For a full month, I gave up bread. And pasta. And even cheese.
If you know the rigid guidelines of the Whole30 program, you’re aware the list of forbidden foods doesn’t stop there. Following Whole30 means cutting out sugar, dairy, soy, grains, wheat and legumes, and steering clear of a long roster of artificial and hard-to-pronounce additives that show up in surprisingly many processed products.
In their place, you fill your plate with unprocessed meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats for 30 days.
If you make it through, you can expect clearer skin, sharper energy, slightly looser pants and a refreshed perspective on how you relate to food.
Once you start scrutinizing ingredient lists, the first thing you’ll notice is that eating out becomes practically impossible.
The next realization is how essential home cooking becomes. And finally, you’ll learn how quickly a rotation of baked chicken breast and steamed broccoli can feel dull and repetitive.
At that point, you’ll wish you’d bookmarked some Whole30 meal ideas to help you think creatively and prepare satisfying, compliant dishes.
Now that I’ve gone through Whole30 enough times to know what you’re about to face, I’ve put together a list of bloggers, YouTubers and Instagrammers who’ll keep your meals interesting and compliant.
There’s no reason to drain your bank account while getting healthier, so although some of these creators may occasionally suggest specialty tools or ingredients, most of their recipes stay affordable and only call for basic kitchen staples.
1. Whole30 and Whole30 Recipes
Obviously, the creators’ official Instagram accounts — @Whole30 and @Whole30Recipes — are must-follows. They serve slightly different purposes.
If you need motivation and a dose of tough love on a Day Three headache or Day Ten slump, follow @Whole30. If you’re committed and seeking meal planning ideas to figure out where to begin, @Whole30Recipes is the feed for you.
Of all the food accounts listed here, these two remain 100% Whole30-compliant at all times. And don’t worry about monotony — the photography is always gorgeous, and @Whole30Recipes frequently features guest contributors who bring fresh, approved recipes. It’s a terrific resource to keep using even after your initial 30 days have ended.
2. Nom Nom Paleo
Even if Michelle Tam didn’t post the most drool-worthy paleo food photos, I’d still enjoy her Instagram stories just to see what she and her family are eating. She’s fun and genuinely engaging.
My favorite way to explore Tam’s content is to follow her Instagram. When something looks tempting in your feed, click the link in her bio to reach her linkinprofile page, which lists direct links to the recipes featured on her profile with the newest entries first.
Besides having an adorable family, Tam stands out because she’s willing to share the missteps she encountered while perfecting recipes.
She does sometimes use pricier gadgets, but many of her dishes require nothing more than a stove and a pan.
3. No Crumbs Left
I discovered Teri Turner and No Crumbs Left after another colleague praised her Instagram feed.
She’s not exclusively Whole30-focused, but she typically notes when recipes meet the program’s standards in the captions beneath her photos and videos. Another advantage is Turner’s minimal reliance on specialty equipment.
While Tam from Nom Nom Paleo is a fan of the Instant Pot, owning one could set you back $80 to $150. If you’d rather keep that cash, note that Turner often depends on the oven and stovetop most of us already have.
My Whole30 may be over, but I’m still planning to attempt Turner’s compliant pork shoulder when I’m feeling adventurous. She promises it’s simple.
4. Brothers Green Eats
Fine — these brothers aren’t strictly on the Whole30 train, but they’re worth following for anyone doing Whole30. You might need to verify some of the ingredients they use, but where the brothers fall short on strict compliance, they compensate by teaching intuitive cooking.
Cooking a lot on Whole30 is an understatement. You’ll be in the kitchen nearly every day. Some days you’ll want to tackle an elaborate recipe with a long list of specialty items; other days you’ll make do with what’s already in your pantry.
The more you watch these brothers, the more confident you’ll become at swapping ingredients on the fly without needing a recipe or an internet search.
The best part about the brothers is their budget-friendly approach. They don’t want to intimidate home cooks, so their dishes tend to be affordable and straightforward.
5. Emily Eats Real Food
I’ve been following Emily Eats Real Food on Instagram for almost a year. She’s completed Whole30 four times, but that’s not the only reason she’s worth following.
After her most recent Whole30, she adopted a balanced approach. According to her blog, her household mostly eats Whole30-style meals during the week, but an occasional pizza night is allowed.
Like others on this list, not every ingredient she uses will be strictly compliant, but with her emphasis on whole foods over processed options, she stays pretty close. She also makes a point of flagging any ingredients that aren’t Whole30-approved, so you won’t accidentally stumble into a noncompliant choice.
Desiree Stennett (@desi_stennett) is a staff writer at Savinly.
