting board afterward and/or put it in the dishwasher to lessen the chance of raw meat and vegetables becoming contaminated.

3.    Keep a trash can nearby

As you work, have a dedicated location for biodegradable garbage. In addition to saving you trips to the trash or compost bin, doing this will keep your workspace free so you have enough room to prepare food without tipping anything over.

4.    Think about what you can prepare together

Are you baking some fish for supper tonight? You could maybe bake the chicken thighs for the salad for tomorrow at the same time. This won’t need much more work and will prevent you from having to preheat the oven more than once. Using one side of the sheet pan for today’s vegetables and the other for later works great for roasting vegetables.

5.    Double your grain intake

It’s entirely OK to use the same grain for both recipes if one calls for rice and the other for barley. Create two batches today to ensure that you’ll be ready later on in the week, or just create extras to keep on hand for lunches. Extra cooked grains may be frozen, which can come in handy in the future if you run out.

6.    To label containers, use dry-erase markers

Not remembering what’s what during dinner preparation is one of the biggest frustrations! To make sure you don’t use the incorrect sauce in a dish or wait a little too long to cook a meal you prepared, label your containers with the date and contents. Our preferred method of labeling is with thin dry-erase markers, which may be applied on glass, metal, or plastic and are simple to remove after the contents have been utilized. Just make sure to thoroughly dry wipe the container’s outside before labeling!

7.    Make it enjoyable!

Play a podcast, get a drink of wine or tea, and ask a friend to join you (or do a meal prep via Zoom). The time will fly if you engage in pleasurable activity while preparing, and you’ll begin to look forward to all the chopping, dicing, and mixing. Additionally, unlike with usual supper preparations, meal preparation is often not done when you’re hungry or under pressure to keep to a timetable, which makes it an inherently less stressful activity. If you approach meal preparation as something you get to do rather than something you must do, you could find that you begin to look forward to it.

How far in advance can you safely prepare meals?

Planning out your meals, including portion sizes, is a component of meal preparation, which begs the issue of how long in advance you should meal prep. Will the meals you prepare sustain you for the entire week? In terms of safety, you shouldn’t prepare meals a whole week in advance if you’re putting them all in the fridge, regardless of whether you wish to eat the same meals so frequently. The USDA advises that cooked meals should only be kept in the refrigerator for about four days before they become unsafe to consume.

The exact timing may differ slightly

A USDA expert claims that bacteria, mold, fungus, and yeast may begin degrading food after about four days, but the precise period depends on a number of variables. For instance, sauces containing citric acid can keep food fresher for longer. Keeping your refrigerator at 30 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 40 degrees Fahrenheit may help extend the shelf life of some items by one or two days. The shelf life of your components will also impact how long they last. For example, whereas cooked pasta has a shelf life of up to five days, rice and quinoa often last another day or two. Avoid overcrowding your fridge because it might alter the temperature overall and use an airtight container to preserve food at its freshest.

According to Insider, you should schedule two different days of preparation each week if you want to have enough food for the full week. Additionally, you may freeze a part of your prepared meals and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. According to FDA rules, various foods keep in the freezer for varying amounts of time, but if you plan to eat them within a week or two, you shouldn’t have any issues. Just keep in mind that not everything freezes well and adjust your meal preparation schedule appropriately.

How can you tell if your meals are still safe to eat after being prepared?

There are a few things you may look out for when attempting to decide whether that fantastic, nutritious dinner you created is still okay if you aren’t getting the answer you’re searching for on the FDA standards. When discussing food safety, some of these strategies can seem more obvious than others, but it’s important to communicate too much.

Texture

Take a look at the texture of your meal if it has passed all the previous inspections. There is a considerable possibility that the food is no longer good if there has been a significant texture change or if it seems slimy.

Mold

Mold is one of the most evident indications that the food you prepared for dinner didn’t last as long as you anticipated.

If your food displays mold growth, you must discard it immediately. Believe us. There is nothing that should drive you to do anything other than throw it out, regardless of how much money or effort you spend preparing the dish.

Smell

All of us have been there. Your dinner has been in the refrigerator for a few days, and you’re not sure if it’s still good.  After then, confidently take a smell.

Color

The color of the meal that you have made is something else to consider. The hue of each component should be the same as when it was initially prepared. If the meat or lettuce is gray, brown, or otherwise strange-looking, it’s best to toss it out.

Color can be misleading, though, if the ingredients you used contained preservatives.

How can you make sure no meals go bad when you meal prep for a week?

When you prepare meals in advance, there’s a strong possibility that the majority of them will survive for three to five days. However, if you want to prepare meals for seven days, you’ll need to do it over the course of two distinct sessions each week.

The other choice is to prepare meals that freeze well. Following that, you may freeze the remaining meals and leave a couple in the refrigerator for the first three days. Then, before going to bed, you may take a frozen meal out to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, guaranteeing that it will be fresh.

Have you thought about using a meal prep delivery service?

The truth is that dinner preparation is a lot of work, despite how good it may appear on your friend’s Instagram page. Cooking may be a very laborious task for those who don’t love it. By using meal prep services, you may save valuable time while maintaining a healthy diet.

Check out our healthy customizable meals if you want to start eating better to support your exercise objectives.

Guide to easy meal prep for athletes

When you want to eat a nutritious diet, you might struggle with a busy schedule or inspiration for meals. Meal prep for athletes can be a good strategy for fueling your workouts and making sure that you have energy for every training.

It will not take too much time and you will always have ready-to-eat meals. We are sure that sounds great. Additionally, you will have the right portions and won`t have to worry about what to eat next.

A few hours one day a week will be enough for you to get started. You will need groceries and containers for your delicious meals. However, there are some things that you need to take into consideration before you start.

What are the benefits when athletes prep their meals?

Meal prep is a great thing when you want to stay on track with your fitness and nutritional goals.  It is an easy way to keep your food consistent when you prep your dishes. There are many benefits of prepping your meals and some of them are:

  • You will not waste time thinking about what is for dinner.
  • It will not happen that you come home hungry and there is nothing to eat.
  • Enough time to think ahead to prepare meals that will help you with your athletic goals.
  • Your meals will fit a diet you follow.
  • No more getting convenience foods, take outs or drive through
  • You will save money and time
  • Less time for prepping, cooking, and cleaning

How to start

Here are six steps that will help you start meal prepping and reaching your athletic goals.

