Skip to content 
At the beginning of my keto journey, I went through several different meal guides and meal plans. I’d find these elaborate ones online, spend ages cooking, mess them up completely, and then end up with food I hated. Big waste of time and money… Here’s the thing I learned: ditch the “follow exactly” mentality and embrace substitutions.
Don’t like chicken? Swap it for your favorite meat. Short on time? Use a steamer bag for veggies instead of frying.
The key takeaway? Don’t be afraid to experiment, sub things out, and simplify any meal plan to fit your taste and schedule. That way, you’ll actually stick with it.
So, I took my struggles with meal plans and turned them into something simple. This 7-day beginner keto plan is designed to be flexible, no matter your lifestyle. Busy professional? World traveler? Stay-at-home parent? This plan caters to everyone. Remember, this is just a guide – feel free to simplify or swap ingredients to fit your taste and schedule. I actually encourage you to take things out, add things, and simplify this plan to work for you. The most important thing is to be consistent, stick with it, and achieve your wellness goals!
7-Day Beginner Keto Meal Plan – The Basics
Please note that these calories and net carbs are estimates and will vary based on the ingredients and serving sizes you use. Make sure you still weigh your food and utilize the proper serving sizes and keep track of your calories. Feel free to add or subtract portions based on your caloric goals. See my ultimate keto guide to brush up on how to calculate your macros.
Day 1 – Monday
Breakfast (Calories: 300, Net Carbs: 2g)
- Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese
- Beat eggs and mix with shredded cheddar cheese. Cook on a non-stick skillet over medium heat until the eggs are fluffy and fully cooked. Garnish with parsley if desired
Lunch (Calories: 400, Net Carbs: 5g)
- Grilled chicken salad with assorted vegetables and olive oil
- Grill seasoned chicken breasts and slice them. Toss with assorted vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. See the Keto grocery list to decide on which vegetables are right for Keto.
Snack (Calories: 200, Net Carbs: 7g)
- Plain yogurt with a scoop of protein powder
Dinner (Calories: 500, Net Carbs: 8g)
- Beef stir-fry with vegetables and keto-friendly soy sauce
- Sauté sliced beef and assorted vegetables like bell peppers and snow peas in a wok or skillet with a splash of soy sauce. Cook until the vegetables are just tender and the beef is well-cooked.
Total Calories: 1400
Day 2 – Tuesday
Breakfast (Calories: 350, Net Carbs: 3g)
- Turkey and Cheese Omelette
- Whisk eggs and pour into a hot skillet, adding shredded turkey and cheese as the eggs begin to set. Fold the omelet and serve once the cheese melts.
Lunch (Calories: 400, Net Carbs: 6g)
- Beef and vegetable soup
- Simmer chunks of beef, broccoli, and peppers in beef broth until everything is tender. Season with herbs and spices of your choice.
Snack (Calories: 140, Net Carbs: 1g)
- Hard-boiled eggs (2)
- Place eggs in boiling water and cook for about 10-12 minutes. Cool in ice water, peel, and serve with a pinch of salt.
Dinner (Calories: 450, Net Carbs: 4g)
- Grilled chicken with a side of steamed broccoli
- Season chicken breasts and grill until fully cooked. Serve with broccoli steamed until tender, seasoned with a bit of garlic and lemon.
Total Calories: 1340
Day 3 – Wednesday
Breakfast (Calories: 300, Net Carbs: 2g)
- Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese (Repeat from Day 1)
Lunch (Calories: 360, Net Carbs: 3g)
- Tuna Salad
- Mix canned tuna with mayonnaise and chopped celery. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Snack (Calories: 120, Net Carbs: 1g)
- Cheese sticks
- Buy a bag of cheese sticks from the grocery store or cut up your favorite hard cheese and cut it into sticks.
Dinner (Calories: 510, Net Carbs: 5g)
- Turkey Burgers
- Mix ground turkey with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Form into patties and grill until cooked through.
Total Calories: 1290
Day 4 – Thursday
Breakfast (Calories: 250, Net Carbs: 4g)
- Protein Shake
- Blend protein powder with unsweetened almond milk and ice.
Lunch (Calories: 400, Net Carbs: 5g)
- Grilled Chicken Salad (Repeat from Day 1)
Snack (Calories: 200, Net Carbs: 7g)
- Plain yogurt with nuts or protein powder (Repeat from Day 1)
Dinner (Calories: 480, Net Carbs: 6g)
- Pan-seared beef with Sauteed Mushrooms and Zucchini (Repeat from Day 1)
- Pan-sear slices of beef, add mushrooms, and zucchini, and cook until tender. Season with soy sauce and pepper.
Total Calories: 1330
Day 5 – Friday
Breakfast (Calories: 280, Net Carbs: 2g)
- Fried Eggs with Sauteed Spinach
- Fry eggs to your liking. Saute spinach in olive oil until wilted. Season with salt and peppers.
Lunch (Calories: 350, Net Carbs: 3g)
- Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups
- Lay slices of turkey flat, top with cheese slices and a squirt of mustard, then roll up and slice.
Snack (Calories: 140, Net Carbs: 1g)
- Hard-Boiled Eggs (Repeat day 2)
Dinner (Calories: 500, Net Carbs: 8g)
- Beef Stir-Fry (Repeat Day 1)
Total Calories: 1270
Day 6 – Saturday
Breakfast (Calories: 350, Net Carbs: 3g)
- Omelette with Turkey and Cheese (Repeat Day 2)
Lunch (Calories: 400, Net Carbs: 6g)
- Beef and Vegetable Soup (Repeat Day 2)
Snack (Calories: 120, Net Carbs: 1g)
- Cheese Sticks (Repeat Day 3)
Dinner (Calories: 500, Net Carbs: 4g)
- Grilled Salmon with Asparagus
- Season salmon with salt and lemon. Grill until cooked through. Grill or steam asparagus until tender.
