And that’s scary for all of us, but it’s ESPECIALLY frustrating when you’re wanting to commit to a healthier lifestyle but it honestly feels like you might have to take out a 2nd mortgage just to afford your grocery bill.

Is there really a way to eat healthy AND still keep your food budget in check?

I say yes, and today my goal is to prove it to you.

But I’ll start with the bad news first: eating healthy IS likely going to be more expensive than eating junk food or processed food. There’s just no getting around that. The healthiest, most nutrient-dense foods in the world—whole foods like high quality meat and fresh vegetables and fresh fish and dairy—those things are always going to cost more than a burger from the dollar menu or a bag of potato chips or a box of macaroni and cheese.

But here’s the good news: healthy eating doesn’t have to break the bank. 

Because honestly, the journey to lose weight and get healthy can be hard enough without the added pressure of trying to figure out how to afford it, right?  The effort it takes to start to change your habits, and the learning that is required to truly understand the science of what different foods are doing to your body and how it all affects your hormones, and then the mindset work that’s required to overcome food addiction and emotional eating and all the other stuff.

So maybe if we can make this one little piece feel more practical and doable, everything else will feel a little bit easier.

Even so, it’s important to know that success in this area is going to start with the stories you decide to tell yourself about money and whether it is actually worth it to invest in eating the right things.

Because, as our Thinlicious Physician Advisor, Dr. Edie Wadsorth, likes to say—you can either pay the farmer now, or pay the doctor later.

What you sacrifice now in order to make your health a priority WILL pay off in the long run. Ultimately, being healthy is MUCH more affordable than not being healthy.

But it might now feel like that in the moment.

And so changing the story that you tell yourself really is the first step.

But if you ARE ready to make healthy eating a priority in your life, then the really good news is that there are actually a lot of practical strategies you can use to keep costs down. So let’s dig in.

Actually Use the Food You Buy

So the first tip I have for you is probably a little bit obvious, but it’s something that I think most of us probably don’t do a very good job of, and that is to actually USE the food you buy.

I know that might sound kind of silly and basic, but honestly, I can’t even tell you how often I find myself cleaning out my fridge and throwing away food that has gone bad or that I forgot was in there or that I just didn’t get around to cooking in time.

It’s such a waste of money, and yet it’s something that so many of us do on a regular basis. In fact, food waste is a huge problem in the United States, with the average American throwing away between 20-25% of all the food they buy. And that’s just crazy to me, especially when so many people are struggling to put healthy, nutritious food on the table for their families.

And if this is something that you struggle with too, then I would say that the first step in saving money on your grocery bill is just to be more mindful and intentional about actually using the food you buy. That means planning your meals in advance, and making a shopping list, and only buying what you know you’ll actually eat. It also means being realistic about how much food you and your family can actually consume in a week, and not buying more than you need.

If you’re new to meal planning, then honestly, that’s probably the best place to start. Just take a little bit of time at the beginning of each week to sit down and plan out what you’re going to eat, and then make a list of all the ingredients you’ll need to buy. And then, of course, actually USE the food that you buy. Don’t let it sit in the fridge and go bad. And if you do have leftovers, make sure you’re actually eating them, and not just throwing them away.

And that might mean getting a little bit creative with how you use your leftovers. For example, I love to make big batches of roasted vegetables, but obviously we can’t always eat an entire tray of roasted veggies in one meal. So one of my favorite things to do is to use the leftovers for other meals throughout the week. I’ll throw them in a salad, or mix them in with scrambled eggs, or puree them in the blender and use them as a base for a soup. They’re such an easy and delicious way to add a lot of flavor and nutrients to a meal, without having to do a ton of extra prep work.

Shop Your Own Pantry and Freezer

The second tip have is to make a habit of shopping your own pantry and freezer first, before you head to the grocery store.

I know this one might sound a little bit obvious too, but it’s honestly something I didn’t used to do very well. I would always make a shopping list and then head to the store, and I’d buy all the things on my list, but then I’d come home and realize that I actually already had a lot of those things in my pantry or my freezer, I just didn’t remember.

It was such a waste of time and money, and it’s something that’s so easily avoidable. So now, before I head to the store, I always make a point to check my pantry and my freezer and see what I already have on hand. And then I try to plan my meals to use up as much of that stuff as possible, so that I’m not buying a bunch of extra ingredients that I don’t actually need.

And honestly, it’s amazing how much that simple little thing can save you, especially if you’re actually making an effort to eat down some of the things you already have on hand. For example, if you notice that you have a lot of frozen vegetables in your freezer, then you can plan to use those up for several meals in a row, or even for an entire week.

Or if you see that you have a lot of cans of tuna in your pantry, you can plan to have tuna salad for lunch a few times, or to make a big batch of tuna casserole for dinner one night. Or if you notice that you have a lot of chicken broth or vegetable broth, you can plan to make a few different soups throughout the week.

You get the idea. Just be more mindful of what you already have on hand, and make a plan to actually use that stuff up before you go buy more. It’s such a simple thing, but it can really make a big difference in how much you’re spending on groceries each month.

Shop the Sales (and Stock Up)

My third tip goes straight back to my days as an Extreme Couponer, where I learned the biggest secret of the grocery industry that very few people understand—EVERYTHING goes on sale, at least eventually! And not only that, MOST foods go on sale in a regular rotation, about once ever 6-8 weeks, on average.

That means that over time, if you are smart and strategic about WHEN you buy your foods, you can literally slash your grocery bill by as much as a third or more, simply by stocking up on foods you buy when they are on sale, so that you have enough to last you until they go on sale again.

Basically you make it your goal to always buy your food when it is at the lowest possible price—aka the rock bottom price—and then buy enough to last until it goes on sale again.

And if you’re already planning your meals around what you have in your freezer and pantry, like we talked about a minute ago, then this works out really well.  You basically have your own little mini-grocery store at home, already stocked with the foods you eat most, full of food you bought when it was at its cheapest.

You with me so far?

So let’s use an example to make this make sense.

Okay, so let’s say REAL butter is something you use a lot of, because well, we need more healthy fat in our diet, right?  But in case you haven’t noticed, real butter is EXPENSIVE these days!  I don’t know how much it is by you, but here in Florida it is something like $6 a POUND now for butter, which is just insane to me.

But every so often—every couple of months—butter goes on sale.  And here in Florida, we have a store called Publix, which is known for it’s weekly BOGO sales—buy one get one free.  So when butter goes BOGO, you better BELIEVE that we stock up like crazy, because we go through a LOT of butter.  Typically we will buy enough to last until the next time it goes on sale, and maybe even a little extra just in case, because we know we can just keep it in the freezer.

So instead of buying 2 pounds of butter to last the week, we’ll buy 16 pounds of butter at half off.  We only ever pay $3 a pound for butter.

And if the Challenge brand butter goes on sale, then we’re doing even better, because every box of Challenge butter has a coupon for $.55 off, which means that we can get each pound of butter for just $2.45, since you can use the coupon on the free item also.

$2.45 instead of $6 is huge savings, right?  And if you multiply that by 104, which is probably how many pounds of butter my family uses over the course of a year, you’re saving $369.20 on ONE ITEM.

Now think about how much you could save if you applied that same tactic to EVERYTHING you buy—meat, chicken, cheese, eggs, vegetables, dairy products…..It starts to add up pretty fast, right?

I promise you there is almost NOTHING you buy—even healthy, whole foods—that doesn’t go on sale at least once in a while, and more than likely goes on sale regularly. You’re just mostly buying it at the wrong time, right when you need it, instead of when it’s cheapest.

It’s basically just a different way of shopping. Instead of making your meal plan, then making your grocery list, then going to the store and buying what you need, your process looks more like looking looking at what you have on hand, making a meal plan to utilize as much of THOSE items as possible, then when you go to the grocery store, stock up on the foods you normally eat that are on sale.

And again, this might not feel like you’re saving a bunch of money in the short term, but over time, if you do this consistently, you’ll actually spend a lot LESS on groceries, as long as you’re actually using what’s in your pantry and freezer and not letting food go to waste.

Get Smart About Food Storage

My fourth tip for saving money on healthy food is to get smart about food storage. This may seem like a small detail, but it can actually make a big difference in the longevity of your food and how much you end up throwing away.

Properly storing food can help prevent spoilage and extend its shelf life, saving you money in the long run. And if you’re going to stock up on food items while they’re on sale, you should know how long certain foods will stay good, or whether you can freeze them. 

There are actually a ton of foods that can be frozen—even things like eggs and cheese and dairy, not to mention fresh vegetables and fruits. And if you’re not sure how to properly freeze something, a quick Google search can usually tell you the best method. 

