If you’ve been around here a while, you know that free keto meal plans are a staple of I Breathe I’m Hungry content – and this series of 12 weeks of meal plans was one of the first. If you’re OG enough to remember those early days, thanks for sticking around (or returning) and if you’re brand new to IBIH — welcome. I’m really glad you’re here.
This completely revamped Week 1 Keto Meal Plan is designed for people who want a clear plan without overthinking it. It’s realistic, structured, and intentionally simple — especially for January, when motivation is high but energy is often low.
If you prefer a looser guide with room for flexibility, this plan can still work for you. Just be sure to read the plan notes which give direction on swaps and adjusting macros within the plan.
Welcome to Week 1
If you’re just starting keto, this is exactly where you should be.
Week 1 is not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about:
- eating real, satisfying food
- keeping carbs low enough to get results
- and building confidence that you can actually do this
This plan is straightforward on purpose. You don’t need special ingredients, complicated cooking skills, or a ton of free time. You just need to follow the plan as written and give your body a chance to adjust.
If this is your first week of keto, it’s normal to experience detox symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and cravings (keto “flu” is a real thing) while your body adjusts to using ketones for energy. There are ways to minimize the discomfort and make the transition easier.
For more information about keto flu, the role of electrolytes, and other keto specific topics, check out my beginners guide to keto in the 3 Day Keto Kickstart.
A Note If You’ve Seen This Plan Before
This is not a minor update.
This Week 1 plan has been rebuilt from the ground up with new recipes. The goals are the same — simple, low-carb, high-protein meals — but the execution is completely different and far more realistic for real life.
If you’ve done my Week 1 plan in the past, this version will feel entirely fresh.
More weekly keto meal plans will follow using this same structure, so you’re never guessing what comes next.
How to Use This Plan
- Each day below tells you exactly what to eat
- Daily macros are already calculated
- If you follow it as written, no tracking is required
- Net carbs stay under 20g per day
- Calories average 1,600–1,700 per day, with normal variation
Standard Items
Standard Side Salad (1 serving)
- 2 cups chopped romaine
- 1 cup sliced cucumber
- ½ cup sliced celery
- 2 tablespoons keto-friendly dressing
Macros assume up to ~170 calories from dressing. If your dressing is higher or lower, adjust accordingly.
Romaine for Tuna Salad (1 serving)
- 2 large romaine leaves, or
- 1 cup chopped romaine
Whole leaves = wrap style.
Chopped = fork salad.
Coffee Notes
Coffee is shown with heavy whipping cream because it’s predictable and keto-friendly.
Macros in this plan assume 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream per cup
(≈ 50 calories, negligible carbs).
If you prefer a different creamer or use more than that, you’ll need to account for the difference yourself.
Daily Treat
- 1 Pistachio Truffle
Included in daily macros.
This is optional, and you can omit it completely or replace it with another store bought keto treat that has 2g net carbs per serving. Some people appreciate a sweet reward built into the plan, but if you can take it or leave it, I’d skip it.
Avocado Breakfast Swap
If you don’t like avocado or can’t eat it, you may omit it or substitute:
- 1 additional egg, or
- 1 additional slice of bacon
No other adjustments are needed.
Week 1 Daily Menu
Daily calories are calculated based on defined portions and recipe macros. Small variations may occur depending on brands and preparation.
Where no quantity is specified, it’s 1 serving as defined in the recipe.
