Kristin Mon, whose seven-year-old daughter, Madeline, follows a modified Atkins diet and is permitted 10 net carbs daily (net carbs is defined as carbohydrates minus carbs from fiber), and Renee Klein, whose six-year-old daughter, Luella, follows the classic ketogenic diet, offer some typical daily menus. The baked goods in both menus are made with 40 percent heavy cream, butter, KetoCal (a powdered ketogenic fat formula that resembles flour), eggs, and a zero-carb sweetener like stevia.

A Day on the Modified Atkins Diet

Breakfast

• 2 Carbquik™ pancakes
• A side of bacon
• 1 vanilla Atkins shake with a large scoop of flaxseed meal and a large scoop of zero-carb vanilla protein powder

Net carbs: 2

Snack

• Egg and bacon “muffin” made with scrambled eggs, heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon, mixed and baked in muffin tins
• 10 raspberries

Net carbs: 1

Lunch

• Grilled chicken or hot dog
• Cheddar cheese quesadilla on a low-carb tortilla
• Flaxseed muffin 

Net carbs: 3

Snack

• Cheddar cheese crisps
• 10 raspberries

Net carbs: 1

Dinner

• Chicken wings
• Steamed broccoli with butter

Net carbs: 2 

Dessert

• A couple of pieces of chocolate bark

Net carbs: 1

A Day on the Classic Ketogenic Diet

 To determine the ratios of Luella’s meals, Klein uses an online calculator like ketodietcalculator.org. In this sample diet of 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day (typical for a five-year-old), the grams represent total daily fat, protein, and carbs, and have also been converted to tablespoons.

Breakfast

• Apple spice donuts
• Bacon
• Orange
• Strawberries
• Coconut oil 

Fat: 41.72 g (2 ¾ tbsp)
Protein: 7.49 g (½ tbsp)
Carbs: 6.23 g (a little less than ½ tbsp)
Ratio: 3:1

Snack

Chocolate pudding (made with a small amount of chocolate flavoring, whipped with heavy cream and cream cheese, and sweetened with stevia)

Fat:  10 g (⅔ tbsp)
Protein: 1.39 g (1/10 tbsp)
Carbs: 1.11 g (a little less than ½ tbsp)
Ratio: 3.5:1

Lunch

• Tuna
• Mayo
• Pickle
• Medium-chain-triglycerides (MCT) oil 

Fat: 23.94 g (1 ½ tbsp)
Protein: 7.26 g (less than ½ tbsp)
Carbs: 0.64 g (less than ½ tbsp)
Ratio: 3:1 

Snack

Banana pecan muffins

Fat: 22.01 g (1 ½ tbsp)
Protein: 3.73 g (¼ tbsp)
Carbs: 2.54 g (less than ¼ tbsp)
Ratio: 3.5:1 

Dinner

Chicken nuggets (made with shredded chicken, egg white, heavy cream, and butter, then baked in oil)Cream of broccoli soup (made with chicken stock and a small amount of broccoli, blended with a large amount of heavy cream, butter, and lard, and seasoned with salt and pepper or other soup seasonings) 

Fat: 23.66 g (1 ½ tbsp)
Protein: 4.96 g (⅓tbsp)
Carbs: 2.14 g (less than ¼ tbsp)
Ratio: 3:1