The reductive description of a paleolithic diet: Don’t eat anything you have to unwrap. Sounds good, but that can be tough when you’re crunched for time. Thankfully, several companies offer caveman-approved food to take on the trail or stash for a quick fix. We compiled some options you can order online.
Tribalí Foods
Tribalí’s single-origin burger patties are preseasoned and meant to be cooked straight from the freezer. The brainchild of a former vegetarian athlete who decided to bring responsibly raised meat to market, Tribalí foods aren’t cheap. Packs of four frozen patties range from $12 to $14 and come in flavors like Mediterranean beef, umami beef, and chipotle chicken. You can pick them up at Whole Foods or order direct from the Tribalí website.
Roam Free
Roam Free has its own free-roaming bison population, which it plans to grow with a breeding program the founders hope will help restore endangered grasslands. The Montana ranch does all of its production at home, from raising the animals to packaging the products. You’ll pay a premium for those environmentally friendly practices—the jerky costs $10 for a two-ounce bag, but it punches above its weight, with 24 grams of protein in each bag. The soy-, gluten-, nitrate-, and sugar-free flavors include Moroccan Heat, Thai Chili Ginger, and Wood-Fired Pizza.
Cali’flour Foods
Pizza isn’t totally off the table for paleo eaters. This California-based startup sells a variety of cauliflower-based pizza crusts, including one that doesn’t contain dairy or eggs. They retail between $13 and $15 for two nine-inch crusts and are great for a lazy dinner. The crusts last for nine months in the freezer and can be prepared in a toaster oven.
Chomps
Chomps Snack Sticks are something like an earthier Slim Jim, made with ethically sourced meat, water, seasoning, and lactic acid to preserve shelf life. The brand started out with a classic beef stick but has since branched out to turkey and venison products. You can buy them for less than $2 at your local Trader Joe’s, and the company offers a wide variety of flavors on its website ($49 for a box of 24). All Chomps products are paleo and non-GMO Project certified.
Sun Basket
If meal kits are your thing, Sun Basket offers a paleo meal plan that breaks down to about $12 per serving—a competitive price for carefully sourced ingredients. (For comparison, Blue Apron works out to about $10 per meal.) The company promises that its vegetables are non-GMO, and they arrive in a package that is 100 percent recyclable and compostable.
Epic Snacks
Many of Epic’s offerings—which include meat bars, performance bars, snackable meat bites, and more—are paleo-friendly. The company guarantees that its products come from ethically raised free-range cattle, deer, boar, lamb, and bison, and it works with the Savory Institute, Global Animal Partnership, and Certified Humane to invest in long-term sustainability in the meat industry. Just be sure to check the ingredients list if you’re a strict paleo—certain flavors include noncompliant ingredients like maple sugar.