Here at Konscious Keto, we want to rewrite the lunchtime menu. For many keto-ers, lunchtime is the first meal of the day. What better way to break your fast than with a deliciously fatty meal that will sustain you till dinner time?
When looking at traditional packed lunches, the apple and sandwich combo isn’t going to hit the top notes on a keto diet. Sure, you could whip up a batch of keto bread and make your sandwiches, but with so many other tasty foods to offer, we think there are some fun and inspiring choices out there, waiting for you.
Lunch is a substantial meal. It’s also super underrated. We want to give lunch a new look and give you some simple tips on how to pack a yummy keto lunch that can give you a nutritional boost, and help you work to your health goals.
Much like other meals on keto, reframing how you think of lunch is vital. You want to go into this with an open mind. Your plate on keto is going to look different and be sized differently, as you are following a 70% or more fat ratio.
Cutting out carbs is going to make your lunch physically look smaller, but these mighty recipes will give you a massive burst of energy and help you stay in ketosis (even while at work).
Each recipe is also nutrient-balanced to support a whole food approach to clean keto. You can modify each recipe to suit your taste and macros. We want to inspire you to consider something you might not try.
If you prefer something even faster to prepare, we’ll reveal a secret we’re using at the end to get into ketosis each day without any prep work.
This is our secret go-to on hungry days, busy days, and workout days, and we think you'll love it too. Let’s find out more.
Keto Lunches for Work
If you’re curious as to what you can eat on a keto diet at work, the good news is there’s a ton of options out there, and no, you don’t have to rely on salads.
Packing a lunch is an affordable and reliable way to stay keto, and thankfully, it doesn’t take a lot of prep to do. Here’s looking at you cheese, jerky, and keto nut combo packs.
We love these super cute bento boxes from LunchBots. They keep your keto snacks separated and prevent any taste contamination. Yes, that’s a thing!
They also have super cute, tiny cups for your condiments. Hello mayo, mustard, ranch, Ceasar, and other delicious fatty sauces.
Keep reading to find out what keto lunches for work we love:
1. Turkey-Cheddar Roll-Ups
Swap out carb-heavy wraps for delicious turkey slices, to bring life to this DIY keto wrap party. You can use different kinds of cheese to bring new flavor and life to this recipe.
- Recipe: Use turkey or ham slices and roll them up with up to three slices of cheese
- Pack: some delicious avocado, cucumber, blueberries, and some almonds in your box
- Net carbs: 13 grams
2. Hard-Boiled Egg Snack Plate
It might not be the first lunch you think of but the boiled egg is a cheap, tasty, and super keto treat that goes the distance.
Eggs are correctly ratioed for keto and can be cooked in batch on the weekend for grab-and-go lunches. Refrigerate on Sunday and eat as desired.
- Recipe: 2 hard-boiled eggs
- Pack: 1/2 avocado, cucumber slices, French onion dip, string cheese
- Net carbs: 9 grams
3. Zoodles and Meatballs
If you’re looking for something to replace a hot lunch, this keto spaghetti and meatballs should hit the spot. Zoodles, or zucchini noodles, are the stand-up champ in this lunch.
If you prefer a tomato sauce, be sure to make your own or look for one without added sugar and use sparingly. We honestly think you’ll love the keto recipe more, though.
- Recipe: 3 cooked beef or chicken meatballs
- Pack: Zoodles tossed with lemon juice and olive oil, cubed cheddar cheese, roasted almonds, Babybel cheese
- Net carbs: 8 grams
4. Chicken Sausage
A super reliable keto lunch option is chicken or beef sausage. It comes in a variety of flavors and will help make lunches feel fresh again. Think spicy andouille and Italian herb. Yum!
The sides also add to the excitement of flavors and fats in this packed lunch; the avocado and cucumber offer a refreshing palate cleanser between bites.
- Recipe: Rollup 3 slices of deli turkey (we like Applegate), with three slices of cheese
- Pack: 1/2 avocado, cucumber slices, blueberries, almonds
- Net carbs: 13 grams
5. Pepperoni Picnic Box
Why pay a fortune for al fresco dining when you can pack up a keto lunch and pick to your taste buds desire? This simple spread is super tasty.
Adding in some healthy fats is also a great way to fill up and fuel your body throughout the day - we want your metabolism to work as hard as you do.
- Recipe: Assemble into the box
- Pack: Pepperoni slices, 1/2 avocado, celery sticks, French onion dip, cubed cheddar cheese
- Net carbs: 7 grams
6. Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Roll-Ups
This lunch is more like a mini-vacation. With delicious bites of cream cheese and salmon, you won’t remember what bagels taste like… these rolls up are all taste and no waste.
Pack this one on a day you know you’ll need a pick-me-up, and we think you’ll be surprised at what a little lifesaver this keto box can be.
- Recipe: Spread cream cheese on to slices of smoked salmon, roll them up, and slice
- Pack: Zoodles tossed with lemon juice and olive oil, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, almonds
- Net carbs: 12 grams
7. Bacon Chips and Dip
Crunchy, salty bacon chips are the lunch staple you didn't know you needed.
Tear a few slices of bacon into large pieces, bake until crisp, and then dip into guacamole come lunchtime. Still reading? Get packing!
- Recipe: Bacon chips and guacamole
- Pack: 2 hard-boiled eggs, string cheese, almonds
- Net carbs: 7 grams
When Should I Use a Meal Replacement?
Depending on your macros, these lunches should be a great way to tide over your hunger until you get home for dinner, but if you need an extra boost, of just don’t want to cook, we have you covered too.
We know how busy life can get and having quick and easy options are a great way to prevent a drive-thru fail, or skipping lunch altogether.
Preparedness is the name of the game.
Keto Meal is a special keto shake that you can use with these keto lunches or in total replacement of your lunch to help hit your macros.
They come in three delicious flavors (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry) and taste like real milkshakes.
Simply add a scoop of Keto Meal to water, nut milk, or a keto smoothie, to give you the extra boost of energy you need to hit your goals.
Remember, ketosis boasts many brain benefits. If you get brain fog, distracted, tired, or just don’t feel like you’re hitting your peak in the workplace, it’s time to step up.
Give your body the fat it so desperately deserves and we promise the rest of your schedule will fall into place.
Do You Pack Keto Lunches for Work?
We wanna know, sound off in the comments below and don’t forget to get more of our favorite keto recipes in our Facebook Group. We share dozens of tips and tricks and can help you get into ketosis.
At the end of the day, it’s all about making keto lunches for work - work for you!
Whether you’re a take out, DIY, or a shake-r, the goal is to keep your fat content high, your carbs low, and your protein moderate to sustain you until dinnertime.
We hope these tips and recipes have helped you decide on which nutritional keto lunches work for you; for more recipes, check out our keto recipe blog.
