Next Week’s Meal Plan: 5 Easy Keto Dinners for the Week Ahead

Welcome to Next Week’s Meal Plan! I want to help you find inspiration and ease some of the pain points that come with getting dinner on the table night after night, whether you’re cooking for one or a family of eight. That’s why, as promised, this series is shifting — every week I’ll be answering reader requests and sharing meal plans that you want to see. And it’s not too late — tell me what kinds of meal plans you want to see in the comments below.

When you’re following a ketogenic diet, putting together a week of diverse meals can feel like a struggle. This lineup of dinners keeps mealtime interesting by changing up the protein and veggies. Plus, we’ve included tips for how repurpose the ingredients throughout the week so that nothing goes to waste.

To make this recipe even easier (it is Monday, after all), I recommend starting with a bag of pre-riced cauliflower and pre-sliced mushrooms. The recipe calls for kalua pork, but any other type of cooked shredded meat (or shredded tofu) will work well. Use any leftover meat to round out Wednesday night’s zucchini noodle bowl.

Not only are steaks an excellent choice when you’re keeping keto, but your oven’s broiler also makes this an especially quick-cooking dinner. Swap out the carrots and tomatoes for lower-carb options, like broccoli, cauliflower, or mushrooms.

Scale up this super-easy dinner for however many people are around your table. The recipe calls for a fried egg, although you can also use up any leftover shredded meat from Monday’s dinner, a piece of salmon, or seared chicken breast to bulk up the bowl without loading up on carbs. If you have the time, use all the leftover herbs from Monday along with any other lingering greens to blitz together your own pesto in place of store-bought.

Round out this Italian-style dinner with a bed of cauliflower rice, a pile of kohlrabi noodles, some sautéed greens, or steamed asparagus on the side.

Start with a couple of boneless chicken breasts and a mix of your favorite veggies, then toss everything on a sheet pan for an easy dinner to close out the week. Consider cooking up a little extra to round out salads or grain bowls for weekend lunches.

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• The Beginner’s Guide to Meal Planning: What to Know, How to Succeed, and What to Skip
• The Best Way to Use a Weekend for Meal Planning Success
• Ask Yourself These 5 Questions Before You Start Meal Planning
• 5 Strategies for Picking Recipes for a Week of Meal Planning

Meal planning isn’t always easy — especially if you’re just getting started. But I’m a firm believer that it’s the secret to stress-free weeknight dinners. So whether you’re just learning to meal plan or you’re already a tried-and-true pro, I’m here to help you solve the question of what to cook for the week ahead. Every week, I’ll be sharing a new meal plan — either how I’m feeding my own family, or a meal plan solution specifically customized for you.