How to make family-friendly keto meals even the pickiest eaters will love.
In fact, you can stop right now making separate dinners for the entire family
So get the family on board with your new go-to keto dinner list. All are kid-approved!
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These are some of my favorite keto family meals that will keep you on track with your diet while still satisfying everyone in the house. Kid-friendly, easy keto dinner recipes, and budget-friendly too.
The best keto dinner recipes
Long gone are the days of keto meaning bland and basic. These flavourful family-friendly keto meals will keep you on track while also satisfying the entire household. There are even some lazy keto recipes too.
Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
This is one of my family's favourite keto dinner recipes! It's easy enough to put together for a weeknight meal, but also can serve as delicious comfort food too.
Bunless Burger
I call this the ABC burger which makes it even more fun for my kids. Chicken patties are topped with avocado slices and bacon, then I everyone gets to choose their favourite keto condiments to add.
Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets
Who said eating keto meant your kids have to give up their favourite foods. This recipe is great served with spaghetti squash or roasted veggies.
Plus, this sugar-free ketchup is always a hit with younger ones PLUS you can cook them in the air fryer.
Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
Delicious comfort food at its best. Yes, pulled pork mac and cheese can be enjoyed on the ketogenic diet. The whole family will absolutely love this cheesy dish.
Bacon-wrapped chicken nuggets
Quick and easy 2-ingredients bacon-wrapped chicken pieces are perfect for a mid-week family dinner, high-protein snack, or an easy appetizer.
High-protein chicken meatballs
Beef Chili
This hearty keto chili is packed with veggies...but your kids may never know it! Celery, fresh chopped tomatoes, and yellow bell pepper work well and keep you in your macros.
If you are making this as a keto dinner for the family, you may want to leave out the jalapenos to tone down the spice a bit. 😉
Quick keto spicy garlic meatballs (under 30 minutes)
"These have to be the best sticky sweet keto meatballs I have ever made ... and do incredibly easy. Another recipe to save for my weekly meal rotation. Thank you."
Low-Carb Beef Stroganoff
If your family is anything like mine, you'll love this easy recipe that can be made in a slow cooker. No more scrambling at the last minute trying to figure out what to make for dinner with this option.
Zucchini Taco Boats
If you've never tried a zucchini taco boat, you're in for a treat. The veggie is cut lengthwise then stuffed with seasoned ground beef. Top it off with some cheese and avocado and you've got a delicious "taco".
Keto "Fried" Chicken
This keto chicken is the perfect go-to when your family is craving fast food. The coating on this baked chicken is grain-free but tastes just as crispy as the real stuff.
This dinner would work very well with my no-mess mashed cauliflower.
Keto pork chops
Tired of chicken? Change it up with this one-pot recipe for pork chops. The butter garlic sauce is to die for!
Self- Saucing Meatballs (Kids Actually Eat)
Low-Carb Pizza
Pizza night is back on with this delicious dish. This is made using fathead dough which is one of my all-time favourite bases. You can make this one with almond flour or coconut flour.
Once you have your base, load up on low-carb keto toppings! Veggies, ground beef, bell peppers, basil, and cheese are some of our favourites. Don't forget to sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese on top too. 😉
Low-Carb Sloppy Joes
Here's an easy family favorite - keto sloppy joes! Ground beef serves as the base for this meal, but what really makes it delicious is the sauce. You've got to give this one a try and see what I mean.
How To Make A Simple Fat Head Pizza Base
Taco Salad
If you are following the keto diet, this is one of those life-changing low-carb recipes. Why? Because it will actually entice your children to eat salad willingly.
And not just willingly - they'll enjoy it. Seasoned ground beef and veggies are mixed with cheese and creamy dressing. There are even some crunchy "tortilla strips" on top too!
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Here's another slow cooker recipe that everyone will love, whether they are low carb or not. Just like most of the best recipes, there's plenty of cheesy goodness here.
Cauliflower Soup
If you need a last-minute low-carb option for dinner, this easy recipe is a go-to. Throw together cauliflower with heavy cream and a few other ingredients into your Instant Pot and let it do all of the heavy lifting for you.
