Must read paleo books reading list best top popular primal diet authors-min

Must Read Paleo Books

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I’m often asked which Paleo books I’d recommend. It’s great to have a few introductory books to hand to explain everything you need to know about what Paleo is – and how to start. If you’ve got friends interested in learning more about Paleo, these are the books I’d recommend.

Introduction to Paleo Books

The Primal Blueprint. Mark Sisson’s book is a great introduction as to why we should eat a Primal Diet and how to start. He also covers lifestyle factors like sleep and stress and how to exercise – primal style.

Mark Sisson Primal Diet Book

The Paleo Solution. Robb Wolf's book is another good introduction to the Paleo Diet and is written in a very engaging way. As a bio chemist, Robb Wolf is able to talk about the science, but in a very easy to understand way.

Robb Wolf Paleo Diet Book

The Paleo Answer Loren Cordain’s latest book is more on the science side than the practical application side, but a great book for anyone dubious about giving up those deathly whole grains!

Loren Cordain Paleo Diet Book

 

Starting Paleo Books

Once you’ve decided to give Paleo a try, these book are a great way to take you through your transition into Paleo, step by step.

Whole 30

 

Recipe Books

It’s great to have some recipe books on hand, to demonstrate the huge wealth of menu ideas that are possible on the Paleo diet. These are some great recipe books that I use regularly.

Paleo Recipe Book Whole30 Paleo Book

 

Which Paleo books are on your book shelf? Which one book would you recommend as a “must have” to someone new to the Paleo diet?

 

Must read paleo books reading list best top popular primal diet authors-min

Paleo diet primal weekly planning meal planning recipes-min

What Sundays Are All About

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With a bit of planning and organisation at the weekend, the entire week of Paleo meals can be planned, ingredients bought and almost all of the cooking done, leaving your weekdays easy and stress free.

Being organised like this is not only a far cheaper way of following your Paleo diet, but it also ensures you won’t come unstuck in the week – when a lack of time and imagination would otherwise make it far harder to make the right food choices.

Step One: The Weekly Planner

Are you going to be home every evening? Do you have friends over? Have you been invited out to dinner? Write out a plan of the upcoming week and work out how many breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks you will need.

Now it’s time to hit the recipe books for inspiration and decide what you would like to eat everyday! Bear in mind if you cook a large portion of a dinner recipe, you can either freeze the remainder to enjoy another day, or you can use it for lunch, or breakfast the following day.

If you have cooking facilities at lunchtimes, it’s a great idea to do some batch cooking, so you can have a quick, hot Paleo meal every lunchtime – with no cooking required

Paleo diet primal weekly planning meal planning recipes-min

Step Two: The Ingredients

Once you’ve decided on your weekly Paleo meal planner, you can make a list of all of the ingredients you need to buy and head to your local farmers market, butchers and grocery store/ supermarket to buy everything you need. No more shopping required for another week or two! It’s good to be flexible and prepared to swap ingredients, for example where certain vegetables are in season or on sale.

Step Three: Cooking & Preparation

Once you have your Paleo ingredients, recipes and weekly planner on hand, it’s time to get cooking! You can cook up big batches of one-pot recipes, such as soups, stews, casseroles and curries as these will freeze easily, ready to be reheated when you need them for lunches or dinners.

Many breakfasts, such as egg muffins can be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge for a quick grab and go breakfast.

You can also prepare vegetables in advance, ready to blanch, eat raw or throw in the steamer for the week’s dinners.

Step Four: Overcoming Potential Difficulties

This is also a good opportunity to call ahead any restaurants you may be visiting next week – or looking up their menu online. This way you can work out which Paleo options are available, or contact the restaurant directly and see how they can help.

What is your weekly routine? Do you spend time at the weekend planning for the week ahead?

Translating Paleo Cooking Terms-min

Translating Paleo Cooking Terms

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The first time I went to America, I was confused. The restaurant menus all had pages of entrée’s, but no main courses. Fortunately before too long, I realised entrée is American for main course, not a starter course, as I am used to the word. I was also excited to try a new herb I had read about in lots of cooking blogs, cilantro – before I found out it is just another was of describing coriander.

