14-Day Low-Carb Meal Plan + 40 Easy Recipes
Low-carb eating has been having a moment for the past decade or so. Thanks to popular, low-carb diets like keto and paleo and a societal reassessment of sugar, low-carb eating continues to be super popular, and that’s why we are doing a 14-day low-carb meal plan today.
Indeed, whether you’re trying to lose weight, manage blood sugar, or simply avoid the 3 pm carb-crush and the associated afternoon slump, cutting back on carbs is one of the simplest changes that actually helps make it happen.
And no, you don’t have to give up bread forever or live off lettuce. A sustainable low-carb lifestyle is about swapping out refined foods and eating more protein and veggies.
That’s the whole philosophy behind this list. Sustainable low-carb eating with meals made from healthy low-carb ingredients.
Below you’ll find 10 low-carb breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners, and 10 snacks, plus a full 14-day low-carb meal plan and grocery list to make the whole thing basically brainless.
Let’s get into it.
What Counts as “Low-Carb,” Exactly?
Before we get started, want to turn this 14-day diet meal plan into an easy weekly routine?
Our weekly meal planner Google Sheets can help you plan your meals, keep track of your recipes, automatically generate and print your grocery list, and track calories, macros, and weight, if you want to. You can also manage what is in your fridge, pantry, and freezer to reduce food waste and save money on groceries.
Weekly Meal Planner Spreadsheet with Automated Grocery List & Calorie Tracking
A simple all-in-one weekly meal planner spreadsheet to help you plan weekly meals, organize recipes, auto-generate grocery lists, and track calories and macros.
There’s no single official rulebook here, but most low-carb plans land somewhere between 20 and 100 grams of net carbs a day, depending on how strict you want to go.
This is quite something considering the Dietary Guidelines for Americans actually recommend that 45 to 65% of your daily calories come from carbs.
That means, in a typical 2000-calorie day, 900 to 1300 calories should be from carbs, which translates to 225-325 grams of carbs. If you’re eating in a calorie deficit, say 1200 calories, 540 to 780 calories should be carbs, which is about 135-195 grams.
So, 20-100 grams of carbs a day is quite something. Super strict low-carb diets like keto sit at the very low end, between 20-50 grams of net carbs a day. General low-carb sits a bit higher compared to the ketogenic diet. But either way, the goal is the same: fewer refined grains and added sugars, more protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables.
Actually hitting a daily carb range is easier when you can see your meals and macros in one place. Our weekly meal planner spreadsheet comes with a calorie and macro tracker, which lets you log each day without extra apps. It’s very intuitive.
Here’s how you do low-carb eating:
- Build every plate around a protein first, then fill in around it.
- Load up on non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, zucchini, and peppers.
- Cook with real fats: olive oil, butter, avocado.
- Watch out for hidden sugar in sauces, dressings, and deli meats. Because, unfortunately, that’s where most carbs sneak in.
- Ditch the bread, rice, and pasta on your plate, but don’t stress about the small stuff. After all, this isn’t about perfection.
Alright, on to why you’re here.
10 Easy Low-Carb Breakfast Ideas
1. Veggie & cheese egg muffins
They are super simple to make. Simply whisk eggs with chopped spinach, bell pepper, and shredded cheddar, then bake in a muffin tin. These are meal-prep friendly. You can make a batch on Sunday, and you’ve got breakfast handled for a couple of days in the week.
2. Avocado & bacon egg cups
Another stupidly easy, creamy, and savory low-carb breakfast idea. To make, halve an avocado, crack an egg into each half, top with crumbled bacon, and bake until the white sets.
3. Unsweetened Greek yogurt bowl with berries and walnuts
Greek yogurt is increasingly becoming a staple breakfast for many, mostly because it is super high-protein. For this low-carb breakfast, go for full-fat, plain Greek yogurt topped with a small handful of berries and walnuts. Yes, I know you love that granola crunch, but to make it a low-carb breakfast, skip the granola.
4. Spinach and feta omelet
This is a classic. And for good reason. It makes for a quick breakfast and will keep you full for a while. Remember, sauté the spinach first so it doesn’t water down your eggs, and fold in the feta at the end.
