Primal Blueprint Shopping List

So you’ve read the book and you’re ready to go Primal. You’ve purged your pantry and fridge of every last SAD (Standard American Diet) “food” item and you plan on hitting up your local farmers’ market or grocery store to stock up on delicious and nutritious Primal fare. But where do you start? I’ve created this page to take the guesswork out of shopping for Primal foods. Listed below you’ll find a fairly comprehensive list of what to eat on the Primal Blueprint eating plan (if you think something is missing from the list feel free to shoot me a line), aka The Healthiest Foods in the World. No 10 servings of daily grains around here. Just meat, vegetables, eggs, healthy fats, nuts/seeds and fruit.

Links below will take you to one of my Smart Fuel posts where you can learn more about the food, and, in some cases, to recipes featuring the ingredient. As I write about these ingredients in future blog posts this page will be updated with new links, so check back often!

You can also download this Primal Blueprint Shopping List (PDF). Print out a copy, hit your local grocer and start getting Primal today!

Vegetables

Artichoke Cucumbers Parsnips
Arugula Eggplant Peppers (all kinds)
Asparagus Endive Pumpkin
Avocados Fennel Purslane
Beets/Beet Greens Fiddlehead Ferns Radishes
Bell Peppers Garlic Romaine Lettuce
Bok Choy Green Beans Rutabaga
Broccoli Jerusalem Artichokes Sea Vegetables
Broccoli Rabe Jicama Spinach
Brussels Sprouts Kale Squash
Cabbage Kohlrabi Swiss Chard
Carrots Leeks Tomatoes
Cauliflower Mushrooms Turnip Greens
Celery Mustard Greens Watercress
Celery Root Olives
Collards Onions
Cassava Sweet Potatoes Yams
Potatoes Wild Rice Taro

Fish

Anchovies Mahi Mahi Salmon
Bass Monkfish Sardines
Cod Mullet Tilapia
Eel Northern Pike Tuna
Haddock Orange Roughy Walleye
Halibut Perch Any Other Wild Fish
Herring Red Snapper
Mackerel Rockfish

Shellfish

Abalone Lobster Scallops
Clams Mussels Shrimp
Crab Oysters
Crayfish Prawns

Meat and Poultry

Beef Goat Pork
Chicken Lamb
Game Meat
Alligator Emu Rabbit
Bear Goose Snakes
Buffalo Pheasant Turkey
Caribou Kangaroo Venison
Duck Ostrich
Elk Quail
Organ Meats
Hearts Liver Sweetbreads
Kidney Bone Marrow Tongue

Eggs

Chicken Goose Roe/Caviar
Duck Pheasant Other Bird Eggs
Emu Quail

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds Pecans Sunflower Seeds
Brazil Nuts Pine Nuts Walnuts
Hazelnuts Pistachios Derivative Butters
Hempseeds Pumpkin Seeds Peanuts
Macadamias Sesame Seeds

Healthy Fats/Oils

Avocado Oil Macadamia Oil Unprocessed Palm Oil
Butter/Ghee Olive Oil Walnut Oil
Coconut Oil/Milk Sesame Oil Healthy Dressings
Lard Tallow Healthy Condiments

Fruit

Preferred
Blackberries Boysenberries Gooseberries
Blueberries Cranberries Raspberries
Other Fruits
Apple Honeydew Melon Pears
Apricot Kiwi Persimmon
Banana Lemon Plums
Cantalope Lime Pomegranate
Cherries Lychee Rhubarb
Coconut Mango Star Fruit
Figs Nectarine Strawberries
Goji Berries Orange Tangerine
Grapefruit Papaya Watermelon
Grapes Passion Fruit All other fruits
Guava Peaches

Spices and Herbs

Anise Cumin Peppermint
Basil Dill Rosemary
Black Pepper Fennel Sage
Cayenne Pepper Ginger Stevia
Chili Pepper Mint Tarragon
Cilantro Mustard Seeds Thyme
Coriander Seeds Nutmeg Turmeric
Cinnamon Oregano
Cloves Paprika

 

In Moderation

100% Full Fat Cream
Cheese
Coffee
Yogurt
Honey (if desired)

Supplements

We don’t live in the Paleolithic world anymore. Downside: we’ve got more (stress, pollution, chemicals, etc.) to contend with. Upside: we can take advantage of modern technologies.This is what I recommend, sell and take myself every day.

Daily High-Potency Antioxidant Multi-Vitamin Supplement
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fish Oil Supplement

Collagen Protein Powder or
Whey Protein Powder
Probiotics
Vitamin D

Occasional Indulgences

Alcohol
Dark Chocolate

Other

Tamari
Tea (green, black, white, oolong)
Vinegar

Note that some food choices listed above might be endangered or unsustainable. Most notably, the list of fish that are contaminated or endangered is constantly changing. Check The Marine Stewardship Council, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch and the Environmental Defense Fund for more details on the mercury and PCB levels in fish and the environmental sustainability in the fishing industry. And, as always, please use discretion when making any food selection.