1.    Make your own game plan.

Decide what you want to prepare and how. Some people might choose to make full meals. Meanwhile, others just want to prep proteins, vegetables, and starches separately and then pull them together later. It is up to you to decide which way works for you and your schedule.

If you want to make full meals, you need to think about two questions

  1. Do you want cold or hot ones?
  2. How many times a week do you want to eat the same dish?

When you answer them, you will easily decide what is your next step. You will find a lot of ideas to experiment with. It can be something simple or something that requires more cooking skills.

If you decide to go simple by thinking about putting together a starch, a protein, and a few vegetables, that is a time saver, too. For instance, you can prepare one protein, and figure out a few different ways to serve it. Having grilled chicken in a greek bowl, wrap, or burrito bowl is delicious. You have one ingredient but in different, fun ways.

Once you decided this, it is time to go shopping. Stick to your list and you will see that is budget-friendly for your wallet. Also, it will help you prevent food waste because you will buy exactly what you need.

2.  Find time for meal prepping.

At first, it might seem that you will need some extra time. But, by choosing a few hours on one day, you will soon see that you will have much more time during the week.

Sundays usually work because you will have enough food to get through the week and maybe not enough on the weekends. That can work because usually during the weekend we have more time.

If you need more food or you are not comfortable eating the same food for a few days, you might need an extra day. This can be helpful if you are an athlete with high-calorie needs or you just want to give yourself extra variety.

3. Figure out if you have enough food storage containers.

Before you start, you need to prepare enough storage for the food you are planning to make. Most importantly, there is no right way to do meal prep. Some people like to make and store all full meals for the whole week in separate containers.

Other people like to bulk prepare some things, like a big bowl of roasted vegetables, a few cooked proteins, or a bowl of salad – and then use them to create a meal each night. It is up to you which way is better.

Whichever way you choose, make sure you have enough containers with lids that are big enough. Even better, if they are microwave friendly. The best option might be glass. But, high-quality plastic containers can be convenient, too. They are good to take with you because they are lighter.

Consider smaller containers for things like condiments, nuts, dressings, and other additions to your meals. This is good because if they are together, they might ruin your food or get soggy.

Lastly, stock up on gallon size zip locks freezer bags. They are very convenient for storing things like protein pancakes or frozen breakfast sandwiches, and even soups.

4. Start cooking.

First, look a the recipes or ideas that you plan to cook. It might be something that you like or something that is not too difficult to make. Secondly, from that `pile` figure out what takes the longest to cook or what can go together into the oven at the same temperature. Start by chopping, seasoning, and putting on baking sheets.

Next, you can load up the racks with different pans of roasted vegetables, potatoes, and meats. These ingredients can easily be made in the oven. Set timers for everything so you don`t have to remember everything. That way you will not be overwhelmed and timers will remind you when to take pans out. Meanwhile, you can do other things.

Further, you can start working on any food that you need to prepare on the stovetop. Boil rice, fry chicken, steam vegetables, or anything else. During this time you can also make something that does not require cooking, like raw vegetables or energy balls.

5. Put everything together.

When you are done cooking, and when the food cooled down a little bit, you know that it is time to assemble.

Bulk items go into a container and then into the fridge. Individual meals need to be separated, so layout containers across the table, and assemble them in pieces. Work in a line style. For example, do the carbs first, then the vegetables, and then the proteins. It might be easier than creating one meal at a time.

Some people might prefer putting food containers in horizontal rows then to putting them on top of one another. It is up to you to decide which way works better.

For fresh food, like salads, put a paper towel on top of greens, and toppings, such as seeds, nuts, and berries, just put them on a side, so they won`t get soggy or mixed with lettuce.  Do not put the dressing on a salad in advance. You will end up with a soggy salad instead of a fresh, beautiful, and delicious bowl.

6. Label your containers.

Tops of containers should have a piece labeling of or tape on the lid. When you do this, putting the meal name and date will be more organized. Leftovers can last in the fridge for three to five days, and when you have a date on the lid, you will easily see if the food is fresh or not.

Things that go in the freezer are also easier to manage when there is a date. Food in the freezer will stay safe for a long time, but quality can be different after a few months.

Meal planning and prepping

Meal planning and prepping do not have to be overly rigid or structured. They can work however you want or need them to. It can help you with a busy schedule, not having enough time for cooking every meal separately, or just even because you like it that way.

Meal prep can be different for everyone and it can include:

  • Chopping meats and veggies
  • Pre-washing fruits and vegetables
  • Dividing ingredients or melas into containers for salads
  • Sauteeing or baking vegetables for the week
  • Making portions of snacks  and putting them in individual bags or containers
  • Grilling chicken breasts or baking potatoes at once

When you want to start and you are not sure if it would be a good idea to just prep some components of your meals. This can make things a lot simpler at the beginning.

You can also start with just a little preparation. Check what you already have in your fridge, and what you don`t have in your pantry so you need to buy. Write down your grocery list and take notes if you notice that there are more things that you are missing.

Talk with your colleagues, family members, and teammates about meal prepping. They might give you some ideas and cool recipes. Even better if you make it a team activity.

There are several reasons why people meal prep:

  1. Meal prepping will allow you to eat the food you like
  2. You will control your macronutrient and caloric intake
  3. People can find the schedule that suits them
  4. Fewer expenses for grocery shopping and less food waste
  5. Easy organizing every day and a whole week
  6. Meal planning and prepping will help you stay on track with your diet

The bottom line

The biggest benefit of meal prepping is that you are following your diet for sure. This guarantees results and it will motivate you to continue, which will provide more good results and so on. Altogether it can be quite powerful.

Even if you think starting everything from the beginning is too stressful and requires planning, don`t hesitate to start small steps. Some simple meal prep can do a lot for you, and then you go bigger and take a step further every week.

Meal prepping will give you more time to recover, sleep, and do other activities besides cooking. When you prep almost everything on your day off, you can do other things you like during the week. We are here to help if you have some questions or need some ideas on how to start.

Beginner Keto Meal Plan and Shopping List

It’s simple to become frightened while beginning a new diet. Having trouble starting is frequently a stumbling block. But if you’re reading this, you’ve already taken the first step—listening to your body and looking into ways to enhance your health and well-being! A legitimate keto shopping list that is simpler to remember compared to your cell number is one of the easiest methods to feel at ease with your new habit. This is a must-have for any novice who needs a base of delectable snacks and trustworthy go-to recipes, particularly with the ketogenic diet.

You’ve undoubtedly heard a lot of talks lately about the ketogenic diet. But is making the switch to this healthy routine worth it? The keto diet plan has very particular needs, such as being low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and high in fat, much like any other diet.

Your regular schedule will be disrupted by a new diet, but if you continue to see your new routine as “trouble,” your healthy routine will also seem like one. Where is the joy in that, then?

Our straightforward grocery list is based on delectable meals that will help you start your ketogenic diet after the first week. It adheres to the fundamentals, giving you the confidence and inspiration to continue on your terms.

How to put together a keto shopping list for beginners?

Clear out any tempting carb-heavy goods from your refrigerator and pantry before you make a keto shopping list. Processed foods, including sugar, grains and bread, starchy vegetables, and caloric sweeteners like honey, jams, jellies, agave nectar, and the like should be avoided at all costs.

The components of a beginner’s grocery cart for our favorite keto meals are listed below. To make your dishes at home, we advise splurging on fruit and meats!

Produce

Ingredients: red bell pepper, green onions, white onion, avocado, mushrooms, romaine or leaf lettuce, lime, green cabbage, cherry tomatoes, garlic, spinach

Proteins

Ingredients: breakfast sausage, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, bacon, ground beef

Eggs and dairy

Ingredients: blue cheese, eggs, salted butter, cream cheese, plain, whole-milk yogurt.

Pantry staples

Ingredients: vanilla extract, almond flour, monk fruit extract, chicken broth, cocoa powder, almond butter, soy sauce, coconut cream.

Spices and oils: sesame oil, ground ginger, salt, sesame seeds, garlic powder, avocado oil, cinnamon, pepper, coconut oil.

Combating the early negative effects of the keto

Although some people may benefit from this diet, there are certain adverse effects you may experience after a few days of following the keto diet. The “keto flu” is one of them.

Many people only have these symptoms for a couple of days, not as long as the true flu would. But if they go on past that or you don’t feel well, pay attention to your body and discontinue the diet.

People commonly encounter the following signs:

  • digestive discomfort 
  • increased hunger 
  • low libido 
  • low energy and mental function 
  • Insomnia 
  • decreased exercise performance 
  • Nausea 
  • headaches

These signs indicate that your metabolism is adjusting to the state of ketosis and transitioning.

Starting slowly with the diet may be a smart way to counteract (or reduce) these symptoms.

Until you are completely prepared to begin the keto diet, you might attempt carb cycling for 2 to 3 days each week. Some people decide to continue carb cycling because they believe it to be helpful for them. But because every person is unique, just pay attention to your body and what suits you the most.

About the advantages of keto

Did you know that the ketogenic diet was initially developed for persons with epilepsy and has been around for approximately 100 years?

The keto diet has a lot of other advantages outside just aiding those with epilepsy. Lowering hormones like insulin has been shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Not just diabetes but also a wide range of other health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke, are greatly influenced by insulin.

You could experience benefits in your insulin postprandial glycemia, secretion, and blood pressure if you stick to this particular eating plan. Of course, additional study is still needed to determine how the ketogenic diet will affect your long-term health.

Weight reduction is another advantage of the keto diet, and if you’re struggling with weight management, it can happen more quickly than you’d anticipate. And this diet won’t make you keep opening your refrigerator to look for meals that have processed components or empty calories.

If you want to know if the keto diet is suitable for you, see your doctor or a dietician.

Set your keto path

Making a keto shopping list prior to getting creative with recipes is crucial. Making a diet pleasurable is the greatest way to stay on it, but making it fully yours is even more crucial. Now that you possess the tools, the options are unlimited. Happy Keto-ing, and good luck!

How to meal prep for a week

Prepping your meals is something that can save you time. If you want to start meal prep and you are not sure how to do so, we are here to give you some ideas. There are some healthy and easy tips to plan and make your meals in advance.

When you start a new diet, especially a keto diet plan, prepping food for the whole week can be something that can reduce your stress. When you are late for or from work, or you are dashing out of the house, having a ready meal is the best thing.

Planning will help you will make your own delicious, keto-friendly, healthy meals. That said, there are a lot of good sides to making your meals for the whole week.

What can help you prepare?

Here are four things that can help you start meal prepping the right way: 

  1. Start by making a plan – Think about what you are going to cook ahead. Prepare all the recipes for the whole week, and be sure to have your grocery shopping list.
  2. Multi-tasking is important – You can cook more than one thing at once. You can roast your vegetables and bake chicken breasts at the same time. This way you will finish faster.
  3. Don`t prep too many meals at one time – Try not to prep for more than five or seven days` meals. Most of the food you make can stay in the fridge for around three days, so be sure to freeze the rest.
  4. Always think of your goal – If you are trying to save money, just want to eat healthily, or lose weight, always have in mind why you decided to prep your meals. That way, you will less likely to reach out for take-out meals.

How to start

Cooking and planning your meals can be a little bit overwhelming if you didn`t do it before. So, just start by doubling your portions of lunch and dinner. That way, you will have something ready for the next day. After that, two or three easy meals per week will do the trick. You will not get stressed and it is a great start. 

Once you are familiar with that process, you can plan your meals for four, five, or more days. Fast, you will be a wizard of meal prep. 

Find something that can be made in bulk, that is not too complicated, and that you would want to eat day after day. Make your list for meal prep and groceries that you are missing so you can make it. Do the shopping and start. 

This might be the time to invest in food containers, glass bottles, or mason jars. You will need those so you can properly store your food. Containers made of glass are good because you can see what is inside, use them in the microwave, and there are no unwanted chemicals. You can get bowls with dividers when you want to separate ingredients, like veggies and nuts. Mason jars are good for salads, oat, and chia puddings. Glass bottles are perfect for soups and smoothies. That said, you will need to free up some space in your fridge and freezer.