Once you know which foods can be frozen and how to do it, you can start taking advantage of sales on those items and stocking up for later use. Just make sure to label your containers or freezer bags with the date so you know when they were frozen, and use the oldest items first to prevent waste. 

You may also want to consider investing in a vacuum sealer or quality food containers to help keep your food fresh and avoid freezer burn, and to get a 2nd refrigerator or freezer if you don’t have one.  Facebook marketplace is full of people giving them away for next to nothing!

Also, don’t forget to properly label and rotate your foods so that you’re using the oldest items first. By taking the time to properly store your food, you’ll not only save money but also ensure that your healthy purchases stay fresh and delicious for longer. Plus, it’s better for the environment too!

Go Straight to the Farm

My fifth tip is to skip the grocery store and go straight to the farm!

And by this I mean to try to buy as much of your food as you can from local farmers and farmer’s markets. Because the reality is that not only are the prices often a lot cheaper, but the food is also a lot better for you. The meat is usually grass-fed and pasture-raised, and the vegetables are usually organic and locally grown. And it’s usually a lot more fun to shop at a farmer’s market than at a big grocery store.

Many local farms will provide an option for buying a whole or partial cow that can provide months worth of high-quality meat.

Another great option, if you can find it, is a local farm that provides produce subscription boxes during harvest season. It’s not only a fun way to try fresh produce you might not normally think to buy, but it can also be super cost effective.

And I love knowing that the food we’re buying is not only delicious and healthy, but also locally grown and in season.

And honestly, that’s another great tip—try to eat as much in-season produce as possible. Because it’s usually a lot cheaper when it’s in season, and it’s also a lot better for you. Plus it just tastes better!

And speaking of in-season produce, another great way to save money is to GROW YOUR OWN.

Because honestly there’s nothing more satisfying than being able to walk out your back door and pick your own fresh herbs and vegetables. And honestly, it’s a lot easier than you might think. Just start with a few herbs in pots on your patio, and then maybe a few tomatoes or cucumbers or zucchini. And then you can always expand from there.

And if you don’t have a yard or a lot of space for a garden, then consider joining a community garden or starting a vertical garden on your balcony. There are so many options!

So getting ultra local, whether it’s your own mini-farm or one close by is a great way to get the freshest, healthiest, and most nutrient dense food out there at a fraction of what the grocery stores charge.

Cook in Bulk

My final tip is not only a money saver, but a time saver too, and that is to cook in bulk.

I love recipes that can be doubled or quadrupled and then frozen for when you need them.  In fact, back on Living Well Spending Less, I did an ongoing series called 10 Meals in an Hour where I provided meal plans, shopping lists, and instructions that would allow you to whip up 10 easy, budget and freezer friendly meals in about an hour.

After I started Thinlicious, I adapted many of these tried-and-true recipes to be much healthier, and if you’re looking for inspiration, you can find most of the healthier versions on the Thinlicious website, including our Pesto Chicken, Greek Chicken, Sloppy Joes, Coconut Lime chicken, Pulled Pork, Honey Dijon Chicken, and our Pot Roast, just to name a few.

It’s a great option for when you find a great deal on chicken or ground beef or pork and want to have something on hand for busy nights when you might be tempted to just order takeout.

When I find chicken on sale I also love to do a big batch on the grill, then let it cool and slice it up to have on hand for soups, salads, casseroles, or just a quick snack.  It freezes great too, and you can always heat it up quickly in the oven or air fryer.

I also love roasting up a big batch of vegetables to keep on hand—these freeze great, and are perfect for adding to frittata, casseroles, or just heating up in a pan as an easy side dish.

Honestly I could probably keep going for hours, because as you can probably tell, this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, and that I’ve been teaching on for a very long time.

But hopefully after today, you at least have a few ideas to get you going on lowering your food costs.

Because while I’m not going to deny that the price of food has gotten a little bit crazy, I also believe that it’s more than possible to eat well while sticking to a budget.

And I also believe that your health is worth it.

Got any money saving tips of your own to share?  Please leave them below!

The post 6 Simple Ways to Save Big Money on the Healthy Food You’re Not Sure You Can Afford appeared first on Thinlicious.

However, it isn’t always easy to know how to get started, particularly when you are eating a different way from the standard American diet. 

Luckily, meal planning doesn’t have to be difficult! Here’s how to keep it simple and effective—and meal plan the easy way.

Why Meal Planning Is Important On Low Carb

The first step is knowing why you need to meal plan, especially with a low-carb lifestyle.

There are three big reasons that meal planning is crazy important on low carb:

• It saves you money.
• It helps you track macros.
• It keeps you on track.

When you plan out your meals a week ahead of time, you can buy food that’s on sale and save money. Grab that steak at Costco and eat steak this week. If chicken is half off at Publix, make a few chicken recipes.

Meal planning also helps you track your macros. You can literally write down how many carbs you will eat all week. Then, you don’t have to worry about “Oh, can I eat this?” or look at your food tracking app and wonder, “Do I have enough carbs left over to eat this?”

In fact, scheduling your meals and macros ahead of time will protect you from temptations. When you know you have a super tasty 7 layer bar at home to eat, you won’t even want that dessert at the restaurant.

So, how do you meal plan on low carb so you stay on track and lose as much weight as possible?

You just have to break the process down into easy steps (and use a few hacks to break through the haze of confusion and frustration).

Use A Pre-Made Meal Plan

I mean, it can’t get easier than using a meal plan that’s already made for you, can it? Nope! And there’s no shame in relying on something like the 28 Day Metabolism Reset‘s 4-week menu to plan out all of your meals. That’s why we created it!

In the 28 Day Metabolism Reset, you’ll find the printable grocery list along with enough meals and recipes to last you the entire month. Don’t want to be boxed in by the meals in the plan? You can customize it, switching out recipes for similar ones from the Thinlicious recipe index.

If you want total control over your weekly menu, then here’s how to meal plan without losing your mind.

Meal Plan A Month In Advance

When you plan all your meals for the entire month, it saves you from having to do it over and over again each week. FREEDOM!!!

The best thing about planning out an entire month’s worth of meals is that you can edit them as your mood strikes, but you always have a meal to fall back on, just in case you don’t feel like thinking about it.

We all know what decision overload feels like and knowing that all the meals are planned is a gigantic emotional relief.

Plus, when you plan your meals a month ahead of time, you can put them all into your favorite food tracking app, so you don’t have to think about it while you’re eating!

Techy Tip: Use An App

Here’s a hack that will save you even more time (and brain power). Use a calendar app (like Google Calendar or a board like Trello). List out your favorite low-carb recipes of all time, one each day. Then, set each recipe to repeat every 2 weeks (or whatever interval you want).

You only have to fill up one month’s worth of recipes to have food planned out for the entire year!

Whether you plan out your menu on an app, a whiteboard or a piece of paper, do whatever you can to make life easier for yourself.

Cook Once, Eat Twice

Another way to make life easier is to plan out meals that use leftovers in new and creative ways. This way, you’ll only have to plan about three recipes for the week. The other recipes are new ways to eat what you have already cooked.

For example, you might grill an entire chicken with the low-carb beer can chicken recipe. Then, chop or shred the leftovers and use them in chicken salad. See? You can get two recipes out of that one chicken!

Just thinking about cooking meat fewer times each week feels like a huge weight is being lifted off your shoulders.

Batch Cook

Want to save yourself even more time and cook even less often?

Spend one day and cook all the meals for the next three days. Then, all you have to do each day is put the food in the air fryer or oven, and dinner is ready. Ahhhh…is that what free time feels like?

Which recipes are best for batch cooking? Things like chili or a low-carb casserole will reheat wonderfully. So will meatloaf or a roasted pork loin.

These delicious meals store so well that you can use them in your meal prep for lunches, too.

Meal Prep While You Menu Plan

As you plan out dinners for the week, don’t forget about lunch (and low-carb snacks, if you need them).

To make lunches something you can just grab and eat, portion them out into single servings in small, resealable containers.

Keeping items neatly tucked away in containers allows you to enjoy your lunch without having to figure out what to eat. It’s like having an older sister on standby who is always ready with a snack! She knows exactly where to reach without sifting through cluttered cupboards or pantries, searching the bottomless abyss of random stuff in there.

Plus, containers are great because they come in so many shapes, sizes and colors, making it easy to find what suits your lifestyle best. Get creative with it and color coordinate by day, meal type or food type.