5. Chia seed pudding with coconut milk
Another popular option that is meal-prep friendly if your mornings are typically busy. To make, simply stir chia seeds into unsweetened coconut milk, let it sit overnight in the fridge, and wake up to something that tastes way more indulgent than it is.
6. Smoked salmon and cream cheese roll-ups
These are virtually carb-free but full of protein and healthy fats to keep you full until lunch. Simply spread cream cheese over smoked salmon slices, add a little dill and capers, and roll them up. Zero cooking required, so they’re a very convenient breakfast.
7. Sausage and pepper breakfast skillet
Another wholesome low-carb breakfast full of protein and fiber. Simply brown breakfast sausage with diced peppers and onions in one pan, and in 10 minutes, you have your breakfast.
8. Almond flour keto pancakes
You get to enjoy a typical breakfast, but without the massive blood sugar crash from wheat flour and syrup. Who wouldn’t want that? Simply whisk almond flour, eggs, and a little baking powder, and you get fluffy pancakes without the dreadful carb spike. Top with butter and a few berries instead of syrup.
9. Cottage cheese bowl with cinnamon and almonds
Cottage cheese gets a bad reputation it doesn’t deserve. Sprinkle on cinnamon and sliced almonds, and it’s not so bad. It’s far from breakfast dessert, but it works and will keep you full until lunch.
10. Broccoli and cheddar frittata
This is the perfect balance of protein, fats, and a high-fiber veggie, in a low-carb breakfast. To make, simply whisk eggs with steamed broccoli and sharp cheddar, pour into a skillet, and finish in the oven. It is a great meal-prep option, so you can make ahead on Sunday for a simpler week.
To easily make these low-carb breakfasts partly of your weekly meal plan, you need our Google Sheets weekly meal planner. You can create these recipes once and keep them in your meal planner forever. You have spaces for up to 800 recipes!!
Weekly Meal Planner Spreadsheet with Automated Grocery List & Calorie Tracking
A simple all-in-one weekly meal planner spreadsheet to help you plan weekly meals, organize recipes, auto-generate grocery lists, and track calories and macros.
10 Low-Carb Lunch Recipes
1. Cobb Salad
This is a classic, meal-in-a-bowl. And for good reason. Chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and bacon provide clean protein, while avocado, cheese, and olive oil dressing provide healthy fats. Chopped romaine provides volumes and fiber. It’s a hard combination to beat.
2. Chicken Caesar Salad (No Croutons)
You’ve got grilled chicken that is an unmatched source of lean protein, you’ve romaine, a low-calorie vegetable for volume, and you’ve got parmesan and Caesar dressing for fats to keep you full for hours on end. Yes, skip the croutons to avoid a blood sugar spike and that afternoon slump.
3. Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps
This is an almost zero-carb lunch. Using butter lettuce leaves instead of bread saves you 20-30 grams of refined carbs per serving. And canned tuna is almost pure protein, meaning it will keep you full for longer. This, mixed with mayo, celery, and a little mustard, is the perfect high-protein, low-carb lunch.
4. Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups with Veggies
Zero insulin spike with this one. Turkey breast is an excellent source of lean protein, and sliced cheese provides fat. The protein and fat combo will keep you full for hours. Add cucumber and bell pepper sticks for some fiber, and you have a perfect lunch that’s super quick to make.
5. Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
Chicken is a good source of lean protein. And veggies like cucumber, tomato, and red onion are typically low-glycemic, making them perfect for a low-carb diet. Kalamata olives and feta provide healthy fats. The combination of lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber is awesome for keeping you full for longer.
6. Egg Salad Lettuce Cups
Classic egg salad, minus the bread. Makes for the perfect low-carb lunch. Eggs are highly filling, full of protein and healthy fats, meaning you’ll be full until dinner.
7. Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Shredded chicken, high in protein, tossed in buffalo sauce, wrapped in lettuce, and finished with a drizzle of ranch or blue cheese dressing, is an excellent low-carb lunch.
