Paleo Foods List: What Can You Eat on the…

One of the first questions people ask when starting Paleo is simple: What can I actually eat?

The good news is that the list of Paleo foods is bigger than you might think. Paleo is all about eating whole, minimally processed foods like meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats.

If you’re just starting out, use this guide to help you pick ingredients, plan meals, and figure out if a food works for your Paleo lifestyle.

What Foods Are Paleo?

The main idea of Paleo is to focus on foods that are similar to what people ate before modern farming and food processing.

A typical Paleo foods list includes:

Meat and poultry
Fish and seafood
Eggs
Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts
Seeds
Healthy fats
Herbs and spices

Traditional Paleo generally avoids grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugars, and highly processed foods.

People have different views on what counts as Paleo, so you might see some debate about certain foods. It’s helpful to see Paleo as a guide for picking whole foods, not as an exact copy of what our ancestors ate.

Meat and Poultry

Fresh, minimally processed meat is one of the primary protein sources in a Paleo diet.

Paleo-friendly choices include:

Beef
Chicken
Turkey
Pork
Lamb
Duck
Venison
Bison
Rabbit
Goat

This covers lots of different cuts, like steaks, roasts, chops, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and ground meats.

Be careful with processed meats. Bacon, sausage, deli meats, and similar foods can have added sugar, grains, preservatives, or other ingredients that aren’t Paleo.

Tip: Always check the ingredient label instead of assuming something is Paleo just because it’s mostly meat.

Fish and Seafood

Fish and seafood are a natural fit for Paleo meals and are an easy way to add variety to your diet.

Popular fish and seafood include:

Salmon
Tuna
Cod
Haddock
Mackerel
Sardines
Trout
Sea bass
Snapper
Shrimp
Crab
Lobster
Scallops
Mussels
Clams
Oysters
Octopus
Squid

Both fresh and frozen seafood work well.

Canned tuna, salmon, sardines, and other seafood are good options too. Just make sure to watch for added sauces, sugars, or oils that aren’t Paleo-friendly.

Eggs are Paleo-friendly and can be used in lots of different ways.

Chicken eggs are the most common, but Paleo can also include:

Duck eggs
Quail eggs
Goose eggs

You can have eggs for breakfast, add hard-boiled eggs to salads, make a veggie-filled frittata, or keep cooked eggs ready for a quick snack.

Vegetables

Vegetables are a key part of a balanced Paleo diet, and you have lots of options to pick from.

Leafy Greens

Spinach
Kale
Romaine
Arugula
Swiss chard
Collard greens
Cabbage
Watercress

Cruciferous Vegetables

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Bok choy

Everyday Vegetables

Bell peppers
Carrots
Zucchini
Eggplant
Mushrooms
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Celery
Asparagus
Artichokes
Onions
Leeks
Garlic

Root and Starchy Vegetables

Sweet potatoes
Yams
Beets
Turnips
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Carrots

Squash

Butternut squash
Acorn squash
Spaghetti squash
Pumpkin
Zucchini
Yellow squash

Eating different vegetables each week keeps your Paleo meals interesting and gives you a wide range of nutrients.

Are Potatoes Paleo?

People have different opinions about whether potatoes are Paleo.

White potatoes are whole, unprocessed tubers, and many people who follow Paleo today include them. Some stricter versions of Paleo leave out white potatoes but allow sweet potatoes.

If you’re following a certain Paleo plan, check its rules. Otherwise, you can decide for yourself whether to include potatoes.

Fruits

Most fresh fruit is Paleo-friendly; choices include:

Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Grapefruit
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Grapes
Peaches
Nectarines
Plums
Pears
Cherries
Mango
Pineapple
Kiwi
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Pomegranate
Figs

Fruit is an easy snack and a natural way to add sweetness to breakfast or dessert.

Dried fruit can also fit some Paleo approaches, but check the ingredients carefully. Many commercial dried fruits contain added sugar.

Nuts

Most tree nuts are Paleo-friendly.

These include:

Almonds
Walnuts
Pecans
Cashews
Pistachios
Hazelnuts
Macadamia nuts
Brazil nuts

Nuts are a handy snack and can add crunch and flavor to salads, veggie dishes, and Paleo desserts.

What About Peanuts?

Even though they’re called peanuts, they aren’t really nuts.

They’re actually legumes.

Since legumes aren’t usually part of Paleo, peanuts and peanut butter are generally left out.

Almond butter, cashew butter, and other nut butters are good alternatives.