As a Brit, living in Australia, reading lots of American Paleo Diet blogs and books, I've noticed a lot of cooking and food terms with completely different names. Australian terms seem to be mainly British, but often American – and sometimes different again. The list below shows the most common terms on which our terms differ, not all Paleo related, but hopefully useful all the same:

American British English Australian
Appetizer Starter Starter
Entrée Main Course Main Course
Dessert Pudding/ Sweet/ Afters Dessert
Broiler Grill Grill
Grilling Barbecuing Barbecuing
Canned Tinned Tinned
Eggplant Aubergine Eggplant
Zucchini Courgette Zucchini
Argula Rocket Rocket
Rutbaga Swede/ Turnip Swede
Bell Pepper Pepper Capsicum
Cilantro Coriander Coriander
Ground Mince Minced Meat Minced Meat
Pork Rinds Pork Scratchings Crackling
Jello Jelly Jam
Fries Chips Hot Chips
Chips Crisps Chips
Parchment Paper Greaseproof Paper Greaseproof Paper
Stove Hob Hob
Crock Pot Slow Cooker Slow Cooker
Plastic Wrap Clingfilm Gladwrap
Candy Sweets Lollies
Licquor Store Off Licence Bottle Shop (AKA Bottlo!)
Popsicle Ice Lolly Ice Lolly

Of course, in addition to the different terms, American recipes use imperial measurements (pounds, ounces, tablespoons and Fahrenheit), Australian recipes are metric (grams, millilitres and centigrade) and British recipes never quite seem to be able to decide if they should embrace the metric system, or stick to the traditional imperial measurements.

I'm sure there are many more, so please share the terms that have confused you, or that you have recently discovered, in the comments below. And if you’re in New Zealand – which versions of the terms do you use, mainly Australian, or a completely different term?

Translating Paleo Cooking Terms-min

What's for lunch paleo lunch ideas tips tricks hacks recipes quick easy-min

What’s For Lunch?

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If you work outside the home and struggle with eating foods that support your dietary needs and goals, the question “what’s for lunch” borders on obsession: What is easy to make? Healthy? Fast? Isn't boring? Saves money? Stormy Sweitzer, owner of Maoomba.com, the Real Food for Active Lives blog, and author of Paleo Power Lunch: Easy, Filling & Delicious Workday Meal Strategies, has some suggestions for you.

Back when I first discovered my numerous food sensitivities – it’s been about 6 years now – I went through what everyone seems to go through when they suddenly can’t or choose not to have food they’re accustomed to eating. Things like disorientation in my kitchen and at the store, frustration with having to learn how to cook all over again, spending hours cooking, and having cravings followed by discomfort and guilt if I ate something I knew I shouldn't.

My biggest struggle, though, was how to eat well away from home during the work day.

I often worked 50-60 hours a week. I always had some running or cycling event I was training for. And, of course, I wanted to spend time with my husband, family and friends enjoying the things we love to do. So food – especially the lunches and snacks I packed – had to be simple, not take a lot of time to prepare, and keep me going throughout the day.

What's for lunch paleo lunch ideas tips tricks hacks recipes quick easy-min

Lunch: No Longer the Forgotten Meal

Planning is essential: At the start of the week, think about what you would like to eat each day. This will not only help you prepare for your meals, it will also help you shop more easily and cook things in a way that allows you to more efficient in the kitchen.

Favourite go-to meal: A Paleo Power Lunch salad. I prepare all of the major ingredients – meat and crudités over the weekend. That means washing the greens, dicing celery, carrots, peppers, and even cooking starchier vegetables like pumpkin and beets. Roasting or grilling meat ahead of time is essential to pulling lunch together quickly – whether you cook it all on one day or have a planned leftovers approach during the week. And, getting creative with salad dressing can make all the difference in how salads taste. Easy to make, flavourful, and less expensive than buying grocery store brands (which of course can have ingredients like sugars, gums, and soy), home-made dressings can add variety to workday meals.

Go-to snacks: Beet or zucchini hummus with raw veggies, whole fruit, a banana with almond butter, hard-boiled eggs, fruit and nut bars, even a can of sardines or tuna are all great options. Keep a stash of non-perishable snacks on hand for emergencies,

Batch it up – crock pot and casserole cooking: Boredom is the enemy of consistency. Eating salad all week, while good for you, can take its toll on your taste buds. To keep things interesting, make batches of foods like soups, stews, and casseroles that you can eat throughout the week. A great strategy is to make enough to freeze lunch-size portions for later. After a few bulk cooking sessions you’ll have a few weeks’ supply of lunches your co-workers will envy.

