Primal diet basics and shopping list

Once I started eating primally I found shopping actually a lot quicker because I dont eat most of the stuff in the supermarket, although because you’re buying fresh produce you may need to go more than once a week.

Mark Sissons website is where I first came across the primal diet and its packed with information. For a complete overview have a look here http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/.

It doesn’t need to be complicated though. Basically if you eat fresh vegetables, salads, some fruit, and good quality meat, fish and some dairy you’re pretty much there. Potatoes are considered a no no but I often have the odd small sweet potato here and there. I probably eat quite a few more carbs (from veg, fruit and dried fruit) than most primal followers but I’m ok with that for the moment as I’m happy maintaining what muscle bulk I’ve got with a little bit of winter fat I’ll probably try and lean up more in the summer.

My typical grocery list includes:

Fresh stuff:

Blueberries

Different salad leaves (mixed leaves, baby spinach, rocket)

Cherry tomatoes*

Mushrooms

Sweet potatoes

Butternut squash

Double cream*

Cheese

Chicken thigh fillets (for students this is much cheaper than breast meat, and I think it tastes better anyway!)

Pork mince *

Beef mince *

Eggs

Store cupboard:

Honey*

Dried figs, apricots or dates

Brazil nuts, walnuts

Ground almonds

Virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar*

Apple cider vinegar

Mustard

Different spices

Ketchup (no sugar/salt variety)

Mayonaise*

Teas* – white, nettle, rooibos, green, earl grey

Ground coffee

Frozen section:

Mixed sliced bell peppers

Chopped onions

Baby brussel sprouts

Cod fillets

*=organic produce. I’m normally restricted by price for buying organic stuff but these items either dont have a great mark up for organic produce or the taste difference is well worth the little extra cost (especially the double cream).

The frozen sliced peppers are a good student tip. I found buying fresh peppers went off before I could finish using them and they can be very expensive (not far off  £1 a pepper). These are just easy, ready prepared, cheap and last long enough for me to use them. One of the few things in my freezer. The frozen chopped onions are there for the same reason but mainly because I can’t be bothered to chop and cry over onions.

There are probably items I’ve missed off but thats pretty much it.  From that list you make lots of different dishes and I change the odd item for a bit of variety or to make use of special offers or for seasonal differences.

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