And you know what’s even better than organizing your refrigerator by color? Organizing your favorite recipes on Pinterest.

Use Pinterest

With its updated search functions, Pinterest is easier than ever to use. Every single time you make a recipe that you absolutely love, pin that recipe to your “Make This Again” Pinterest board.

If you prefer to do things offline, print out your favorite recipes, 3-hole punch them and add them to a binder of favorite recipes.

Do whatever you need to do in order to keep your all-time favorite recipes somewhere you can quickly find them.

If you’re eating low carb with a spouse or best friend, share a Pinterest board so you can both add recipes to it!

While we’re talking about Pinterest…follow Thinlicious on Pinterest. All of our favorite recipes are pinned there!

When all of your favorite meals are in one place, you don’t have to sit and agonize over what to make this week. Sit down, open the app, write down what you’ll cook, and it’s done!

You can check “make weekly meal plan” off your to-do list!

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing quite like that feeling of seeing a to-do list with all the things checked off, is there? Stop moving “make meal plan” further down the list and just do it once and for all. When you learn how to meal plan the simple way, it isn’t a chore you hate anymore; it’s something you can do and finish stress-free.

And don’t forget to join the Thinlicious Facebook Community for more support on your journey to making healthier choices. We can’t wait to hear all about your successes (and maybe even share a recipe or two)!

Learn More

As you become a pro at how to meal plan, here are some more resources for low-carb living that we think you’ll love:

• 2 Krazy Ketos Podcast
• Keto Flex By Ben Azadi
• The Obesity Code By Jason Fung, MD

Meal Plan To Lose Weight

Are you ready to make a plan to take control of your health and finally feel better than ever? Then start with our Thinlicious 28 Day Metabolism Reset, designed to introduce you to the Thin Adapted System and help you retrain how your body burns fuel in just four weeks. Get it HERE.

Best Meal Prep Containers

Check out these reusable meal prep containers! Click the images above to snag them and use them with your low-carb meal planning.

PIN FOR LATER

The post How To Meal Plan On Low Carb The Simple Way appeared first on Thinlicious.

Unfortunately, none of those decadent dishes are low carb friendly. But that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the holiday fun! With a few simple swaps and some clever planning, you can still indulge in all your Christmas favorites without breaking your low-carb plan.

To help you get started, we’ve put together this delicious low-carb Christmas menu everyone will love. From roasted turkey with homemade gravy to creamy mashed cauliflower, these recipes provide a guilt-free way to enjoy the holidays while sticking to your healthy eating goals. So sit back, relax and let us take care of dinner!

How To Create A Low-Carb Christmas Menu

Before we get to the menu and recipes, let’s break down exactly how to make a Christmas dinner that everyone will love.

• Start with a protein: The key to any successful meal is a quality source of protein. For Christmas dinner, we recommend a roasted turkey, beef tenderloin or pork loin.
• Add flavor: Make sure your main dish has plenty of flavor and seasonings. Consider adding herbs like rosemary and thyme for an extra punch of flavor!
• Choose low-carb sides: Once you have the main course sorted out, it’s time to move on to the sides. Look for recipes that are low in carbs but still high in flavor, such as mashed cauliflower or roasted vegetables.
• Don’t forget the dessert: Just because you’re eating low carb doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in a delicious dessert. Try baking a low-carb cake or making sugar-free keto ice cream!

You can also just leave the planning to us! Grab A Very Thinlicious Holiday, and you’ll have the entire menu and shopping lists for all of the winter holidays in one place. (The shopping list is even organized by category and has blank spaces for you to add more to it.) This packet has everything you need for Christmas dinner (and New Year’s brunch). It’s all there. Planning is done!

While you’re here, let’s look at our favorite low-carb Christmas dinner recipes. We have even more recipes in the Thinlicious recipe index too.

Your Low-Carb Christmas Menu

Here it is! This is your ready-made, low-carb Christmas menu. Below you’ll see options for the main course, sides and desserts. Pick and choose your favorites and get ready to make the tastiest Christmas dinner yet.

Here’s a quick glance at what you’ll see below. Scroll down to your favorite ideas:

• Entree: Beef Tenderloin, roasted turkey or honey-glazed pork loin
• Sides: Roasted cauliflower, au gratin fauxtatoes, keto cranberry sauce, low-carb cheddar biscuits or cheesy cauliflower rice
• Dessert: No-bake chocolate cheesecake, pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting or chocolate peanut butter truffles
• Drinks: Wine or cran-lemon cocktail

Low-Carb Entrees

The main course is the easiest one to make low carb because it’s usually roasted meat of some kind. All you have to do is avoid adding sugar, honey or syrup to the meat as a marinade or glaze. Instead, if you’re going to make honey-glazed pork loin, use low-carb sugar substitutes.

Here are three super-tasty (and super-easy) Christmas entrees you can make.

Beef Tenderloin

The tastiest, juiciest, most drool-inducing entree for Christmas dinner is a succulent beef tenderloin. One 4-pound roast feeds 10 people!

The secret to this tasty beef tenderloin is a combination of fresh rosemary, dried parsley and Montreal Steak Seasoning.

In order to get the crispy seared outside and juicy middle, make this tenderloin in a cast-iron skillet. It can transfer easily from stove to oven!

Grab the entire recipe for juicy beef tenderloin in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Roasted Honey-Glazed Pork Loin

If you’re making dinner for 8 or fewer people, a pork loin might be the way to go. This honey mustard glaze is sugar-free, thanks to the Wholesome Yum keto honey. We have the entire recipe here on Thinlicious.

It’s a super-simple recipe that’s ready in an hour.

Turkey

You can never go wrong with herbaceous turkey breast for Christmas dinner. It feeds everyone and is naturally low carb. When you roast it with fresh herbs, the aromas and flavors seep deep into each bite. We have the perfect turkey recipe in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Low-Carb Christmas Dinner Sides

These appetizing side dishes are so good! We tested them, and these are our favorites, hands down!

Cheesy Cauliflower

Even if your picky family members aren’t huge fans of cauliflower, they will love this roasted cheesy cauliflower recipe!

This roasted cauliflower is crisp-tender and smothered in a rich and tangy cheese sauce that’s enhanced by Dijon mustard and garlic powder. If you want it to have a bit of a bite, sprinkle some jalapeno cheese in with the cheddar cheese.

The full recipe for this cheesy cauliflower recipe is right here on Thinlicious.

Scalloped Au Gratin Fauxtatoes

Replace high-carb white potatoes with some turnips! They have the same color and texture—especially after you roast and bake them.

These au gratin fauxtatoes are covered in three different types of cheese, heavy cream and a zesty combination of spices.

The full recipe for au gratin fauxtatoes is in A Very Thinlicious Holiday. (Tip: Use a mandoline slicer. It makes the turnips the same size, and you can slice a bunch of them in no time at all.)

Keto Cranberry Sauce

It’s a classic for both Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, and homemade cranberry sauce is so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you bought the canned stuff in the first place.

This tart and tangy keto cranberry sauce recipe is made with real cranberries and orange zest. It thickens perfectly, even without sugar or syrup!

Homemade keto cranberry sauce is on Thinlicious.

Low-Carb Cheddar Biscuits

Replace dinner rolls with some buttery keto cheddar biscuits. They are the perfect thing to add to your Christmas dinner menu because they are made with almond flour—which means they are also gluten-free.

They are perfect to eat on their own, topped with butter or dipped in keto gravy. Grab the recipe on Thinlicious.

Cheesy Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice is an all-around perfect low-carb side dish that goes with anything you make. It’s incredibly filling and satisfying while also staying low carb.

Kids and adults all love cheesy side dishes, and this will become a favorite!

This recipe is also on Thinlicious—check out how to make cheesy cauliflower rice next.

Low-Carb Desserts

Don’t forget about dessert! Yes, even the sweetest and richest desserts can be low carb. Here are our three favorites. Make one (or all three!).

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

You’ve been cooking all day, so make a no-bake chocolate cheesecake ahead of time and just keep it in the refrigerator until party time.

It has a chocolate almond crust and a thick, creamy, rich, chocolate filling. Absolutely everyone will be asking for seconds, so you might want to make two of these cheesecakes!

This easy no-bake chocolate cheesecake recipe is in A Very Thinlicious Holiday. Snag your copy and make a dessert that will disappear!

Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

These low-carb pumpkin bars are one of the most popular recipes on Thinlicious. The base is cake-like, with sweet pumpkin puree. Then, they are topped with a cream cheese frosting that’s thick and rich without being overly sweet.

