Start here
New to paleo? These four hubs organise everything on the site:
- Paleo fundamentals – What paleo is, what you eat and skip, and how strict versions differ.
- Paleo recipes – Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, slow-cooker and freezer meals with real quantities.
- Meal plans & prep – Week-long plans, prep routines and budget strategies.
- Diet comparisons – Paleo vs keto, Whole30, Mediterranean, DASH and Primal, side by side.
Paleo eating, in plain language
The paleo diet builds meals around foods that could, in principle, be hunted or gathered: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. It leaves out grains, legumes, most dairy, refined sugar and heavily processed foods. In practice, “paleo” is a template rather than a strict rulebook. Some people follow it closely, while others keep foods like white rice, potatoes or some dairy and call it primal or “paleo-ish.” Either way, most people who stick with it find the benefit comes from eating more whole foods and fewer ultra-processed ones.
Paleo has trade-offs you should plan for. Cutting out dairy and grains can leave gaps in calcium, vitamin D, iodine and fiber unless you choose foods deliberately. And specialty paleo products can make the diet more expensive than it needs to be. Our guides cover both the practical how-to and the honest limits.
Start here
Understand the basics. Read What Is the Paleo Diet? The Complete Guide. Then print or save the Paleo Diet Food Chart, a simple eat-and-avoid list. If you’re unsure about a specific food, the free Is It Paleo? Food Checker gives a verdict, the reason and a swap.
Plan your first week. The 7-Day Paleo Meal Plan is a free day-by-day menu. Paleo Lunch Ideas for Work and Paleo Freezer Meals make weekdays easier. For more recipes, browse the Paleo Recipes hub.
Set your targets. The TDEE & Macro Calculator estimates your daily calories and a macro split. Paleo Diet Carbs Per Day helps you choose a carb level with worked examples.
Close the nutrient gaps. Paleo Diet Calcium, Vitamin D, Iodine and Fiber shows which foods fill the gaps that dropping dairy and grains can leave.
Keep costs down. What Does the Paleo Diet Really Cost? compares published food-spending data. Paleo Diet on a Budget turns that into a shopping plan.
Comparing diets? Start with Paleo vs Keto vs Whole30 vs Mediterranean, then explore the diet comparisons hub.
How we research
Nutrient figures in our newer recipes, food tables and meal plans are calculated from USDA FoodData Central. Health information comes from sources such as MedlinePlus, the National Institute on Aging, NIDDK, the American Heart Association and peer-reviewed trials. Each guide links its sources. We say plainly where the paleo research is limited, and we don’t invent studies, testimonials or before-and-after results. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet. Read our Editorial Standards or learn more about Paleo Life Coach.
