Three times a year the KetoGators have Meal Day during which we create, prepare, and evaluate new meals. The goal of Meal Day is try out new varieties of meals, perfect different preparation techniques in preparing meals, and ease the challenges of meal making for families.

Before Meal Day even begins, the KetoGators make meals based on preferences of children and families, nutritional content, and our own creativity. Then we create the meals by inputting ingredients and nutritional facts from the Food Database into the meal equivalent. The day before Meal Day, we prep all the ingredients. This includes chopping, cutting, and cooking the ingredients in order to save time the next day. On Meal Day, the KetoGator team is split into groups and every group cooks one meal. For each meal, the ingredients are weighed out in specific amounts to the tenth of a gram. Then the group follows the meal equivalent instructions to cook the meal. After every meal is made, all of the members evaluate the meal in terms of taste, texture, appearance, and ease of preparation. This helps to revise the meals and optimize their quality. After each Meal Day, we compile the meals we have tested. The meals from Meal Day Spring and Fall 2008 are listed below.

Throughout Meal Day, the KetoGators experience the process of weighing out ingredients to the tenth of a gram and putting a Ketogenic meal together. Through trial and error, we are able to modify meals by improving consistency, taste, and cooking techniques. In addition, we are able to find creative ways to incorporate large amounts of fats into appetizing meals.The following diagrams compare the ratio of macronutrients in a normal meal to the ratio of macronutrients in a ketogenic meal at a 3:1 ratio.

These meals are from Meal Day Spring 2008 and Fall 2008.

Note: The meals made for Meal Day are example meals. These meals are created at a range from 3.0:1 to 4.0:1 ratio, 1470 Calories, and 28 grams of protein. Before giving these meals to your child, make sure to change the meals to your child’s specific diet prescription. These changes can be made using the meal equivalent instructions sheet provided below or by consulting your dietician.

First of all, we would like to commend all of the caregivers out there for the amount of time and effort given to making their child’s therapy a success. We understand the commitment and hard work that goes into the therapy each and every day.

If you have any great recipe ideas, or would like to submit a helpful hint for making meals, please email us at if-svc-investigators@ifas.ufl.edu (Any advice that we can get for other parents would be greatly appreciated)