8. Zucchini Noodle Chicken Alfredo
Use spiralized zucchini instead of pasta, and you’ve already reduced your carb intake quite significantly. Add a creamy alfredo sauce and grilled chicken, and you have a genuinely craveable lunch.
9. Bunless Cheeseburger with Side Salad
A juicy burger patty, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles, served with a simple side salad, is the ideal easy, low-carb lunch. Yes, skip the bun to truly make this low-carb.
10. Chicken Fajita Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
Another simple and easy-to-make low-carb lunch. Simply serve seasoned chicken and peppers over cauliflower rice. Top this with guacamole and a squeeze of lime, and you’re good to go.
10 Low-Carb Dinner Recipes
1. Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter and Asparagus
One sheet pan, one glorious garlic butter sauce. This is the perfect low-carb dinner because it is naturally high in protein and healthy fats. Salmon is completely carb-free, while asparagus is super low in carbs. A full cup of asparagus contains 5 grams of total carbs, with nearly half of that being dietary fiber.
2. Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Thinly sliced beef and broccoli in a savory soy-ginger sauce. Use coconut aminos if you’re watching sugar closely. This is important: to keep it completely low-carb, avoid carb-heavy sauces full of sugar, honey, and cornstarch.
3. Almond-Crusted Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles
Almond flour swaps in for breadcrumbs, marinara and mozzarella go on top, and zucchini noodles take the place of spaghetti. Yes, swapping breadcrumbs for almond flour and wheat pasta for zucchini noodles makes this dinner low-carb-approved.
4. Steak Fajita Bowls
Sliced steak, sautéed peppers and onions, over cauliflower rice with high-fat toppings like avocado or shredded cheese. Simple, and by skipping the wraps, you make this an awesome low-carb dinner.
5. Garlic Butter Shrimp with Cauliflower Rice
Shrimp cooked fast in garlic butter, served over cauliflower rice. This can be ready in under 20 minutes and is a good option for those busy weeknights. Cauliflower rice cuts carbs by 90%, that is, if you’d typically do this recipe with traditional rice.
6. Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey
Bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground turkey, cauliflower rice, and cheese, then baked until tender. Another simple option that is keto-diet approved. Bell peppers are incredibly low-carb, and swapping out traditional white or brown rice with cauliflower makes this a simple low-carb dinner.
7. Baked Chicken Thighs with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs with roasted Brussels sprouts on the same sheet pan. This is one of those dream weeknight dinners. Very minimal cleanup afterward.
8. Egg Roll in a Bowl
All the flavor of an egg roll, none of the wrapper, making it low-carb. Ground pork, cabbage, carrots, and a splash of sesame oil in one skillet.
9. Pork Chops with Garlic Green Beans
Pan-seared pork chops with garlicky sautéed green beans on the side. A weeknight staple for a reason, it’s simple and quick to make.
10. Cauliflower Crust Pizza
A cauliflower-based crust topped however you like it. Load it up with veggies and cheese, and it genuinely satisfies the pizza craving. Using cauliflower for the crust instead of traditional white flours cuts the carb count by almost 75%.
10 Low-Carb Snack Ideas
1. Deviled Eggs Classic and endlessly customizable. Add a little hot sauce or paprika and call it a day.
2. Celery with Almond Butter: Simple, crunchy, and satisfying enough to keep you full between meals.
3. String Cheese and Almonds: The ultimate grab-and-go low-carb snack idea. This snack provides protein and fat, helping keep you full for hours on end.
4. Cucumber Slices with Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon. Feels fancy, but only takes two minutes.
5. Beef Jerky. Just double-check the label. A lot of jerky sneaks in added sugar.
6. Caprese Bites: Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil on a toothpick with a drizzle of olive oil.
7. Guacamole with Bell Pepper Slices: Skip the chips, keep the guac. Bell peppers will give you all the crunch you need.
8. Hard-Boiled Eggs: Boil a batch at the start of the week, and you’ll always have a snack to grab.
9. Pork Rinds with Guacamole: The crunch of a chip without the carbs. Great with any dip you’d normally reach for a tortilla chip for.
10. Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus: Roasted asparagus wrapped in thin slices of prosciutto. Snack food that tastes like an appetizer at a nice restaurant.