Chose the approach that works for you. Different ways are:

Full-made meals – You will cook the entire meal and save them in the fridge or freezer. 

Batch cooking and storing – You will make several meals, and portions and store them. It can be useful for recipes that you can easily make in large batches, such as soup.

Ingredients prepping – You will just prep the parts of the recipes. It is for those who like to cook and serve food. Just chop the veggies, marinate the meat, and mix spices in advance and when you are ready to cook, you will save time.

Why should you prep your meals for the week?

Once you get a hang of it, you will realize that it can be a great thing that reduces weekly stress. Here are some of the good things about meal prepping: 

It is budget-friendly. Making your meals at home is cheaper than eating out or ordering food. You will buy only the ingredients that you need for your meal prep plan and there will be less waste.

It is a time saver. An hour or two on Sunday for prepping your meals will give you more time at night, or morning. You can spend that time with your family or friends, or watch your favorite shows. It is a great feeling when you don`t have to cook when you have a busy day at work.

It is healthier and keto-friendly – You will know exactly what is in your dish. When following a diet, we can be unsure about the ingredients and calories that other meals have. But, when we make our meals, we don`t have to worry. Not to mention, the portion control that you will have with the help of the food containers. 

Your morning routines will be much easier. No more rushing around and trying to pack a lunch. Just grab already-made food out of the fridge. 

Things to help you stay on track

As we mentioned, it can be overwhelming at the beginning, so we want to present you with some tips to help you stay on track with meal planning: 

Find a companion. If you are making more than one option, the prepping process can be long. So, a partner, friend, co-worker, or family member is good company. You can exchange ideas, remind each other to bring your prepared meal, and even make them together.

Be creative. Once you are no longer a beginner, you can play around with ingredients and recipes. If you use a few ingredients in several ways, you can make a lot of different meals. Repurposing the ingredients is great.

Have more than one option. Even if it`s your favorite food, you will probably get bored of eating it all the time. Choose more than one recipe while you are prepping your food. That way you will not be stuck with the same menu every day.

Remember why. Always keep in mind why you decided to start meal prep. Think about all the benefits, you will save money, improve your health, and save your time.

Schedule your time for meal prep. You will need time to meal prep, so schedule 1 or 2 days per week to do so. Multitask a little, it will help you cut down the time. Kitchen appliances like an air frier, slow cookers, or instant pot can be a great help.

Food ideas for meal prep

Preparing meals in advance is useful for different people. From those who want to shorten their cook time or bodybuilders on the keto diet. However, some foods are not a good choice for meal prep. Food that holds up well in storage and tastes good even after a few days in the refrigerator is a good choice. 

Roasted vegetables, sauces, soups, cooked meat, berries, and raw sturdy veggies make a great base for meal prep recipes. Soft vegetables, crunchy food, and cut fruit will only get soft in your fridge, so they are not such a good choice. 

When you do meal prep, think about how you will reheat your food. Will you have access to a microwave, oven, or stove? Think about recipes that you can enjoy cold or mildly reheat so you won`t risk damaging proteins and fats in your food. 

Meat is a great source of fat and protein so you can consider different kinds of meat and put them together in different delicious recipes. Such as instant pot chicken, lamb keto tacos, bacon pineapple shrimp, steak with rosemary, slow cooker beef, etc.

Vegetables are important in our diet, so you can prep them, too. Something like cauliflower tortillas, zucchini fritters, and Brussels sprouts salad with lemon is a good choice for your meals.

In addition, you can prep your snacks, too. Choose nutritious and keto-friendly snacks that you love. They are delicious, support a healthy lifestyle and there is no cooking required.

The final word 

Better eating habits, meeting your health goals, and making your busy schedule easier are the things that you will get with meal prepping. Also, choosing the right ingredients, having enough storage containers, and patience will help you create nutritious and tasty dishes in advance. 

When you prepare your food in advance, you will be ready to use that time for some other activities. Ready portions will be in your fridge and you will reduce the stress of thinking about what to eat every day.

In conclusion, having your food ready to eat will ensure that you won`t eat something unhealthy that will ruin your diet and that you will regret. It will help you waste less food, eat healthily, and be more organized.

Benefits of keto-ready meals

With the busy schedule, modern lifestyle, and all the things that you need to do throughout the day, you might not have time to cook and prepare your meals. Whatever diet preferences you have, and especially with the keto diet plan, it is usually easier to buy ready meals or to get them delivered.

Ready meals and delivery services are here to stay even though some people are not big fans of those. Last ten years, especially the last three, these services have been growing, improving, and evolving. The chances to find something that fits your requirements and lifestyle are big.

In this text, we will talk about some things that can help you find your meals, places to buy them, and their benefits.

Tips and tricks for finding your meals

It doesn`t matter what is your favorite supermarket, you will not have problems finding at least a few ready-to-eat keto food. The trick is to know where and what to look for. This is easy once you find out where are keto-friendly prepared foods in your local market. You will be in and out of the door fast. Even if you are on the road, you can find your food in some small local grocery stores or common supermarkets. 

Check the hot food bar for low-carb meals. Supermarket often has a food bar that is buffet style or where you can find pre-packed hot meals. Find dishes with meat and vegetables. Soups are a good choice, too.  Avoid things with rice or noodles. 

Look for prepared deli meals. Get cold meals like tuna, chicken, or egg salad at the deli counter. They are generally high-protein, low-carb meals that will go well with your keto diet. Be sure to check the labels, and verify that there is no sugar or starch before you buy them. If you only find these things prepared in a sandwich form, you can ask one of the employees to fill the container with the same ingredients but without bread. You can buy green veggies salad in a bag, just not caesar salad or salad with croutons.

Buy a meat and cheese platter for a fast and easy protein-heavy meal. Search the cheese and meat section for ready meals or cheese combos. Cold-cut meats and almost all types of cheeses are safe choices for your keto diet plan. They are low-carb and high-protein. You can even ask supermarket employees to cut your favorite types of meat and cheese and put them in a container for you.

