Anyone doing it?
I'd like to cut our reliance on wheat products and this seems like a good way to go. I'm not interested about being anal about it, but I'd like to make a change, particularly for lunches.

Experience?

I think I kind of am doing this - though haven't read up much on paleo diet, I'm doing a low carb/paleo mix I suppose.

For the past 6wks I have been pretty much wheat/sugar/carb free - have two mocchachinos, last night I had my first biscuit, mmmm!!! I find I feel so good eating this way and am sleeping better than I have for years.

My meals are usually, breakfast, handful of nuts or a hard boiled egg and a glass of milk.

Lunch - usually a platter of raw veges/fish/chicken ie. a tomato, sliced cucumber, capsicum, hard boiled egg, tinned salmon or mussels, some nuts etc. Lately I have been using cucumber like crackers - sliced with cream cheese, sliced tomato, salt and pepper, try it, it is yummy. I made a spicy eggplant dip that is divine on sliced cucumber too. Sometimes all I have is some nuts, honestly, it is all I need, fills me up until dinnertime.

Today for breakfast I had some leftover coleslaw from last nights dinner! I find I don't need to eat much in a day at all, it is incredible how little I eat now and feel full, certainly I don't need to snack at all.

It is amazing how reliant as a society we are on wheat products, most families would have wheat breakfast, lunch and dinner + wheat snacks during the day. I have significantly reduced how much wheat the kids are eating but have not cut it out completely for them. We used to eat pasta a couple of times a week and now it would only be once a fortnight.

Hope that helps

Hi,

We have been eating paleo (my husband and I and our 4 kids) since February this year. Dh and I had been doing it a while longer and then we realised we were feeding the kids food we no longer believed was healthy, so we took a breath and cut it out of their diets too.

So we eat no grains, they do not drink milk (kids still have yoghurt and cheese), no sugar, no potatoes. Essentially, all of food is unprocessed. I do make the kids almond flour muffins, sweetened with dates or banana. I make the almond flour myself in the food processor.

There is a lot of support and recipes out there on blogs if you were interested in giving it a go. It does take a bit of lateral thinking with recipes etc, especially to up the calories for the kids.

Incidentally, I wouldn't call Paleo a low carb diet, just one that does not include grains or sugars. Kids need carbs, as do adults. We are just choosy about the source of carbs.

The transformations in my two younger kids was really quite something. My middle child had pretty poor behaviour beforehand and was really quite transformed. His behaviour deteriorates again if relax too much with what he eats. He does not even tolerate rice crackers and corn chips. My youngest was small and underweight and chubbed up considerably on a paleo diet. Recently she started a daycare and we tried just specifying that she was to be gluten free as they provided all food. She was pretty mjuch sick for over a month until we started providing the fod ourselves and went back to the no grain rule. The staff were amazed at how much better she was, and commented she no longer seemed sleepy, was heaps more outgoing and no more sickness These sorts of attempts at variations of the diet have really proved to me just how beneficial this diet really is. I too am healthier than I have been for YEARS. I've had one cold this year, which was mild and that is it. Usually I get everything the kids have... no kidding, EVERYTHING.

So I highly recommend... happy to offer support, advice, recipes if you need it...

Oh and no vegetable oils either- a big no no... except for unheated olive oil on salads

I've been eating strict Paleo for a couple of years and have never felt better - I can't recommend it enough! Giving up grains isn't too difficult at all - the alternatives are far tastier and more satiating anyway!

My husband eats paleo - he's not super strict but he pretty much eats no bread/pasta/potatoes. He does still have dairy. As a family we try to base our meals around eating this way, but I must admit I find it hard. I love bread and I still eat toast for breakfast.

Martha, can you give me ideas for school lunches?? I still give the kids sandwiches and want to try and move away from that. But not sure what to substitute it for. I sometimes give them meatballs (usually left over from night before).

Today we had no bread in the house so they've gone to school and kindy with: cold meat (roast lamb), popcorn, carrot sticks, cheese crackers(wheat though), cheese, raisins.

But I need more ideas!! Sorry to threadjack HC. Definitely a much healthy way to live. I know when I eliminate bread from my diet, I feel so much better, ie lighter and not bloated.

Hi Roxy I try to eat paleo as well (I still eat dairy too) and I am in the same boat as Roxy regarding the kids' lunches.

More ideas:

Greek yoghurt - you could add pureed fruit to sweeten a bit.
Dips - (guacamole etc) with the carrot sticks, celery, capsicum sticks
Are you allowed to send nuts? I do.
slices of crustless quiche/frittata or make them into muffin size servings
Cold cooked bacon slices (sounds gross but is yum!)
Hard boiled eggs
Ham
Cherry tomatoes
Fresh fruit obviously


Um will try and think of more as they come to me. I eat the same stuff for lunch myself.

These look easy too. haven't tried yet.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-scotch-eggs/#axzz1kGfawhBk

Wow! Just found this thread - I am trying to switch to Paelo for health reasons but am really struggling. Any tips, support, ideas, suggestions would be very welcome!!!

Karen, that link further up on Paleo Suz seems to have some awesome ideas, have a look through there.

(just in case you thought it was spammy, so didn't want to risk it).

Thanks Felicis! That is one amazing site!

I have been thinking about this sort of thing for a while, For both DD and I as she seems to naturally move away from Bread products despite LOVING her Pasta.
Would NEVER have thought of cucumber instead of crackers though, THANKS What a fantastic idea! And cheaper than buying crackers too.

PS: Made some cucumber "crackers" today and they were WAY more awesome than standard Crackers! Thanks so much for that idea!
(I Always say the same things about lettuce wraps too, dunno why it never occurred to me to have a "Cracker" without a cracker!)

Just finished the most amazing book that intersects with this subject - if you want to do paleo (or any no carb variation of it) try The Diet Delusion by Gary Taubes. it ahs totally changed my way of eating. And I've lsot 3kg in two weeks without ever being hungry.

PS Martha I would love your muffin recipe!

Yes, amazing book. Very sciency though - I recommend John Briffa's new book. It still contains the research and studies, but I found it much more accessible. http://www.drbriffa.com/books/

Karen, this lady has some nice recipes as well. I like it because she's in NZ so uses 'normal' ingredients!

http://primaljourney.blogspot.co.nz/

I really like the sound of the paleo diet, and would love to give it a go but i cant see how i could make it work for the whole family.

Dh is really keen to give it a go but hes worried there wont be enough food for him to eat lol, of if he wants a snack, what he should eat - anybody elses hubbys doing this?

Im not sure how we would get the right protein and calcium into our nearly 3yr old if we cut dairy out - any suggestions?

And the most difficult thing of all - mr nearly one is intolerant (was tested at 5mths old) to wheat, dairy, egg and coconut. I am still breastfeeding so avoid these foods. On the paleo diet, im guessing cocnut and egg are a factor.

what do some of you have for breakfast? what do you feed your kids (other than fruit)?

Nero doesnt eat very much anyway, and is just taking to food so its handy when we are out and about to have a stash of rice or corn crackers, but what the heck would i take with me that he could eat for a snack?

if anybody can help id love to hear some suggestions