Your 14-Day Low-Carb Meal Plan
Here’s how all 40 of those recipes come together into two full weeks. I’ve cycled through the list, so nothing feels repetitive, but feel free to swap any meal for another from the same category if something sounds better to you that day.
Before you check out this 14-day low-carb diet meal plan, I created this weekly meal planner spreadsheet to make meal planning easy. It auto-generates a grocery list and tracks calories as you plan.
Weekly Meal Planner Spreadsheet with Automated Grocery List & Calorie Tracking
A simple all-in-one weekly meal planner spreadsheet to help you plan weekly meals, organize recipes, auto-generate grocery lists, and track calories and macros.
Week 1 Low-Carb Meal Plan
Day 1
Breakfast: Veggie & Cheese Egg Muffins
Lunch: Cobb Salad
Dinner: Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter and Asparagus
Snack: Deviled Eggs
Day 2
Breakfast: Avocado & Bacon Egg Cups
Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad (No Croutons)
Dinner: Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Snack: Celery with Almond Butter
Day 3
Breakfast: Unsweetened Greek Yogurt Bowl with Berries and Walnuts
Lunch: Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps
Dinner: Almond-Crusted Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles
Snack: String Cheese and Almonds
Day 4
Breakfast: Spinach and Feta Omelet
Lunch: Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups with Veggies
Dinner: Steak Fajita Bowls
Snack: Cucumber Slices with Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon
Day 5
Breakfast: Chia Seed Pudding with Coconut Milk
Lunch: Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
Dinner: Garlic Butter Shrimp with Cauliflower Rice
Snack: Beef Jerky
Day 6
Breakfast: Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Roll-Ups
Lunch: Egg Salad Lettuce Cups
Dinner: Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey
Snack: Caprese Bites
Day 7
Breakfast: Sausage and Pepper Breakfast Skillet
Lunch: Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Snack: Guacamole with Bell Pepper Slices
Week 2 Low-Carb Meal Plan
Day 8
Breakfast: Almond Flour Keto Pancakes
Lunch: Zucchini Noodle Chicken Alfredo
Dinner: Egg Roll in a Bowl
Snack: Hard-Boiled Eggs
Day 9
Breakfast: Cottage Cheese Bowl with Cinnamon and Almonds
Lunch: Bunless Cheeseburger with Side Salad
Dinner: Pork Chops with Garlic Green Beans
Snack: Pork Rinds with Guacamole
Day 10
Breakfast: Broccoli and Cheddar Frittata
Lunch: Chicken Fajita Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
Dinner: Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Snack: Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Day 11
Breakfast: Veggie & Cheese Egg Muffins
Lunch: Cobb Salad
Dinner: Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter and Asparagus
Snack: Deviled Eggs
Day 12
Breakfast: Avocado & Bacon Egg Cups
Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad (No Croutons)
Dinner: Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Snack: Celery with Almond Butter
Day 13
Breakfast: Unsweetened Greek Yogurt Bowl with Berries and Walnuts
Lunch: Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps
Dinner: Almond-Crusted Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles
Snack: String Cheese and Almonds
Day 14
Breakfast: Spinach and Feta Omelet
Lunch: Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups with Veggies
Dinner: Steak Fajita Bowls
Snack: Cucumber Slices with Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon
Want to swap meals or save your own recipes? This 14-day plan is a starting point.
With our Weekly Meal Planner Spreadsheet, you can plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for any week, store up to 800 of your own recipes, and keep your favorites on repeat. Everything is connected, so your plan feeds your grocery list automatically.
Weekly Meal Planner Spreadsheet with Automated Grocery List & Calorie Tracking
A simple all-in-one weekly meal planner spreadsheet to help you plan weekly meals, organize recipes, auto-generate grocery lists, and track calories and macros.
Low-Carb Grocery List for the Full 14 Days
Tired of typing out lists by hand? Our Weekly Meal Planner with an Automated Grocery List builds your shopping list from the meals you schedule, and you can print it. It also tracks your pantry, fridge, and freezer, so you don’t buy what you already have. So long as you correctly input your recipes, everything is connected.