Not ready to take on batch cooking? Planned leftovers are great options. Just add a little extra food to the pan and then pack it for the next day’s lunch.

Tomorrow Stormy Sweitzer shares a lunch recipe with use from Paleo Power Lunch for a Moroccan lunch and dressing

What’s your favourite workday meal or kitchen strategy for making sure you take lunch each day?

75 paleo snack ideas suggestions inspiration recipes-min

75 Paleo Snack Ideas

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Once you've perfected your Paleo meals, you might need to work on making sure you have a few Paleo snack ideas in your repertoire, to fit it with your Paleo diet. Here is the list of Paleo snacks you've been waiting for!

If you're looking for even more ideas and recipes for Paleo snacks – you'll be pleased to hear my Paleo Snack recipe ebook has just been launched! You can find it here.

Ideally, if you have a good Paleo breakfast and lunch, you’ll often find you don’t feel hungry and don’t need to snack. If you do find yourself hungry between meals, try eating more at meals (are you consuming enough satiating fat in your meals?). Also, check out the recipe book I've just written with loads of Paleo Breakfast recipes to inspire you.

There are always occasions where it’s good to have some healthy Paleo snacks prepared, or in mind. This way when hunger strikes, you won’t ruin your Paleo diet. There are hundreds of great Paleo and Primal snack ideas and 75 ideas in the list below. With a bit of preparation, there will never be any need to hit the vending machine or go for an unhealthy option.

Some of these ideas are more Primal/ Lacto-Paleo with the inclusion of dairy. If you tolerate dairy, get the best quality full-fat you can. Raw dairy is even better.

Brace yourself – this is a long list. Most of the ideas are quick and easy – so there’s no excuse not to keep in Paleo!

75 paleo snack ideas suggestions inspiration recipes-min

Paleo Snack Options For Work

It’s a great plan to have an emergency Paleo kit in your desk at work. This way whether your caught sort, or don’t have time for lunch, you always have a fast Paleo snack at your fingertips. If you’re buying pre packages tins and packets, make sure you check the ingredients and get the best quality available. These options should store and keep well for a while in your desk; perfect for an emergency stash!

1. A tin of tuna or salmon
2. A good quality packet of beef jerky (or make your own)
3. Put together a trail mix of your favourite nuts and seeds
4. Some dark chocolate
5. Larabars are a good emergency option
6. Coconut flakes will also store well
7. A jar of coconut oil and spoon will provide some good fat when you need it most

Kids Paleo Snack Options

Children tend to eat more fruit than adults, but these ideas will be good for adult snacks too.

8. Apple & cheese slices
9. Fruit balls (made with a melon baller) in coconut milk
10. Turkey roll-ups with cucumber, tomato, grated carrot and avocado inside
11. Make “chicken nuggets” coated in coconut flour and egg
12. Wrap melon in ham

The Paleo Recipe Book

Simple Snacks

It doesn't get much easier than these snack ideas

13. An avocado and a spoon
14. Peeled, hard-boiled eggs
15. Black and green olives
16. Fruit in coconut milk
17. Seasonal fruit on it’s own
18. A young fresh coconut
19. Pork rinds/ crackling (ideally home-made, if not, make sure it’s good quality with minimal ingredients!)
20. Coconut yoghurt

Movie Snack Ideas

Instead of a bucket of popcorn and soda, you can easily keep it Paleo with these movie snack ideas

21. Activate, dry roast and season some cashews, pecans and walnuts
22. Spicy almonds
23. Dried seaweed (make your own, or buy – checking the ingredients!)
24. Coconut flakes are a great ready to eat snack
25. A medley of berries (i.e. strawberries, cherries and blueberries) with coconut flakes
26. A dried fruit mix
27. Meatballs
28. Pigs in blankets

Midnight Snacks

Late night, bedtime and midnight snacks seem to be a common habit for a lot of people. Here are some Paleo supper ideas you can try before bed, that won’t ruin a day of great nutrition.

29. Make up some almonds, walnuts and berries in a bowl of coconut milk
30. A bowl of Paleo granola or No-Oatmeal
31. Some full fat yoghurt
32. Smoked salmon

Airport and Flying Paleo Snack Options

Given the unhealthy options available at airport and on most flights, it’s a great plan to come prepared with your own Paleo snacks. Check the security requirements at the airports you’re travelling through to determine which of the following options will be allowed on your airplane. Hopefully with unopened packets, you should have no problems, but do check first!

33. Smoked meat and high quality salami (this should store well)
34. Good quality cheese
35. Coconut Butter
36. A sealed packet of nuts and seeds
37. A jar of pickles (check the ingredients!)

On the Go & Travel Paleo Snack Ideas

When you have to travel for work, or don’t have time, these options will work well on the go.

38. Make up a batch of egg muffins to store in the fridge and grab as required
39. Paté
40. Sardines
41. A tin of smoked oysters
42. Diced meat and veg
43. Make up some devilled eggs ready to go
44. Keep some bacon pieces in the fridge
45. Dehydrate some apple slices
46. Make veggie chips with sweet potatoes, kale, brussel sprouts, pumpkin or zucchini to take with you
47. There are a few Paleo Packs on the markets idea for travelling with

Pre and Post Workout Paleo Snacks

Before and after a workout your nutrition requirements are different; here are some ideas to give you a good protein boast.

48. Protein Shakes; whilst not exactly “whole foods” there are some great Primal protein powders available
49. Chicken and avocado is a great snack to take to the gym
50. Make some primal energy protein bars
51. Leftover meat and mustard (or try making a Paleo mayonnaise)

Weight Loss Paleo Snack Suggestions

When you have weight to lose, snacks are dangerous territory! Some snacks, such as nuts and fruit are easy to overdo and can sabotage your weight loss efforts. If you’re constantly hungry, make sure your meals are sufficient and try adding more fat. These low-calorie snack ideas are going to be a better bet for weight loss on a Paleo diet

52. Make some rice-less Sushi using nori wraps, lengths of veggies, avocado, egg and fish
53. Make a small omelette with your favourite vegetables
54. Carrot and celery sticks with an almond and cashew butter dip
55. Fresh salmon on cucumber slices
56. Cucumber sticks with a guacamole dip
57. Capsicum (Bell Pepper) strips with a homemade spicy salsa
58. Mini bacon & guacamole “sandwiches”
59. Cherry tomatoes and ham
60. Roast vegetables with a ranch dipping sauce
61. Sauerkraut
62. Make up some nori “chips” in the oven with coconut oil and seasoning with spices

After Dinner Paleo Snack Ideas

Instead of a dessert or pudding, these snack ideas should fulfil the need for “something” sweet, without going overboard!

63. Keep it simple with some squares of very dark chocolate
64. Try chocolate coated bacon pieces, unusual, but delicious
65. Make some chocolate coated almond and coconut bites
66. Dip strawberries and blueberries in chocolate
67. Make some “Paleo Cookies” using almond meal
68. Make coconut flour berry muffins/ “cakes”
69. Coconut flour pancakes
70. Frozen grapes
71. Baked apples with cinnamon and coconut cream
72. A simple fruit salad

Drink Your Paleo Snack

With a flask or thermos and some preparation, you can have a drinkable snack with you wherever you go.

73. Bone broth
74. Soup
75. A green smoothie (remember to add in a fat source like avocado or coconut milk from your favourite recipe)

Has your snacking frequency changed since you've been following a Paleo diet? What are your favourite snacks? I’d love to hear more suggestions to add to the list of Paleo snack ideas; let me know in the comments below! And don't forget to check out my Paleo Snack recipe ebook for full recipes and even more Paleo snack ideas!

FODMAPS & Paleo diet Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols-min

FODMAPS & Paleo

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FODMAP is a term that seems to be associated more and more frequently with the Paleo diet. Some people chose to minimise FOMAP’s, in alongside their Paleo diet to help resolve gut issues. In particular a low FODMAPS diet seems to help resolve gut issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) it appears Crohn’s Disease too.

Whilst removing grains, dairy and legumes in a Paleo diet often marks significant improvement, going one step further and undertaking a low FODMAP diet can make all the difference in Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders

So, what exactly are FODMAPS?

“FODMAP” is an abbreviation standing for: Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are all types of carbohydrate which Dr Sue Shepherd’s research identified as being poorly absorbed by susceptible individuals, causing gut issues.