They are low carb and high fat without any funny aftertaste or textures. You really can’t tell it’s a keto-friendly dessert. Grab the keto pumpkin bars recipe and make them for Christmas dinner.

Low-Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

Bite-sized desserts are always a good idea for Christmas dinner (or any party, really). These little chocolate peanut butter truffles look and taste like rich, fudgy truffles. You can call them truffles (like I just did) or low-carb chocolate cheesecake snack bites – either way, they are super tasty!

Since they are made with cream cheese, they are extremely filling and rich. This is a fantastic dessert to munch on if you want to prevent the temptation to overindulge. The easy chocolate peanut butter cheesecake bites are here on Thinlicious.

Holiday Drinks

Pour yourself a glass of something bubbly or sweet, and reward yourself for a successful Christmas dinner.

Wines

As long as you aren’t just starting out on Phase 1 of the Thin Adapted System, go ahead and pour yourself a glass of wine. It’s better to enjoy dryer choices vs. sweet or dessert wines. They will have fewer carbs and less sugar.

These are the best choices for low-carb wines:

• Champagne
• Pinot Grigio
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Dry Riesling
• Merlot

Cran-Lemon Cocktail

If you’d rather mix a fruity drink, then make a cran-lemon cocktail with dinner.

You can make this with or without alcohol. If you spike the cocktail, use vodka. If not, just mix together some unsweetened cranberry juice, club soda, lemon and sweeteners.

The entire recipe for this festive drink—including which sweeteners we prefer to use with it—is in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Christmas Weight Loss

You don’t have to wait until January to lose weight! You can drop pounds in December, too! A Very Thinlicious Holiday is the secret weapon you need.

It takes you through the planning (and mindset shift) and even lists out both holiday/Christmas and New Year’s meals for you. With shopping lists, recipes and tips, you’ll be prepared to thrive this month.

Are you new to low-carb living or ready to reset and take control?

Start with the New Year, New You Challenge. It’s a four-week plan designed to introduce you to this new way of eating and help you change how your body burns fuel forever.

PIN FOR LATER

The post How to Plan a Low-Carb Christmas Dinner the Whole Family Will Love appeared first on Thinlicious.

In fact, I think out of all the holidays, it’s the one I get most excited about. Good food + gratitude + football? Seriously, what could be better than that?

And it’s not just that I love Thanksgiving, I love cooking for Thanksgiving. All of it. The turkey, the cranberry sauce, the mashed potatoes. And of course, the pies. Oh, the pies.

Ever since cooking my very first Thanksgiving dinner as a college student in 1999 (which wasn’t great, I’ll admit), I’ve worked very hard to hone and refine my menu, collecting and developing a lineup of tried-and-true recipes that always knock it out of the park. My goal for Thanksgiving has always been that every dish on the table is the best thing you’ve ever tasted, and after more than 20 years of trial and error I felt like I had finally nailed it.

And then I went low carb.

Honestly, it’s the best thing I ever did. I lost 40 pounds. I radically transformed my health and my body. I gained so much energy and confidence.

For me, there’s no going back.

Which meant I had no choice but to make a few adjustments to my perfect Thanksgiving menu.

Luckily for me (and for you), my revised low-carb, keto-friendly Thanksgiving menu is just as delicious as the original and even MORE perfect because you get to enjoy it guilt-free.

Not only that, these recipes are all so good, no one will even know they’re low carb. And I promise there is something to satisfy even your pickiest relatives!

To get the full menu and all our recipes, along with our step-by-step Thanksgiving planning checklist, shopping list and prep guide, be sure to grab A Very Thinlicious Holiday while it’s available for a limited time!

In the meantime, keep reading to find out how to make this your best Thanksgiving yet.

Low-Carb Thanksgiving Tips

Of course, before we jump straight to the menu, let’s chat for a minute about how to successfully pull off your low-carb Thanksgiving without feeling like you’re totally missing out. Because the truth is that Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be about overeating all the sweets and carbs until you fall into a food coma.

Prepare

Every successful Thanksgiving dinner starts with planning and preparation. In this guide, we created the entire Thanksgiving menu for you.

Sit down with your favorite people and pick out your favorite recipes from this list. It’s okay to make them something with carbs, as long as you cook enough low-carb recipes that everyone can eat together so you don’t feel excluded or ostracized.

Use A Very Thinlicious Holiday

As mentioned above, here at Thinlicious™ we’ve put together a guilt-free, zero-deprivation plan called A Very Thinlicious Holiday. It is seriously AMAZING. So, grab it now while it’s available. Then use it. I promise you’ll thank us!

It includes everything you need to maintain your low-carb lifestyle through the holidays—not just for Thanksgiving. The do’s and don’ts are straightforward, giving you the focus to face every festive gathering with confidence, all season long.

The holiday guide also has a detailed holiday planner, blank menu printables, shopping list and almost 40 delicious low-carb holiday recipes, and more!

Don’t try to do this alone. We did all the work for you and put it together in a beautiful printable guide. Get yours today and face Thanksgiving with confidence.

Keep It Simple

Don’t overcomplicate Thanksgiving. Choose easy recipes with a few whole ingredients. The simpler the recipe, the more likely you will be to actually cook it.

In fact, the simplest recipes often turn out to taste the best! When you let the herbs, spices and meat or vegetables stand out, you’ll be shocked at how tasty the dish is.

For example, low-carb garlicky green beans are always a huge hit, but they couldn’t be easier. The flavors are pronounced with just garlic, green beans, butter and chicken broth, not covered up with extra salt or sugar.

All of the recipes below are in our holiday guide, A Very Thinlicious Holiday. Grab your copy, and you’ll have all the recipes in one place, with the shopping list included!

Adjust Your Macros

If you’ve been following a low-carb diet for any length of time, then you know that there are a lot of different ways to do it. For some people, that means staying under 30 grams of carbs per day, while others might aim for closer to 50 grams. In fact, here at Thinlicious in our Thin Adapted System™ our macro recommendations change fairly significantly, depending on which phase of the program you are in.

Wherever you fall on that spectrum, if you know you’re going to be facing a lot of temptations during the holidays, it might be helpful to give yourself a temporary reprieve on certain days, then adjust your macros accordingly.

That means that if you’re normally eating 30 grams of carbs per day, consider aiming for closer to 80-100 grams of carbs on Thanksgiving, knowing that one day of higher carbs isn’t going to totally derail your progres, as long as you get back on track the next day.

This gives you the opportunity to enjoy a few more indulgences than you maybe normally would, whether that be a taste of your favorite pie, a scoop of mashed potatoes or a few extra glasses of wine without feeling like you’re totally blowing your diet or sabotaging the progress that you’ve made.

Being intentional about adjusting your macro requirements on special days will also preserve your mindset and help you maintain your confidence and trust in yourself. You’re not “losing control,” you’re finding a healthy, sustainable compromise. And that, in and of itself, is something to celebrate!

Embrace the Art of Low-Carb Cooking

If you really, truly want to stay on track during the holidays but don’t want to miss out on all of your favorite foods, then I can’t say this strongly enough: Get in the kitchen and learn how to make them yourself!

There are very few dishes out there that can’t be made low carb with a few strategic ingredient swaps, and our A Very Thinlicious Holiday guide is packed full of them.

Whether it’s Thanksgiving dinner, hosting a holiday gathering or throwing a New Year’s brunch, we’ve totally got you covered with deliciously indulgent recipes that taste so good no one will even know they’re “low carb.”

And that’s exactly the way it should be.

The reality is that with a little creativity, the right ingredients and a willingness to roll up your sleeves, throw on an apron and step into the kitchen, there’s very little you can’t enjoy over the holiday season. Maybe someday, the low-carb, ketogenic lifestyle will become so ubiquitous that everyone’s eating this way, but for now, just take comfort in knowing that you’re ahead of the curve.

The Ultimate Low-Carb Thanksgiving Menu

Let’s start with the main course—the turkey!

A roasted turkey is already naturally low carb. Use fresh thyme, rosemary, fresh lemon, whole garlic cloves and yellow onions for flavor. To keep it juicy, add some mayonnaise (we love avocado mayo, but any mayo is perfect).

Roast the turkey in a bag for the best results. It will take between 1.5-3.5 hours for the turkey to roast (check the time instructions that came with your turkey roasting bag). The time depends on the size of your turkey.

A juicy, herbaceous turkey is the star of your Thanksgiving meal. Our recipe only has about 7 grams of total carbs per serving.

Grab the entire recipe for low-carb roast turkey in A Very Thinlicious Holiday. We also included a thick, salty, savory recipe for keto turkey gravy. You don’t need flour, just spices, turkey drippings and xanthan gum.

