So, you gathered some basic information on the Paleo diet and have decided to give it a try.  Now you’re left wondering – what exactly does a Paleo meal look like?

Eating in the Paleolithic style is very different from the Standard American Diet most people are probably used to eating.  Even the most enthusiastic Paleo newbie would find the transition daunting.  This article is designed to help you start eating Paleo meals quickly and correctly.

 

 

Grocery Shopping for Paleo Meals

The good news is that you can find the ingredients for your first Paleo meals at your local grocery store.  The Paleo diet does not require you to shop at specialty foods stores!  Many Paleo devotees eventually seek out less common ingredients that might require a visit to a specialty market, but it’s not a requirement.

In order to start eating Paleo, you need to make a few changes to your grocery shopping list.

Meat: Pretty much all meat (including organ meat) is on the Paleo menu.  When shopping look for grass fed products because they have higher levels of omega 3 fats.  If your market offers a selection of nontraditional meats like bison or wild game, be sure to give them a try.

Fish: Try to purchase wild caught fresh fish and limit your consumption of canned fish.

Poultry: Free range poultry is preferable.  The Paleo diet prohibits you from eating poultry skin.

Vegetables: Load up on the fresh veggies!  You want to skip all beans or legumes.  You should also limit, or exclude, potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Fruit: If you are trying to lose weight, limit your consumption of high sugar fruits like mangos, bananas, and pineapple.  Berries and citrus are always excellent choices.  “No sugar added” dried fruits can be eaten sparingly.  Don’t forget avocados which are loaded with healthy fats.

Oils: Pass over cooking oils that are high in Omega-6’s like canola oil and vegetable oils.  Olive, coconut and avocado oils are your new cooking oils of choice.

Nuts and Seeds: Minimally processed tree nuts and seeds are a great choice.  Just leave the peanuts on the shelf.  They are actually a legume, not a nut.

Dairy: Eggs of all kinds are on your list, but skip milk products.  If you’re looking for a milk alternative, try unsweetened almond milk.

Paleo Breakfast

Most of us start our mornings off with a bowl of cereal and milk – which is a Paleo no-no.  On this diet you want to skip grains and milk products all together.  Look for a high protein, minimally processed breakfast option like Eggs baked in bell pepper rings or, if you can’t bare to part with your cereal, try Steve’s PaleoKrunch with some unsweetened almond milk.

Paleo Lunch

Going grain free and ditching processed food means you need to leave your lunchmeat sandwich at home.  Replace your lame, soggy brown bag sandwich with veggie and protein packed salads like this Moroccan Pork and Dressing.

Paleo Dinner

There are endless hearty Paleo dinner options.  You may think that your Italian pasta dinner is out of reach, but you’d be pleasantly mistaken!  Try one of these 7 Paleo pastas that will keep your plate grain-free and delicious.

If you are serious about transitioning to a Paleo diet, these quick tips will help you get started today.  The next step will be to read up on Paleo by checking out some of the great books on the topic.