You should be doing Paleo meal prep a bit differently than regular meal prep. Since the Paleo Diet is clear about which foods to eat and which to avoid, you need to have the right foods on hand. Also, some foods will be in the fridge while others can be separate (think: homemade sauces and dressings that need smaller containers), and more. 

While the meal prep can be challenging at first, the benefits of the Paleo Diet make it worth it. Following this way of eating can help mitigate the risks of chronic issues such as unhealthy weight or body mass, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and Type-2 diabetes, reports Nutrition Journal. 

Get your paleo meal prep right with these 10 tips so you can fuel your body every day without stress or frustration. It will make following your meal plan easier, allowing you to stick with it and see results.

 

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#1. Always Keep the Staples Stocked

Many of the basic paleo cooking items can be stored at room temperature, so it’s easy to keep these staples stocked. With the right foundational products in your kitchen, you can tackle step one of meal prep: planning your weekly menu. Here are some key ingredients to keep in your kitchen at all times:

  • Cooking Fats: ghee, avocado oil, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil
  • Gluten-Free Flours: almond, cassava, arrowroot, coconut
  • Vinegars: raw cider, balsamic, white or red wine 
  • Dried Herbs and Spices: most varieties are paleo    
  • Condiments: almond butter, tahini, coconut aminos (some will need refrigeration)
  • Natural Sweeteners: honey, raw stevia, Grade-B maple syrup, full-fat coconut milk (some will need refrigeration)

#2: Focus on Variety Above All

The trick to a sustainable Paleo Diet is using a variety of foods to include different colors, textures, and flavors. This will ensure the meal plan keeps you excited instead of becoming repetitive and boring over time. Remember to focus on variety for both produce (fruits and veggies) and protein, since all meals are predominantly made up of these two items.

Use this list to come up with new food ideas as you grocery shop: 

  • Vegetables: beets, mushrooms, garlic, fennel, onions, carrots, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, fermented veggies 
  • Fruits: lemons, apples, oranges, limes, pears, avocados, grapes, tomatoes, olives, plums, berries, apricots (choose low-glycemic fruits)
  • Proteins: grass-fed beef and lamb, free-range chicken and poultry, wild-caught fish and shrimp, pasture-raised eggs 

 

#3. Buy Only What You’ll Actually Use

Bulk amounts of produce are likely to expire, so when planning your menu, note the quantities for each produce item on your list. This cuts down on both food and financial waste. 

In addition, select prep recipes that include vegetables or fruits you’ll want to eat. Just because an ingredient is “trendy” or common in Paleo recipes doesn’t mean you have to stock the fridge with it. 

If you purchase a bundle of kale when it’s not your favorite green, chances are, most of it will spoil in the back of the vegetable drawer. Opt for the green of your choice to ensure it gets used—and that you enjoy the meals you’re prepping.

Keep Reading: 10 Tips for Salad Meal Prep

 

#4. Make Sauces and Dressings From Scratch

Some condiments on the market are technically paleo, but too often, these products contain artificial preservatives or refined sweeteners that don’t align with a paleo diet. Part of good Paleo meal prep is using this time to make your own sauces or dressings, which makes it easier to control the nutrient density of each condiment as well.

With herbs, spices, avocado oil, vinegar, and thickeners such as ghee, mustard, or coconut milk, you can blend together multiple sauce combinations. Use the resources below to find Paleo-friendly recipes that you’ll love:

#5. Don’t Forget Paleo Snacks

Some condiments on the market are technically paleo, but too often, they’re a processed food. These products contain artificial preservatives or refined sweeteners that don’t align with a paleo diet. Part of good Paleo meal prep is using this time to make your own sauces or dressings, which makes it easier to control the nutrient density of each condiment as well.

With herbs, spices, avocado oil, vinegar, and thickeners such as ghee, mustard, or coconut milk, you can blend together multiple sauce combinations. Use the resources below to find recipes to make your paleo meal plan delicious:

  • Oven-roasted kale chips seasoned with olive oil and sea salt
  • Zucchini bites coated in almond flour
  • Cashew and walnut trail mix
  • Crispy bacon-wrapped butternut squash
  • Crispy homemade sweet potato chips

Check out these Paleo snack recipes from Greatist for more paleo-friendly snack ideas.

 

#6. Always Check the Ingredients Label 

Sometimes the convenience and accessibility of a packaged store item is hard to pass up—especially on busy weeks and days. If you rely on some of these foods or condiments for your Paleo meal prep, read the nutrition facts and ingredients label first. While certain paleo brands at the grocery store are made from natural, whole food sources, others contain artificial, processed fillers that make them unsuitable for the paleo diet. 

