This is a great website for a quick reference to what food items you should keep on hand.
http://www.ourpaleolife.com/periodic-table-of-paleo-food-staples/
Suggested items to always have on hand:
All Natural Almond Butter
Almond Flour/Meal
Coconut Flour
Coconut Oil
Nuts (macadamia, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, mixed nuts)
Flax Seed
Albacore Tuna
Fish Oil and Vitamins
Eggs - organic, free range are best
Avocados
Wholly Guacamole
Unsweetened shredded coconut
Salsa - pay attention to ingredients, you want all fresh, no sugars
Veggies (tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, etc)
Berries (apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas)
Frozen shrimp (wild caught)
Chicken (breasts and thighs)
All Natural Ground Turkey
Ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
Seafood (preferably wild caught)
Bacon (See note about Bacon)
Pork (preferably organic or all-natural)
All natural sausage
Beef Jerky
Dates
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Sweet Potatoes
Spaghetti Squash
Garlic
Onion
Fresh herbs
Sun-dried tomatoes
More vegetables (tomatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower, cucumber)
More fruit (melon, berries, apples, etc)
READING LABELS:
A lot of people ask about reading labels. And the truth is, it’s a difficult topic to cover simply because there are so many ingredients out there. It would be virtually impossibly to make a list of them all. But here is a few simple ways to help understand.
NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS:
Many people believe that it’s the number of ingredients that matter. There is a theory out there than anything with more than 5 or 6 ingredients means the product is not clean. The thinking behind this is understandable, but could not be further from the truth.
Most recipes have more than 5 or 6 ingredients and they are all considered clean in varying degrees (depending on your food philosophy).
You could have a food product with 30 ingredients, but if those ingredients are all clean and the item is not processed, it’s totally fine. Grant it, I don’t think you would ever find such an item.
READING LABELS:
When looking at an ingredient list, consider each ingredient individually. Is it something you would buy separately to cook with in your own kitchen?
For example, let’s start with an random jar of spaghetti sauce. If the ingredients are, “tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil”, then you know it’s clean because you would buy JUST tomatoes to cook with. You would also buy JUST garlic to cook with. Same for olive oil and basil.
But if the ingredient list says, “tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil and maltodextrin”, you would want to pass it by. You would never go to the store for some maltodextrin to cook with at home.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, this will keep you pretty much on track. Word of warning though, it can also cause a bit of frustration when you start looking at labels this way. You have to hunt for clean products. They aren’t easy to find.
But then, that is the focus of clean eating, is it not? You want to purchase less packaged products and replace them with whole food items, mostly from the produce section. Foods that do not require labels because the ingredient list, IS the item itself.
http://www.ourpaleolife.com/periodic-table-of-paleo-food-staples/
Suggested items to always have on hand:
All Natural Almond Butter
Almond Flour/Meal
Coconut Flour
Coconut Oil
Nuts (macadamia, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, mixed nuts)
Flax Seed
Albacore Tuna
Fish Oil and Vitamins
Eggs - organic, free range are best
Avocados
Wholly Guacamole
Unsweetened shredded coconut
Salsa - pay attention to ingredients, you want all fresh, no sugars
Veggies (tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, etc)
Berries (apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas)
Frozen shrimp (wild caught)
Chicken (breasts and thighs)
All Natural Ground Turkey
Ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
Seafood (preferably wild caught)
Bacon (See note about Bacon)
Pork (preferably organic or all-natural)
All natural sausage
Beef Jerky
Dates
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Sweet Potatoes
Spaghetti Squash
Garlic
Onion
Fresh herbs
Sun-dried tomatoes
More vegetables (tomatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower, cucumber)
More fruit (melon, berries, apples, etc)
READING LABELS:
A lot of people ask about reading labels. And the truth is, it’s a difficult topic to cover simply because there are so many ingredients out there. It would be virtually impossibly to make a list of them all. But here is a few simple ways to help understand.
NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS:
Many people believe that it’s the number of ingredients that matter. There is a theory out there than anything with more than 5 or 6 ingredients means the product is not clean. The thinking behind this is understandable, but could not be further from the truth.
Most recipes have more than 5 or 6 ingredients and they are all considered clean in varying degrees (depending on your food philosophy).
You could have a food product with 30 ingredients, but if those ingredients are all clean and the item is not processed, it’s totally fine. Grant it, I don’t think you would ever find such an item.
READING LABELS:
When looking at an ingredient list, consider each ingredient individually. Is it something you would buy separately to cook with in your own kitchen?
For example, let’s start with an random jar of spaghetti sauce. If the ingredients are, “tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil”, then you know it’s clean because you would buy JUST tomatoes to cook with. You would also buy JUST garlic to cook with. Same for olive oil and basil.
But if the ingredient list says, “tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil and maltodextrin”, you would want to pass it by. You would never go to the store for some maltodextrin to cook with at home.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, this will keep you pretty much on track. Word of warning though, it can also cause a bit of frustration when you start looking at labels this way. You have to hunt for clean products. They aren’t easy to find.
But then, that is the focus of clean eating, is it not? You want to purchase less packaged products and replace them with whole food items, mostly from the produce section. Foods that do not require labels because the ingredient list, IS the item itself.