Scroll to the bottom for the Shopping and Prep Lists
Monday
Breakfast:
2 eggs, 2 slices bacon, ½ avocado, coffee with cream
Lunch:
Tuna salad (½ cup) + romaine (see note above)
Dinner:
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & “Rice” + Standard side salad (see note above)
Treat: 1 Pistachio Truffle (optional)
Daily Macros:
1,612 calories • ~15g net carbs • ~84g fat • ~84g protein
Tuesday
Breakfast:
2 eggs, 2 slices bacon, ½ avocado, coffee with cream
Lunch:
Tuna salad (½ cup) + romaine
Dinner:
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & “Rice” + standard side salad
Treat: 1 Pistachio Truffle (optional)
Daily Macros:
1,612 calories • ~14.5g net carbs • ~84g fat • ~84g protein
Wednesday
Breakfast:
Cream Cheese Pancakes, coffee with cream
Optional: zero-carb pancake syrup
Lunch:
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & “Rice”
Dinner:
Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken (see prep notes below) + standard side salad
Treat: 1 Pistachio Truffle (optional)
Daily Macros:
1,698 calories • ~14g net carbs • ~92g fat • ~97g protein
Thursday
Breakfast:
Cream Cheese Pancakes, coffee with cream
Optional: zero-carb pancake syrup
Lunch:
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & “Rice”
Dinner:
Beef Stroganoff Meatballs + Cheesy Cauliflower Purée
Treat: 1 Pistachio Truffle
Daily Macros:
1,721 calories • ~12–13g net carbs • ~96g fat • ~80–85g protein
Friday
Breakfast:
Cream Cheese Pancakes, coffee with cream
Lunch:
Tuna salad + romaine
Dinner:
Beef Stroganoff + Cheesy Cauliflower Purée + side salad
Treat: 1 Pistachio Truffle (optional)
Daily Macros:
1,603 calories • ~14g net carbs • ~88g fat • ~76g protein
Saturday
Breakfast:
Cream Cheese Pancakes, coffee with cream
Lunch:
Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken
Dinner:
Beef Stroganoff + Cheesy Cauliflower Purée + side salad
Treat: 1 Pistachio Truffle (optional)
Daily Macros:
1,674 calories • ~15g net carbs • ~92g fat • ~83g protein
Sunday
Breakfast:
2 eggs, 2 slices bacon, ½ avocado, coffee with cream
Lunch:
Beef Stroganoff + Cheesy Cauliflower Purée
Dinner:
Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken
(Or the Week 2 dinner if you’re prepping ahead)
Treat: 1 Pistachio Truffle (optional)
Daily Macros:
1,706 calories • ~13g net carbs • ~90g fat • ~92g protein
Week 1 Shopping List
Protein & Poultry
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – ~2½ lb
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – ~1½ lb
- Ground beef – ~1½ lb
- Bacon – 1½–2 lb
- Eggs – 2 dozen
- Canned tuna – 4 cans (5 oz each)
Dairy
- Cream cheese – 2 blocks (8 oz each)
- Mascarpone cheese – 8 oz
- Shredded cheddar cheese – 16 oz
- Sour cream – 8 oz
- Heavy whipping cream – 1 pint
- Butter – 1 lb
Produce
- Avocados – 4
- Romaine lettuce – 3 hearts or 2 large heads
- Cucumbers – 3–4
- Celery – 1 bunch
- Broccoli – 1 large head
- Cauliflower – 2 large heads or 2 large bags florets
- Garlic – 1 bulb
- Yellow onion – 1 small
- Sliced mushrooms – 8 ounces
Pantry (check before shopping)
- Olive or avocado oil
- Chicken broth – 2 quarts
- Beef broth – 1 quart
- Ranch seasoning
- Salt, pepper, paprika
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder, onion powder
- Mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Keto-friendly salad dressing
- Zero-carb pancake syrup (optional)
- Shelled pistachios
- Low-carb sweetener
- Vanilla extract
Week 1 Prep Plan
Sunday
- Make 4 batches Cream Cheese Pancakes (1 batch equals 1 serving)
- Make 1 batch Cheesy Ranch Chicken & “Rice”
- Make 1 batch Tuna Salad (2 servings)
- Make Pistachio Truffles
- Cook bacon in advance if desired
Wednesday
- Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken NOTE: The soup recipe does not call for chicken except as an add on. Simply make the soup as called for. Cook the chicken breasts (2 lbs from the shopping list) separately (baked, sautéed, or steamed), then chop or shred and add to the soup when serving or portioning. Alternatively you can purchase cooked chicken breast pieces or rotisserie chicken and chop that and add it to the soup. The calories might vary but the carbs will stay the same.
Thursday
- Make Beef Stroganoff Meatballs + Cheesy Cauliflower Purée
- Make second batch Tuna Salad (2 servings)
Extra Servings
After completing Week 1, you may have some food left over from the following recipes:
- Cheesy Ranch Chicken & “Rice”
This recipe makes 6 servings.
4 servings are used in the Week 1 plan. - Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken
This recipe makes 6 servings.
Not all servings are used during Week 1. - Tuna Salad
Each batch makes 2 servings.
Two batches are made during the week.
How to Use Extra Servings
- Extra servings may be eaten on days you’re hungrier.
- They can be used to replace another meal you’re tired of.
- Soup and chicken-based meals can be frozen and used in future weeks.
If you choose to add extra servings or swap meals, simply keep your total daily net carbs under 20g and adjust macros as needed.
What’s Next
The Week 2 Keto Meal Plan builds on this same structure with new meals and flavors.
