The Essential Paleo Shopping List, Ranked by $-$$$$

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One of the biggest barriers people cite to going Paleo is cost. While organic fruits and veggies and grass-fed meats do occasionally come at a steeper markup than processed, packaged foods, the investment in your health is priceless.

Processed foods may fill you up in a superficial way, but there’s a significant trade-off to your long-term health. Paleo-friendly foods, which include whole, unprocessed, and nutritionally sound items, instead nourish and fuel your body.

We know, though, that wallets are not bottomless and budgets have limits. If you ask yourself if you can afford to eat Paleo, the answer is: Yes! There are a variety of wallet-friendly Paleo ingredients to build your diet around, just as there are more splurge-worthy items that you might buy on occasion – this is true of any diet, really.

Below, we’ve ranked Paleo foods by price – from $5 to $20 – so you can determine which items to fill your basket with each grocery trip, and which to save up and splurge on.

We based the categories on real-world pricing, scouring the shelves of national grocery chains with a reputation for health-conscious selections (like Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and Whole Foods) and researching items available on Amazon’s digital shelves.

Note: Prices and availability vary by location and seasonality. And depending on where you shop, you may be able to find these ingredients cheaper or more expensive, depending on your grocery shopping habits.

While the list is not exhaustive – there’s a giant range of food available to you on the Paleo diet – we’ve listed the key Paleo staples to build meals around. Use this list as a helpful guide to your next grocery trip!


Under $5

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The vast majority of Paleo ingredients we’ve included here ring in at under $5. It’s no surprise that fresh, organic produce is typically the least expensive Paleo item to shop for, and that’s good news, as you should aim to make it a major focus of your meals.

With organic veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, a pound of grass-fed ground beef, and plenty of spices and condiments, you could easily build a meal from this under $5 list.

Fresh Produce

  • Organic Fuji apples (1 lb): $3
  • Organic sweet potatoes (1 lb): $1.70
  • Organic strawberries (1 lb): $3.50
  • Organic bananas (1 lb): $0.70
  • Organic tomatoes (1 lb): $3
  • Organic cauliflower (1 lb): $1.70
  • Organic broccoli (1 lb): $1.70
  • Organic whole carrots (1 lb): $1
  • Organic Brussels sprouts (1 lb): $3
  • Organic Bartlett pears (1 lb): $2
  • Organic green grapes (1 lb): $3

Milks/Fats/Eggs

  • Grass-fed butter (8 oz block): $3
  • Almond milk (half-gallon): $2.70
  • Organic, free-range brown eggs (12-ct carton): $4

Meats/Seafood

  • Grass-fed ground beef (1 lb): $4

Pantry Products

  • Dark chocolate (1 lb): $5
  • Organic, unsweetened coconut shreds (12 oz bag): $3.50
  • Coconut sugar (16 oz bag): $5
  • Coconut flour (16 oz bag): $3.70
  • Organic coconut cream (13.5 oz can): $2.30
  • Organic coconut milk (13.5 oz can): $1.70
  • Beef bone broth (1 pint): $3
  • Organic apple cider vinegar (16 oz bottle): $2.50
  • Balsamic vinegar (16.9 oz bottle): $2.30
  • Organic coconut aminos (8.5 oz bottle): $3
  • Nutritional yeast (4 oz bag): $2.70

Spices

  • Ground cumin (1.7 oz bottle): $2
  • Cayenne pepper (1.8 oz bottle): $2
  • Ground turmeric (2 oz bottle): $2
  • Garlic powder (2.6 oz bottle): $2

Under $10

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Items under $10 tend to be staples that you need only buy every few weeks. Think bags of almond flour and bottles of maple syrup for baking, or cooking fats like olive oil, and coconut oil.

Rounding out this list are some meats, like organic, free-range chicken, and a package of Paleo-friendly bacon that’s free from sugar and processed ingredients. While these may be a bit pricier than the conventional stuff, they’re far more nutritious and sustainable for the environment.

Milks/Fats/Eggs

  • Premium, cold-pressed olive oil (32 oz bottle): $8
  • Organic, virgin coconut oil (16 oz jar): $5

Meats/Seafood

  • Organic, free-range, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 lb): $6
  • Organic ground turkey (1 lb): $5.70
  • Paleo-friendly bacon (8 oz package): $6

Pantry Products

  • Almond flour (16 oz bag): $7.50
  • Tapioca flour (2.5 oz bag): $9.60
  • Cacao powder (8 oz bag): $6
  • Raw almond butter (16 oz jar): $6
  • Organic, grade A maple syrup (12 oz bottle): $8
  • Organic raw honey (16 oz jar): $6
  • Organic chia seeds (2 lb bag): $10
  • Maca powder (8 oz bag): $8.50
  • Ground flaxseed (24 oz bag): $6

Under $15

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Items that reach the under $15 mark are a bit more of a premium option, or they’re a bulk staple that you only purchase every so often – not a weekly expense. These include grass-fed ribeye steaks and lamb chops, or coconut butter and liquid stevia.

Milks/Fats/Eggs

  • Ghee (9 oz jar): $12

Meats/Seafood

  • Grass-fed, organic ribeye steak (10 oz): $13.50
  • Grass-fed lamb loin chops (1 lb): $11.50
  • Wild-caught salmon (1 lb): $12

Pantry Products

  • Arrowroot flour (2.5 lb bag): $12
  • Cacao butter (1 lb bag): $14
  • Coconut butter (14 oz jar): $13
  • Liquid stevia (2 oz bottle): $12

Under $20

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The items that ring in under $20 are definitely premium and specialty buys. Think grass-fed New York Strip steaks – something you’d probably only whip up for a special occasion or an especially fancy dinner at home – or chlorella powder for a nutrient-packed smoothie.

Meats/Seafood

  • Grass-fed New York strip steak (1 lb): $16
  • Wild-caught shrimp (1 lb): $16

Pantry Products

  • Spirulina powder (6 oz container): $20
  • Chlorella powder (8 oz bag): $20

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(You’ll Also Love: The Complete Guide to Shopping Paleo)