How does a Low FODMAPS diet fit with a Paleo diet?

FODMAPS & Paleo diet Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols-min

Fuctose

Fructose is already considered on a Paleo diet, so avoiding high fructose fruit such as apples and pears is not too difficult. Berries are a far better choice, with the added benefit of antioxidants.

Fructans

Fructans are high in fruit such as watermelons and vegetables such as cabbage, leeks and particularly onions; so these should be avoided in favour of vegetables such as carrots, parsnip and pumpkin. Wheat and other grains are high in Fructans, so on a Paleo diet, these are already avoided.

Polyols

High levels of Polyols are contained in fruit like avocados and peaches and vegetables like mushrooms and cauliflower.

Galactans

Legumes such as beans and soy are high in Galactans – so by following a Paleo diet these are already eliminated.

Lactose

By avoiding dairy a Paleo diet already cuts out Lactose.

How To Start

If you have any unresolved issues (such as gut issues) on a Paleo diet, it is worth trying a low FODMAP’s diet for a 30 day elimination period. After the 30 days, much like a Whole 30, you can slowly reintroduce foods back in to pinpoint exactly which foods are an issue for you. Everyone is different, so it’s important you find out exactly which foods you don’t tolerate well and remove those from your diet. Fortunately your Paleo diet has already removed the bulk of the high FODMAP foods – so identifying the foods you don’t tolerate will be much easier.

Have you tried a low FODMAP’s diet? Did it help? Let me know in the comments below.

Salicylates & Paleo diet NSAIDS allergies-min

Salicylates & Paleo

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Salicylates occur naturally in plants as a defence mechanism, to protect the plant against any threat such as disease or pests. Most people have no issues with eating plants containing Salicylates – but some people however can experience all sorts of problems from these natural chemicals, from migraines, hives, IBS, asthma and even sleep issues and ADHD. Since aspirin and NSAID’s are Salicylates, most people with these intolerances will react badly to these drugs.

If I eat a lot of foods containing high levels of Salicylates, my skin becomes itchy, swollen and covered in hives. Since I've been eating a Paleo diet I've not had a bad reaction and I'm conscious to reduce my consumption of the foods that I know are high in Salicylates – and seem to affect me the worst. Unfortunately (because they are a favourites) tomatoes seem to be a particular trigger. Other people with Salicylate sensitivity seem to react in different ways to different foods.

It appears that in those with Salicylate sensitivity, there is an acceptable level of exposure to foods containing high levels – but once “too large” a dose of the high Salicylate food is eaten the effects of the sensitivity kick in. I can eat a tomato based sauce with no problems, but if I eat several meals in a row containing high levels of these foods, my skin starts to break out in hives! People with Salicylate sensitivity seems to have very varied tolerance levels.

Salicylates and Paleo

As Salicylates are naturally occurring, this is one intolerance that a Paleo or Primal diet can’t solve. However, processed food often contains ingredients high in salicylates, so a Paleo diet enables you to control and know exactly what you are eating. It’s certainly possible to eat a low Salicylate Paleo diet as there are plenty of foods that contain negligible, low or moderate levels of Salicylates.

Salicylates & Paleo diet NSAIDS allergies-min

Food High In Salicylates

Broadly speaking, foods such as tomatoes, peppers, capsicum, cucumber, sweet potato and watercress seem to be high in Salicylates. Lots of fruits have high levels, particularly dried fruit. Coconut and olive oil are also reported to contain high levels of Salicylates, though I've never had a reaction from them and use these oils almost everyday. Fortunately meat (in a Paleo – i.e. unprocessed) capacity seems to contain very low levels.

A Low-Salicylate Paleo Diet

With some planning and substitutions, there’s no reason not to keep a Paleo diet low in Salicylates. One of the hardest things to replace is tomatoes (also a nightshade), as tomatoes are a common base for sauces and recipes. I've been experimenting with some tomato-free Paleo sauces and will share the recipe I've come up with tomorrow. It’s definitely possible to make a tomato-like sauce without tomatoes!

Do you have a Salicylate intolerance? I’d love to hear which foods you are sensitive to and how you incorporate this into your Paleo diet.

Coconut-Oil-Spray-Whats-The-Point-paleo-diet

Coconut Oil Spray – What’s The Point?