Low-Carb Thanksgiving Sides

Fill your table with nourishing, filling side dishes that are also gluten-free and low carb. There are five amazing and easy side dish recipes in A Very Thinlicious Holiday, and we are going to highlight four of the best ways.

Cranberry Sauce

Whether people love this tangy side dish or not, it’s an almost expected part of the Thanksgiving menu. Leave it out, and people will ask where it is.

Our low-carb cranberry sauce will make fans out of people that usually snub canned cranberry sauce. This recipe is made with real cranberries, sweetener, orange zest and a combination of aromatic spices.

Every bite is like a tangy, zesty dessert!

Snag the low-carb cranberry sauce recipe in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Sausage Stuffing

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, this side dish needs to be on your table. Instead of stale French bread, low-carb sausage stuffing is made with crumbled almond flour biscuits and keto white bread.

The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard for turkey stuffing. Onion, sage, celery salt and other spices are mixed with butter and breakfast sausage. It looks and tastes better than the stuff that comes in the bag.

The full recipe for this satisfying stuffing is in A Very Thinlicious Holiday. Here’s a quick tip: make more almond flour biscuits than the recipe calls for and serve some of them on the side with some garlic butter. Yum!

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Every low-carb Thanksgiving menu should include mashed cauliflower. It’s creamy, garlicky and the perfect way to replace carby mashed potatoes.

Cream cheese is the secret to dreamy mashed cauliflower that doesn’t feel like pureed cauliflower. It’s so rich that you don’t need much of it to feel full either.

Learn how to make this easy mashed potato replacement in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

All you need are some Brussels sprouts, olive oil (or your favorite keto-friendly cooking oil), salt, pepper and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Four simple ingredients + your oven (or air fryer) will make crispy, salty, amazing Brussels sprouts!

This is a classic recipe that we didn’t even have to adjust to make it keto friendly, so your family members won’t be surprised by something new or different.

Snag this simple recipe from A Very Thinlicious Holiday

Sweet Fauxtato Casserole

With candied pecans on top of this low-carb recipe, no one is going to miss the marshmallow-laden sweet potato casserole this year.

Sweet fauxtato casserole is made with a combination of butternut squash and cauliflower florets. The butter, sour cream and brown sugar substitute sweeten it beautifully! It smells so enticing that you’ll want to sneak a taste before dinner starts.

The full recipe for sweet fauxtato casserole is in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Low-Carb Desserts

We know it’s possible to indulge in our favorite food and still lose weight. So go ahead and bake your favorite desserts—just use low-carb ingredients.

These are two of our favorite low-carb Thanksgiving desserts.

Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

If you or your family loves cake, then these cinnamony pumpkin bars should be on your dessert table.

This recipe feeds a crowd! They taste like pumpkin muffins or pumpkin cake, but the rich cream cheese frosting takes it to a whole new level of deliciousness.

This recipe is here on Thinlicious—check out the pumpkin bars recipe and make it for your dinner.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

No-bake recipes like this one are a lifesaver at Thanksgiving! Save your oven and air fryer for the other recipes you’ll make for your family’s dinner. This one just needs to chill in the fridge!

It’s made with a buttery almond flour crust and filled with real pumpkin puree, cream cheese and the best pumpkin pie spice combination you’ll ever use.

This easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe is in A Very Thinlicious Holiday. Snag your copy and make a dessert that will disappear!

Pecan Bars

There are two parts to this nutty dessert. The crumbly, buttery crust is topped with low-carb candied pecans. It’s a delightfully low-carb take on pecan pie.

This recipe makes 16 bars—enough for your entire family! With heavy cream, pecans, butter and three different types of flour, this is a high-fat dessert that will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

This simple (but rich) dessert is also in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Thanksgiving Drinks

We also included some bubbly and fun drinks you can serve (and sip on) at Thanksgiving. These drinks are low-carb, sugar-free and can be made with or without alcohol.

Lemon Spritzer

Lemon spritzers are fun to make for kiddos because they feel like they are drinking something extra fancy! All that’s in a simple lemon spritzer is some club soda, lemon juice and a lemon slice.

The exact ingredients and instructions are in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Prosecco

Adults, pour yourself a glass of sparkling white wine. Prosecco is a low-carb wine choice with a light taste that complements turkey and veggies at Thanksgiving. With only 1 gram of carbs per glass, it’s a smart choice.

Cran-Lemon Cocktail

This is another wonderful choice for anyone of any age who wants a pretty and festive drink to sip on with your meal.

You can make this with or without alcohol. If you spike the cocktail, use vodka. If not, just mix together some unsweetened cranberry juice, club soda, a lemon and sweeteners.

The entire recipe for this festive drink – including which sweeteners we prefer to use with it – is in A Very Thinlicious Holiday.

Holiday Weight Loss

You can do it! You can face the holidays—even Thanksgiving—and maintain or even increase your weight loss efforts. A Very Thinlicious Holiday is the secret weapon you need.

It takes you through the planning (and mindset shift) and even plans out both Thanksgiving and holiday/Christmas meals for you. With shopping lists, recipes and tips, you’ll be prepared to thrive from November to January.

Are you new to low-carb living or ready to reset and take control?

Start with the 28 Day Metabolism Reset. It’s a four-week plan designed to introduce you to this new way of eating and help you change how your body burns fuel forever.

PIN FOR LATER

The post How to Plan the Perfect Low-Carb Thanksgiving Menu (That Even Your Pickiest Relatives Will Love)! appeared first on Thinlicious.

Whether you are looking or a dish to bring or an entire menu to plan, read on for a full menu that even your carb-eating guests will love—and best of all you won’t have any guilt over your food choices. Just pick a few appetizers and side dishes, a main dish and a dessert, and get ready for a delicious low-carb summer cookout, perfect for Fourth of July celebrations!

Appetizers

Everything Bagel Low-Carb Celery Sticks

You won’t miss the chips with this one! These Everything But the Bagel Low-Carb Celery Sticks come together in minutes with a satisfyingly, salty CRUNCH you’re probably craving.

Plus, with less than one carb per celery stick, you can happily crunch away!

Easy Chinese Chicken Low-Carb Lettuce Wraps

This flavor-packed P.F. Chang’s copycat Chinese Chicken, Low-Carb Lettuce Wrap recipe was originally taken from our sister website, Living Well Spending Less, and has long been a fan favorite (even for people who eat carbs!). Now that we’ve adapted it to be a great, low-carb dinner option by cutting out some of the sugary sauce, it’s a great low-carb option that everyone will love!

Easy Delicious Mozzarella Stuffed Low-Carb Meatballs

These Mozzarella Stuffed Low-Carb Meatballs make a perfect low-carb entree, or a show-stopping appetizer to share. Trust us when we tell you that the small amount of effort involved is worth every minute!

Wisconsin Low-Carb Sushi

Those of you from the Midwest are probably already very familiar with this oh-so-easy low-carb snack or appetizer! With only 3 ingredients, this low-carb sushi makes a perfect afternoon snack, or the perfect dish to bring to a party. They’ll always disappear!

Side Dishes

Easy Low-Carb Caprese Salad

There are few things that beat the simplicity and flavor of a fresh, low-carb Caprese salad! Our low-carb recipe is made keto-friendly by using the lowest-carb balsamic you can find, (be sure to check the labels—some balsamic vinegars contain a LOT of sugar), as well as adding in just a little healthy cider vinegar as well.

This quick and easy recipe comes together in minutes, and is the perfect side dish for your low-carb summer cookout.

Coconut Lime Cauliflower Low-Carb Rice

Cauliflower rice has quickly become a ketogenic staple, but let’s be honest—it can feel a little bland or boring all on its own! Luckily this keto-friendly coconut-lime cauliflower rice recipe is packed with Caribbean-inspired flavor while still remaining low in carbs.

Delicious Garlicky Low-Carb Green Beans

Green beans are one of those vegetables that often seem to get overlooked. And yet, when prepared correctly, they can easily become the star of the show. These Garlicky low-carb Green Beans come together fast but pack a flavor-filled punch your whole family will love!

Simple Low-Carb Greek Salad

This absolutely delicious, low-carb Greek salad comes together fast, but don’t let the simplicity fool you—its intense combination of flavors packs a serious punch!

Main Dishes

Easy Slow Cooker Low-Carb Pulled Pork

This ultra flavorful Easy Slow Cooker Low-Carb Pulled Pork recipe was originally taken from our sister website, Living Well Spending Less, and has long been a family favorite (even for people who eat carbs!) Now that we’ve adapted it to be keto-friendly by swapping out high-sugar barbecue sauce for a sugar-free version, it’s a great low-carb summer cookout option that even your pickiest eaters will love.

