The paleo diet, designed to mirror the eating habits of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods. By prioritizing foods our ancestors ate, this diet may lead to significant weight loss (without calorie counting) and major improvements in health. This article provides a comprehensive guide to paleo meal prep, offering tips, meal ideas, and practical advice for incorporating this lifestyle into your busy routine.
Understanding the Paleo Diet
The paleo diet is designed to resemble what human hunter-gatherer ancestors ate thousands of years ago. Although it’s impossible to know exactly what human ancestors ate in different parts of the world, researchers believe their diets consisted of whole foods. By following a diet of whole foods and leading physically active lives, hunter-gatherers presumably had much lower rates of lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Core Principles of the Paleo Diet
The basic concept of the paleo diet is to eat whole foods and avoid processed foods.
Foods to Include:
- Unprocessed meats (Beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, pork)
- Fish and seafood (salmon, trout, haddock, shrimp, shellfish, choose wild-caught if you can)
- Eggs (may be free-range, pastured, or omega-3 enriched)
- Vegetables (broccoli, kale, peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes)
- Fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, pears, avocados, strawberries, blueberries)
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
- Healthy fats and oils (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil)
- Herbs and spices (sea salt, garlic, turmeric, rosemary)
- Tubers (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips)
Foods to Avoid:
- Processed foods
- Added sugar (soft drinks, fruit juices, table sugar, candy, pastries, ice cream)
- Grains (bread, pasta, wheat, cereal, spelt, rye, barley)
- Legumes (beans, lentils)
- Dairy (most dairy, especially low-fat dairy)
- Some vegetable oils (soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil)
- Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, cyclamates, saccharin, acesulfame potassium)
Why Meal Prep for the Paleo Diet?
As we wave summer goodbye and welcome back our busy schedules with work, school, etc, meal prepping on Sundays often becomes necessary just so we don’t starve during the week! A busy schedule shouldn't be the reason to not eat a balanced and nourishing meal. Instead of heading to get take out, or even worse, skipping a meal altogether, give meal prepping a try! Meal prepping is a life-saver in many ways; not only do you save money by steering clear of fast food, but you're far more likely to make healthier choices that will benefit your mind and body.
10 Essential Tips for Paleo Meal Prep
Get your paleo meal prep right with these 10 tips so you can fuel your body every day without stress or frustration.
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- Stock Up on Paleo Staples: Many of the basic paleo cooking items can be stored at room temperature, so it’s easy to keep these staples stocked. With the right foundational products in your kitchen, you can tackle step one of meal prep: planning your weekly menu.
- Plan a Diverse Menu: The trick to a sustainable Paleo Diet is using a variety of foods to include different colors, textures, and flavors. This will ensure the meal plan keeps you excited instead of becoming repetitive and boring over time.
- Buy Produce Wisely: Bulk amounts of produce are likely to expire, so when planning your menu, note the quantities for each produce item on your list. In addition, select prep recipes that include vegetables or fruits you’ll want to eat. If you purchase a bundle of kale when it’s not your favorite green, chances are, most of it will spoil in the back of the vegetable drawer.
- Make Your Own Condiments: Some condiments on the market are technically paleo, but too often, these products contain artificial preservatives or refined sweeteners that don’t align with a paleo diet. With herbs, spices, avocado oil, vinegar, and thickeners such as ghee, mustard, or coconut milk, you can blend together multiple sauce combinations.
- Read Labels Carefully: Sometimes the convenience and accessibility of a packaged store item is hard to pass up-especially on busy weeks and days. If you rely on some of these foods or condiments for your Paleo meal prep, read the nutrition facts and ingredients label first. Remember that even packaged items with wholesome ingredient lists will, more often than not, contain at least some preservatives to make them shelf-stable.
- Prioritize Healthy Fats: Many foods on the paleo diet are rich in healthy fats, so it’s not difficult to find recipes that utilize the essential macronutrient. Avocado, nuts, salmon, tahini, chia seeds, ghee, and oils are all excellent sources of monounsaturated fat which is the kind you want to prioritize. When looking at meal prep ideas, keep fat content in mind along with fat intake recommendations.
- Be Creative and Experiment: Cooking on the paleo diet is an opportunity to be creative and experiment with foods you might not have tried before.
- Repurpose Meals: The majority of paleo foods are versatile enough to be eaten for any meal of the day. This means a previous night’s dinner can be repurposed into breakfast or lunch later in the week.
