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Paleo eating, planned with real numbers

Short answer:

The paleo diet builds meals around meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, and leaves out grains, legumes, most dairy, refined sugar and heavily processed foods. Our guides show what to eat, what it costs and which nutrient gaps to plan for, with linked sources.

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Free tools, no account needed. General nutrition information, not medical advice.

A grilled salmon fillet on a white plate with a mixed salad of tomato, cucumber, red onion and a lemon wedge
Start here
  1. Set your calorie and macro targetsTDEE, protein, carbs and fat for your goal
  2. Check any foodA verdict, the reason and a paleo swap
  3. Plan your first weekA free day-by-day menu with portions

  • 98 paleo guidesrecipes, plans and comparisons

  • 3 free toolscalculator, food checker, food list

  • 261 linked sourcesUSDA, NIH, MedlinePlus and more

  • UpdatedOctober 2026

Free TDEE and macro calculator

Set your targets, then build the plate

Paleo is easier to stick with when portions match what you actually burn. Start with an estimate.
Calculator

TDEE and Macro Calculator

Enter age, sex, height, weight and activity to estimate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), then a protein, carb and fat split for losing fat, maintaining or building muscle.

  • Lose fat: 500 calories under your estimate
  • Maintain: eat at your estimate
  • Build muscle: 300 calories over

It is an estimate, so track your weight for two to three weeks and adjust.

Open the calculatorHow many carbs per day?
Browse by topic

Start here

New to paleo? These four hubs organise everything on the site:

  • A market stall packed with crates of fresh vegetables: peppers, tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes, onions and greens
    Topic hub
    Paleo fundamentals – What paleo is, what you eat and skip, and how strict versions differ.
  • Seared beef steak pieces with grilled Brussels sprouts, vine tomatoes and chives on a black slate
    Topic hub
    Paleo recipes – Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, slow-cooker and freezer meals with real quantities.
  • A plated meal of seasoned chicken breast, bacon-wrapped asparagus and baby carrots on a dark tray
    Topic hub
    Meal plans & prep – Week-long plans, prep routines and budget strategies.
  • Two white bowls of salad with tomato, boiled egg, bacon, lettuce and croutons
    Topic hub
    Diet comparisons – Paleo vs keto, Whole30, Mediterranean, DASH and Primal, side by side.
Free tools and printables

Tools and guides people use most

No sign-up. Each one links the sources behind its numbers.
The basics

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.

A bowl of roasted sweet potato cubes in front of a photo of whole sweet potatoes
Your first weeks

Start here

Six short steps, each linked to the guide that covers it.

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.

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The newest guides and recipes, updated automatically as articles go live.
Editorial standards

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.

Set your targets, then plan the week

Work out your calories and macros, then fill them with the free 7-day paleo meal plan.

Macro calculator7-day meal plan