Easy Grilled Low-Carb Cheeseburgers

A nice juicy cheeseburger is a low-carb summer cookout staple!

Luckily, thanks to our homemade Magic Protein Hamburger Rolls, switching to a low-carb lifestyle doesn’t have to mean missing out on this All-American classic. (Or, in a pinch, you could also pick up a pack of low-carb hamburger rolls, or use lettuce wraps.) To save on time, use the frozen pre-made patties. 

Delicious Coconut Lime Low-Carb Chicken

This flavor-packed, keto-friendly Coconut Lime Chicken recipe was originally taken from our sister website, Living Well Spending Less, and has long been a family favorite (even for people who eat carbs!) It’s one of our great low-carb dinner options that every family will enjoy.

Dessert

Simple Vanilla Low-Carb Cheesecake Fluff

This Vanilla Low-Carb Cheesecake Fluff is not only super rich & creamy, as well as satisfyingly sweet, it also whips up in 3 minutes flat, which means you don’t have to spend more time in the kitchen than you want to!

Simple Low-Carb Blueberry Cheesecake Snack Bites

Looking for something sweet with a little touch of fruit? These keto-friendly, low-carb Blueberry Cheesecake Snack Bites are the perfect solution—creamy, satisfyingly sweet, full of delicious blueberry flavor, low in net carbs and high in fiber! 

Lemon Coconut Low-Carb Cheesecake Snack Bites

How about something sweet with a little touch of lemon? These Lemon Coconut Low-Carb Cheesecake Snack Bites are the perfect solution—creamy, lemony, satisfyingly sweet, and less than 2 carbs per serving!

There you have it—a full menu you can use to plan the perfect Fourth of July or summer cookout! Easy recipes that are simple to make and most of all guilt-free!

PIN FOR LATER

The post Guilt-Free Low-Carb Summer Cookout Menu appeared first on Thinlicious.

Meal-prepping is one way that you can make sure you will eat healthy the entire week. The very first step is to make sure you have enough of the best meal prep containers.

This guide will look at popular brands and help you pick out the ones that will work the best for you. Some are more suited for salads and others give you the option of an entire meal.

Save time and money by knowing which are the best kitchen gadgets for healthy eating and the best healthy lunchbox gadgets too.

What Is Meal Prep?

Meal prepping is the act of creating and organizing recipes for the entire week. When you meal prep, you will create a menu, buy the food, and then cook all the meals for the week. Then, you will store each meal in its own container.

This way, when you are ready to eat a meal, you just have to grab one container, heat it up, and enjoy your meal!

Why Is Meal Prep Good For Keto Dieting?

When you meal prep, you will be less likely to grab unhealthy meals or fast food. It saves you so much time and mental energy because all of your meals are already made and waiting for you.

Meal prep is almost essential for eating a low-carb diet because it takes all thoughts out of the equation when it’s mealtime. Instead of trying to figure out what to eat when you are hungry, your healthy meal is already there and ready to eat.

Best Meal Prep Containers

As you can see, meal prep containers are essential to your low-carb or keto lifestyle.

There are so many options out there it can feel a bit overwhelming. I looked at all the options and picked out the best of each type.

Rubbermaid Food Storage

If your budget is limited, the best value for your money is the versatile set of 30 Rubbermaid food storage containers. It comes with 5 different sized containers, each able to store a different part of your meal:

• 1/2-cup – Salad Dressings
• 2-cup – Snacks
• 3-cup – Sides
• 5-cup- Main Course
• 7-cup – Prepped Cooked Meats

These containers are all BPA-free and come with matching lids. They are all microwave and dishwasher-safe.

Bayco Glass Food Storage Containers

If you can swing it, however, I much prefer glass storage containers, particularly if reheating in them—we’ll talk more about that below. The best ones on the market are from Bayco.

This set comes with a 12-piece set (24 if you include the lids). The lids snap-down and create a leak-proof seal. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes so you have options to store anything you prepare.

Fair warning: the only downside to this set is that the lids are not microwave or dishwasher-safe.

Prep Naturals 2-Compartment Meal Prep Containers

The Prep Naturals containers are split up into two compartments. This is fantastic if you want to keep your main course and side all in the same container. These containers are also freezer-safe, so you can even prep foods for months in advance.

These containers seal completely but keep in mind that the two compartments are not sealed off from each other.

SimpleHouseware 3-Compartment Food Storage

A fantastic buy for the money is the 3-compartment set from SimpleHouseware. It comes with a set of 10 plastic containers. They are all BPA-free, freezer, dishwasher, and

microwave-safe. They are not made to store anything liquid but they are a fantastically low price and a great value.

1-Quart Mason Jars

Finally, if you want a leak-proof option that will outlast all these on this list, use good ol’ mason jars. They efficiently store stews and soups and you can even meal prep salads in them. You can also use them to carry smoothies with you on the go.

They are some of my personal favorite meal prep containers because they are so safe and last forever.

Questions About Meal Prep Containers

These are the most common questions people ask about choosing the best meal prep containers for their lifestyle.

Why Are Glass Meal Prep Containers Better Than Plastic?

Glass meal prep containers have a few things about them that make them better than plastic. Glass containers will outlast plastic ones. Plus, plastic containers might contain BPA – which is unsafe for food containers. Always look for the “BPA-free” label if you buy plastic ones.

Additionally, glass containers will not become stained or hold smells like plastic containers do. If you have ever stored spaghetti sauce in a plastic container only to have it become permanently orange, you know what I mean!

Glass containers are also always microwave and dishwasher-safe, but not all plastic ones are. If you will be reheating food in the microwave, I always recommend you do so in glass, not plastic.

Where Can I Buy Meal Prep Containers?

You can find meal prep containers online on Amazon. You can also purchase them at most retailers like Walmart, The Warehouse, or K-mart. Basically, if it is a store that sells food storage, you will find meal prep containers.

How Long Do Meal Prep Containers Last?

As long as you care for them properly and wash them regularly, meal prep containers should last you quite a while. Glass containers will last longer than plastic. They handle heat and freezing temperatures better than plastic ones.

Meal Prep Tips & Ideas

If you are struggling with what to include in your meal plan, I have a free keto weekly meal plan you can grab. Sometimes, just a few ideas can help you find even more recipes and make your own plan.

Another idea that will help you is if you join my 10-Day Meal Planning Challenge. In this challenge, you’ll learn the value of batch cooking and how to prep veggies. You’ll also gain access to the Facebook group where you can join other meal preppers and learn from their wisdom.

When you meal prep, it’s easier to batch prep with just one or two types of meat for the week. These low-carb ground beef meal prep recipes are all very different but allow you to buy the meat in bulk and use it up all at once.

If you are trying to stick to a low-carb meal plan without cheating, then meal planning should be one of your habits. It will save you so much time and effort and keep you on track when you don’t know what to eat.

Picking out the best meal prep containers depends on how you intend to use them. If you want something that will last a long time, choose a glass container. If you want the entire meal in one container, choose one with multiple compartments.

No matter which one you choose, just having your meals all prepped for the week will help you stay on track with your diet. You really can’t go wrong!

The post The 5 Best Meal Prep Containers (For 2024) appeared first on Thinlicious.

Watch the video below – it will blow your mind how easy and healthy a low-carb lunch box is.

BONUS: You can download 50 low-carb lunch box ideas and a handbook.

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How To Start Making Healthy Low-Carb Lunch Boxes

We all want better and healthier lunch boxes for our kids right? But did you know just how bad a regular lunch box is?

We need to stop feeding our kid’s sooooo much sugar and ultra-processed carbs in their daily school lunch boxes and #banishthebeige 

We need to feed them real whole food that is fresh, colourful, vibrant and lower in carbs, and packed with nutrition.

So how do you do that when you’re probably a busy family?

Below you will find 5 easy steps to begin making healthy low-carb lunch boxes.

More Low-Carb Lunchbox Recipes …

Start With Baby Steps

All children will benefit from reducing their sugar and stopping the ultra-processed carbs. These junk food lunch box fillers don’t do anything for their energy levels, nothing for their nutrition and nothing for their concentration.

You can begin changing your kid’s lunch boxes by making 5 baby steps below!

More Low-Carb Snack Recipes …

Learn the tricks

JOIN ME – in my Low-Carb Lunch Box Hacks group, where I post pictures of what I pack each day for my family of 5. I can show you all the practical tips you need to get started.