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Initially I was really impressed when I saw Coconut Oil Spray for the first time in Coles, my local grocery store.

But on reflection, Coconut Oil spray seems to be a bit of an oxymoron, don’t you think?

Why Spray Cans?

Spray cans of cooking oil became popular to enable the low-fat brigade to cook in as little oil as possible. The spray tin enables you to coat the bottom of the pan, using far less oil than you’d use if you poured it in. But we've moved on from low-fat, haven’t we? Chances are, given that you’re reading this blog, you’re careful to incorporate decent amounts of fat in your diet. Coconut oil is probably the most popular cooking oil amongst those who follow a Paleo diet. Most of my Paleo friends will use generous amounts of coconut oil in their cooking – and then pour the oil from the pan onto their plate when they've finished. You can’t so this with a spray can of coconut oil!

Added Ingredients?

The ingredients also include butane and propane which are obviously required to enable to spray mechanism to work – but I wonder if this has any impact on the oil – and whether there is any residue in the oil when it makes it onto your plate? Another reason I’d prefer to spoon my pure coconut oil straight into the pan, and not take the chance that any of the propellants come into contact with my food. The cans are also highly flammable, another plus for the humble jar of coconut oil!

Coconut-Oil-Spray-Whats-The-Point-paleo-diet

Who Buys It?

I find it odd that this particular store only stocks the spray and not the oil in normal jar form (my other local supermarket, Woolworths, stocks jars of coconut oil, but not the spray, which is far more useful). Given the choice, I'm sure almost everyone would opt for a jar of coconut oil, rather than the spray?

I can’t really see who the coconut oil spray is aimed at. Compared to the nasty seed oil sprays, it’s far higher in fat (this is a good thing); surely the conventional wisdom junkies would steer clear? And of course those of us in the know about coconut oil would find the small delivery of coconut oil frustrating? So who is it for? Answers in the comments, if you can offer some suggestions…

I can see that the can is convenient – but a jar of coconut oil and a spoon is hardly inconvenient?

Would you use Coconut Oil in spray form? I’d also be interested to read your comments (below) as to whether coconut spray is widely available where you live too?

Paleo Diet Primal Restaurant Options Choices Best Worst-min

The Best (and Worst) Paleo Restaurants

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It’s nice to eat out at a restaurant occasionally. Sticking to your Paleo Diet shouldn't be a reason to avoid eating out!

If you’re going out with a group of friends, try to have some influence over the restaurant you go to. Some restaurants offer so many more Paleo friendly options than others.

The Menu

It’s also a good idea to check out the menu in advance – most restaurants will have this on their website. If you’re unsure, call ahead to check on specific ingredients. It’s definitely worth making the restaurant aware that you need something gluten, dairy and legume free before you arrive. Most places seem to be extremely accommodating with this, often to the extent of suggesting dishes that aren't even on the menu!

Mix & Match Paleo Options

When looking through the menu be prepared to mix and match. There’s almost always no problem with asking for the meat from one dish to go with the vegetable side from another dish. Dishes often come with a side of fries, some other type of potato, rice or pasta – ask to swap this for more vegetables or a salad.

Paleo Diet Primal Restaurant Options Choices Best Worst-min

Un-Paleo Sauces

Sauces, gravy and dressings are often places where gluten, soy and all sorts of undesirables are hiding. It’s best to ask for no sauce, or ask for it on the side, rather than take the risk that your beef will arrive swimming in gluten!

Ask, Ask and Ask Again!

Don’t be afraid to ask exactly what is in your dish – it’s your health – it’s important. It’s also worth asking if the meat is grass-fed. Perhaps it isn't, but hopefully the more people who ask, the sooner restaurants will start stocking it.

Which Types of Restaurant Are The Best For a Paleo Diet?

Some restaurants types are a lot more Paleo than others – but of course, you may find lots of local exceptions to this. Look at the menu and ask about the ingredients!

Korean BBQ/ Mongolian BBQ/ Brazilian BBQ

It doesn't get much more Paleo than cooking a pile of meat at your table barbecue. Sides are usually salads and vegetables and it’s often a great chance to try cuts of meat you don’t usually have.

Steakhouses

Steak and vegetables – even better if they offer grass-fed meat.

