Paleo Friendly Foods

When I talk to people about leading a Paleo lifestyle, the question that I get the most is "If you don't eat grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugars and processed foods, what can you eat?"  This is a very good Question! 

What you eat can become as routine as cooking it.  Most people who choose to cook at home tend to create the same dishes week in and week out.  This can become bland and boring over time for both you and your family.  When people hear that, in order to live Paleo, they must remove some of the very staples in their already boring diet (grain and dairy), they tend to shy away from the idea.

I like variety in my diet, so I like to try things that I have never tasted before.  This allows me to expand my menu, therefore preventing my diet from getting stale and boring.  With the Paleo lifestyle the options for great food are endless and the recipes allow you to use ingredients that are fresh and healthy.  It's surprising, the amount of healthy foods that can be used as substitutes for the traditional unhealthy ones.  I've learned to use things like unsweetened applesauce to make yummy brownies and cauliflower to make a crunchy pizza crust.

I decided to start this list of Paleo friendly foods in order to show that the Paleo lifestyle has an exspansive variety of delicious foods to choose from.  Hopefully this will give you enough information and inspiration to change not only your diet, but also your life.

Acceptable Foods for the Paleo Lifestyle

Meat
Beef, pork, lamb, veal, rabbit, goat, sheep, horse, bison, wild boar, …





Game Meat
Deer, pheasant, bear, moose, woodcock, elk, duck, rabbit, reindeer, wild turkey …

Poultry

Chicken, turkey, duck, quail, goose, …




Fish
Salmon, tuna, trout, bass, halibut, sole, haddock, turbot, walleye, tilapia, cod, flatfish, grouper, mackerel, anchovy, herring, …





Shellfish
Crab, crawfish, lobster, shrimps, scallops, clams, oysters, mussels, …





Fats
Avocados, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, clarified butter (ghee), lard, tallow, duck fat, veal fat, lamb fat, fatty fishes (sardines, mackerel, salmon), nut butters, nut oils (walnut, macadamia), coconut flesh, coconut milk, …





Eggs
Chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs, quail eggs, …







Vegetables
Celery, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, leeks, kohlrabi, green onions, eggplants, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, cucumber, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, okra, avocados, …



Green Leafy Vegetables
Lettuce, spinach, collard greens, kale, beet top, mustard greens, dandelion, swiss chard, watercress, turnip greens, seaweeds, endive, arugula (rocket), bok choy, rapini, chicory, radicchio…






Root Vegetables
Carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, radish, jerusalem artichokes, yams, cassava, …





Winter Squash
Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, buttercup squash, …





Summer Squash
Zucchini, yellow summer squash, yellow crookneck squash, ...






Fruits
Bananas, apples, oranges, berries (strawberry, cranberry, cranberry, blueberry, blackberry), grapefruit, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, pomegranates, pineapple, papaya, grapes, cantaloupe, cherries, apricot, water mellon, honeydew mellon, kiwi, lemon, lime, lychee, mango, tangerine, coconut, figs, dates, passion fruit, persimmon, …


Nuts and Seeds
Pistachios, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, chestnuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts




Mushrooms
Button mushroom, portabello, oyster mushroom, shiitake, chanterelle, crimini, porcini, morel…





Fresh and Dried Herbs
Parsley, thyme, lavender, mint, basil, rosemary, chives, tarragon, oregano, sage, dill, bay leaves, coriander, …





Spices and other Natural Flavor Enhancers
Ginger, garlic, onions, black pepper, hot peppers, star anise, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, vanilla, cloves, chilies, …

So you see!  There is an endless array of scrumtious foods out there just waiting to be eaten.  If I left anything out, please feel free to comment with any foods that you like that may not be listed.  Just make sure they meet the Paleo criteria.  Hostess Twinkies don't count! 

What are you waiting for?  Make the switch.  You'll look and feel better.