How much does a cheap Paleo week cost?

It depends heavily on your country and store. Build the plan, then price the generated grocery list at your own supermarket — that number is the only one that matters.

Do I have to buy grass-fed meat?

No. Standard supermarket meat is still Paleo. Grass-fed is a preference, not a requirement, and it is the single biggest cost multiplier.

Is canned fish Paleo?

Yes, if it is packed in water or olive oil rather than soybean oil, and has no added sauces.

How do I cut costs further?

Set people to a higher number and cook once for the whole household, and set the plan to fewer distinct meals by regenerating until you get repeats you like.

Cheap Paleo Meal Plan: Eat Paleo Without the Grass-Fed Price Tag

Paleo has a reputation for being expensive, and it is — if you shop the way the marketing suggests. Set the budget filter and this plan builds around eggs, ground beef, chicken thighs, canned fish and hardy vegetables.

Goal

Duration

Max cooking time

Budget

People

Estimated 1647 kcal and 110 g protein per person per day. Figures are rough planning estimates, not measured values.

Your 7-day Paleo meal plan

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Monday	2-ingredient banana pancakes	Beef patties & slaw	Roast chicken & root vegetables	Two hard-boiled eggs
Tuesday	Eggs & avocado	Chicken & vegetable soup	Sheet-pan chicken thighs & broccoli	Tuna on cucumber rounds
Wednesday	Make-ahead egg muffins	Chicken & roasted sweet potato box	Turkey & vegetable chili	Celery + almond butter
Thursday	Spinach & mushroom omelette	Egg salad plate	Paleo meatballs & zucchini noodles	Carrots + guacamole
Friday	Hard-boiled eggs + fruit	Ground beef taco bowl	Sheet-pan chicken thighs & broccoli	Apple + almonds
Saturday	Spinach & mushroom omelette	Chicken salad bowl	Paleo meatballs & zucchini noodles	Banana + almond butter
Sunday	Hard-boiled eggs + fruit	Tuna & avocado boats	Roast chicken & root vegetables	Leftover chicken strips

Grocery list

Scaled for 2 people across 7 days.

Meat & Protein

Canned tuna — 3 can
Chicken breast — 1040 g
Chicken thighs — 8 thighs
Eggs — 52 eggs
Ground beef — 1200 g
Ground turkey — 300 g
Whole chicken — 1 chicken

Vegetables & Fruit

Apples — 6 apple
Avocado — 5 avocado
Banana — 4 banana
Bell peppers — 3 pepper
Broccoli — 3 head
Cabbage — 0.4 head
Carrots — 4 carrot
Carrots — 12 carrots
Celery — 2 stalk
Celery — 4 stalks
Cucumber — 1.6 cucumber
Garlic — 8 cloves
Lemons — 1 lemon
Lettuce (romaine) — 0.6 head
Mixed salad leaves — 8 handfuls
Mushrooms — 240 g
Spinach — 6 handful
Sweet potatoes — 6 medium
Tomatoes — 2 tomato
Zucchini — 4 zucchini

Pantry

Almond butter — 4 tbsp
Almonds — 50 g
Chicken broth — 3 cups
Coconut oil — 2 tsp
Crushed tomatoes — 3 can
Ground cumin — 4 tsp
Olive oil — 12 tbsp
Olive oil — 8 tsp

Sunday 60-minute meal prep

Cook these components once and the rest of the week is assembly.

1. Beef patties & slawGrill seasoned patties, serve with cabbage slaw dressed in olive oil and lemon.
2. Roast chicken & root vegetablesRoast a whole chicken over carrots and sweet potato; leftovers feed two lunches.
3. Two hard-boiled eggsFrom the Sunday batch, with salt and pepper.
4. Chicken & vegetable soupSimmer shredded chicken with carrot, celery and broth; freezes well in portions.
5. Sheet-pan chicken thighs & broccoliThighs skin-side up with broccoli and garlic, 200C for 30 minutes.
6. Tuna on cucumber roundsHalf a can of tuna spooned onto thick cucumber slices.

Where the money actually goes

Nearly all of a Paleo grocery bill is protein and out-of-season produce. Fix those two lines and the rest is noise.

Swap steak and salmon for ground beef, chicken thighs, eggs and canned fish
Buy whole chickens instead of breasts and use the carcass for broth
Buy frozen vegetables and frozen berries year round
Buy nuts and coconut in bulk rather than snack packs
Cook one big-batch dinner that becomes two lunches

The cheapest Paleo proteins

Eggs are still the cheapest complete protein in most supermarkets. After that: chicken thighs and drumsticks, ground beef with a higher fat percentage, canned tuna and sardines, pork shoulder, and whole chicken.

The budget meal pool

Eggs & avocado

breakfast · 10 min · 20 g protein · ~420 kcal

Fry or scramble 3 eggs in olive oil, serve with half an avocado and sea salt.

Eggs, Avocado, Olive oil

Hard-boiled eggs + fruit

breakfast · 10 min · 19 g protein · ~330 kcal

Boil eggs 9 minutes in a batch on Sunday; grab with a piece of fruit.

