The Carnivore Diet is all about keeping it simple—just meat, eggs, and animal-based foods. But if you’re new to it, you might wonder:
- What should I eat daily?
- How much food do I need?
- What’s the best way to shop for a Carnivore diet?
This guide breaks it all down with a 7-day meal plan and a grocery list to help you get started.
Carnivore Diet Basics: What to Eat & Avoid
✅ Foods You Can Eat
- Meat: Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, game meats
- Fish & Seafood: Salmon, sardines, shrimp, oysters
- Eggs: Whole eggs, preferably pasture-raised
- Dairy (optional): Butter, heavy cream, cheese (if tolerated)
- Organ Meats: Liver, heart, kidney (nutrient-dense!)
- Fat Sources: Beef tallow, butter, bone marrow, pork fat
❌ Foods to Avoid
- All plant foods: No veggies, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds
- Sugars & carbs: No bread, pasta, rice, sweets
- Processed foods: No artificial additives, vegetable oils, or seed oils
7-Day Carnivore Diet Meal Plan
Here’s a simple meal plan to get you started. Adjust portion sizes based on your hunger levels and goals (weight loss or muscle gain).
Day 1
🥓 Breakfast: Scrambled eggs cooked in butter, bacon
🥩 Lunch: Ribeye steak, bone marrow
🍗 Dinner: Chicken thighs with crispy skin, beef liver
Day 2
🍳 Breakfast: Omelet with cheese and ground beef
🐟 Lunch: Salmon cooked in butter, side of shrimp
🥓 Dinner: Pork chops with pork belly
Day 3
🥩 Breakfast: Steak and eggs
🍗 Lunch: Rotisserie chicken with skin, bone broth
🥓 Dinner: Beef short ribs, tallow-fried eggs
Day 4
🍳 Breakfast: Egg yolks and bacon fried in butter
🐟 Lunch: Sardines and cheese, shrimp cooked in butter
🥩 Dinner: New York strip steak, bone marrow
Day 5
🥓 Breakfast: Beef liver and eggs
🥩 Lunch: Ground beef cooked in butter, pork rinds
🍗 Dinner: Duck breast, chicken wings
Day 6
🍳 Breakfast: Soft-boiled eggs, bacon
🥩 Lunch: Ribeye steak, beef tallow
🐟 Dinner: Grilled salmon, shrimp in butter
Day 7
🥓 Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese, pork belly
🥩 Lunch: Lamb chops, bone broth
🍗 Dinner: Roast chicken, liver pâté
💡 Tip: Adjust your meals based on hunger and preference—eat until satisfied. Some people prefer two larger meals a day (OMAD or 2MAD).
Carnivore Diet Grocery List
Here’s what to buy for a week of eating Carnivore:
🥩 MEAT (Main Source of Nutrition)
- Beef: Ribeye, sirloin, ground beef, brisket, short ribs, chuck roast
- Pork: Pork belly, bacon, pork chops, ham
- Chicken: Whole chicken, thighs, wings (preferably skin-on)
- Lamb: Lamb chops, ground lamb
- Duck & Turkey: Duck breast, turkey thighs
- Game Meats: Venison, bison, elk
🐟 SEAFOOD (For Omega-3s & Variety)
- Salmon (wild-caught preferred)
- Sardines (canned in water or olive oil)
- Shrimp, scallops, oysters
- Cod, mackerel
🥚 EGGS & DAIRY (If Tolerated)
- Pasture-raised eggs
- Butter (grass-fed preferred)
- Heavy cream
- Cheese (hard cheeses like cheddar, parmesan)
🐄 ORGAN MEATS (Highly Nutritious)
- Beef liver (rich in vitamins A, B12, iron)
- Beef heart (great for CoQ10 and zinc)
- Kidney, bone marrow
🍖 FAT SOURCES (For Energy & Satiety)
- Beef tallow
- Pork lard
- Ghee (clarified butter)
🧂 OTHER ESSENTIALS
- Sea salt or Himalayan pink salt (for electrolytes)
- Bone broth (for collagen and gut health)
Budget-Friendly Carnivore Shopping Tips
1️⃣ Buy in Bulk:
- Get family packs of meat and freeze portions.
- Buy ground beef (cheaper than steak but still high in fat/protein).
2️⃣ Use Fatty Cuts:
- Fatty meats like brisket, short ribs, and pork belly keep you full longer.
3️⃣ Shop at Butcher Shops or Local Farms:
- Often cheaper and better quality than grocery stores.
4️⃣ Canned Seafood is Your Friend:
- Sardines, mackerel, and canned salmon are cost-effective and nutritious.
5️⃣ Make Your Own Bone Broth:
- Buy beef bones (often cheap) and simmer them to extract nutrients.
How Much Should You Eat?
🔹 Eat Until Full – No need to count calories. Listen to your body.
🔹 Protein: Most people do well with 1-2 lbs of meat per day.
🔹 Fat Intake: Adjust based on energy needs (more fat = more energy).
💡 Pro Tip: If you feel low energy or hungry often, try increasing fat intake (butter, tallow, fatty cuts of meat).
Final Thoughts: Making Carnivore Easy & Sustainable
The Carnivore Diet doesn’t have to be complicated. Stick to simple, whole foods, focus on nutrient-dense meats, and adjust based on your body’s signals.
✅ Keep your meals simple
✅ Buy in bulk to save money
✅ Prioritize fatty cuts for energy and satiety
Ready to learn more? Check out these helpful guides: