Praised for its ability to promote weight loss, enhance mental clarity, and improve overall health, the keto diet has captured the attention of people worldwide. However, as with any diet, the question of ‘how do I prepare keto friendly food?’ is raised. Luckily, if cooking and meal prep isn’t your strong suit, it’s entirely possible to adhere to a keto lifestyle without spending hours in the kitchen. In this guide, I will show you how you can follow a keto diet without cooking – nutritionist approved.
Understanding a Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet designed to induce a state of ketosis in the body. What is ketosis? Ketosis occurs when the body shifts from using glucose as its primary fuel source to burning fat (lipids) for energy. By drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat consumption, the body enters a metabolic state where it produces ketones, which serve as an alternative energy source.
Optimal Macronutrients and Micronutrients for Ketosis
To achieve and maintain ketosis effectively, it’s crucial to adhere to specific macronutrient ratios. A standard ketogenic diet consists of approximately 70-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates.
Additionally, focusing on quality sources of micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is essential for overall health on a keto diet. Whilst most individuals will get ample amounts of vitamin A, E, D and B vitamins, a reduction in carbohydrate intake may result in a lower intake of fruits rich in vitamin C. Aim for 45mg/day and choose lower sugar, high fibre fruits such as berries, kiwis, tomatoes, and lemons. Foods rich in magnesium, and potassium can help prevent electrolyte imbalances commonly experienced during the initial stages of a keto diet. Make sure you incorporate plenty of dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds in your diet.
Keto Meal Delivery Services
So, you want to try a keto diet but are unsure when it comes to preparing keto meals? Keto meal delivery services offer a hassle-free solution to staying on track with your keto goals. These services include meal plans, ready-to-eat meals, and meal kits, with a variety of options ranging from breakfast to dinner, as well as snacks and desserts.
Meal Plans
Meal plans provide a curated selection of dishes for the week, allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavours while maintaining ketosis. A Life Plus offer 3-, 5- and 7-day keto meal plans (breakfast and lunch) with approximately 60 keto friendly, home-style, ready-to-eat meals to choose from. All meals are made to order with all-natural foods by certified nutritionists, and each meal can be tailored to suit your dietary requirements with an extensive list including gluten free, vegetarian, no dairy, no eggs and no nuts. They also have a variety of keto snacks, drinks and pantry staples that you can add to your order.
Ready-to-Eat Meals
Ready-to-eat meals are your go to option if you are looking for maximum convenience. Heated and enjoyed in minutes, they are perfect for those with busy lifestyles who want to stay on track with their dietary goals. Be Fit Food creates snap frozen, keto-friendly, weight-loss-focused meals. Their meals are dietitian-approved and designed to help you achieve mild ketosis. There are 3 keto weight loss programs to choose from – Metabolism Reset, Protein Reset or Maintenance – and a range of keto Health Meal Bundles – 7, 14 or 28-days. All meals contain 250 calories, 20g+ of protein (vegetarian meals contain 15g+ of protein), less that 20g of carbohydrates and between 4-12 serves of vegetables. Be Fit Food offers a small range of vegan and vegetarian options, with options for gluten free too. However, there are no diary free options.
Meal Kits
Meal kits include pre-portioned ingredients and simple instructions, enabling you to prepare delicious meals at home without the need for extensive cooking skills. Currently, there are no keto-friendly meal kits in Australia. However, Marley Spoon offers low carb meals to support a keto diet. Whilst this range is currently small, offering on average 5 meals per week, these recipes contain less than 25g of carbohydrates per serve. Marley Spoon prioritises fresh, seasonal vegetables and proteins and incorporate predominately healthy fats, making them a suitable option for those following a keto diet. Marley Spoon also allows you to customise your meal kit to suit other preferences such as ‘no added gluten’ and ‘dairy free’, making them a great option if you are looking for a personalised approach.
Nutritionist-Approved Keto Supermarket Snacks and Meals
In addition to meal delivery services, there are plenty of keto-friendly options available at your local supermarket. When selecting snacks and meals, opt for whole, minimally processed foods that are rich in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates.
Here are some of my top picks:
- Ready-to-eat meals: My Muscle Chef have a range of keto friendly meals with less than 15g of carbohydrates per meal. These are available in the fridge section of most Woolworths, Coles, Harris Farm’s and IGA’s. When looking at other supermarket ready-to-eat meals, aim to choose meals with less 20g of carbohydrates with high protein (25g+).
- Packet nuts: A simple yet effective keto friendly, on-the-go snack. Choose your favourite nut or nuts and opt for smaller packets of nuts or a larger bag to divide up in the week. Be mindful to purchase raw or roasted nuts and avoid flavoured nuts as these can contain high amounts of added sugar (not keto friendly!).
- YoPRO Yoghurts: Available in 700g tubs or 150g individual sachets, these yoghurts are high protein and low carb, making them a great snack or base for a breakfast (try adding some chia seeds for healthy fats and berries for a delicious chia pudding!).
- Health Lab Snack Balls: Health Lab has come out with a new range of low sugar, gluten free, plant-based snack balls that make a delicious low carb sweet treat!
