21+ Easy Keto Lunches for Work (Keto Diet Lunch Ideas and Prep Tips)
Hey Ketoer, do you find work lunches the more difficult of your meals to plan and prepare?
You are not alone.
But don't worry, with the right planning and preparation, it may be easier than you think, and with these easy keto lunch options for work, your battle is halfway won.
Want to know more about prepping? Then carry on reading...
Just want the 21+ delicious recipe ideas?
Then scroll down or follow the link to our best keto friendly lunch ideas.
Easy Lunches - Where to Start
Not the morning before work. Plan!
Firstly, what is your situation?
Do you go to an office every day where you have a microwave to warm up your food?
If this is the case, then an LCHF lunch is really easy. The first option is probably warmed-up leftovers from the night before, but by all means, that is not your only option.
Most of the recipes shared below are perfect for a delicious, nutritious low carb high-fat lunch on the go.
If you don't have a fixed office with a microwave or means to warm food, then your keto diet lunch options may not be as vast, but that doesn't mean the battle is lost.
Salads and sandwiches are probably the most straightforward options, but let's put our minds together and see what else we can come up with.
I would love to hear your suggestions, so please leave your comments below.
But,
First things first, let's start with prepping for your keto work lunch.
Stock Up
Make a shopping list and stock up on all the ingredients you need for the week.
It is much easier to eat the food your body needs when you have it on hand to prepare these incredible yummy meals.
Plan for the Week ahead
Don't be rigid about it. Life happens, but at least have an outline of what your week will look like.
If, for instance, you have a standing dinner for family or friends at your home once a week, then you know that the next day you will probably have leftovers to take to work.
Maybe you are on the road and not at the office some days, so your needs will be different.
Do the bulk of your Preparations on Weekends
When you do your weekly prep, focus on these two areas:
- 1Cut up veggies for salads and store them in airtight containers, ready to be used when you need them.
- 2Precook and freeze your meals for the week. You can marinate and grill meat. You can cook a keto casserole, lasagna, or quiche and portion these off just ready to grab on your way to work.
Not sure exactly what you need?
Then you may want to look at our shopping list or consider these weekly meal plans from TasteAholics with detailed shopping lists and recipes for a week.
Or need a more accessible option?
What about buying ready-made meals?
There are now many places where you can buy keto prepared meals.
You can find some at your local supermarket.
But if you are looking for convenience, you can have healthy keto-friendly, ready-to-eat meals delivered at home or your office.
They are usually easy to prepare, and many don't need refrigeration. You'll even be able to find plant-based meals options.
Now that we agree on how-to let's get going with what...
Recipes and Ideas for Work
Let's have a look at some keto lunch ideas that are perfect for carrying to work or school, and then let's enjoy some of the best keto lunch recipes I found in each of these categories.
And don't worry, I won't forget about you ketoers who do not have cooking facilities at work.
Salads - The Easiest
Low Carb Lunches for Work
Yeah, this must be the easiest low-carb lunch idea. I know salad is not always great during winter, but let's start with them.
I love to pack salads as they are super convenient, don't need to be warmed up, and what you add to your salad is only limited by your imagination.
They are quick to prepare and can be made however you like. Load up with lettuce or baby spinach, then add cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, olives, capers, and meats, and cheeses of your choice.
Leftovers come to mind again!
Add half an avocado and a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon, dried herbs, salt, and pepper, and you are good to go.
Are you concerned that your avocado won't stay fresh? Then turn your salad dressing into a rich avocado-based dressing.
I usually pack my dressing in a side container and dress the salad when I am ready to eat.
Here are some of my favorite ketogenic lunch recipes:
Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Salad
I love shrimp, and avo and I am not alone.
Search shrimp and avocado salad, and you will find lots of recipes. Most of them share the main ingredients: shrimp, avocado, cucumber with spinach, lettuce, and kale.
What makes them all super different, though, is the dressing.
My favorite recipe is from Tina at Oh Snap Let's Eat. Tina is a Paleo blogger, but this delicious recipe shows how the two eating styles overlap at times.
I enjoy many of Tina's recipes, but what I love most about this one is the tahini dressing.
Click here for this quick keto lunch recipe and the source for the photo.
Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
I love this recipe. It is so - not conventional.
You can easily make this the night before and add the last ingredients, like the avocado and cheese, just before you eat it.
Just a word of caution - always check labels before adding sources or salad dressings to your foods.
Thai Tuna Salad
I added this salad because it is so quick and easy to make.
The sesame gives the tuna a rich taste and, I love the zing you get from the lime and red onion. If you find the sesame oil too rich, you can also try a bit low carb mayonnaise.