Remember that even packaged items with wholesome ingredient lists will, more often than not, contain at least some preservatives to make them shelf-stable. The healthiest option is always to opt for fresh, natural whole foods and make your own condiments or seasoning blends as often as possible.

Keep Reading: A Dieter’s Guide to Intuitive Eating

 

#7. Meal Prep With Healthy Fats

Many foods on the paleo diet are rich in healthy fats, so it’s not difficult to find recipes that utilize the essential macronutrient. Avocado, nuts, salmon, tahini, chia seeds, ghee, and oils are all excellent sources of monounsaturated fat which is the kind you want to prioritize. However, remember to avoid trans (or artificial) fat sources.   

Monounsaturated fats are beneficial for a variety of reasons, suggests U.S. National Library of Medicine, because the body converts those fats into burnable energy required to move and function. Monounsaturated fats can also help manage cholesterol to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, and they can aid in cell growth or repair. 

When looking at meal prep ideas, keep fat content in mind along with fat intake recommendations. The National Library of Medicine recommends that your fat intake not exceed 25 to 30 percent of all daily calories.

 

#8. Experiment with Paleo-Friendly Substitutions

Cooking on the paleo diet is an opportunity to be creative and experiment with foods you might not have tried before. Instead of solely focusing on the dietary restrictions, have fun with the paleo-friendly substitutions you can use to create new and different flavor profiles. 

Below are some ingredient swaps to use for your Paleo meal prep:  

  • Instead of white potatoes: turnips, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, celery root
  • Instead of dairy: nut milk and yogurt, cashew cheese, coconut milk or cream 
  • Instead of corn and beans: diced tomatoes, peas, carrots, peppers or mushrooms
  • Instead of peanuts: cashews, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, macadamias, pistachios
  • Instead of white or wheat flour: coconut or almond flour, arrowroot powder
  • Instead of pasta noodles: spiralized veggies, kelp noodles, spaghetti squash
  • Instead of rice and grains: riced cauliflower, broccoli, squash or plantains
  • Instead of breadcrumbs: ground flax, nuts, pepitas or sesame seeds
  • Instead of tortillas: lettuce or cabbage wraps, coconut flour wraps
  • Instead of pizza crust: sliced eggplant or sweet potato rounds, cauliflower crust, zucchini boats, portobello mushroom caps 

#9. Turn Leftovers into Breakfast and Lunch

The majority of paleo foods are versatile enough to be eaten for any meal of the day. This means a previous night’s dinner can be repurposed into breakfast or lunch later in the week. This means you can do less cooking and still prep plenty of food for all your meals.

Here are some dinner ideas that translate to breakfast and lunch:

  • Dinner: spaghetti squash with tomato sauce for dinner one night
  • Breakfast: Add a fried egg or sliced avocado on top. 
  • Dinner: Salmon patties with salad
  • Lunch: Mash with a fork and add into a lettuce wrap. 

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#10. Find Your Weekly Mainstays

Keep a few basic, mainstay recipes in the arsenal to make your life easier. This is helpful for the weeks that you have a limited amount of time for meal prep or can’t come with fresh ideas.

These “back-pocket" meals should include easy, hands-off recipes that you can do with minimal manual effort, before transferring into the fridge. Some examples of back-pocket recipes include:

  • Tuna or salmon patties
  • Turkey meatballs
  • Spiralized zucchini noodles
  • Sweet potato chili
  • Cauliflower rice  

Make Paleo Meal Prep Work for You

Knowing how to do paleo meal prep is easy when you have foundational information on nutrition. And, if you’re following a paleo meal plan, chances are you’re also a fitness fan. You can take your nutrition and workouts to a new level with a degree in exercise science. 

With this type of degree, you can be a personal trainer, wellness director, nutrition coach and more. The doors to fitness job opportunities are wide open

When you pursue a fitness education from Lionel University, you get it all. The courses are all online and asynchronous, which means you can learn at a time that works for you! Not to mention, learning is so much easier when it’s about a topic you love. You won’t just learn about fitness. In fact, you’ll get a deep dive into nutrition, fitness entrepreneurship, exercise psychology and behavior change, and so much more. It will change how you pursue your own healthy lifestyle. 

Further, the doors to fitness job opportunities are wide open. Regardless of whether you’re pursuing an associates degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, specialists in exercise science are in demand.

As you go through your degree program at Lionel, you’ll also earn your personal training certification and Master Trainer certificate in the first few months. This means you can start working as a personal trainer while you finish your program! And, with the help of financial aid, earning your exercise science degree is even more of a possibility. 

Check out our programs and contact us today!