The Whole30 diet is a 30-day elimination diet that focuses on eating whole, unprocessed foods. The goal of Whole30 is to reset your eating habits and relationship with food. During the 30 days, you eliminate sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, dairy, and processed foods from your diet. You are only allowed to eat meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, herbs, spices, and seasonings.
Allowed Foods on Whole30
Here are the foods that are allowed on the Whole30 diet:
Proteins
- Meat: Beef, pork, lamb, bison, etc.
- Poultry: Chicken, turkey, duck, etc.
- Seafood: Salmon, shrimp, tuna, sardines, etc.
- Eggs
Meats should come from animal raised without hormones or antibiotics. Processed meats like bacon, sausage, deli meats are not allowed. Lean proteins are encouraged over fattier cuts.
Vegetables
All vegetables are allowed, except for peas, corn, and white potatoes. Fresh or frozen vegetables are preferred over canned versions.
Fruits
All fruits are allowed on Whole30, but should be eaten in moderation, especially fruits high in natural sugars like bananas, grapes, mangos. Dried fruits are not allowed.
Natural Fats and Oils
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Ghee or clarified butter
- Nuts and seeds
- Olives
- Avocados
- Coconut meat and milk
Herbs, Spices, Seasonings
All fresh and dried herbs, spices, seasonings, vinegars, mustards, and condiments without added sugar are allowed.
Beverages
- Water
- Sparkling water
- Unsweetened tea
- Black coffee
No sweeteners, milk/cream, or alcohol are allowed in beverages.
Foods to Avoid on Whole30
Here are the foods that should be avoided completely on the Whole30:
Grains
All grains and products made from grains are eliminated, including:
- Bread
- Pasta
- Rice
- Oats
- Breakfast cereals
- Tortillas
- Pizza crust
- Crackers
- Baked goods
Legumes
All legumes and legume-based products are eliminated, including:
- Beans (black, kidney, pinto, etc.)
- Lentils
- Peanuts
- Peanut butter
- Soybeans
- Tofu
- Edamame
- Green peas
Dairy
All dairy products from mammals are eliminated, including:
- Milk
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Ice cream
- Butter
- Whey protein powder
- Casein protein powder
Sugar and Sweeteners
All forms of added sugar are eliminated, including:
- Table sugar
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- Agave nectar
- Coconut sugar
- Artificial sweeteners
Foods that commonly contain added sugars are also eliminated, like ketchup, barbecue sauce, and sweetened nut butters.
Vegetable and Seed Oils
All refined and heavily processed vegetable and seed oils like canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, grapeseed oil are eliminated.
Alcohol
All forms of alcohol are eliminated, including beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks.
Processed Foods
Any food that comes in a box, bag, or package with more than five ingredients or contains additives like artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives.
Whole30 Approved Shopping List
Here is a comprehensive shopping list of foods that are approved on the Whole30 diet:
| Proteins | Vegetables | Fruits |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | Spinach | Apples |
| Chicken | Broccoli | Blueberries |
| Salmon | Carrots | Strawberries |
| Eggs | Asparagus | Pineapple |
| Pork | Green beans | Banana |
| Turkey | Bell peppers | Mango |
| Shrimp | Cauliflower | Grapefruit |
| Tuna | Mushrooms | Cherries |
| Healthy Fats | Herbs & Spices | Beverages |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | Basil | Water |
| Coconut oil | Oregano | Sparkling water |
| Avocados | Cinnamon | Unsweetened tea |
| Nuts | Garlic | Black coffee |
| Nut butters | Rosemary | |
| Seeds | Thyme | |
| Ghee | Chili powder |
Whole30 Breakfast Ideas
Here are some delicious and satisfying breakfast options to enjoy on the Whole30 diet:
- Eggs cooked any style with vegetables
- Smoked salmon and avocado toast on Whole30 compliant bread
- Buffalo chicken lettuce wrap “tacos”
- Baked sweet potato topped with almond butter
- Sausage, mushroom, and Brussels sprouts hash
- Chicken apple sausage with sautéed greens
- Beef breakfast skillet with peppers and onions
- Turkey bacon or prosciutto with avocado
- Smoked salmon and whipped boiled eggs on slices of tomato