If you feel this salad needs to be eaten with a slice of bread, then grab our favorite bread recipe below and go for it...
Check out the recipe and source for the photo here at Table for Two, where you can enjoy many more of Julie's delicious recipes.
Dr. Mercola's Lamb and Anchovies Keto Salad Recipe
I added this recipe because even though it has more ingredients and sounds somewhat more complicated, it is still an easy lunch option, provided that you prepare the ingredients ahead of time.
Like all the ones we share here, this salad is packed with good fats and a good source of protein.
What makes Dr. Mercola's salad different is that he adds sprouts with healthy enzymes and fermented vegetables, which we should eat daily.
I love anchovies but don't eat fish eggs, so I left those out.
Personally, I am not very good at following recipes to the tee. Usually, I will adjust them to fit my needs and my palate.
More Salad Ideas
Another on-the-go keto lunch idea I like is a salad in a mason jar. You can add any ingredients you want.
Start with your dressing, add salad vegetables, protein, and lastly, green leafy vegetables like spinach or lettuce.
When you are ready to enjoy your super fresh meal, open the mason jar and "turn the content over" onto a plate.
Most salads are perfect on-the-go lunch food and don't need to be warmed up, making them an excellent option even if you are on the road or work in an environment without heating facilities.
As I come across more interesting salads, I will be sharing them here.
So, please check back from time to time or subscribe to our newsletter if you'd like to receive a notification when we publish new articles or recipes.
Sandwiches - The Ultimate Portable Meal
Sandwiches - the lunch most of us grew up with. Right now, I have no alternative for peanut butter and jelly but I am searching, and when I find it, I will share it here.
Sandwiches are super convenient, and for many of us, they have an emotional pull on our childhoods.
If you find it hard to let go of delicious bread-based sandwiches, you need to find alternatives!
Here I share sandwich ideas with all kinds of low carb or substitute bread.
I found delicious "bread" recipes with cauliflower, zucchini, almond flour, (yum) and substitutes like lettuce and bun-less burgers.
Sandwiches are the ultimate portable food. Step 1 is to find or make a suitable low-carb bread or non-bread and then fill them with meats, bacon, tuna, cheese, egg, veggies, and even nut butter.
Here are some of my favorite low carb sandwich recipes:
Cauliflower Low Carb Cheese Sandwich
This recipe has been around since 2014 but it remains one of my favorite keto cheese sandwiches.
It takes a bit of work, so you will have to make the "bread" the night before, and while you're at it, grill the cheese and sandwich, and you'll have a delicious keto-friendly packed lunch ready to run out the door in the morning.
Visit Mike's website for his cauliflower and cheese sandwich recipe.
Zucchini Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Mike from TheIronYou.com may be better known for his cauliflower cheese sandwich above, but I also love this version of his sandwich. With this zucchini invention, he replaced cauliflower with zucchini.
You will have to try both versions to decide which you like better. Let us know which one you prefer in the comments below.
I love this sandwich because I sometimes get a little tired of cauliflower, and zucchini is an excellent alternative.
These two recipes and photos are from Mike at TheIronYou.com.
Turkey Taco Lettuce Wrap
I love the colors in this beautiful wrap. After all, we do eat with our eyes as well. 🙂
When you try this recipe, be sure to use a sugar-free tomato sauce (or make your own).
I never skim on fat, so I don't use lean mince, and I always use full-fat dairy.
When you find a stunning recipe like this which may not be 100% keto compliant, just experiment and adjust it to change it into precisely what you want.
This works well with romaine or iceberg lettuce, but you can also use "harder" lettuce if you find that it transports better that way.
Check out the recipe and source for the photo here at CookingClassy.com.
Lettuce Wrapped Hamburger
I added this recipe because I love burgers, and Nicole doesn't only give us a recipe for a beef burger but suggests lots of variations giving us one recipe with many options.
Nicole has added four variations to this yummy burger.
She likes to make her own beef patties rather than buy mince. To make these burger patties, she uses grass-fed beef and uncured bacon. Yum... 🙂
Make the patties the night before or make a batch over the weekend and then just assemble them the morning before work.
You can find this lettuce-wrapped hamburger recipe and lots more healthy and delicious keto diet lunch recipes for work at FoodIMakeMySoldier.com.
Unfortunately, Nicole's website is not active at the moment. I will leave this here for a bit to see if she brings it back up. If not, I will look for a replacement.
Keto Sandwich Fillings for Work
Our options for sandwich fillings are unlimited.
When we think keto - bacon, egg, cheese, and tomato come to mind.
And so does this delicious wrap idea from Stephanie Meyer - Bacon, radish, and avocado lettuce wraps.