And don’t worry, I won’t be asking you to get any cookie cutters out, to write any inspirational messages for your kid’s lunch box each day or make crazy faces out of salad and fruit. No way. Life has to be quick, easy and nutritious in the morning. Otherwise, you simply won’t do it. Click here to join.

Read more: 1-month of low-carb lunch box ideas & handbook

How To Make A Low-Carb Lunch Box – in 5 easy steps

1. STOP Sugary Drinks – this immediately cuts out a massive source of sugar for most children. So no more sugary fizzy drinks, no more juice, no more flavoured milk and definitely no more energy drinks or sports drinks. All they do is give your children a sugar rush then a sugar low and you have to deal with the crash and temper tantrums afterwards.
2. STOP high-carb snacks – potato crisps, pretzels, crackers, bread, are all high in easily digestible carbohydrates. These digestible carbohydrates turn into sugar in our body. So even if you buy bread or pretzels that are low in sugar, they are still going to cause a spike in sugar levels. 
3. STOP “healthy halo” snacks – these are snacks such as low-fat fruit yoghurt, wholegrain granola/muesli bars, organic real fruit candy, and fat-free smoothies. They are given the “health halo” by the advertising industry but if you actually look at the nutrition labels, they are still high in sugars and grains (and you guessed it, that raise blood sugars).
4. START new snacks – begin by introducing a new snack in place of an old junk snack you have stopped buying. (see my easy recipes at the end of this post). Grain-free granola bars are a quick and easy option.
5. START cooking ONCE but serving TWICE – seriously, who has time for preparing lunches each day so I rely heavily on leftovers. Cook a double quantity and store the leftovers in little single serve pots, keep them in the fridge or freezer and bam … pull them out in the morning, heck, teach your kids to do it! (see my easy recipes at the end of this post)

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Why no more juice? A glass of orange juice isn’t the same as the goodness from 6 oranges, it’s the same as the sugar from 6 oranges. Remember eating the whole fruit with its fibre is self-limiting. 

Why no more dried fruit? Dried fruit, fruit leather,  is just a dried sugar bomb! Yes, that’s right, a handful of grapes is also self-limiting, but just 1 tiny box of raisins is the equivalent of the sugar in a can of coke!!!

Plus dried fruit is really sticky and chewy, dentists are finding more children with tooth decay caused by chewing on dried fruit because their parents think it is a healthy option.

Why no more sports drinks? No child benefits from slugging back sugar, colours, and chemicals after a game. These “sports drinks” (I use that term loosely) are laden with far too much sugar even for the top endurance athlete, let alone our kids on the soccer field on a Saturday morning.

Sports drinks can have more sugar than a can of coke plus the ludicrous colours they come in. Instead, save your money and give them just a bottle of tap water, a piece of fruit and a handful of salty nuts. This will serve your kid with far more nutritional kindness than an energy drink (even the name is an oxymoron).

Hungry To Learn More?

• Low-Carb Kids – all the resources you’ll ever need
• Busting the low-carb kid’s myth – and why ditching junk food is so much better for them
• How to help your kids eat real food – and a quick action plan
• How to help your kids become low-carb kids – even if they are picky eaters PLUS my podcast

References:

• Sugar in raisins. – Independent
• Sugar in sports drinks – That Sugar Film
• Carbohydrates and blood sugars – Harvard

The post How to Make Healthy Low-Carb Lunch Box (In 5 Steps) appeared first on Thinlicious.

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Is keto safe for children?

There is much debate over what is healthy for children to eat and what makes for a healthy children’s diet. Is keto safe for children?

Many critics think we advocate no-carb, but we are low carb. This is just one of the Top 10 myths about low-carb kids.

The biggest sources of carbs for children and adults should be vegetables, nuts, dairy, and berries. These are foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.

Children need to receive all the nutrients required for their growing bodies but can easily do without the sugars and carbs of the modern diet.

By removing processed junk food from their diet, children become low carb almost by default.

Nutrition in children (do you need carbs?)

The importance of whole food nutrition in children’s health and development cannot be stressed enough. All children will benefit from lowering their sugar and carbohydrate intake, especially from processed and junk foods.

For low-carb kids, the emphasis should be on feeding them tasty nutrient-dense meals. Children shouldn’t be relying on sugars, grains, and high-carb snacks.

Low carb is all about going back to basics – meat, vegetables, low sugar fruit, seeds, nuts, and healthy fats. Real food is simple food.

If you’re new here, take advantage of how to start low-carb resources. Snag our low-carb starting cookbooks to get you pointed in the right direction.

More articles in my series: low-carb lunches 

• Low-Carb Kids Page
• Low-Carb Kids 1 – tips and tricks
• Low-Carb Kids 2 – a printable guide to get your kids involved. How to plan your lunchbox each day.
• Low-Carb Kids 3 – 2 weeks of school low-carb lunches and how to plan them.
• Low-Carb Kids 4 – how to make low-carb lunches, and more low-carb lunchbox ideas
• Low-Carb Kids 5 – healthy sugar-free snacks for after school
• FREE printable PDF healthy sugar-free after-school snacks
• Low-Carb Kids 6 – an entire MONTH of low-carb lunch boxes
• Low-Carb Kids 8 – how to help your child eat real food – with an action plan
• Top 10 Myths Of Low-Carb Kids

High-Carb vs Low-Carb Lunch Box

I designed these graphics as a simple visual teaching aid.

Many are surprised to see just how much sugar and carbs are packed into a regular school lunch box.

What is a healthy halo?

noun – the perception that a particular food is good for you even when there is little or no evidence to confirm this is true. (1)

Many of these items will be labelled with 5-star ratings, wholegrain, low-fat and organic, so to give a false impression that these items are ‘healthy’ and are good to eat.

So, unfortunately, well-meaning parents who want to make healthy lunches, are actually inadvertently setting their children up for a sugar and carb roller coaster, with the inevitable crash that follows.

Neither of these lunch boxes is an extreme example.

I’m not suggesting the high-carb lunchbox is something you might serve to your child all at once (yet this is a standard lunch box). Many lunch boxes often contain chocolate, cake, fruit squeeze tubes, Nutella, and peanut butter/jam sandwiches.

Often in addition to the lunch box, there are birthday cakes and chocolate/candy bars brought in by a classmate’s birthday to share.

The low-carb lunch box example below could have been made even lower if a child needed to have their carbs restricted further for various health concerns.

You will notice the majority of the carb in the low-carb lunch box come from dairy, berries, and vegetables.

This reaffirms low-carb kids are not no-carb, but their carbs are coming from nutrient-dense sources.

Easy healthy lunchboxes

The low-carb lunchbox is an example of what can be made quite simply for a nutritious low-carb lunch box. It doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact, it’s quite easy.

In the original, standard lunch box, you can see where the biggest source of carbs and sugar was coming from – the juice and the processed food.

Simply being aware of these and reading labels will set you on a path to a more nutritious lunch box, and help your child stop the sugar roller coaster.

Use slices of cold meat or lettuce instead of wraps and fill with cheese, salad, and dips. Cut vegetables into different shapes and sizes, serve with a variety of dips, have some low-carb baking at hand, fill your freezer, leftovers are KING!

What healthy lunches do I pack?

I pack super easy low-carb lunches, predominantly from leftovers.

I always think of the quality protein component first, then the vegetables, fruit, and snacks will follow.

I also like to do some low-carb baking when time permits, and have some stored in the freezer.

If I were to offer one suggestion, it would be to make chaffles.

They are an absolute lifesaver and sanity-saver in the morning rush. You can make sweet ones and savoury ones. In fact, I have a FREE cookbook with 23 different flavours.

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• Grain-free and sugar-free granola bars (can be made nut-free)
• Chaffles – 4 ways – these are an absolute lifesaver in the morning rush PLUS there is a free cookbook for you
• Pizza Waffles
• Lemon Cupcakes
• Keto Waffles
• Salmon Quiche
• Bunless Burgers
• Cream Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
• Ham & Egg Cups
• Cracker Crackling
• Lamb Kebabs

More Low-Carb Kids Recipes & Ideas …

10 Point action plan

1. Stop buying drinks – juice, smoothies, sugary soda, flavoured milk and energy drinks.
2. Stop buying sugary sweets and candy. Start to slowly wean them onto fruit instead, then berries when their taste buds have adjusted.
3. Stop buying baked goods such as doughnuts, cakes, and cookies. They have a highly addictive combination of high sugar AND high unhealthy fat.
4. Stop buying all seed oils and trans fats.
5. Start buying real unprocessed whole foods.
6. Stop visiting the inner aisle of the grocery store where all the ultra-processed long-life products are.
7. Shop the perimeter of the supermarket for fresh produce, fresh meat and fresh dairy.
8. Crowd out the junk food with nutrient-dense food.
9. Ask your children to help cook the evening meals. Teaching them how to cook is a life skill that will serve them for the rest of their life.
10. Cook at home, eat together.

