Technically, all grains are off the table when it comes to paleo, particularly gluten-containing grains. Rice is, indeed, a grain, though it contains no gluten. Depending on the person, it can be processed easily without issue. Some paleo purists say no grains, no way, no how.
While white potatoes are one of the staples of a Western diet, unfortunately they are not considered paleo. (Cue crying into a box of french fries.) Secondly, potatoes are very low in protein and fiber, two of the most important factors in a healthy and successful paleo diet.
The paleo diet focuses on unprocessed foods and avoids dairy products. That means your paleo breakfasts can be high in fiber, with seeds, nuts, and fresh fruits. They can also give you a morning dose of protein via meat and eggs.
Taco Bell has a larger menu and offers more variety with gimmicky food items like the Crunch Wrap and Dorito's Locos Tacos. Since they sell tacos for a dollar, that's no shocker. McDonald's gets a bad rap because their food is notoriously unhealthy, but I think they make a good product for a restaurant of their scale.
Five Guys probably has the best tasting burger of any fast food joint. Even without the bun, it is delicious. Five Guys fries their potatoes in peanut oil. Potatoes are not paleo, nor are peanuts, but if you choose to enjoy the French fries at least you're avoiding unhealthy vegetable & seed oils.
Some well known tubers are potatoes, carrots, radishes, and beets. Some of these vegetables are considered paleo, while others are not. Most followers of the paleo diet stick to the rule that sweet potatoes are paleo but that white potatoes are not. Many do also eat other starchy tubers.
Dairy. A strict paleo diet does not allow dairy products because hunter-gatherers did not milk cows. This includes milk, butter, yogurt, sour cream, and cheese. However, some paleo dieters say dairy is OK, especially if it is grass-fed because grass-fed butter, for example, has more omega-3s.
You can still eat Paleo without grass-fed meat.
It won't be absolutely optimal, but think of it this way: which is better for you, grain-fed sausage on top of a giant greasy pizza, or grain-fed sausage on top of a pile of broccoli?This copycat Chick fil A sauce is a clean, healthier alternative to the traditional smoky honey mustard dipping sauce. Made with all natural ingredients, you don't have to feel too guilty about adding this to your chicken nuggets. This one doesn't use BBQ sauce, so it's considered a paleo Chick fil A sauce.
Here are eight paleo fast food options for you to try!
- Chick-fil-A. Whether you're looking for a quick snack or a full-sized meal, Chick-fil-A's bite-sized Grilled Chicken Nuggets are a great choice for paleo fast food.
- Shake Shack.
- Chipotle.
- Panera Bread.
- In-N-Out.
- Starbucks.
- El Pollo Loco.
- Pizza Hut.
Japanese & sushi: Sushi restaurants can be a great place to eat paleo with a little preparation and by making special requests. Bring a bottle of coconut aminos with you and use them instead of soy sauce. When ordering maki or hand rolls, ask that they made without rice; sashimi is always an excellent option.
20 Paleo Work-Friendly Lunch Recipes
- Chinese Chicken Salad. A chicken salad sandwich sounds great for lunch, but the sandwich part is out of the question if you're eating paleo.
- Portabella Sandwich with Sweet Potato Chips.
- Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps.
- Italian Sub Roll-Up.
- Basil Avocado Chicken Salad.
- Nicoise Salad.
- Meaty Veggie Roll-Ups.
- Cuban Brisket Taco Bowls.
What they are is a loss leader, which means Burger King (and other fast food chains in the same boat) are willing to lose a little money on an item if it gets customers in the door who will purchase other items. This is especially common now with fast casual chains stealing customers away from fast food.
Keto McDonald's Breakfast
- Sausage, Egg and Cheese McMuffin or McGriddle (no English muffin or griddle cake): 4g net carbs, 26g of fat, and 15 grams of protein.
- Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit): 4g net carbs, 13g of fat, and 14g of protein.
Great News: You Can Find Whole30-Friendly Meals At All Of These Restaurants And Fast Food Chains
- Chili's. Chili's.
- Chipotle. Joe RaedleGetty Images.
- Five Guys. Five GuysFacebook.
- In-N-Out. Tommaso BoddiGetty Images.
- Outback Steakhouse. Outback SteakhouseFacebook.