I also enjoy tuna fillings, like the salad recipe shared above. Another great filling is egg and mayonnaise.
Any leftovers can be used as sandwich fillers. The ideas for what to fill your work sandwiches with are endless.
Now that we have our fillings covered let's look at some low-carb bread that we can make to go with our delicious fillings!
Ketogenic Bread Ideas and Recipes
We have looked at cauliflower and zucchini bread and wraps. So, let's now look at a few easy bread recipes...
Oopsie Rolls
Oopsie rolls are perfect for burgers but will work well with most of the fillings listed above.
They are made with eggs, cream cheese, cream of tartar, and salt and are fluffy and light.
For the recipe and photo source, visit TasteAholics.com.
2 Minute Microwave Keto Bread
If you miss bread or want to make bread in minutes, then you must try this recipe by Headbanger's Kitchen.
I love this recipe, partly because it is so fast to make and it is delicious.
What you need to make this keto bread
How to make this 90-second low carb bread
This recipe makes 1 serving.
Check out more delicious recipe videos from Headbanger's Kitchen.
When I initially posted this video and recipe, Headbanger's Kitchen only had a YouTube channel. They have now created a fantastic website. Please visit them here.
Healthy Low Carb Bread
I love this bread. It is tasty and looks like regular white bread. The best thing, though, is the smell of fresh home-baked bread.
To have this ready for sandwiches during the week, you may want to bake it over the weekend, but it is worth it.
Prepping takes 15 to 20 minutes, and it bakes for 30 minutes.
This was my first attempt at making keto bread.
I know I should have tested whether it was cooked through with a toothpick, but I wasn't thinking.
It is delicious, and I so loved the smell.
For the recipe, please visit Keto Connect.
They have lots of delicious low-carb recipes. You can also watch how they make the bread on their website or here at the bottom of the page.
As you can see from the recipes and ideas here, sandwiches are still the ultimate portable lunch and a really easy keto on-the-go lunch option.
All you need is healthy keto-friendly bread (and you have many options) and a yummy low-carb, high-fat filling.
These are all easy to pack, no matter where you work, and they are perfect for packing as keto-friendly school lunches.
Quiches and Pies -
Keto-friendly Comfort Food at Work
Pies are the ultimate comfort food, aren't they?
Quiches and pies are both easy to prepare on weekends. Freeze them in pre-packed portions, and you are set for an easy office or school lunch any day of the week.
Eggs must be the ketoer's best friend and so very versatile. Quiches, frittatas, and even omelets are perfect for packed lunches.
Pies are especially great for a work or school lunch, as just like with sandwiches, they are easy to pack, and you can eat most of them at room temperature.
I prefer my eggs warmed up, so for me, this will only work if I can warm them. But if you don't mind cold eggs, you can have these meals anywhere.
Here are some of my favorites.
French Quiche
There is very little I can say about this pie, except - Yummy try it.
It takes some work, so make it on the weekend and portion them off. This is one of those pies that I love to eat cold so I can take it with me anytime and anywhere.
Just add a green salad, and you have a delicious healthy lunch.
Visit The Diet Doctor for his French quiche recipe and the photo source.
Portobello Mushroom and Feta Frittata
Not technically a quiche, but frittatas must be some of the most versatile foods available to a ketoer.
Frittatas are easy to make, and you can eat them at room temperature. So it is a convenient lunch option even when you have no warming options at work.
I usually make them the night before and then just stick them in my lunch box in the morning.
Check out the Portobello mushroom and feta frittata recipe and more delicious recipes and ideas.
Low Carb Spaghetti Bolognese Pie
I love this pie. It is seriously yummy and the ultimate comfort food: pie and spaghetti bolognese all in one.
It is quite a bit of work. But then making pies always are. So, it may be worthwhile making a few pies over the weekend.
It is made with Konjac spaghetti.
I can't always find it, so I use Shirataki Noodles.
Check out the recipe and source for the photo here at My Keto Kitchen.
I love shirataki noodles, but I know many people can't stand them.
How do I use them? I rinse the noodles and add them to any dish I am making. Like pasta, they take on the taste of the source you serve them with. If you'd like, you can also fry them briefly.
Haven't tried them yet? But would like the option of a low, almost no carb pasta, then check them out by clicking on the image...
Easy Taco Pie
Yummy 🙂
This is one of those must-have recipes in your arsenal of ketogenic diet recipes.
It is easy to make and is really filling. It can be made the night before or the weekend before and stored in the fridge or freezer.
If, like me, you don't mind room temperature food, you can eat it as is or warm it up and enjoy...
The recipe and picture are courtesy of AllDayIDreamAboutFood.com.