- Have Go-To Recipes: Keep a few basic, mainstay recipes in the arsenal to make your life easier. These “back-pocket" meals should include easy, hands-off recipes that you can do with minimal manual effort, before transferring into the fridge.
Paleo Meal Prep Ideas
Here are some tasty, filling, free of added sugar, grains, dairy and legumes meal prep ideas:
Breakfast Ideas
- Paleo Apple Cinnamon Bread: This recipe from The Toasted Pine Nut is paleo and fruity, with some great spices for wintertime, too. Make it for meal prep-or for your next holiday gathering!
- BLT Quiche: A great breakfast idea from One Lovely Life, this quiche is easy to make at once and then cut into slices for rushed mornings when you don’t have time to cook.
- Loaded Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash: This breakfast option from Paleo Running Momma is hearty but still sweet from sweet potato and cranberries, with lots of protein to keep you full. Portion out for quick meals when you’re pinched for time.
- Paleo Blueberry & Peach Parfait: These easy paleo parfaits from A Saucy Kitchen are great for busy mornings. Prepare them in advance and stash them in the fridge for when you need something nourishing and fast. (Swap for different fruits if you like.)
Lunch Ideas
- Healthy Orange Chicken Stir Fry With Coconut Cauliflower Rice: Instead of getting Chinese takeout, make this sweet, tangy recipe from Ambitious Kitchen at home and portion it out into fun takeout containers to have for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week.
- Paleo Egg Salad With Bacon and Scallions: Made with zero-sugar bacon and mayo that you can make at home in 1 minute, this paleo egg salad from Paleo Running Momma is rich and low-carb, and it works well for lunch and snacks as a handy meal prep choice. You can stuff it into lettuce or sandwiches, spread on crackers or toast, or enjoy it as is with a fork.
- Keto Chicken Salad: This paleo chicken salad from Real Simple Good is also keto and Whole30-friendly, so it’s high in fat to fill you up and low in carbs and sugar. Plus, chicken salad is so versatile; you can use it in sandwiches, as a filling for avocado or zucchini “boats,” as a stuffing for collard greens or lettuce wraps, and more.
- No bread turkey club: Made in less than 15 minutes and packed with protein and flavor, you can bet you'll be looking forward to lunchtime all morning.
- Greek healthy meal prep: This twist on a traditional salad is exactly what you need to get out of your boring meal prep rut. With cauliflower tabbouleh, juicy chicken, hummus, and a divine tzatziki, who wouldn't want to have this bite of heaven?
- Classic chicken salad: Filled with protein from the chicken, healthy fats from nuts, and vitamins from apple and grapes, this lunch is sure to keep your tummy and body happy long after the last bite. Pair with more greens and a side of raw vegetables to pack an even bigger nutritious punch.
- Turmeric chicken breast: paired with a bed of greens, cauliflower rice, and broccoli florets makes for a light and delicious lunch on-the-go. With a bright and fun meal like this, your day is shaping up to be a good one!
Dinner Ideas
- Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice Skillet: Skillet meals are great for meal prep, and this recipe from One Lovely Life does not disappoint. You can whip up a batch and eat it on its own, or use it as a base for salads and protein bowls.
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas: This delicious chicken with juicy veggies and garlic from Savory Tooth is low in carbs and sugar but high in flavor and key nutrients. Enjoy in fajita form, top over cauliflower, or enjoy as a protein with other sides during the week.
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: This dish from Real Simple Good is juicy, tender, and super versatile. Use the pulled pork to stuff into lettuce wraps, make tacos, add as a topper to noodles, mix into soup, pair with eggs, and more.
- Herby One Pan Chicken With Oranges: Pair this chicken dish from A Saucy Kitchen with different sides, like veggies or cauliflower rice.
- Jalapeno Popper Chicken Burrito Bowl With Cauliflower Rice: Prepare this protein-packed bowl from Wholesomelicious for quick meals that you can grab from the fridge, heat up and enjoy in seconds. Plus, you can use the chicken and cauliflower rice for other meals, tacos, or easy sides.
- Paleo Sweet Potato Lasagna With Almond Ricotta & Basil: Who doesn’t love lasagna? It’s comforting, hearty, and creamy-a great meal for cold nights when you need something to warm you up fast. This paleo makeover from A Saucy Kitchen has lots of fiber and protein, and you can make a huge batch to then portion into easy meals for prep throughout the week.
