New & confused.

[Lori671]

So I will be starting the Whole30 September group. It seems the more I read, the more confused I get. What’s the most simple way to start? Has anyone used the meal planning company suggested by Whole30. Suggestions please.

[ShannonM816]

These are the rules:  https://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/. As long as you follow them, you're doing a whole30.

There are also a lot of recommendations to help you get the most from your whole30, but you do not have to follow those to do a whole30. This article explains the difference between the two in more detail: https://whole30.com/rules-recommendations/.

The easiest thing to do is plan a few meals based around some protein (eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, etc.), some healthy fats (avocado, olives, oils to cook with, dressings/dips, coconut, nuts & seeds), and lots of vegetables. You can have fruit if you want it, but you don't have to. These could be super simple, like scrambled eggs with spinach and hashbrowns potatoes, or a burger patty with avocado on top of a big salad. 

There are things like whole30 compliant mayo, salad dressing, deli meat, bacon, and ketchup, which can be convenient, but they tend to be more expensive than the non-whole30 versions, and you can absolutely do whole30 without buying any of them, although that means a little more cooking. 

Do you have specific concerns? Do you need help finding recipes? 

[ShannonsSchwa]

I am also new and looking for a little help.  I get all my meats from our local butcher, so I don’t have any ingredients list to view. How can I tell if the bacon is ok for whole30 or not?  What would I even ask my butcher, since there’s not standard packaging to read?  

 

Is there anything else else I should double check regarding butcher meats before I embark on whole30?

 

Thanks in advance!! 

[ShannonM816]

You should be able to ask your butcher about the ingredients in anything they sell. They should know, if they make it themselves, or be able to find out, if they get it from someone else. The most common non-whole30 ingredient in bacon is sugar, which is almost always used to cure bacon unless someone is going out of their way to not use it. Even if they insist it's just a little bit, any sugar would make it not okay for whole30. 

Other things like sausages or deli meats could have sugar or honey or other sweeteners, or soy, or dairy. Again, the butcher should be able to tell you the ingredients. You should be safe if you stick to fresh meats with no seasonings or marinades.

If when you go to buy meats, they're usually crowded or busy, it might be worth trying to go at a different time or find another way to contact them, by phone or email or through a Facebook page or whatever they may have, so you can ask your questions without feeling rushed.