Buy a whole roasted chicken at a hot meal section. When you do that, you will have a high-protein meal right away. You can even store leftovers in the fridge and have a meal for the next day, or even two. Even bones and scraps can be used to make chicken broth which is great for the keto diet. You should avoid fried chicken because it has a coat high in carbs.

They are nutrient-rich and healthy. Supermarkets have washed pre-cut and ready-to-eat vegetables. You can get a platter with keto-friendly dips like ranch or blue cheese. Vegetables like green beans or green peas are off-limits on the keto diet because they have lots of carbs.

Search for berries. Mixes with raspberries or blackberries are good if you need something sweet. They make a great addition to your breakfast or you can use them as snacks when you need something fresh, sweet, and juicy. Remember that fruit salads with sugary fruits are not keto-friendly.

Purchase cottage cheese or greek yogurt. Mix them with berries or vegetables even. You will get a delicious breakfast full of proteins and vitamins.

Get a bag of low-carb nuts or seeds. Healthy nuts that go well with keto are walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds, and Brazilian nuts. The seed for your keto diet is chia, hemp, pumpkin seed, and flax. Avoid peanuts, pistachios, or cashews.

If there is no strict keto section in the supermarket, be sure to check the labels on every package before you buy it. 

Where can you get your keto-ready meals?

This might be one of your biggest concerns, but keto-ready meals are easy to find. Supermarkets, local grocery stores, and even farmer markets can be places to look. On the other hand, there are lots of delivery services to help you get your ready, healthy, and delicious meals.

Where ever you are check for the `healthy food section`, try to find fresh ingredients, or check labels and you will not make mistakes. Supermarkets even offer delivery, you can order, pay and pick up your order, or just go in and shop. A lot of restaurants have orders to go, so you can easily get your food from a nearby place. Some places to buy or order food:

Wallmart. This is a store that almost every neighborhood has and there is a keto section with over five hundred different products. Some are keto-friendly snacks, some are whole dishes that you can choose from.

Whole foods. They can offer you fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes that are good for your keto diet.

Target. This store has a healthy food section, order and pick up, schedule a delivery date, or same-day delivery.

These are some of the places, of course, but, as previously mentioned, there are some tricks and tips to find your keto-friendly meal everywhere. 

The benefits of keto-ready meals

When you are a beginner, it can seem scary to start a new diet plan. That is a natural feeling and before you know it, it will pass. Ready meals are a great help when you start. They can give you ideas for later, or you can just decide that they are better for you through your whole journey. These meals can save you a lot of time.

There are many benefits of prepped and ready meals, especially when we talk about the keto diet because sometimes it might be hard to know what food is keto friendly. Some of those benefits are:

  • This helps you have ready meals for the whole week, on time and in an efficient manner.
  • It allows you to have different variations of food, but not excluding health benefits as some other diets do.
  • It is proven that for many people keto diet supports fat and weight loss, and improves heart health, acne, and other metabolical improvements. In other words, you want to be prepared when you follow this meal plan, and ready meals are your friend.

Luckily, there are a lot of different places where you can choose your ready or half-ready meals with easy recipes. There are meal planning services and usually, you can find two main types. You can get pre-cooked meals that you can store in the fridge. So, all you have to do there is putting them in the microwave and they are ready. The other type is getting pre-measured, pre-packed, and raw ingredients. Of course, with easy-to-follow recipes, that everyone can make.

Easy recipes

Like we said before, you can get uncooked meals with pre-measured ingredients. These meals come with a guide so you can easily navigate your way in the kitchen. Recipes even have pictures, so you will know how everything should look as you cook it. Making them requires basic cooking techniques, which is a good thing for someone who doesn`t know how to cook. Most of the meals will be done in 30 minutes, and not longer than one hour.

Variety of dishes

Another good thing is that you can choose a lot of different kinds of dishes. In another word, you will not get one recipe or dish two days in a row. You can customize your keto food in any way you want to. Because there are a lot of places to buy or order food you can easily choose what you like.

Practical and convenient 

You won`t be preparing your meals or doing groceries. If you don`t like doing these or you just don`t have time for squeezing cooking into your schedule. You no longer have to go out all the time to get quality, keto-friendly food. No sacrificing your precious time just to get a meal.

Ready and measured portions

These keto-ready meals have strict measurements and exact portions of ingredients. Every meal you get has the right amount of carts, fats, and proteins based on a ketogenic diet. That said, there is no need to worry if you are getting the right amount of nutrients per day. Everything is calculated because the brand`s nutritionist has examined each package.

Time saver

Ready meals are perfect if you have a lot of responsibilities and you don`t have to make food. You will save a lot of time by not having to look up new recipes on your own. It is great when you know exactly where to find everything you need. The microwave will heat everything for you and you can eat your food in a few minutes. Even with half-ready meals, everything is chopped, you can put it in a pan for a short time, and it is ready.

You will save time by not needing to clean the kitchen. Measuring and chopping can cause a lot of mess. No more arguing about who is going to clean up and you will spend more time enjoying your food and less time in the kitchen making it.

Saving money on groceries 

We mentioned that it saves time, but, you can also save money when buying or ordering keto-ready meals. When you do groceries every week or month, that can come with extra costs, such as travel costs. That requires time, too, that you can spend on doing things you like, or just working because time is money. Meal delivery services and other places where you can buy ready meals and get groceries for much lower prices. That is why they can offer you quality food products for a lower cost. Also, you can find different coupons that can help you plan and save money ordering your meals.

Adapted diet plan

The important part of following a keto meal plan is that you find the one that is right for you. With ready meals, you can find the eating plan you want. Because of the variety of places and dishes you can buy, it is easier to find the right option for you. There is no need to get frustrated because you can switch as many as you want to find the one that works for you. You can easily meet your requirements this way.

The final word

People are learning that high-fat, low-carb diets are good ways to lose weight and they are beneficial for their health. That is why the keto diet is gaining popularity. Ready meals are a good thing for you if you are starting a new diet. They can benefit you in many ways if you don`t have much information. 

Once you start and see how everything works you can learn some recipes. Then you can decide if you want to make your meals or continue getting ready dishes. Just choose the delivery service, or buy ready meals at stores. Also, be sure that whichever way you choose, make sure that it is accommodating your needs.

