The higher the ratio, the more challenging it can be to make a palatable, health-conscious meal with all the required fat.
I keep using this picture, but it offers a vivid picture of this dilemma.
I mean, that's a ton of butter.
What if I used oil instead? Well, it would be like a green, oily soup... yuck.
Although I know I still have much to learn, I have discovered a few things that help me to up the fat (while hopefully not sky-rocketing cholesterol at every meal):
Once I was introduced to the concept of using Heavy Whipping Cream as AJ's "milk," the fat portions got more manageable in the meals. Right now, I'm trying to stay under 20g, and then I dilute it with water to give more hydration. Oh, we also often add a drop or two of stevia to make it like a "shake."
Butter is a great addition to especially cold meals or travel meals, where it can be easily be eaten in it's more solid state (and risk of spilling or leaking is greatly reduced). Here is an example of the first great travel meal we discovered (warning: it's heavy on cream cheese, butter, and cream).
Avocado oil is my favorite oil for its health benefits and it's very neutral flavor. I try to keep any oil under about 7g for one meal, otherwise it can take over the meal. I always try to use more oil than butter. **UPDATE: Kids can drink the oil straight! I forget what article or resource I read that turned this light bulb on, but something I do a lot now is to measure the oil in a small glass (I use a clear espresso cup I got from the thrift store). I have used up to 14g, and AJ drinks it all and then scrapes it out!
Fresh avocado is such a staple. It's a solid, healthy fat that can give options for dips or, especially, the important addition of Nano (powder multivitamin). AJ despises the taste of the Nano, so I try to keep it out of the main meal. My best solution so far is mixing the Heavy Whipping Cream and Avo with it, plus a drop of stevia OR a savory alternative with a touch of garlic salt and a few drops of lemon.
Mayonnaise and sour cream are other great additions and can be mixed into the fresh avocado to make a "dip."
Cheese is another big win in the fat application. AJ's favorite is definitely cream cheese!
Considering the fat content of the protein is also helpful (i.e. sausage is going to go a lot further than chicken breast).
When I go to build a meal from scratch in the Keto Diet Calculator (KDC), I will often build in my fats and proteins first to get close to the fat goal and then add my veggies/fruits to bring everything back to ratio.
I hope these tips help. I remember being very overwhelmed by the lopsided realities of building these fat-heavy meals, but, with practice and some creativity, you will get the hang of it!
Comments