If you’re new here, stick around — this is meant to be sustainable, not a crash diet.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I feel your pain! Now that I’m back in the saddle it feels great and I’m seeing the scale budge slowly but surely in the right direction again which is empowering! Hope you have great success on the plans – let me know how you do!
Michelle Marrujo says
OMG! YOU ARE AMAZING!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I am in week 1. I already lost 15 pounds on my own but doc said I am pre-diabetic, so here I am. I am 5 foot 8 and weigh 120 pounds, so not sure why my blood sugar is out of control. Anyway, the first meal prep took me 4 hours maybe I am slow, or maybe distracted by my 7 kids, ha ha ha. I just want to feel better and after day 1, I feel great!!! I will let you know how it goes! Thank you for doing all the work for me!!
JoAnn says
Hi Mellissa,
You might be new at this but you did great! Your menu is almost exactly what I’ve eaten in the last week :) I love eating Paleo always but now I have to loose about 10lbs for the holidays to I’m doing the ketosis steps.
At first, if you take the time to look at your labels when you food shop, you’ll find the products that are low, or no carb and high protein – then keep buying the same stuff. You’ll spend less time when you get the hang of it. For example you should be able to find mozzarella or cheddar cheese with no carbs, that way you can have more. Also, there are some great FREE phone apps that help – I use the Atkins Carb Tracker.
Love the cream cheese pancake recipe – Thank you so much for sharing
Katey says
Hey Mellissa, I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all the work you have put into this site to help others. It’s truly amazing! I’ve been on and off low carb and basically making it up as I go. I finally realized I wasn’t losing any weight because my intake of carbs was a whole lot higher than I was thinking. When I found your keto menus- all planned out I figured I’d just had to try it. It’s like having someone hold my hand and guide me through the process. Today is day 1. I am looking forward to letting you know how I progress. Thank you for all the information and guidance you provide. And thanks for being real in your blogs. Also, love the cookbooks! I just got those last weekend. You’ve got me psyched – I am going to be successful and lose this weight!.
Teri says
Thanks so much for building these Keto meal plans! What a huge help. I was on moderate protein, moderate carb and low fat along with being preservative and gluten free so this is a very different approach for me. It’s a welcomed change to feel full while dieting. And your recipes are very satiating. Earlier in the week, I was down a couple pounds, but after finishing Week 1, I’m only down 1 pound total. I’m going to stick with it for a few more more weeks. Hopefully my body will start responding soon.
Claudia TN says
Wow. All the work you’ve done! Thank you from the bottom of our (my husband and me) hearts! I promise to never, ever ask a question that I can answer on my own. And I love math, so substitutions won’t be a problem. I promise.
Karen says
Week 1 in the books, lost total of 7 pounds and 9 inches, very excited. Thanks for sharing the menus, just
love the food, and I did not have any side effects such as headaches,just added energy. Loving keto diet.
Thanks,
Karen
Rita says
Ok I have been having a ball reading all of the comments! I am un-officially starting today, by that I mean I had already had a protein (something sweet) for breakfast, went for a walk, and then got all wound up when I found a bunch of stuff on the keto diet on the web. After looking around, I lit on your site. Good thing. So what I mean about un-officially starting is, I don’t have much meat or fats in the house. Going to store after lunch. Soooo…what to have. I found some tuna in pantry, mixed some of my Coconut cream (about a tablespoon), some Balsamic vinegar, and some dill pickles together – oh – and some cayenne pepper. It would have been heavy on the protein, light on the fat and carbs. But I had to make do. I feel light as a feather.
I am sure going to sneak that Cauliflower mash on my husband. He is like feeding a picky three-year-old. I want to cut down on his carbs. I am all in with your diet Mellissa. Will keep you posted on my progress.
Shannon Fry says
I just gotta say I’ve been researching for 2 weeks straight now and decided to start on Monday. I had found several “keto startup” menus but they all fail in comparison to yours. They all use hard to find ingredients and some i’ve never heard of. Yours are totally something we can all find in our local grocery stores and you utilize leftovers to make it so easy.
Im excited to start my first keto experience and i’m so so grateful you’ve taken so much time out of your day to do this for us beginners. Really makes the stress of it all much lighter.
THANK YOU!
Sarah says
You are officially my favorite person. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I’m newly keto/low carb and your blog is a Godsend! I had no clue where to begin and then I came across IBIH and that was it. Day 3 keto and it’s crazy how I’m not hungry. That NEVER happens! lol Thanks again!