How to start a keto meal plan

You surely heard of keto. How to start or how to plan your meals with keto are probably your first questions. We will try to get you a little bit closer and familiar with the `how to do keto meal plan`.

This diet has the goal to remove carbs from your daily intake. In clarification, you should have around thirty grams of carbs per day. Firstly, the food that you should include is meat, nuts, eggs, cheese, avocados, oils, cream, and oily fish. Secondly, fat sources are high in calories, which is why you should eat low-carb vegetables. In addition, getting enough salt and taking electrolytes can help you, too.

The important part is to plan your meals and always carry a snack with you because low-carb food is sometimes challenging to find.

What is the keto meal plan?

The Keto diet can have many benefits for your health. Some of them are fat and weight loss. In this diet, most of the calories that you eat per day, come from fats, less from proteins. When we follow it, our body can`t count on carbohydrates for energy, and it must use fat instead. This will build up acids, called ketones and our body will enter ketosis. Ketosis is a natural state of your metabolism that will force your body to burn fat instead of carbs.

There are several types and variations of keto diet plans. The standard type requires you to get about seventy or eighty percent of total calories from fat. Only twenty percent from protein, and five percent from carbs. This can be difficult to follow, which is why a meal plan is essential.

Some food, of course, has more carbs than others, the key is to know what to avoid. That way your weight loss and other benefits can come faster. The Keto diet is restrictive and you have to stay in ketosis. We have to recommend you work with a professional so you can be sure that a keto is a safe option for you. No diet is suitable for everyone. In other words, this depends on your genes, body type, taste buds, personal preferences, metabolism, and age, you need to be sure that it is right for you.

Which type of keto is suitable for you?

To decide which type of keto to follow you need to think about your goal. Do you want to lose body weight? Are you looking for more energy? Is the reason for starting it health benefits, lower blood sugar, and blood pressure?

Approach your meal planning depending on your individual goals. There are some common keto types to help you accomplish what you wish.

Overall health benefits and weight loss – Standard keto diet

This diet is the usual way of doing keto, it is a recommended method for beginners. If you decide to follow the standard keto diet, you are probably trying to lose weight and fat. You may be also trying to improve symptoms of depression and mental health, cholesterol levels, or just your health in general.

Rules for this diet plan are to limit your carbs to 20-50 grams per day, consume high amounts of fat, moderate amounts of protein, and low amounts of carbs to induce ketosis.

Diet plan to improve workout performance – Targeted keto diet

This diet plan is good for preserving exercise performance. It is best for athletes or people who have high activity levels. A targeted keto diet allows glycogen resynthesis without getting out of ketosis for a long period. 

The rules of following this diet plan are to consume 25-50 grams of carbs daily especially 30 minutes before exercising. Also, consume high amounts of fat and moderate amounts of protein. 

For athletes or bodybuilders – The cyclical keto diet

This diet plan requires you to make some changes in a strict diet and high-carb intake. A week on this meal plan involves eating 20-50 grams of carbs for five days and then eating high-carb meals for two days. That is to say, athletes with scheduled training will probably find this diet plan easy to follow.

The rules for this diet plan are to follow strict keto for 5 days and then eat more carbs for 2 days(100 grams of carbs per day). 

For people who need more protein – A high-protein keto diet

If you lift weights three or four times a week, your body requires more protein. That is why you can benefit from this keto meal plan. The standard keto diet limits protein to 20 percent of all calories, but this diet allows 35 percent of calories from protein.

Rules, when you follow this diet plan, are to eat 35 percent of calories from protein, 60 percent of calories from fat, 5 percent from net carbs, and to calculate macronutrients. You will eat a lot of healthy protein and fats and keep carbs at a minimum. 

These are some types of keto meal plans, be sure to consult with a doctor before you start yours. In the same vein, be sure to choose a diet plan depending on your activity level, body type, age, and goal that you want to achieve.

Things to know before you try a keto meal plan

If you are a beginner, cooking and planning meals can sound difficult. An easier way would be to find a delivery service. That can help a lot and make you feel less stressed.

Tips and tricks to help you in the beginning:

  • You need to understand the type of foods that you can and can`t eat on a keto diet meal plan
  • Make sure that you are keeping track of the protein that you take in
  • Add coconut oil or butter to your coffee to help you feel fuller for a longer time
  • Let your family members know about your meals and goals
  • Keep in mind that there are some side effects when you start a diet plan for weight loss
  • Take electrolytes to help you avoid side effects and help your body function well
  • If keto is not for you, acknowledge that and find some other meal plan that suits
  • Keep track of your progress and be focused and persistent 

What can you eat?

The Keto diet plan consists of:

  • Meat
  • Fish
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Green vegetables
  • Heavy cream
  • Cheese 
  • Nuts
  • Avocados
  • Seeds
  • Oils 

What can`t you eat?

  • Carb-heavy foods
  • Rice
  • Beans
  • Grains
  • Sweets
  • Potatoes
  • Fruits 
  • Cereals

‍How to stick to your keto diet meal plan

When we make changes in our lifestyle, especially if we make changes in our daily diet we can meet some difficulties. Here are some tips to help you stick with your meal plan:

  • Set a day when you will start
  • Organize your fridge or pantry so they only contain food allowed on the keto plan
  • Make meals ahead and refrigerate or freeze them
  • Be sure to always have keto-friendly food and beverages close
  • Check labels and ingredients list carefully
  • Make a meal plan for every week so you can have balanced meals and prevent hunger
  • If you are hungry often, instead of eating 3 large meals, try to eat 5 or 6 small ones
  • You might consider reducing exercising in the beginning so your body can adjust to the changes
  • Find a friend who wants to do the same so you can have a partner, it is always easier to have someone who knows what you are going through

Be sure that you are meeting your calorie needs. You need to take less that is true but make sure that your body has enough for normal functioning. 

Conclusion

Most of your meals should be based on high-fat meals followed by low-carb veggies, fish, or eggs. If you find your diet meal plan hard to stick to, hopefully, our tips will help you.  But, keep in mind that we are also here for any questions you might have. Be patient and this meal plan will provide amazing results.

Planning your meals is a key to success. As a result, you will always know what to eat. Therefore, this diet plan will help you lose weight, reduce health problems, have more energy, and feel good altogether.