Indian

Whilst there are a lot of dishes to avoid, there are also dishes cooked in coconut milk, or dry cooked (like tandoori) in herbs which represent great Paleo choices. Check they cook with ghee or coconut oil rather than vegetable oil

Burgers

Lots of “real food” burger restaurants seem to be appearing – good news as these can be a good Paleo option if you order without the bun!

Thai

Thai can be a great Paleo dining solution when coconut oil and milk are used.

Mexican

Most options like tacos or fajitas work well within a Paleo Diet – just order without the tortilla

Japanese

A wide variety of fish makes dishes like sashimi a great choice

Seafood Restaurants

If there are any wild or line caught options, these are likely to be a good bet

And the Worst Restaurant Type For Paleo Options?

Sadly, some restaurants are a lot harder to navigate for Paleo choices. If you’re going somewhere that you know will be challenging, consider eating before you leave, so you won’t be tempted.

Chinese

With a few notable exceptions, Chinese restaurants are often associated with their use of MSG and soy. Finding a Paleo option can be very difficult.

Do you agree with the best and worst types of restaurants? I’d love to see which restaurants you've found good Paleo options in – and which ones you've found difficult too. Please let me know in the comments, below.

Paleo Alternatives to Bread friendly recipes no flour-min

Paleo Alternatives to Bread

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Bread. On a Paleo diet – it is one of the first things to go; whereas on a SAD diet it is a staple. It’s no wonder giving up bread is such a shock to people considering a Paleo Diet.

“I couldn't live without bread”

“I’d never be able to give up bread”

“What do you eat if you don’t have bread?”

Paleo Alternatives to Bread friendly recipes no flour-min

I'm sure you've heard these comments before too. Perhaps you found giving up bread to be the hardest thing about transitioning to a Paleo diet – or the one thing that is preventing you from going fully Paleo?

The longer you abstain from bread, the less you’ll miss it. There are some great recipes for Paleo Breads made with coconut flour or almond meal; but instead of trying to substitute one type of flour for another – how about some of these alternatives to your favourite SAD bread meals?!

Paleo Sandwiches

Sandwiches are one of the most popular lunch options, mainly because they are convenient to eat on the go, without getting your hands covered in food! They’re filling and you can prepare them ahead of time. Perhaps you’re missing sandwiches, filled rolls or wraps? Instead – why not try these Paleo sandwich options instead: –

  • Make wraps with lettuce (try romaine leaves) to hold the filling in place
  • Use cooked cabbage leaves to encase your filling
  • For an iodine boast and great flavour make your wraps with Nori (or other seaweed) wraps
  • You can also make (or buy – but check the ingredients) coconut wraps
  • Cut a large capsicum (bell pepper) into two flat pieces for a Paleo alternative to sandwich bread
  • Use a knife and fork! I often order a sandwich in a café – without the bread. Shop bought and restaurant sandwiches often hide very small fillings – but when you order it without the bread you usually get a far more generous portion of the filling!

Paleo Burger Buns

The best think about a burger is the meat – never the bun. So go bun-less, or try these: –

  • Chop the stalk of two large flat or Portobello mushrooms – the perfect size for a burger bun
  • Encase your burger patty with the top and bottom of a large tomato

Peanut Butter Sandwiches

White bread filled with peanut butter seems to be a popular pre-Paleo combination. But let’s face it – it’s the peanut butter that’s popular – not the bread in this snack. Clearly peanut butter is out as it’s a legume – so try

  • Nut butter (almond butter, macadamia nut butter, cashew nut butter – or make your own) and use as a dip for crunchy raw vegetables like carrots, celery, capsicum (bell peppers) and cucumber.
  • Or slice some eggplant and layer on the nut butter!

Egg and Soldiers

Missing dipping slices of toast into soft boiled eggs? Once you try dipping in roasted vegetables, you’ll wish you’d always done it!

Lasagne & Garlic Bread

Once you've gone to the effort of making a Paleo lasagne, roast some zucchini sticks and garlic as a far more enjoyable accompaniment.

Breadcrumbs

Try using a nut flour as a Paleo alternative

Croutons

If you’re used to a crunch with your soup, try some pork crackling (rinds) as a Primal alternative!

Which bread meals or snacks do you miss the most? I’d love to hear what your favourite bread substitutes are!