Spinach Quiche Cup
These individual quiche cups or egg muffins are probably more popular as a breakfast, but they are also perfect as a packed lunch.
I like them because they are so easy to pack, and simple to make.
I love this spinach, mushroom, and cheese combination, but you can add any ingredients you have in your fridge.
As you can eat them at room temperature, they make for a tasty lunch no matter where you find yourself.
For the recipe and the original picture, click here.
Chicken Pot Pie
Who doesn't love chicken pie? No list of comfort food lunches can be complete without a chicken pie. Enjoy...
Check out LowCarb-Ology.com for the recipe and the original picture.
These are all yummy keto-friendly lunch ideas to take with you to work.
While on keto, you shouldn't feel deprived, and with these fantastic comfort food recipes, you never have to.
Please share your favorite comfort food lunch recipes with us in the comments below.
Dinner for Lunch -
The Leftover Bonanza
Some of the easiest work lunches may be packing leftover portions from the previous night's dinner.
So, it may be worth planning dinner with the following day's lunch in mind.
Most of these meals will probably require warming, so may not be ideal if you don't have options to warm your lunch.
Of course, that depends on your preference.
Here are some of my favorite dinner for lunch ideas!
Essential Skillet Zucchini Lasagna
I love one-pan meals. They are easy to make, and who doesn't love saving time when washing up.
Another thing I like about these types of foods because their flavors develop over time.
When you eat this zucchini lasagna for lunch the next day, the flavor would have developed, and the meal may very well be even tastier than the night before.
This lasagna is made with spiralized zucchini, ground chicken, delicious cheeses, and flavorsome herbs.
This recipe gives you many staple recipe ideas, as you can also use ground beef or Japanese-styled zero-carb noodles.
Enjoy dinner and your take-along lunch by getting the recipe from TheFitHousewife.com.
Don't have a zucchini spiralizer yet? Then check out which spiralizer we like most.
Low Carb Salmon Fish Cakes
These delicious low carb fish cakes are made with pink salmon and have a really low net carb count.
They will be as tasty the next day and is an easy portable lunch. Take along a nice green salad and some avocado, and you'll have a lunch fit for a king.
For the recipe and some amazing pictures showing every step in the preparation process, check out Ruled.me.
Grilled Pesto Chicken Kebabs
Kebabs are perfect leftover food. They are easy to pack and, in most instances, can be eaten at room temperature.
They are perfect for summer barbecue dinners. But even in winter, they can be cooked in the oven or a skillet.
When you make kebabs, add your vegetables of choice, and you can have a complete lunch on a skewer.
One of the things I love about this chicken kebab recipe is the pesto. I enjoy the pairing, and when you make your own pesto from this simple recipe, you know it is keto-friendly.
Check out the recipe and the step-by-step pictures on how to make these kebabs at SkinnyTaste.
Pork and Vegetable Stir Fry
Simple and Easy!
Not only is stir fry quick and easy to make for supper, but preparing an extra serving makes for the perfect healthy lunch the following day.
The options and combinations are endless.
I love the sweet and sour combination and the kick from the ginger with this recipe.
The recipe and picture are courtesy of LowCarbMaven.com.
Stuffed Chicken Breast
These stuffed chicken breasts are yummy for dinner.
Just cook a few extra, and you'll have an easy delicious keto office lunch.
Want to make them easier to eat, just take along some lettuce leaves and eat them like you would a hamburger.
As you can eat them at room temperature, they make for a tasty on-the-go lunch no matter where you find yourself.
Want to make this stuffed chicken tonight? Then get the recipe here and get cooking... 🙂
Lamb and Spinach Curry
Slow cooker meals are the best when you want to have a meal ready when you walk in. It is also easy to cook enough food, so you can take the leftovers to work.
I love curry. If you do too, then enjoy this delicious lamb curry. You can eat it with or without cauliflower rice.
Get the recipe here and also check out ThinLicious, formerly Ditch The Carbs blog, where you will not only find lots of delicious recipes but also good advice in support of your ketogenic lifestyle for your whole family.
In Conclusion
The easiest lunch option is leftovers from dinners.
Plan your evening meals around your needs for the next day, and you will always have an easy takeaway lunch ready to go.
But
In summer, nothing beats a healthy salad packed with keto-friendly ingredients.
For convenience, sandwiches are still an option, just choose your "bread" carefully and ensure your filling gives you enough fat to keep you satiated till dinner.
Anything egg is an excellent good keto-friendly lunch option. So, experiment with quiches, egg cups, and frittatas.
If you are like me, you probably need a break from planning and cooking, so consider buying the occasional prepared meal. Or give yourself a break and order keto lunches for a week.