What Keto Diet Meal Plan Should You Choose?

The words that we hear a lot are a ketogenic diet meal plan. You should consider it if want to reach fitness and health goals is usually a follow-up sentence. But, what ketogenic diet meal plan should you choose? If you are not sure, this text may help you decide.

The basis of the ketogenic diet is that it gets your body into ketosis. That is a condition where your body uses fat, not carbohydrates as its source of fuel. If you follow the diet plan, your body can go into ketosis in a day or three. When you are on a diet, most calories you burn come from fat. Fat is very low in carbohydrates and low in protein, so ketosis also occurs when you eat low-calorie food. 

Always consult with a professional before you start any new diet, but you can consider a recommended diet with a daily calorie intake of six to eight hundred calories.

Reasons for using a keto diet (good and bad sides)

If you are a beginner before you dive in, you need to know the potential benefits and risks. Different studies support the ketogenic diet meal plan. Reasons for using it might be –  treatment for epilepsy or type 2 diabetes, and support for weight loss. 

Epilepsy

For treating epilepsy, this diet has shown good results, especially with kids. The ketogenic diet meal plan can decrease the number of seizures, and ten to fifteen percent of kids who used this diet became seizure-free. It helped seven percent of adults who used this diet to stop having seizures when it is used for a long time. Patients may also reduce the dose of the medication. The thing that concerns doctors and patients is that it can be difficult for some people to follow it.

Diabetes

There are studies about diabetes that show how a ketogenic diet can improve glucose balance and blood sugar levels in two to three months. This also helps lowering down drug use, which is good news. Of course, for diabetics eating a lot of fat can be concerning. Fat can be unhealthy if we overeat. If you are in this group, talk to your dietitian, maybe they will recommend another diet for weight loss, such as a low-calorie diet, which might be more suitable for you.

Weight loss

When we talk about weight loss, this diet can have a great impact quickly. It can even happen in the first week. It is because your body will run out of all glycogen storage. When that happens, the weight of water becomes reduced. It looks good to see the scale dropping, but keep in mind that a loss of water comes first. The bad thing can be that for some people is short-term, and it can cause a lack of nutrition, and some health risks because you eat more saturated fat.

Benefits and risks are different for every individual. They depend on many factors, such as starting weight, general health, preconditions, activity level, and age.

Things to know about ketosis

As previously mentioned, the goal of the ketogenic diet is to get your body into ketosis. When you increase the frequency or intensity of your activities, you will lose fat and weight, but that is not the only way. Through ketosis, you can also burn fat faster, because it will help you use it for fuel. Understanding how ketosis work and what it is can help you reach your goal faster. But, before that, you need to be aware of the benefits and risks.

Food is our primary source of energy, nutrients such as fat, protein, and carbohydrates supply our body. After eating, our body breaks down carbs from foods, and then fat and protein. Ketosis happens when your body doesn`t have enough carbs or glucose, so instead burns fat. 

Your body enters ketosis when your carbs intake is low. When the body breaks down fat, it produces an acid called ketones, or ketone bodies. So, that becomes your brain`s and body`s main source of energy.

Getting and staying in ketosis isn`t easy. You have to eat no more than 20 to 50g of carbs daily to get and stay there. Food that you eat during this diet has to be picked carefully so it will not get you out of ketosis. You will need protein but you need to limit them to about 20 percent of your total daily intake. This is important because if you eat more than you need, your body will change it into carbs through gluconeogenesis. It pushes you out of ketosis.

How do you know that you are in ketosis?

One way to know is by checking your ketone level. This metabolic state usually takes one to three days to achieve when you restrict your carbs intake. If you want to measure your ketones, there is no need to visit a doctor. Just pick up a ketone urine test from the drug store, or use a blood sugar meter that has that option. A normal level of ketones is 0,6 milimoles per liter. When that number is higher, it means that you are in a state of ketosis.

There are symptoms that you might face during the diet. They are called `keto-flu`. Some of them should disappear after a few weeks. And they are:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Increased energy after a few weeks
  • Weight loss
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Fruity-smelling breath

Different types of the ketogenic diet

There are different types of the keto diet. These are the most popular ones:

  • The standard ketogenic diet – SKD
  • The cyclical ketogenic diet – CKD
  • The targeted ketogenic diet – TKD

Standard ketogenic diet 

As described before, SKD is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carb diet. It gives results in weight loss and that is why is popular in low-carb diets. Other reasons why people chose this diet are because it is easier to follow and:

  • You eat until you are full, with no need for counting calories
  • Eat the same food every day or similar, but macronutrients will stay the same
  • Three meals per day and there is no set time for meals

Drawbacks that you can face are:

  • There is an adjustment period when you switch to a keto diet because your body is used to working on glucose
  • Some dieters experience dehydration, keto flu, and fatigue, but that goes away after 1-2 weeks.

Cyclical ketogenic diet

This diet is an SKD but you can eat clean carbs, one or two days a week. This will create a carb cycle and it will help you with performance in a workout. CKD is a diet that can help athletes who exercise regularly. Eating carbs may improve the body`s ability to add new muscle, especially after workouts.

Drawbacks that might happen:

  • The main concern is that you will not be in ketosis on the days when you eat carbs. Clean carbs or not, your body still needs to be on a low-carb intake before it changes its fuel.
  • It is important to know that you need to exercise enough, so it won`t take longer than one day to get back into ketosis.
  • If you aren`t careful, this diet may help you with performance but, it might not technically be a ketogenic diet.

Targeted ketogenic diet

This keto diet is a standard keto, too, but you pay attention to the time to eat your calories. You eat five to ten percent of your daily carbs to help you stay in ketosis. But you do that before and after exercising. It will also help you improve performance and may boost energy recovery.

Potential drawbacks that you can face:

  • It would help if you were diligent to stay in ketosis; it can greatly impact your training, but you will not get into ketosis right after your workout.
  • Paying attention to the foods that are forbidden. If you eat carbs before and after exercising, you can`t eat fruit or higher-carb nuts for the rest of that day.
  • It might be difficult to stick to this diet because requires a certain level of discipline.

The final word

In this text, you could read about different types of ketogenic diets and their good and bad sides. It is different for everyone, and the best way to choose the right one is to consult a nutritionist.

