Today is my first day of Whole30 in 2016! I am excited to go on this journey again to get my body feeling better and, hopefully, lose a little weight along the way. As I preparing to get started and talking with friends who are also starting today, I realized that there are some Whole30 essentials that are key to being successful on the program.

Of course, I talked about TONS if tips, tricks and recipes {basically almost EVERYTHING you need} that can help you be successful during Whole30. This post is more specific about items that I always keep on hand to make my life just a little easier during the month. {Note: this post contains affiliate links}

A plan

I have talked before how planning is the cornerstone of Whole30. You really have to think about what you are going to eat beforehand because calling for takeout is almost impossible. I use a weekly meal planner that has spots for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Your Favorite Sauces or Condiments

When you get ready to start Whole30, you will find that a lot of your favorite salad dressings, sauces and condiments are not compliant with the plan. Don’t worry, you can make almost every single one from scratch and completely compliant like this homemade ketchup and mayonnaise. Or, you can buy a lot of great options too like Red Boat Fish Sauce, Coconut Aminos (to replace soy sauce), Tessa Mae’s salad dressings, and mayonnaise.

Spiralizer or Peeler

This one might be debatable but I definitely use my spiralizer a ton during Whole30. You can accomplish a lot of the same things with a peeler but it will take you a lot longer. I use mine to make things like Thai zoodle salad which makes a great lunch.

Lot of fruits and vegetables

For me, I keep fresh broccoli, zucchini, avocados, cauliflowers, kale and bell peppers in my refrigerator at all times. I also stock up on fresh lemons and limes to add extra flavor to foods either through the juice or zest. Kale comes in large quantities so I also make sure I have plenty of ways to use them in my plan like one pot chicken and kale, chicken chorizo stew, paleo chicken zucchini fritters, and sweet potato and kale skillet.

Snacks

No, I don’t mean chips or anything like that. There are just times where you need a meal replacement because of a busy schedule or a snack because you won’t get to eat until later than planned. My favorite things to keep on hand are paleo balls of fire, homemade “granola”, Rx Bars {for on the go} and compliant beef jerky.

If you want additional resources and ways to be successful for Whole30, be sure to visit these other posts. Also, be sure to check out my paleo recipes page for lots of recipe ideas. 

Everything You Need to Be Successful with Whole30

30 Whole30 Recipes