What can I eat on the Paleo diet?

Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and healthy fats. No grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar or heavily processed oils.

How long until Paleo feels normal?

Most people report the shopping and cooking feels routine somewhere in week two or three.

Can I drink coffee on Paleo?

Black coffee is widely accepted. Milk is not Paleo; many people use coconut milk instead.

Do I need supplements?

Not as a rule. If you have a diagnosed deficiency or a restricted diet, that is a question for a doctor rather than a website.

Paleo Meal Plan for Beginners

If you have never eaten this way before, ignore every advanced Paleo debate. Week one is about learning five meals and stocking a kitchen that makes them easy.

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.

Week one, in order

Do these four things and the rest follows.

Clear the obvious: bread, pasta, cereal, biscuits, sugary drinks
Stock the basics: eggs, meat, salad, frozen vegetables, olive oil, fruit, nuts
Learn three dinners you can cook without a recipe
Decide your default breakfast and eat it every day for a week

The mistakes beginners make

The three big ones: trying to cook seven brand-new recipes in week one, buying specialty Paleo products instead of food, and under-eating because the plate looks different from what you are used to.

If you feel flat in the first few days, you are probably eating too little fat and too few calories overall. Add oil, avocado and a bigger protein portion before concluding Paleo does not suit you.

Frequently asked questions

What can I eat on the Paleo diet?: Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and healthy fats. No grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar or heavily processed oils.
How long until Paleo feels normal?: Most people report the shopping and cooking feels routine somewhere in week two or three.
Can I drink coffee on Paleo?: Black coffee is widely accepted. Milk is not Paleo; many people use coconut milk instead.
Do I need supplements?: Not as a rule. If you have a diagnosed deficiency or a restricted diet, that is a question for a doctor rather than a website.