You also need to figure out what plan would go well with your goals, activities, or daily schedule. There are lots of benefits, improving your health, weight loss, lower blood pressure, and others. If you follow the diet plan you choose, the results will follow, too.

Why Choose Keto Meal Plan Delivery Services

Maintaining a keto diet regime is no easy feat. We are lucky to live in a time when modern technology showing us many ways to make our lives easier. One thing that helps us on an everyday basis, especially if we have a busy schedule, is keto meal plan delivery.

If you don`t have time to prepare your food, one of your concerns must be how to find a healthy meal. Meal delivery is a great help if you are on a keto diet even more because everything has its portion, the right amount of calories, fats, and proteins. You don`t have to worry about this, and also, you can try special meals every day, and don`t need to stress about gathering ingredients or going shopping.

The keto diet requires time for meal prepping and cooking. Delivery services can help you relax because you can get ketogenic meals that meet your nutritional needs. 

Why should you choose keto meal plan delivery?

The Keto diet has been introduced to us and it has been there for a long time. A lot of people are using it to increase their energy level, lose weight or have a smaller waistline. This diet is limiting carbs to 50g per day. Carbs are present in many different foods so navigating keto can be tricky. If you don`t want to plan every day, you can hire a delivery service to do that for you.

Meal delivery services personalize your meals to make them right for you. They provide meals that contain 70-80 percent of fat, 15-25 percent of protein, and 5 percent of carbs. Also, you can let them know about your preference so you can find the best meal plan for you.

Instead of frozen food, you will get fresh meals. There are organic ingredients and fresh vegetables. Meat with no hormones, seafood from the best market, and vegetables from trusted farmers. Companies usually make their sauces.

Companies will provide you with safe access to different nutritious meals handmade by professional chefs. In short, they will give you fresh dishes without sugar, coloring, or other artificial ingredients.

Keto can be easy with delivered meals

If you considered starting a keto diet, you might be concerned about how easy it will be for you to stick to it. If you tried it before and had trouble following it, getting meals delivery is just the right thing for you.

With a keto meal delivery service, you will not worry about any details. You will get all your dishes premade and delivered to your door. This is good news for beginners. The stress about what food is allowed or not will be reduced.

When you start a keto diet, you need to know that you are cutting enough carbs, so your body can go into ketosis. You will need to count macros, fat, protein, and carbs. While you learn about them delivery service will count everything for you and all your meals will be pre-portioned. 

Reasons to invest in keto meal plan delivery

There are many benefits of investing in a keto meal plan delivery, so let`s take a look:

You will be sure that you are following your diet

When the meals are delivered and ready to eat, you will need a little time or thinking to have them during the day. This is an advantage for those with a busy schedule. You will not have to pull away from your job to think about lunch or dinner. There is no need to stress even more after an already stressful day.

Most keto deliveries will provide meals that require only a little preparation. You may only need to heat them and that is all. In return, you will have everything to stay on your diet. It is much easier that way and it saves you a lot of effort.

keto-meal-delivery-good-plan-new-york

Pre-portioned dishes

As we said, you can choose many different dishes, and not just that. A great thing about getting a pre-made meal is that all the ingredients and measurements are strictly done. You don`t have to worry about following your ketogenic diet. Most importantly, by eating every meal, you will have the right amount of carbs, protein, and fats based on your keto diet and needs.

Different meals every day

You can choose from many different recipes. That said, it is great that someone else will make them for you. Also, you can customize your meal plan as you want. You can easily try something that you always wanted. 

Convenience is higher

Keto meal delivery is very convenient. You will not leave your house to grab your meals. It will save you time and money. More time for your other activities, less time spent on grocery shopping, looking for recipes, or cleaning the kitchen. You will save money on groceries and gas. You will help the environment, too, by leaving a smaller carbon footprint.

Less food waste

Nowadays, food waste is a big problem. We buy a lot of food that we don`t need. Products, especially fresh ones go bad before we use them. With premade meals, this problem becomes less. You will get exactly what you need. You will know what are your daily or weekly needs and you will purchase that. As a result, this will prevent a lot of leftovers or expired dates from becoming garbage. 

No cooking or prepping

If you are not much of a chef or a bit unsure in the kitchen, or even you don`t like that at all, this is good news for you. As we said before, you will most likely just heat your meal and it is ready to eat.

Other food will not tempt you

Temptation is the hardest part of any diet plan. These pre-made meals will be ready to eat before you go to gatherings. Those are usually places where we have a lot of tasty food around us, but those are usually not keto-friendly. You can eat before or get your meal with you. You will less likely to consume other food that can ruin your diet.

Who should get keto meal plan delivery service and which to choose

Cooking can be very healthy, cheap, and fun. However, there is more to it than just following the recipe. You need preparation, collect ingredients, and shop. Delivery services can help you skip those steps, or, if needed, help you with the cooking process.

Delivery services are for people who don`t have time to cook and who depend on takeout food. Therefore, that food is usually not very healthy. So, not keto-friendly.

Some companies offer ready-to-eat meals, and some offer ready-to-use ingredients. In other words, depending on your preferences, you should choose the type that meets your needs. Some of them offer subscriptions. You can decide when, how often, nutrition values, and other important parts. 

Keto meal delivery services are a great solution for anyone who wants to eat healthily, but can`t follow this meal plan by themselves. 

There are some delivery services that you chose from:

  • Jet fuel meals 
  • Factor 
  • Fresh N Lean
  • CookUnity
  • Green Chef
  • Snap Kitchen
  • The Good Kitchen
  • Trifecta
  • Diet-To-Go

Delivery services will offer you the exact portions that you need and that is one of the best things about getting your food to your door. That part can be the most difficult one if you are preparing food by yourself. 

Conclusion

Keto meal delivery services are convenient, practical and a great choice for busy schedules. They provide the right portion sizes and there is no waste of food. They take care of all problems with home cooking. You can focus on enjoying food and your time. You can be sure that you are following your keto diet meal plan. 

Choosing the right company will provide you with fresh ingredients, no more take-out food, only healthy, keto meals. You will eat healthily, be more productive, and not worry or stress about your meals anymore.

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