- Paleo Turmeric Chicken Meatballs with Green Tahini Sauce: These paleo meatballs from Ambitious Kitchen are super versatile. Make a large batch and then use for meal prep ideas, like stuffing into lettuce wraps or grain-free tortillas, topping on zoodles or cauliflower rice, or even just noshing on plain for some quick protein and fuel.
- Garlic butter chicken meatballs: Paired with cauliflower rice and your favorite veggies, this is a winner winner chicken lunch.
- Orange chicken meal prep: This orange chicken meal prep is full of flavor and made with quality ingredients that will leave you feeling satisfied and happy with your healthier option.
- Healthy sausage and veggie prep: This recipe is just as wholesome as it is delicious and is a must-try for any efficient prep.
- Chicken shawarma bowl: Meal prep is only as fun as you make it, and experimenting is a great way to get creative in the kitchen.
- Ground beef zucchini and sweet potato skillet: Packed with protein and nutrients from the chicken and veggies, your body will be thankful to have been spared another fast food stop.
Side Dish Ideas
- Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes: You can't go wrong with mashed potatoes as a side, so make this recipe from One Lovely Life in advance to keep on hand for meal prep. It goes with any protein, like chicken or steak.
- Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts: This low-carb, meaty dish from Savory Tooth is an easy side to go with a protein of your choice! Use in a hash, with grilled chicken, or alongside steak. To make it paleo, swap out the soy sauce for coconut aminos, and you’re set.
- Oven Roasted Vegetables: Whip up a bunch of roasted veggies at once, and then them in different ways: in fajitas; on burgers; with eggs; alongside protein like chicken; added to soup; and more. This recipe from Savory Tooth is bright, colorful, and delicious.
Snack Ideas
- Pat’s 4-Ingredient Paleo Crackers: These paleo crackers from Ambitious Kitchen have lots of protein and few carbs, and they’re nice and crispy and flavorful!
- Toasted almonds or mixed nuts
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Fresh fruits and vegetables, including baby carrots, celery sticks, and sliced apples
- Dairy-free chia pudding
Dessert Ideas
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie: Everyone needs dessert from time to time! This giant skillet cookie from The Toasted Pine Nut gives you a week's worth of dessert, easily. And while it’s paleo-friendly, it does not skimp on flavor one bit.
Sample Paleo Meal Prep Menu
This sample menu contains a balanced amount of paleo-friendly foods. By all means, adjust this menu based on your own preferences.
Monday
- Breakfast: eggs and vegetables fried in olive oil, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: burgers (no bun) fried in butter, vegetables, salsa
Tuesday
- Breakfast: bacon, eggs, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: leftover burgers from the night before
- Dinner: baked salmon with vegetables
Wednesday
- Breakfast: leftover salmon and vegetables from the night before
- Lunch: sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables
- Dinner: ground beef stir-fry with vegetables, berries
Thursday
- Breakfast: eggs, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: leftover stir-fry from the night before, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: fried pork, vegetables
Friday
- Breakfast: eggs and vegetables fried in olive oil, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: steak, vegetables, sweet potatoes
Saturday
- Breakfast: bacon, eggs, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: leftover steak and vegetables from the night before
- Dinner: baked tilapia, vegetables, avocado
Sunday
- Breakfast: leftover salmon and vegetables from the night before
- Lunch: sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables
- Dinner: grilled chicken wings, vegetables, salsa
Paleo Shopping List
This simple shopping list should give you an idea of how to get started:
- Meat: beef, lamb, pork, etc.
- Poultry: chicken, turkey, etc.
- Fish: salmon, trout, mackerel, etc.
- Eggs
- Fresh vegetables: greens, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, etc.
- Frozen vegetables: broccoli, spinach, various vegetable mixes, etc.
- Fruits: apples, bananas, pears, oranges, avocado
- Berries: strawberries, blueberries, etc.
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts
- Almond butter
- Olive oil
- Olives
- Sweet potatoes
- Condiments: sea salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic, parsley, etc.
Eating Out on the Paleo Diet
Eating out while following the paleo diet doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some simple guidelines:
- Order a meat- or fish-based main dish.
- Get extra vegetables instead of bread or rice.
- Ask for your food to be cooked in olive oil or avocado oil.
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