This particular low-carb grocery list covers everything you need for all 40 recipes above. I haven’t listed exact quantities because that will depend on your household size, so just feel free to adjust as needed.
Proteins: Eggs, bacon, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, ground turkey, ground pork, beef steak, ground beef patties, pork chops, salmon fillets, smoked salmon, shrimp, canned tuna, deli turkey, deli ham, prosciutto, breakfast sausage, beef jerky
Dairy: Plain full-fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, shredded cheddar, feta, mozzarella (shredded and fresh), parmesan, blue cheese, cream cheese, string cheese, butter, heavy cream
Vegetables: Spinach, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, green beans, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, large tomatoes, romaine and other leafy greens, red onion, white onion, garlic, avocados
Pantry & Fats: Olive oil, coconut oil, almond flour, coconut milk (unsweetened), chia seeds, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, buffalo sauce, marinara sauce (no added sugar), soy sauce or coconut aminos, sesame oil, ranch dressing, Caesar dressing, kalamata olives, pork rinds, guacamole or avocados to make your own
Nuts, Seeds & Extras: Almonds, walnuts, almond butter, capers, fresh dill, fresh basil, lime, lemon, paprika, cinnamon
Tips to Make a Low-Carb Meal Plan Actually Stick
- Prep proteins in bulk on Sunday. Grill a few chicken breasts and boil a dozen eggs, and just as easily, half your week is already done.
- Buy pre-riced cauliflower and spiralized zucchini if you’re short on time. It costs a little more, but it saves you the chopping.
- Read labels on sauces and dressings. Added sugar hides everywhere; it is on you to do your due diligence.
- Repeat meals on purpose. Nobody’s here to grade you on variety. If a recipe works and you love it, then by all means make it twice or even thrice in one week.
- Keep the freezer stocked with protein so a low-carb dinner is always the most logical option, even on the nights you didn’t exactly plan.
- Automate the planning part. Use our weekly meal planner spreadsheet that connects your meals, recipes, and grocery list, so you plan once and shop smart. Ours does this in Google Sheets, with a printable meal schedule.
Low-Carb Diet FAQs
How many carbs should I eat per day on a low-carb diet?
Most low-carb plans fall between 20 and 100 grams of net carbs a day. It just depends on how strict you want to make it. For instance, keto sits at the stricter end at around 20-50 grams of net carbs a day, while a general low-carb approach gives you a little more room. So, where exactly you land will depend solely on your goals.
Is a low-carb diet the same as keto?
Not exactly. Keto is a stricter, higher-fat version of low-carb eating designed to get your body into ketosis. A general low-carb diet is more flexible and doesn’t require hitting a specific macro target every single day.
What can I eat for a quick low-carb breakfast?
Eggs are the MVP here. Egg muffins, omelets, and egg cups all take under 15 minutes and can be made ahead for the whole week.
Can I still eat fruit on a low-carb diet?
You can, just choose wisely. Berries are lower in carbs than most other fruits, so they’re the easiest to work into a low-carb meal plan in moderation.
Final Thoughts on Our 14-Day Low-Carb Meal Plan
Following a low-carb diet can be so simple. If you do your protein and healthy fats just right, you’ll stay full all day without feeling like you’re starving. Most of the meals in our 14-day low-carb meal plan take less than 30 minutes to prep and cook, so it’s an easy diet to stick with even on nights you’re beat from work.
And, that’s the whole point. Low-carb eating isn’t about restriction just for the sake of restriction; far from it. Sustainable low-carb eating is about building quick and healthy meals around real, satisfying food so you actually want to keep doing it.
Print out this 14-day low-carb meal plan, stick it on your fridge, and let it think for you for the next two weeks. After 2 weeks, I’d wager it will be easy to keep going.
Want to make it an actual breeze to plan your meals? Grab our weekly meal planner spreadsheet. It works with any diet, not just low-carb diets.
Weekly Meal Planner Spreadsheet with Automated Grocery List & Calorie Tracking
A simple all-in-one weekly meal planner spreadsheet to help you plan weekly meals, organize recipes, auto-generate grocery lists, and track calories and macros.
Until the next one.
