The Only 7 Foods You Need: My Complete Carnivore Shopping List
Why I threw out 90% of my pantry and never looked back (and you should too)
Three months ago, my grocery cart looked like a pharmacy that had a child with a health food store. Protein powders, multivitamins, superfood blends, organic this, keto that. I was spending $300+ per week on "health" foods that made me feel like I'd been hit by a truck.
After getting sober and finding clarity, I decided to simplify everything. Today, my entire nutrition plan fits on one hand. Well, technically seven foods if you count salt separately (which you should, because salt is life).
I've never felt better. Never been leaner. Never had more energy. And my grocery shopping takes about 15 minutes because I skip 90% of the store. Hint: Stay around the perimeter!
Here's exactly what I buy every week, why each food earned its spot, and the specific brands I trust enough to stake my health on. Spoiler alert: your great-grandfather would recognize everything on this list.
The King: Ribeye Steaks
Why ribeyes rule the kingdom:
Look, I get it. You've been told fat is the enemy since you were old enough to hold a fork. You probably look at a ribeye and think "that marbling is going to kill me."
Here's the thing: that fat is exactly what's going to save you.
Your great-grandfather didn't count macros or worry about cholesterol. He ate the fattiest cut of meat he could afford and lived to tell about it. Ribeyes deliver the perfect ratio of protein to fat that your body has been begging for while you fed it cardboard chicken breasts.
Here's what that beautiful fat gives you: B vitamins for energy that actually lasts. Iron that won't make you constipated like supplements. Zinc for testosterone that doesn't come in a bottle. Zero processing. Zero additives. Just food that's been food for thousands of years.
What I buy: 2-3 pounds of ribeyes weekly, cut 1.5 inches thick. Try to find local grass-fed if you can swing it (support your local ranchers, and the cows had a better life). If not, conventional ribeyes still beat any processed frankenfood on the planet.
About that fat: I know you think you hate it. You will get over it. In fact, you'll start craving it. Your body knows what it needs, even if your brain hasn't caught up yet.
My go-to: Local butcher when possible, otherwise butcherbox.com
The fat isn't just delicious. It's medicine your doctor forgot to prescribe.
The Workhorse: Ground Beef
This is where your budget becomes your best friend.
Ground beef is like the Swiss Army knife of the protein world. Versatile, reliable, and it won't break the bank. 80/20 ratio gives you the fat content your hormones are literally screaming for.
I cook 2-3 pounds every Sunday while watching football. Fifteen minutes of "work" feeds me for three days. Salt it. Brown it. Eat it. Even I can't mess this up, and I once burned water. (Don't ask.)
What I buy: 3-5 pounds of 80/20 ground beef weekly. Grass-fed when my wallet allows, conventional when it doesn't. Both options are infinitely better than whatever protein powder was promising you last week.
My go-to source: butcherbox
Ground beef taught me that the best foods don't need instructions on the package.
Nature's Multivitamin: Eggs
The original superfood (before marketing ruined that term).
Every essential amino acid your body needs. Healthy fats for your brain. Choline so you can remember where you put your car keys. The most bioavailable protein on earth, wrapped in nature's perfect packaging.
I eat 4-6 eggs daily without thinking about it. Scrambled in butter for breakfast. Hard-boiled for when I'm too lazy to cook. They're ready in minutes and keep me satisfied for hours.
What I buy: 2-3 dozen pasture-raised eggs weekly. Yes, they cost more. Yes, they're worth it. Those bright orange yolks are nature's way of showing you the nutrition difference.
My go-to source: [Your affiliate link here]
Eggs proved to me that the foods we've been told to fear are usually the foods we most need. Funny how that works.
Liquid Gold: Grass-Fed Butter
This is where the magic happens.
Butter in my coffee every morning (yes, really). Butter on my steak. Butter for cooking eggs. If there's a way to add butter to something, I've probably tried it.
I only use Kerry Gold or butter from local farms. The taste difference is real, and your body knows the difference too.
Here's what real butter does: The saturated fat they told you would kill you? That's exactly what your hormones need to function like they're supposed to.
That's what makes you feel actually full instead of hunting for snacks an hour later. That's what stops the 3 PM sugar cravings.
What I buy: 2-4 packs weekly. Kerry Gold if I'm shopping mainstream, local farm butter when I can find it. Unsalted because I like to control my salt intake (see below).
