Even if you started out with every intention of making your keto journey fun–and full of tasting, healthy, and interesting meals–sometimes things can get a little stale. Even top chefs find themselves lacking ideas and gusto sometimes.
Don’t get bored on your keto diet and find yourself giving in and straying from your wellness or fitness goals and the beneficial state of ketosis. Are you tired of eggs and bacon for breakfast and chicken with salad for dinner? Going keto does not have to be boring, but if you become a creature of habit or you’re stuck in a keto rut, read on for top tips to revitalize your keto lifestyle and keep your keto diet interesting.
1. Add New Whole Foods
Conquer your keto boredom by adding in new foods you don’t usually eat. Maybe you’ve never tried a certain food or only tried it once or twice in the past. If you haven’t been eating many nuts, expand your horizons and branch out from your usual walnuts and pistachios; try almonds, macadamias, and Brazil nuts instead. If you’re always snacking on pork rinds or some other keto ‘chips’, go for veggie sticks and fresh guacamole dip. Enjoy this spinach artichoke dip, or kick it up a notch with this irresistible bacon spinach dip.
Try wild game or more exotic meats that aren’t typically on your dinner plate, like rabbit, duck, bison, elk, wild turkey, and yak. You can often find interesting, tastier, and more affordable cuts of meat and sausage at your local butcher shops, online, at farms, or at farmer’s markets. Ask your local butcher or farmer for tips on how to prepare the food.
2. Add New Convenient Keto Snacks
While the bulk of your diet should be whole foods, it’s convenient and delicious to grab a ready-made keto snack sometimes. If your keto diet is lackluster, a new keto treat or snack like a chocolate chip nut bar could perk you up. It’s best to check the ingredients to make sure the product really is keto-friendly. You could also make your own keto fat bombs ready to crush cravings. Anyone for some pumpkin keto fat bombs or dark chocolate almond bombs?
3. Push Your Food Boundaries
If you’re always having eggs and bacon in the morning or just skipping breakfast, try something different and have a keto smoothie or cereal. Brighten up your morning with a nutritious blueberry smoothie, lower inflammation with a turmeric smoothie, or get chocolatey with a chocolate avocado collagen smoothie!
If dinner is always a beef dish or roasted chicken, go for more seafood like this restaurant-worthy keto poke bowl or this refreshing baked lemon sole dish. Adding variety to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. You can stick to easy and faster recipes like 15-minute halibut and zoodles. Explore the range of mouthwatering keto recipes here at Ketogenic.com! Just enter your desired ingredient in the search bar or browse by meal category.
4. Eat Local and Seasonal
Check out your local farms and farmers’ markets for seasonal and local food and produce. Many health advocates believe it’s optimal to consume foods that are in season and available where you live. The summer is ideal for enjoying lighter meals like fresh salads with veggies and grilled meats. Warm your soul in the winter with nourishing and comforting soups, stews, and slow cooker meals like these slow cooker keto meatballs.
5. Make Mealtime Special
Make mealtime special with a visually appealing dinner table setting with your favorite plates, silverware, and saltshakers. It doesn’t have to be fine bone china or solid gold, but it should give you a positive and happy feeling when you see your beautiful table ready for a delicious meal. Even if you aren’t sharing a meal with family or guests, it can be an enjoyable part of your self-care that influences how you feel about your food and your lifestyle and wellness in general. Light a candle or play your favorite music. Buy fun napkins or plates that spark a smile. Plate your meals with love and get fancy by using garnishes and fresh herbs.
6. Try a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet or Carb Up Days
While it doesn’t seem to work for everyone, some people really benefit from carb up days. Check out our detailed article for more info on a cyclical ketogenic diet. You might decide to include carb-up days where you intentionally eat more carbs for a meal or a day. Many keto dieters include carb-up meals at least a few times every month or once a week, while others follow a standard ketogenic diet 5-6 days a week and add in 1-2 days of a higher carb intake. Experiment to find out what’s best for you. Be mindful not to eat too many refined and processed carbs like white bread and pasta and focus on healthier carbs like sweet potatoes or fruit.
7. Meal Prep
Meal prepping isn’t just practical and timesaving; it can also be fun and give you something to look forward to. Having meals planned and even prepared in advance means you can forget about food when you’re finished prepping, and when you remember, you’ll get excited about the delicious ready-to-go keto dishes waiting for you. You won’t have to answer the question: what should I eat for dinner tonight? Check out the custom keto meal planner to really streamline your keto food prep.
8. Add Variety to Your Beverages
Staying hydrated and drinking enough water is always important, but it can get boring. Try infusing water with frozen berries, lemon, cucumber, or fresh mint leaves. Make your own refreshing flavored water (you know…like they do at those fancy spas!). Electrolyte and mineral powders often come in tasty flavors too. Start your day with a butter coffee or mix it up with a keto chai tea latte, a cool coconut lemon drink, or a low-carb chocolate milk, so you can feel like a kid again. When you’re in the mood for something alcoholic, sip on a strawberry lemonade mojito.
9. Welcome in the Herbs and Spices
You don’t have to be a master chef to get creative with herbs and spices in your kitchen. Not only are herbs and spices healthy, but many provide medicinal benefits. For example, parsley has antibacterial properties, and it’s an excellent choice for bone and eye health. Some spices can lower inflammation and appetite and boost the immune system.
The unique aromas and flavors of different herbs and spices can awaken memories and evoke the cooking and cultures of other countries. Indulge in an Italian night using herbs that are popular in Italian-style cooking, like oregano and parsley. What about this one-pan Italian chicken and veggies recipe that takes less than thirty minutes? It’s especially rewarding to grow fresh herbs and use them for your keto recipes, like these grilled lamb chops with a green goddess dressing made with cilantro and mint. To really change things up, find a recipe using herbs or spice combinations you don’t usually use. For example, try this creamy cucumber salad with dill, or give the Tunisian chili paste harissa a try in these harissa-spiced meatballs.
10. Go Out to Eat
Sometimes you just need to forget about the groceries, cooking, and cleaning up, and treat yourself to a meal out. Most restaurants have keto-friendly options available. Check out the menu online in advance so you know what to expect and what to order when you get there. Many meals come with starchy high-carb sides like fries or white rice, but you can ask your server for modifications like a side of vegetables instead, so you stay keto. You might want to ask if any special sauces contain sugar. Be mindful that some marinades and sides like coleslaw can also contain added sugar, so a quick inquiry with your server could help you decide if you want to eat that side. If your server doesn’t know, they can always check with the chef.
How do you keep your keto diet interesting? Share your tips and thoughts with the keto community here at Ketogenic.com!