- Panera. PaneraFacebook.
- Red Lobster.
- Whole Foods.
Referenced Symbols. Fresher, healthier, made-to-order meals from upstart fast-casual chains like Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. are stealing diners (and profit) from legacy burger joints, namely McDonald's Corp. One Chipotle burrito can be twice the calories of a Big Mac and have nearly a full day's worth of calories.
You could easily stick to your Paleo, Gluten Free, or low-calorie diet plan at Panda. The servers are also constantly making fresh batches of veggies and entrees. I'm giving Panda Express 4.5 out of 5 stars!
The short answer is that, yes, mayonnaise can be Paleo – but there is more to it than just running out to your local grocery store and picking up a container of your favorite go-to brand. The mayonnaise you find on the shelf will generally include ingredients that are not compliant, such as soybean oil.
Potatoes Are Not Paleo
So, if you go against the paleo grain here and there and are okay with eating starchy vegetables, potatoes may work for you.Beans are a healthy food, and they are also food non grata on the Paleo diet. So the Paleo diet is about eating foods that our caveman ancestors ate, which included foods we could hunt, fish, gather or pluck – no grains or beans.
As mentioned, corn isn't considered a paleo-friendly food. While it is pretty low in calories and is technically plant-based, it's a whole grain and the phytic acid found within corn can cause inflammation in the gut and mess with your blood sugar.
Wendy's chili is not paleo. Here's the ingredients list: They can get those from paleo carb sources like fruit and tubers. So can you and your wife if you don't want to make separate low-carb meals for yourself.
Chick-fil-A
If you think the grilled chicken nuggets are A-OK, think again. They're off-limits because they contain ingredients like cornstarch, molasses, and soybean oil. What Whole30 menu items to order at Chick-fil-A: It's probably best to skip Chick-fil-A altogether during your Whole30, Yawitz says.Most meat is considered Paleo—as long as it is grass-fed beef, lamb, or free-range poultry. Processed meats, such as lunch meats and processed pork, are not true Paleo foods. They did not exist in the diets of our Paleo ancestors. These foods often contain sodium nitrates and other unnatural preservatives.
Paleo diets are based on a simple premise – if the cavemen didn't eat it, you shouldn't either. So long to refined sugar, dairy, legumes and grains (this is pre-agricultural revolution), and hello to meat, fish, poultry, fruits and veggies.
Legumes. Legumes are members of a large family of plants that have a seed or pod. This category includes all beans, peas, lentils, tofu and other soy foods, and peanuts. Legumes are not allowed on paleo because of their high content of lectins and phytic acid.
Wait, I can eat pizza on the paleo diet?!
Sure can! You just have to make sure you skip a dough with wheat and gluten and dairy (dairy-free mozzarella is surprisingly easy to find these days). But vegetables and pepperoni are totally allowed for topping.Chinese: Thanks to the MSG and gluten-laden sauces, Chinese takeout can be particularly tricky for Paleo eaters. Your best bet is to order a meat-and-veggies meal sauce-free, and keep a bottle of gluten-free soy sauce in the office fridge!
It's well known that following a paleo diet can help you lose weight. It's high in protein, low in carbs, may reduce appetite and eliminates highly processed foods and added sugar. If you don't like counting calories, evidence suggests the paleo diet could be a great option.
Here are 24 easy and tasty snacks that suit a paleo diet.
- Ranch-flavored roasted almonds.
- Cashew butter and blackberry chia pudding.
- Paleo-friendly protein bars.
- Whole fruit.
- Avocado stuffed with egg salad.
- Turkey sticks.
- Coconut yogurt parfait.
- Banana boats with almond butter.
Paleo Curries
- Colorful Vegetable Curry.
- Coconut Chicken Curry.
- Paleo Fish Curry.
- Paleo Beef Curry.
- Pressure Cooker Beef Curry Stew.
- Paleo Eggplant Curry.
- Keto Salmon Curry Recipe [Paleo, Low-Carb]
- Keto Cauliflower Chicken Curry.
Japanese & sushi: Sushi restaurants can be a great place to eat paleo with a little preparation and by making special requests. Bring a bottle of coconut aminos with you and use them instead of soy sauce. When ordering maki or hand rolls, ask that they made without rice; sashimi is always an excellent option.
