By now, most of us are at least vaguely familiar with the "keto" diet. If you aren’t, it’s a very low-carb, high-fat diet that pushes your body into a metabolic state called “ketosis.” Ketosis is what happens when there aren’t adequate carbohydrates for energy and the body turns to burn fat instead. This is why so many folks go on a keto diet for weight loss or in order to keep a certain body fat percentage.
Keto can seem really tricky at first because it’s hard for us to picture a diet with so few carbs. But eating keto is definitely possible, and it can even be delicious, easy, fun—and cheap.
Read on for some cheap keto meals. They’re perfect for integrating into your keto meal plan—without breaking the bank.
Keto Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower rice is surprisingly easy—and so dang healthy. It’s just what it sounds like, rice made out of cauliflower. To make, simply toss chopped cauliflower in a food processor or blender until it has the consistency of couscous, or buy it prepackaged.
Eat it on its own, use it as a side for one of your other favorite keto dishes, or use it as a base for keto fried rice or risotto. It’s versatile and tasty. What’s not to like?
Keto Chicken Stir Fry
If you’re going to rely on meat for your keto recipes, it’s always best to stick with grass-fed, humanely raised meat. And that’s certainly true for the chicken breast for this keto chicken stir fry. This recipe is a good example of how a keto diet doesn’t have to be any less yummy. It’s a delicious stir fry that will leave you feeling fully satiated.
Keto Chili
One of the joys of keto eating is keto chili. It’s such an enjoyable and satisfying meal—and anyone can make it at a low cost. The recipe calls for ground beef, but it’s just as tasty without it if you’d prefer meatless chili. Top it off with a little shredded cheese or sour cream, to your liking!
Two-Ingredient Keto Tortilla Chips for Ultimate Keto Nachos
Who doesn’t love nachos? Well, the good news is that you can enjoy them while on a keto diet. Try making these super easy keto tortilla chips to munch on nachos to your heart’s content. They’re made from mozzarella and almond flour! You might never want to buy tortilla chips again.
Keto Chaffles
What, you ask, is a chaffle? Well, it’s a high-fat, high-protein savory waffle—the perfect thing for breakfast time (or lunch, or dinner!) in the keto world. They’re insanely easy to make—which is good news for the meal prep-averse. All you’ll need from the grocery store are eggs and cheese (and whatever you’d like to top them with).
Slow Cooker Dark Chocolate Cake
Okay, okay, chocolate cake maybe doesn’t—or shouldn’t—qualify as a meal. But how could we not include it? This deeee-licious recipe is made in a slow cooker, of all things. And it’s keto-friendly! So whether you count it as a whole meal or a dessert, enjoy it guilt-free. You won’t regret it.
Keto Pizza
Let’s face it: if keto pizza didn’t exist, it would probably be too hard to pull off a keto diet. Luckily, we can all rest easy knowing that it is, in fact, a thing—and it doesn’t disappoint. The crust is made with a delightful blend of eggs, cottage cheese, butter, almond flour, salt, garlic powder, and shredded cheese. Choose your own toppings and whip up this easy-to-make keto meal. Losing weight never tasted so good.
Asparagus-Mushroom Frittata
Frittatas are a great go-to keto meal. They’re high-fat, high-protein, low-carb, and won’t break the bank—just what we’re looking for. And they’re wonderful to eat and can be created in all kinds of varieties. An asparagus-mushroom frittata is one healthy (and palate-pleasing) option. It’ll take less than an hour from start to finish. It’s a recipe you’ll want to make over and over again.
Spicy Pork Brussels Bowls
Spicy pork Brussels bowls are a tantalizing combination of Brussels sprouts, eggs, onions, herbs, spices, and pork (or another form of meaty or meatless protein—up to you!).
This recipe calls for smoky paprika, ancho chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, ground cumin. So if you don’t already have lots of spices around, they might be a little bit heavier on your shopping list.
Spicy pork Brussels shouldn’t take too long at all to prep, especially if you shred the Brussels sprouts in the food processor or purchase them pre-shredded. Before long, you’ll be munching on spicy, keto-friendly heaven.
Homemade Guacamole
Guacamole is quite simply one of the best foods out there. And it’s a great staple in keto dieting. Learning how to make homemade guacamole is a skill every guac-lover should have. Thankfully, it’s not too hard to master.
Roasted Parmesan Frozen Broccoli
When it comes to food prep, roasted broccoli is about as easy as it gets. But with a scrumptious parmesan roasted broccoli recipe, you don’t have to sacrifice taste for the sake of ease or budget. The recipe calls for frozen broccoli, EVOO, white sugar, lemon juice, S&P, garlic powder, cayenne powder, and optional liquid amino acids and grated parm.
However, if you’re in the mood to experiment, you can switch up or add to those ingredients and seasonings. This method works on frozen cauliflower, peppers, green beans, zucchini, squash, carrots, and mixed vegetable blends. But it’s pretty hard to go wrong with roasted broccoli covered in cheese!
Keto Biscuits
Thank goodness for keto biscuits. They’re tastier than you might expect, and they’re not too hard to make. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing, keto-friendly, melt-in-your-mouth, affordable, low-carb breakfast, keto biscuits are a good way to go.
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese on a diet?? Yes, please! Our keto cauliflower mac and cheese is 100% keto-friendly and cheap to make!
It may look a little different than your average mac and cheese, but it’s no less appetizing. It uses cauliflower instead of pasta. That might sound questionable, but you’ve gotta trust us on this one. It’s still covered in all that ooey-gooey, savory cheese—and it could end up as your next favorite recipe.
