Whole30 is an elimination diet that you stick with for at least 30 days. It is “based on the premise that if you remove inflammatory foods from your diet for a certain amount of time, your body will naturally reset itself and in the process, you’ll learn which foods work and don’t work for you. The diet also focuses on the psychological aspects of food and encourages people to change how they think and relate to what’s on their plate, which is why it’s off limits to eat a pancake even if it’s made of coconut flour.” (from CookSmarts)
You can eat meat, seafood, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats (such as nuts and avocado or coconut oil). Everything else is eliminated, including dairy, gluten, grains, legumes (including peanuts), alcohol, and sugar. There are no other restrictions as far as when or how much you can eat. You can read all of the “rules” and more details about Whole30 here.
A round of Whole30 is supposed to help you:
- Eliminate cravings
- Improve energy and sleep
- Balance hormones
- Heal the digestive tract
- Restore a healthy metabolism
- Reduce systemic inflammation
- Discover how certain foods impact how you look and feel
- Have a healthy relationship with food
Chris and I are doing our Whole30 for the month of March. Who’s in!? I will totally be your cheerleader every step of the way!
The key is to focus on what you CAN eat, and keep it super simple! I shared my go-to lunches/meals here, which are super easy to keep Whole30 compliant.
I can easily eat the same thing over and over again and be perfectly happy with it. That’s why it has been so easy to meal prep- I know exactly what I’m buying and preparing each week and it takes the guesswork out of it. Preparation is essential for Whole30 success. You don’t want to get to a point where you are so hungry and will eat just anything you can get your hands on. Having plenty of compliant snacks on hand will help you!
It is only 30 days, and to keep it simple, I’m not planning out a ton of different meals, just a few staples, and then switching it up for dinners. I’m excited to bust out my spiralizer (I have this one)- it has been way too long since I’ve used it!
The easiest things I can think of for dinners are variations of pasta (spiralized veggies) and stir fry. If you’re a more advanced Whole30-er or chef, feel free to scoff at the simplicity of these meals!
*I don’t eat red meat or pork, so all of the meats are chicken or turkey. You can sub any meat you want for all of these.
You can download and use the completed menu above, or download a blank one and create your own.
Here are the recipes or helpful how-to’s:
Easy Make-Ahead Egg and Veggie Muffins
Grilled Chicken Salad (these bowls are PERFECT for salads on the go!)
Chicken Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry
Grilled Chicken with turkey bacon-wrapped asparagus, and mashed potatoes
Spiralized carrots with ground turkey/sauce
Zoodles with chicken sausage/sauce
Chicken Stir Fry
Teriyaki Shrimp and Pineapple Stir Fry
Spaghetti (Squash) with Turkey Meatballs
From what I have tried so far, my favorite sauces and dressings that are Whole30 compliant are from Primal Kitchen. I’m sure there are other compliant condiments out there, but it can be tricky and Primal Kitchen just makes it super easy. You can find it at Target, too! You can also use Thrive Market and there’s a category for Whole30. The thing to watch out for is added sugars. Always read the ingredients.
Who else has done Whole30? What made it easiest for you? Send me your best tips!
