I want you to know that whatever your background or circumstances, the paleo diet can be adapted to YOU and your lifestyle. People of all kinds are going paleo these days. Whether you’re a single mom on a budget, a busy, working parent with a family of five to feed, a stay-at-home mom with a little bit more time on your hands to get creative with paleo cooking and paleo baking, or an athlete trying to enhance your performance, you can adopt a paleo template that suits your needs and make it work.

Just Do It

The idea is to just jump in there and do it. Start stocking up on the items on the Paleo Food List and check out my Recipes and see what you can start doing. You might opt for a 30-day challenge, which may be easier for single folks and athletes to do. Or you may want to gradually over time become more paleo. There are no hardbound rules. The main point is to adopt an eating style that is best for your body and to thrive as nature intended!

Watch Out, Carb Addicts and Junk Food Junkies!

I really can’t stress enough though that it might seem really tough at first to get over the addictions to carbs and sugar. I was dying during the first few weeks! But once that’s over with, it’s a downhill battle.

Here’s a little grocery guide to get yourself started. You can use this or refer to my Paleo Meal Plans and Recipes page as a paleo grocery guide.

Starter Paleo Grocery Guide

This is a starter paleo grocery guide so that you’ll be able to get going right away in the paleo direction. Check out the Paleo Food List for more ideas on paleo items.

The idea is pretty much to avoid the inner aisles of the grocery store and stay around the perimeters—the produce section and meat department.

Produce

Get whatever vegetables and fruits appeal to you! Stock up on lots of greens. You can even

throw them in a fruit smoothie, and you won’t even taste them, I swear! To save money, select the produce that’s in season. If you’re looking to lose weight on the paleo diet, you may want to consider going easy on the fruit too. Avoid fruit juices and opt for making nutrient-dense smoothies instead.

Meat and Seafood Departments

On the paleo diet, it’s all about grass-fed meat, wild caught fish, and free range poultry if it’s available and within your budget. If it’s not in your budget, do the best you can do and focus on leaner cuts of meat. Gradually try to work it into your budget, and in the meantime, you can supplement your diet with Omega-3 supplements so you’re not missing out on this vital supplement. And think beyond beef, pork, and chicken; try some bison, venison, lamb, and wild game. Get adventurous! Load up on lots of fatty fish like salmon and tuna.

Dairy Department

It depends on which paleo diet template you’re following, but you’ll pretty much want to avoid this department. If you insist on creamer in your coffee, go for grass-fed if possible. Stock up on some coconut milk as an alternative to cow’s milk. Load up on some Omega-3 fortified eggs from free range chickens. And don’t limit yourself to just chicken eggs! Try some quail eggs too—yummy!

Inner Aisles

Really, guys, pretty much stay out of here! You’ve really got to cut out the junk foods and processed foods like crackers, cookies, and other foods that come in packages.

Some snacks I do like are nut butters, beef jerky, and seaweed.

Must-have cooking oils include coconut oil and olive oil. I also love avocado oil, especially when I drizzle it over salads.

Your Paleo Kitchen

Don’t just stock up on paleo foods, but get rid of the packaged foods, grain products like bread, and dairy as well. It’ll help you stick to your new paleo diet if you’re not constantly faced with temptation!

Make sure to check out my other pages for more help in getting started on the paleo diet!

To a healthy and active day.

I hope this page has been helpful. If you have any questions or suggestions just email me at Tina (at) Paleomazing.com.

Tina Turbin