What is the paleo diet?

Paleo is built around whole foods a hunter-gatherer could plausibly have eaten: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. It cuts grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar, and processed seed oils. The anthropology argument is shaky, but the practical result, eating mostly unprocessed food, is sound. We cook it as a clean-eating frame, not a time-travel claim.

What can I eat on paleo?

Eat: meat and poultry, fish and shellfish, eggs, all vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, coconut). Most of the recipes on this site that are not built on grains, beans, or dairy are already paleo or one swap away.

What do I avoid on paleo?

Avoid: grains (wheat, rice, oats, corn), legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts, soy), dairy, refined sugar, and industrial seed oils. White potatoes are debated; sweet potatoes are widely accepted. The line that matters most in practice is no grains and no added sugar.

Paleo vs Whole30, what is the difference?

Whole30 is essentially a stricter, 30-day version of paleo: it also bans added sugar of every kind, alcohol, and even paleo-friendly treats and baked goods for the month. Paleo is the long-term pattern; Whole30 is a 30-day reset within it. A Whole30 recipe is always paleo; a paleo recipe is not always Whole30.

Is paleo good for weight loss?

It can be, mostly because cutting grains, sugar, and processed food removes a lot of easy calories and the protein keeps you full. It is not magic. The evidence shows it works about as well as other whole-food patterns when calories line up. Eat to appetite on real food and most people self-regulate.

Build dinners around a protein, two vegetables, and a fat, with no grain or bean on the plate. Cook the starter recipe below, then borrow from the Whole30 and anti-inflammatory recipes on this site, most of them are already paleo. The food list is your shopping reference.

The Guide· Diet-Specific

Paleo recipes

By The ThatCleanChef Kitchen · Updated June 29, 2026 · 12 min read

PaleoGluten-FreeDairy-Free

What paleo means, what to eat and avoid, where it overlaps with Whole30, and the real-food recipes that fit it. Pillar for the Paleo hub.

We'd rather answer the question you actually asked in the first paragraph, then earn your trust by showing the chef notes.

ThatCleanChef Kitchen

The FAQ

The questions cooks bring us.

What is the paleo diet?: Paleo is built around whole foods a hunter-gatherer could plausibly have eaten: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. It cuts grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar, and processed seed oils. The anthropology argument is shaky, but the practical result, eating mostly unprocessed food, is sound. We cook it as a clean-eating frame, not a time-travel claim.
What can I eat on paleo?: Eat: meat and poultry, fish and shellfish, eggs, all vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, coconut). Most of the recipes on this site that are not built on grains, beans, or dairy are already paleo or one swap away.
What do I avoid on paleo?: Avoid: grains (wheat, rice, oats, corn), legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts, soy), dairy, refined sugar, and industrial seed oils. White potatoes are debated; sweet potatoes are widely accepted. The line that matters most in practice is no grains and no added sugar.
Paleo vs Whole30, what is the difference?: Whole30 is essentially a stricter, 30-day version of paleo: it also bans added sugar of every kind, alcohol, and even paleo-friendly treats and baked goods for the month. Paleo is the long-term pattern; Whole30 is a 30-day reset within it. A Whole30 recipe is always paleo; a paleo recipe is not always Whole30.
Is paleo good for weight loss?: It can be, mostly because cutting grains, sugar, and processed food removes a lot of easy calories and the protein keeps you full. It is not magic. The evidence shows it works about as well as other whole-food patterns when calories line up. Eat to appetite on real food and most people self-regulate.
Where do I start?: Build dinners around a protein, two vegetables, and a fat, with no grain or bean on the plate. Cook the starter recipe below, then borrow from the Whole30 and anti-inflammatory recipes on this site, most of them are already paleo. The food list is your shopping reference.

Sources & technique

Where the technique comes from

The kitchen

About the ThatCleanChef Kitchen

A small team of recipe developers and food photographers testing recipes in home kitchens on home equipment. Every Nutrition Ledger is USDA FoodData Central-sourced and reviewed by Lena Marsh, RDN, MS. We don't pretend to be a single chef, we're the people behind the plates. Meet the full team →

Diet-Specific · Recipe

Anti-Inflammatory Golden Chicken Soup

Chef-tested anti-inflammatory chicken soup with turmeric, ginger, and bone broth. 55 min, 32g protein, Nutrition Ledger below.

55m32g protein

Diet-Specific · Guide

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Cook's Version

Evidence brief, ingredient inventory, weekly framework, and the 7-day meal plan. Pillar for the Anti-Inflammatory hub.

16 min read

Diet-Specific · Recipe

Whole30 Breakfast Hash

Sweet potato, sausage, peppers, eggs, a 25-minute Whole30 breakfast with 28g protein.

25m28g protein

The Clean Chef Starter Kit.

A 14-day anti-inflammatory meal plan PDF, grocery list by section, macros totaled per day, Sunday prep sequence. Free.

By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy. One calm email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.