Total Calories: 1370
Day 7 – Sunday
Breakfast (Calories: 250, Net Carbs: 4g)
- Protein Shake (Repeat Day 4)
Lunch (Calories: 360, Net Carbs: 3g)
- Tuna Salad (Repeat Day 3)
Snack (Calories: 200, Net Carbs: 4g)
- Plain Yogurt with Protein Powder Or Nuts
Dinner (Calories: 510, Net Carbs: 5g)
- Turkey Burgers (Repeat Day 3)
Total Calories: 1320
Meal Plan Chart
| Day | Meal | Dish | Instructions | Calories (kcal) | Net Carbs (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breakfast | Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar | Beat eggs, mix with cheese, cook until fluffy. Garnish with parsley. | 300 | 2 |
| Lunch | Grilled Chicken Salad | Grill chicken, slice and toss with greens, cucumber, tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. | 400 | 5 | |
| Snack | Plain Yogurt with Protein Powder | Mix protein powder with plain yogurt until smooth. | 200 | 7 | |
| Dinner | Beef Stir-Fry | Sauté beef and vegetables in soy sauce until cooked. | 500 | 8 | |
| Total | 1400 | 22 | |||
| 2 | Breakfast | Turkey and Cheese Omelette | Whisk eggs, add turkey and cheese to skillet, fold and serve once cheese melts. | 350 | 3 |
| Lunch | Beef and Vegetable Soup | Simmer beef, broccoli, carrots in broth until tender. Season to taste. | 400 | 6 | |
| Snack | Hard-Boiled Eggs | Boil eggs for 10-12 minutes, cool, peel, and season with salt. | 140 | 1 | |
| Dinner | Grilled Chicken with Steamed Broccoli | Grill seasoned chicken, serve with steamed broccoli seasoned with garlic and lemon. | 450 | 4 | |
| Total | 1340 | 14 | |||
| 3 | Breakfast | Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 1. | 300 | 2 |
| Lunch | Tuna Salad | Mix canned tuna with mayonnaise and chopped celery. Season with salt and pepper to taste. | 360 | 3 | |
| Snack | Cheese Sticks | Choose your favorite hard cheese, cut into sticks, and enjoy. | 120 | 1 | |
| Dinner | Turkey Burgers | Mix ground turkey with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Form into patties and grill until cooked through. | 510 | 5 | |
| Total | 1290 | 11 | |||
| 4 | Breakfast | Protein Shake | Blend protein powder with unsweetened almond milk and ice. | 250 | 4 |
| Lunch | Grilled Chicken Salad (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 1. | 400 | 5 | |
| Snack | Plain Yogurt with Protein Powder (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 1. | 200 | 7 | |
| Dinner | Pan-Seared Beef with Sautéed Mushrooms and Zucchini | Pan-sear slices of beef, add mushrooms and zucchini, cook until tender. Season with soy sauce and pepper. | 480 | 6 | |
| Total | 1330 | 22 | |||
| 5 | Breakfast | Fried Eggs with Sautéed Spinach | Fry eggs to your liking. Sauté spinach in olive oil until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. | 280 | 2 |
| Lunch | Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups | Lay slices of turkey flat, top with cheese slices and a squirt of mustard, then roll up and slice. | 350 | 3 | |
| Snack | Hard-Boiled Eggs (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 2. | 140 | 1 | |
| Dinner | Beef Stir-Fry (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 1. | 500 | 8 | |
| Total | 1270 | 14 | |||
| 6 | Breakfast | Omelette with Turkey and Cheese (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 2. | 350 | 3 |
| Lunch | Beef and Vegetable Soup (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 2. | 400 | 6 | |
| Snack | Cheese Sticks (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 3. | 120 | 1 | |
| Dinner | Grilled Salmon with Asparagus | Season salmon with salt and lemon. Grill until cooked through. Grill or steam asparagus until tender. | 500 | 4 | |
| Total | 1370 | 14 | |||
| 7 | Breakfast | Protein Shake (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 4. | 250 | 4 |
| Lunch | Tuna Salad (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 3. | 360 | 3 | |
| Snack | Plain Yogurt with Protein Powder (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 4. | 200 | 7 | |
| Dinner | Turkey Burgers (Repeat) | Repeat from Day 3. | 510 | 5 | |
| Total | 1320 | 19 |
Shopping List
Need the shopping list to get started? I’ve got you covered. This may seem like a big list for a beginner keto meal plan, but you do not need to get everything on this list! You can replace anything with a keto-friendly substitute or feel free to duplicate meals if you do not have time to cook a lot. For example, I sometimes cook all my chicken on one day and dress it up for different meals throughout the week.
Proteins
- Chicken breasts
- Ground beef
- Ground turkey
- Eggs
- Canned tuna
- Salmon fillets
Dairy
- Cheddar cheese
- Cheese sticks (your choice of hard cheese)
- Plain yogurt
Vegetables
- Mixed salad greens
- Cucumbers
- Broccoli
- Bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Asparagus
Condiments and Spices
- Olive oil
- Soy sauce (Keto Friendly)
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Parsley (optional for garnish)
Others
- Protein powder (low carb)
- Unsweetened almond milk
Downloadable 7-Day Beginner Keto Meal Plan
Download the Keto Meal Plan today and start your journey now!