Seeds

Seeds are also a Paleo-friendly choice.

Try:

Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds

You can sprinkle seeds on salads, add them to recipes, or eat them as a snack.

Healthy Fats and Oils

Paleo usually focuses on fats that come from whole foods or are only lightly processed.

Common choices include:

Avocados
Extra virgin olive oil
Avocado oil
Coconut oil
Coconut
Olives
Nuts
Seeds

You can also use animal fats in Paleo cooking.

Highly refined vegetable and seed oils are often limited or avoided, depending on which version of Paleo you follow.

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices are a simple way to add flavor without using processed sauces.

Almost any basic herb or spice can be used in Paleo cooking, such as:

Basil
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme
Parsley
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Sage
Paprika
Cumin
Turmeric
Cinnamon
Ginger
Chili powder
Black pepper

Fresh garlic, ginger, lemons, and limes are also excellent ingredients to keep around.

When buying seasoning blends, check the label for added sugar, starches, or other unnecessary ingredients.

Paleo-Friendly Sweeteners

Sweeteners are a gray area in Paleo.

Some Paleo recipes use small amounts of less-refined sweeteners such as:

Honey
Pure maple syrup
Dates
Date paste
Coconut sugar

They still count as sugar, so it’s best to use them only once in a while, not every day.

Fresh fruit is often the easiest way to add sweetness and still keep your meals focused on whole foods.

What About Dairy?

Traditional Paleo excludes dairy products because milk became a regular part of the human diet after the domestication of animals.

Foods generally excluded include:

Milk
Cheese
Yogurt
Cream
Ice cream

Some less strict Paleo plans allow certain dairy products, especially grass-fed butter or clarified butter like ghee.

If you’re following Paleo strictly, you’ll usually leave out dairy.

What About Grains and Legumes?

Traditional Paleo excludes grains and legumes.

That means foods such as wheat, rice, oats, corn, barley, beans, chickpeas, lentils, soy, and peanuts generally aren’t considered Paleo.

If you want to know more about why these foods are excluded, check out our Foods to Avoid on the Paleo Diet guide.

Simple Paleo Food Swaps

You don’t have to give up your favorite meals just because you’re skipping some familiar ingredients.

Try simple substitutions such as:

Instead of rice:
Use cauliflower rice.

Instead of pasta:
Try zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.

Instead of mashed potatoes:
Try mashed cauliflower or sweet potatoes.

Instead of peanut butter:
Choose almond or cashew butter.

Instead of flour:
Some Paleo recipes use almond flour or coconut flour.

Instead of milk:
Try unsweetened coconut or almond milk with Paleo-friendly ingredients.

These swaps help you keep making the meals you love, without having to revamp how you cook completely.

Building a Paleo Meal

Once you know which foods are Paleo-friendly, it’s pretty easy to plan a healthy meal.

Start with a protein such as chicken, beef, pork, fish, seafood, or eggs.

Add one or more vegetables.

Include a healthy source of fat such as avocado or olive oil.

Then add fruit, nuts, seeds, herbs, or spices where they make sense.

For example:

Breakfast: Eggs with spinach, mushrooms, and avocado.

Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with vegetables, walnuts, and olive oil dressing.

Dinner: Salmon with roasted broccoli and sweet potato.

Snack: Apple slices with almond butter.

You don’t need special Paleo products to eat this way. Most of what you need is right in the outer aisles of a regular grocery store.

Turn Your Paleo Foods List Into a Meal Plan

It’s helpful to know what foods you can eat, but meal planning is what really helps you decide what to make each day.

Start by browsing our collection of Paleo recipes for meals built around these ingredients.

Looking for dinner inspiration? Explore our Featured Paleo Dinner Ideas.

After you pick your recipes, use our Paleo Shopping List to help stock your kitchen and get ready for the week.

You can also sign up for a free Plan N Cook account to save recipes, organize your meals, and make a shopping list based on your choices.

Continue Exploring Paleo

If you’re new to Paleo, start with What Is the Paleo Diet? for an introduction to how the diet works.

Then explore:

Foods to Avoid on the Paleo Diet for ingredients traditionally left out.
Paleo Shopping List for practical grocery-shopping guidance.
Paleo Meal Plans for organizing breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
Featured Paleo Dinner Ideas for inspiration when you’re deciding what to cook.

Once you know the basic Paleo foods, the diet is less about recalling rules and more about putting together simple, whole foods into meals you like.