Remember – we are LOW carb, not NO carb. The emphasis is on the real whole food approach, healthy fats, fresh vegetables and good quality proteins.

Fun lunchbox ideas

Buy your children a brand new exciting and coloured lunch box.

Making healthy lunches fun is half the battle.

Initially, they will be missing the packaging with cartoon characters and highly coloured plastic, so these are some great fun ideas to get them excited.

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The post High Carb vs Low-Carb Lunchboxes (For Kids) appeared first on Thinlicious.

RealPlans created a 10-day challenge to make that so much simpler. They take you through the stages of what to eat, what to buy, and what to cook. The program is extremely helpful at learning the most important elements of meal planning.

Low-Carb Meal Planning Challenge

When you’re equipped with the right tools and resources you can simplify the process of grocery shopping, food prep, and batch cooking.

The RealPlans 10-day Meal Planning Challenge gives you those organizational skills to really master the power of meal planning. You’ll quickly see that the plan itself can be applied to other diets as well like: Paleo, Whole30, AIP, Keto, Vegetarian, GAPS, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and yes even every day meals with no dietary restrictions.

What will you learn during the challenge?

• Batch cooking
• Time-saving tools
• Veggie prep
• Creating meal plans

What is the benefit of eating low-carb?

The key benefit of a low-carb diet is how your body creates energy. Your body begins to burn fat more efficiently instead of glucose. Healthy fats allow you to feel satiated for a longer period of time.

The combination of these two factors means you eat less and create energy as a fat burner as opposed to a sugar burner.

Saving Time and Money Eating Low-Carb

Most people think eating healthy costs more, but in reality, there’s so much opportunity to save time and money.

In How to Eat Healthy and Save Money, there’s a 100 reasons mentioned, but ultimately with your health in check and portions in control, your medical and grocery budgets naturally improve as well.

Read More Articles & Guides …

What is the easiest low-carb meal plan?

This will sound like a joke, but it’s the truth. The easiest low-carb meal plan is one that you don’t have to do all the work to create.

When life is already keeping you active and busy it’s nice to be able to delegate some of the work, isn’t it? It’s all about making your life easier even with a diet in place.

What Does a Meal Plan Look Like?

If you grab the meal plans from RealPlans, they will include a weekly meal plan, shopping list, and recipes. I wasn’t joking when I said the easiest meal plan is one that you don’t have to do all the work.

You can learn more about their meal plans from my post, Free Weekly Keto Meal Plan. It’s just amazingly simple and easy to follow. No more worrying about what to cook from one week to the next.

Making Meal Prepping Easy

Meal prepping occurs after your meal planning. This is the part where we actually have to put in some effort. But here are a few simple tips to simplify the process.

• Figure out how many servings you’ll need for each meal for the week. (For example, 4 people x 4 dinners = 16 servings) You can reserve a day to take care of those leftovers.
• Pick a main protein like chicken, beef, or pork. You can use your main protein in a number of recipes to create enough variety where it doesn’t feel like you’re eating the same thing over and over.
• Prep ready to cook meals and freeze them. You’ll slowly build up a stock to work through busy weekdays.
• Use airtight food containers to pack portioned lunches for the week.

The post Low-Carb Meal Planning (FREE 10-Day Challenge) appeared first on Thinlicious.

This is the complete beginner’s guide.

What Is A Keto Diet is an article was written by Libby Jenkinson, MPS and reviewed by Raphi Sirtoli, MSc.

Low-carb and keto diet 101

So what exactly is the ketogenic diet?

You may hear that it’s simply a high-fat diet and an extremely low-carb diet. You may have heard you drink bulletproof coffee and eat keto protein bars.

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The ketogenic, or keto diet can be described as a very low-carb and high-fat diet (LCHF).  

You may also find that the keto diet is said to have similarities to other low-carb diets such as Atkins, but the keto diet is formulated quite differently.

With the keto diet, you will be reducing your carbohydrates dramatically and replacing them with healthy fats.

Read more: The Ultimate Guide To Healthy Fats

By lowering your carbs to this level, it will put your body into a metabolic state called nutritional ketosis. This state of nutritional ketosis is what allows your body to become extremely efficient at burning fat.

Ketogenic diets are incredibly successful at producing stable blood sugar levels and therefore reducing insulin demand from the body.

How does the keto diet work?

When we eat digestible carbohydrates such as sugar and starch, they are converted into sugars in our bodies.

To keep our blood sugars from rising too high, insulin is required – whether it is produced in our body, or injected by those who cannot produce their own.

Insulin is our fat-storing hormone, acts as a fat-burning switch and helps to regulate our appetite.

Insulin is like the foreman overseeing and signing off on the blood sugar-regulating work carried out by the hormone glucagon, your liver, your fat cells and others.

Eating low carb foods can help stabilize blood sugars and reduce cravings. Fat burning is encouraged.

You will become a fat burner, not a sugar burner.

In addition, chronic high levels of insulin which will eventually lead to insulin resistance and inflammation. 

Why high fat?

By enjoying plenty of healthy fats, you will keep your hunger under control. Healthy fats keep you fuller for longer and supply all the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that are lacking in so many low-fat diets.

The one factor that is never addressed with calorie counting or low-fat diets, is appetite control. By increasing (but not over-eating) healthy fats, you are satiated for longer.

Low-fat and calorie-controlled diets are not sustainable. Being told to eat less and move more just makes you hungry and irritable.

What do you eat (and avoid)

Ketogenic diets ENJOY the following foods:

• Cheese
• Nuts and seeds (limited quantities)
• Eggs
• Low-starch veggies
• Healthy fats and oils
• Fish and shellfish
• Meats

You may be wondering is this keto? It depends on quantity and quality. You may also wish to focus on clean keto (quality) or dirty keto (quantity). You may also be wondering if grass-fed meat really better or healthier?

First focus on stopping the worst areas of sugar and processed foods, then you can focus on improving quality and nutrition.

Ketogenic diets AVOID the following foods:

• Grains and starchy foods
• Diet foods/fake foods
• Fruits
• Root vegetables
• Beans
• Sugar, sugary foods and drinks

What are the benefits of a keto diet?

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So what is a keto diet and why do so many people have incredible success with keto?

There are many reasons to follow the keto diet, including, but not limited to:

• Incredible fast and sustainable weight loss
• Stable blood sugars for all forms of diabetes – pre-diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2
• Neurological disorders such as epilepsy and Alzheimer’s
• Appetite control
• Reduced cardiovascular risk factors
• Reduced risk of certain cancers
• Reduced inflammation caused by a high-carb diet

Living keto or low-carb, helps reduce inflammation and reduce the risk factors of the big 4 – cancer, heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Side effects of a keto diet

It is, of course, important to speak to your doctor about any major diet or lifestyle changes, especially if you have any underlying health issues.

It is important to remember that while the ketogenic diet is safe and works well for most people, for some, there may be side effects that occur while your body adapts to this new eating style.

These transient keto side effects can present themselves as what some call “keto flu.”

Read more: How to avoid the keto flu

Keto flu sufferers usually report an initial sluggishness, lack of focus, headache, digestive distress and other complaints.

These symptoms can often be minimised by slowly transitioning your way into the keto diet. This can be done by starting with a typical low-carb diet as opposed to jumping straight into keto.

You also need to ensure to remain hydrated and keeping your mineral levels (potassium, sodium and magnesium) at a normal balance.

Always drink to thirst and increase your salt intake upwards of 4-5 g in a day, as well as supplement with potassium and magnesium if need be.

A fantastic way to keep your fluids up and maintain your electrolytes is to drink bone broth.

Not drinking enough is one of the top mistakes people make when starting keto.

FREE macro calculator

What is a keto diet – Conclusion

A ketogenic diet is a great choice for many reasons and has been shown to have numerous health benefits.

Like any eating plan or lifestyle change, you have to stick with it to see results. But for me, I have worked with millions of readers, all of whom tell me this is the easiest and most sustainable way of eating for long term weight loss and improved health.

• How to start a low-carb diet
• The advantages of a low-carb diet
• The Ultimate Guide to carbs in food
• Diet and cardiovascular disease: Carbs are harmful, fats protect us

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