- Chicken, spinach, and tomato omelet
Whole30 Lunch Ideas
Satisfying lunch options to enjoy on Whole30 include:
- Tuna salad lettuce wrap with apples and walnuts
- Shrimp salad stuffed avocado
- Vegetable soup or chili in homemade Whole30 compliant bread bowl
- Grilled chicken over salad greens with olive oil and lemon dressing
- Zucchini noodle pasta with meatballs and tomato sauce
- Taco salad with ground beef, peppers, onion, lettuce, and guacamole
- Chicken kale Caesar salad
- Spicy Thai curry shrimp with cauliflower rice
- Salmon burgers on lettuce buns with sautéed onions and mushrooms
- Egg salad lettuce wraps with tomato and avocado
Whole30 Dinner Ideas
Filling dinner options for the Whole30 diet include:
- Sheet pan fajitas with chicken or steak, peppers, and onions
- Slow cooker pulled pork or chicken with coleslaw
- Steak and vegetables kabobs
- Salmon with pesto and roasted asparagus and tomatoes
- Zoodles with meatballs and marinara sauce
- Stuffed peppers or zucchini boats
- Shrimp and sausage skillet with cauliflower rice
- Chicken apple sausage baked sweet potatoes
- Beef or turkey meatloaf with mashed cauliflower
- Chicken coconut curry with spaghetti squash
Whole30 Snack Ideas
These easy snacks will help curb cravings on Whole30:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Hardboiled eggs
- Leftover chicken or beef
- Olives
- Nuts and seeds
- Nut butters with apple slices
- Guacamole and veggies
- Salsa and plantain chips
- Turkey roll-ups
- Coconut yogurt
Whole30 Dessert Ideas
While desserts with sugar, grains, and dairy are off-limits on Whole30, you can make delicious treats using approved ingredients like:
- Fresh fruit with coconut whipped cream
- Dark chocolate
with almonds - Chocolate banana “ice cream”
- Strawberries drizzled with melted dark chocolate
- Panna cotta
- Coconut macaroons
- Chocolate avocado mousse
- Chocolate chia seed pudding
- Pumpkin custard
- Berry chia jam
Tips for Whole30 Success
Here are some tips to help you stick to the Whole30 and make lasting change:
- Plan ahead – Spend time meal prepping and stocking up on compliant ingredients.
- Read labels – Get in the habit of reading nutrition labels to spot hidden sugars and unacceptable ingredients.
- Eat enough – Don’t skimp on portions or you may feel unsatisfied and be more likely to cheat.
- Sleep well – Get 7-9 hours per night to help control hunger hormones.
- Manage stress – Find healthy ways to relax when stress strikes like taking a walk, calling a friend, or meditating.
- Avoid triggers – Steer clear of situations that may cause you to stray like happy hour with friends.
- Hydrate – Drink plenty of water to stay full between meals.
- Get support – Enlist friends and family to cheer you on.
Benefits of Whole30
Here are some of the benefits you can expect to experience by completing the Whole30 program:
- Reset eating habits – The elimination diet helps break unhealthy cravings and emotional attachments to food.
- Reduce inflammation – Eliminating inflammatory foods like sugar, grains, dairy can reduce joint pain, bloating, and other inflammatory symptoms.
- Improve digestion – The fiber from whole foods improves bowel regularity and gut health.
- Increase energy – Stabilized blood sugar from the low-carb eating provides steady energy rather than spikes and crashes from sugary foods.
- Clearer skin – Hormonal and inflammatory triggers like dairy are removed.
- Improved focus – Steady energy and hormone levels support concentration and mental clarity.
- Healthy weight – Eliminating empty calories and inflammatory foods facilitates fat loss.
- Better sleep – Quality nutrition supports healthy sleep patterns.
- Food freedom – The program helps break reliance on comfort foods and take control of food choices.
Conclusion
The Whole30 diet can be challenging but very rewarding. Having a plan for compliant meals and snacks, reading labels, managing stress, and getting enough sleep and exercise will help you stick to the program. Completing Whole30 can transform your relationship with food, reduce cravings, improve gut health and inflammation, increase energy, clear skin, improve sleep, and result in healthy, sustainable weight loss. With some determination and preparation, you can complete Whole30 successfully and reap the many short and long-term health benefits.