Eggs, Apples

Spinach & mushroom omelette

breakfast · 10 min · 21 g protein · ~350 kcal

Beat 3 eggs, cook flat, fold over wilted spinach and mushrooms.

Eggs, Spinach, Mushrooms, Olive oil

Make-ahead egg muffins

breakfast · 15 min · 24 g protein · ~360 kcal

Whisk eggs with chopped veg, bake in a muffin tin 20 min, refrigerate up to 4 days.

Eggs, Bell peppers, Spinach

2-ingredient banana pancakes

breakfast · 10 min · 16 g protein · ~400 kcal

Mash banana into beaten eggs, cook small pancakes in coconut oil.

Banana, Eggs, Coconut oil

Chicken salad bowl

lunch · 10 min · 40 g protein · ~480 kcal

Toss pre-cooked chicken with salad leaves, cucumber, olive oil and lemon.

Chicken breast, Mixed salad leaves, Cucumber, Olive oil, Lemons

Tuna & avocado boats

lunch · 10 min · 34 g protein · ~430 kcal

Mix canned tuna with lemon and olive oil, pile into avocado halves.

Canned tuna, Avocado, Lemons, Olive oil

Ground beef taco bowl

lunch · 15 min · 38 g protein · ~550 kcal

Brown ground beef with cumin and paprika, spoon over shredded lettuce and salsa.

Ground beef, Lettuce (romaine), Tomatoes, Ground cumin

Chicken & vegetable soup

lunch · 15 min · 32 g protein · ~380 kcal

Simmer shredded chicken with carrot, celery and broth; freezes well in portions.

Chicken breast, Carrots, Celery, Chicken broth

Egg salad plate

lunch · 10 min · 24 g protein · ~400 kcal

Chop boiled eggs with avocado instead of mayo, serve over leaves.

Eggs, Avocado, Mixed salad leaves

Chicken & roasted sweet potato box

lunch · 15 min · 42 g protein · ~560 kcal

Assemble from Sunday prep: chicken, roast sweet potato, roast broccoli.

Chicken breast, Sweet potatoes, Broccoli

Beef patties & slaw

lunch · 15 min · 36 g protein · ~540 kcal

Grill seasoned patties, serve with cabbage slaw dressed in olive oil and lemon.

Ground beef, Cabbage, Carrots, Olive oil

Sheet-pan chicken thighs & broccoli

dinner · 30 min · 42 g protein · ~600 kcal

Thighs skin-side up with broccoli and garlic, 200C for 30 minutes.

Chicken thighs, Broccoli, Garlic, Olive oil

Paleo meatballs & zucchini noodles

dinner · 30 min · 40 g protein · ~570 kcal

Bake beef meatballs bound with egg, simmer in crushed tomatoes, serve over zoodles.

Ground beef, Eggs, Crushed tomatoes, Zucchini

Roast chicken & root vegetables

dinner · 30 min · 46 g protein · ~640 kcal

Roast a whole chicken over carrots and sweet potato; leftovers feed two lunches.

Whole chicken, Carrots, Sweet potatoes, Olive oil

Turkey & vegetable chili

dinner · 30 min · 42 g protein · ~520 kcal

Brown turkey mince, add tomatoes, peppers and spices, simmer 20 minutes.

Ground turkey, Crushed tomatoes, Bell peppers, Ground cumin

Apple + almonds

snack · 10 min · 6 g protein · ~250 kcal

One apple with a small handful of almonds.

Apples, Almonds

Carrots + guacamole

snack · 10 min · 4 g protein · ~220 kcal

Mash avocado with lemon and salt; dip carrot sticks.

Carrots, Avocado

Two hard-boiled eggs

snack · 10 min · 13 g protein · ~160 kcal

From the Sunday batch, with salt and pepper.

Eggs

Celery + almond butter

snack · 10 min · 6 g protein · ~210 kcal

Two celery stalks filled with almond butter.

Celery, Almond butter

Tuna on cucumber rounds

snack · 10 min · 22 g protein · ~200 kcal

Half a can of tuna spooned onto thick cucumber slices.

Canned tuna, Cucumber

Leftover chicken strips

snack · 10 min · 30 g protein · ~190 kcal

Sliced cold roast chicken from the Sunday batch.

Chicken breast

Banana + almond butter

snack · 10 min · 6 g protein · ~280 kcal

Sliced banana with a spoon of almond butter.

Banana, Almond butter

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cheap Paleo week cost?: It depends heavily on your country and store. Build the plan, then price the generated grocery list at your own supermarket — that number is the only one that matters.
Do I have to buy grass-fed meat?: No. Standard supermarket meat is still Paleo. Grass-fed is a preference, not a requirement, and it is the single biggest cost multiplier.
Is canned fish Paleo?: Yes, if it is packed in water or olive oil rather than soybean oil, and has no added sauces.
How do I cut costs further?: Set people to a higher number and cook once for the whole household, and set the plan to fewer distinct meals by regenerating until you get repeats you like.