Picking out the Whole30-banned foods?

[VFDhaven]

Hi guys, my husband and I are about to embark on our first Whole30 in just a few days! We currently live with my grandma, who eats a LOT of junk, most of which will be (hopefully) pretty easy to ignore, but occasionally she does make dinner. Like tonight, we're having beef stew with carrots, onions, tomatoes, and red potatoes. I'll have to check the broth to make sure it doesn't have anything gross in it, but do you guys think it's Whole30 friendly to eat stew, minus the potatoes? Or does the process of cooking the potatoes add bad things to the broth? 

 

Thanks for weighing in!

[GFChris]

You might be ok, but I'm wondering how realistic it is to avoid all the potato pieces. Sometimes potatoes break into bits as the stew's broth cooks and then you have to worry about picking out all the bits.  For me personally, that would be more trouble that it's worth.

 

Is it possible to split the stew in half and make one half with potatoes and the other half without?  

I see that you're starting a Whole30 in a few days. Since you're not on a Whole30 now, isn't whether or not you eat potatoes tonight a non-issue?

[VFDhaven]

Yeah, the stew is fine for tonight, I'm just trying to plan ahead because my grandma loves her comfort food, and a lot of it, like stew, is kind of on the edge of iffy. Thanks for the input! 

[Bet]

Have her try using turnips instead of potatoes. They work very well in stews.

[Tina R]

I would be careful of anyone who wants to cook for you. People who are not on the whole30 do not understand the rules. They don't realize that by adding flour, beef bouillon, Worcestershire, soy or butter that they are adding non compliant ingredients. They all mean well but most of the time don't even realize what they are doing because it is such a habit. I would make my own and have dinner with her, after all it is the company that is most important. Good Luck!