Chicken Curry Kebabs
I put this recipe on my meal planning rotation weekly. You won't believe how simple it is to make chicken kabobs. Serve this with curried cauliflower rice and watch them chomp it up.
Cheeseburger Pizza
Hey keto mama, of all the keto dinner recipes, my whole family loves crispy keto pizza the most.
Keto Shepherd's Pie
This shepherd's pie is fantastic. Make this with ground beef or lamb, and enjoy the creamy cauliflower mash that's in this recipe.
Instant Pot Meatballs
If you couldn't tell, I'm a huge fan of the Instant Pot! If I could make all my keto dinners in there, I would. 😉 This recipe is perfect for the keto diet and comes together in a flash.
Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Here are another one of the best keto recipes for families. Before you head out for the day, toss the buffalo chicken ingredients into your slow cooker.
Then, when you get home, all you need to do is serve them up in lettuce cups. Simple and delicious.
Keto Pot Roast
The Instant Pot really shines in recipes like this pot roast. It cooks and tenderizes the meat perfectly, while also cooking up the veggies too.
Low-carb nachos
To make these nachos, you'll first make "chips" using Fat Head dough. Then just add the toppings of your family's choice. Trust me, the whole family will love this dinner.
Low-carb spaghetti
Zucchini noodles make the perfect substitute for your typical carb-laden variation. This bolognese sauce is a favourite of my childrens' - and it will be yours too!
Curry beef bowl
I find myself craving curry often, and this one-pot beef curry is my go-to recipe. This recipe is filled to the brim with good-for-you spinach, but your kids will barely notice.
Mini meatloaves
Want an easy option to make ahead? I highly recommend these mini meatloaves. Not only are they fantastic for dinner, but they freeze nicely and will work great in a lunchbox too.
Best easy family keto side dishes
If you're wondering what to serve with a keto dinner, these are the best healthy side dishes to serve with chicken, the best low-carb side dishes for beef, and if you're wondering what to serve with pork, there are plenty of delicious vegetable recipes, keto bread recipes, and even fake-outs (copycat takeout recipes).
These are the most popular low-carb and keto side dishes:
- Keto garlic bread (almond flour recipe)
- Low-carb mashed cauliflower (4 ways)
- Baked cheesy broccoli and cauliflower
- Low-carb almond flour bread
How do I start a keto family?
Many families are transitioning to low-carb or keto for their children once they discovered the health benefits of lowering processed carbs.
How strict and how low carb you go will be a personal decision based on your family's health, weight, behavioral issues, taste sensory issues, and budget.
For my family of 5, we are low-carb, not no-carb. I do not count carbs and my emphasis is on whole foods that are lower in carbs.
Children will benefit from lowering their processed carbs such as stopping pizza, fries, candy, sweets, and sugary drinks. You can still enjoy nutrient-dense carbs such as vegetables, low-sugar fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy, and delicious low-carb and keto recipes.
If your have decided you want to raise keto kids, or there is a medical need (such as epilepsy) where a ketogenic diet is beneficial, then you can make delicious keto recipes for kids. You can either slowly remove processed carbs from meals such as stopping bread, pasta, and rice, or you can go cold turkey if there is a medical need and an urgency.
There are a lot of myths about low-carb kids, but by stopping junk food and processed carbs, your children's meals and snacks will become lower carb by default. Healthy meals that are nutrient-dense and full of quality protein and healthy fats.
This is where you only count carbs and it doesn't matter where your carbs are coming from. Dirty keto dieters will eat keto bars, keto shakes, and junk food even if it falls below their daily carb limit. This is not recommended for a family or for children.
How to be keto if your family isn't?
By making small changes you can still enjoy family dinners and still lose weight.
Make their regular diners that your family will enjoy, but don't eat the high-carb side dishes such as bread, pasta, rice, or french fries. Don't drink sugary drinks. Don't eat high sugar desserts, chocolate, and snacks.
Try to slowly introduce low-carb recipes and healthy recipes to your family. Freezing any leftovers is an easy way to do some keto meal prep for yourself so you are organised if they order fast food and you want a healthy keto dinner instead.
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