My go-to source: Kerrygold at Amazon
Butter taught me that the nutrition establishment has been lying to us for 50 years. Who knew?
The Foundation: Real Salt
Yes, salt gets its own category because it's that important.
Your body is basically a fancy battery that runs on salt water. When you cut out processed foods, you're also cutting out the massive amounts of sodium hidden in everything. You need to replace it, or you'll feel like you got hit by a truck.
Not all salt is created equal. Table salt is processed garbage. You want the real stuff with all the trace minerals intact.
What I buy: Redmond Real Salt. Mined from ancient sea beds, no processing, tastes like actual food instead of chemicals. I put it on everything.
My go-to source: Redmond’s at Amazon
Good salt makes everything taste better and makes you feel human. Who knew seasoning was medicine?
The Hydration Hero: Sparkling Water
Your only drink (besides coffee).
Water gets boring. I said it. Regular water is fine, but sparkling water keeps you hydrated without the chemicals, artificial sweeteners, or sugar crashes of literally everything else in the beverage aisle.
I drink 1-2 bottles of Topo Chico daily. It's crisp, clean, and satisfies any craving for soda or alcohol without poisoning your system.
What I buy: Topo Chico, hands down. If you can't find it, any plain sparkling water works. Just check the ingredients - if there's more than water and bubbles, put it back.
My go-to source: Topo Chico at Amazon
The Game Changer: Quality Electrolytes
The missing piece that makes or breaks everything.
Here's what nobody tells you: when you cut carbs, you lose water weight fast. That water takes sodium, potassium, and magnesium with it. Replace those minerals or prepare to feel like death warmed over.
Here's the kicker: Drinking too much plain water without electrolytes just flushes out all the nutrients you're trying to keep. It's like trying to fill a bucket with holes in it.
I use Ultima powder because it doesn't have the artificial junk that most electrolyte drinks are loaded with. Mix it with sparkling water, and you've got a drink that actually helps instead of hurts.
What I buy: One container of Ultima lasts 3-4 weeks. Zero sugar, real minerals, tastes like actual fruit instead of chemical fruit. Also has great flavors and no added sugar.
My go-to source: Ultima at Amazon
Good electrolytes are the difference between feeling amazing and wondering why you're dragging yourself through the day.
What's Conspicuously Missing From This List
Notice what didn't make the cut:
No vegetables. (Your body makes what it needs from meat, and my digestive system thanks me daily.) No fruits. (Sugar with vitamins is still sugar, and my pancreas has been through enough.) No grains. (Humans survived just fine without cereal for most of history.) No processed anything. (If it needs a commercial to convince you it's healthy, it probably isn't.)
This isn't about being perfect. This is about being simple in a way that actually works.
The Weekly Budget Reality Check
Premium approach ($150-200/week): Grass-fed everything. Local when possible. Money is no object, health is everything.
Standard approach ($100-150/week): Mix of grass-fed and conventional. Focus your budget on quality proteins, save on the extras.
Starter approach ($75-100/week): Conventional beef and eggs. Still infinitely better than whatever you're eating now.
Start where your budget allows. Upgrade as you see results. Your body will thank you either way.
What Actually Happened (The Results You Care About)
Month 1: Lost 15 pounds of inflammation I didn't know I was carrying
Month 2: Energy levels that made my wife ask what I was taking.
Month 3: Mental clarity that shocked even me, plus I was able to stop taking blood pressure medication
This is how humans are supposed to eat when we're not being sold processed convenience.
Your energy goes up. Your cravings disappear. Your pants fit better. Your mood stabilizes.
Required Reading
Before you think I'm making this all up, pick up Dr. Ken Berry's book "Lies My Doctor Told Me." It will blow your mind and give you the science behind why this simple approach works so well
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The Bottom Line
Seven foods. That's literally it.
Everything else is marketing designed to separate you from your money while keeping you dependent on products you don't need. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, you shouldn't eat it.
Your body knows exactly what to do with meat, eggs, and butter. It has been doing it for thousands of years. It has no idea what to do with protein bars, superfood powders, and "functional foods" that need a PhD to pronounce.
Trust evolution. Trust simplicity. Trust results over promises.
Ready to throw out 90% of your pantry and feel better than you have in years? All my exact product recommendations are below. Start with one food. Add the rest as your taste buds and your body adapt.
Questions about making the switch? Hit reply and I'll help you figure it out. We're all in this together.