Ketogenic diet menus
Menus for people on a ketogenic diet therapy for epilepsy, including the modified Atkins and low glycemic index diets, written by our registered dietitians. Our standard ketogenic menus come with our menus at no extra charge.
A ketogenic diet keeps carbohydrate low enough that the body burns fat for fuel, and for some adults with epilepsy that can prevent seizures or make them less frequent. Two versions are common for adults: the modified Atkins diet and the low glycemic index diet.
Our registered dietitians write these menus for group homes and other care facilities. Our standard ketogenic menus come with our menus at no extra charge. For a menu written to a resident's own prescribed plan, contact us.
Modified Atkins and low glycemic index diets
- Modified Atkins diet. Net carbohydrate (total carbohydrate minus fiber) is held to about 15 to 20 grams a day. Meals center on meat, poultry, fish and eggs, with low-carbohydrate vegetables, a limited amount of cheese, and fats such as butter, cream, olive oil and mayonnaise.
- Low glycemic index diet. Total carbohydrate is held to about 40 to 60 grams a day, and only from foods with a glycemic index under 50, such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, lentils and fresh apples and peaches.
Neither plan limits protein, fat or fluids. Calories are set to keep the person at a healthy weight, or to support weight loss when that is the goal.
How we write them
- The prescription comes first. The plan and the carbohydrate limit come from the person's neurologist or dietitian, and the menu never overrides them.
- Every gram counted. Each meal and snack counts toward the day's carbohydrate limit, and portions are measured to stay within it.
- No hidden carbohydrate. Breaded meats, flour-thickened sauces and dressings or condiments with added sugar are left out.
Questions
Do ketogenic menus cost extra?
Our standard ketogenic menus don't. If you'd like a menu customized to a resident's prescribed plan, contact us.
Who decides the plan and the carbohydrate limit?
The person's neurologist or dietitian. A menu follows their plan and never changes it.
Can a ketogenic menu be vegetarian or vegan?
Yes. The low glycemic index diet can be written vegetarian or vegan, using eggs, tofu, nuts and unsweetened soymilk fortified with calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
Do you write menus for other conditions?
Yes. Our standard Prader-Willi syndrome and PKU menus also come at no extra charge, and we can account for nearly any therapeutic diet, for nearly any age, medical condition or disease state.
Do you sell menus to facilities outside California?
Yes. Our menus are available to facilities nationwide.