I absolutely LOVE the Whole30 Program. I’ve done the entire 30 day challenge nine times, and learn something new about myself and how I react to food each time! But knowing the Whole30 rules before you commit to a challenge is absolutely crucial.

The official Whole30 program is SO amazing- they have all of the Whole30 rules and every single thing you need to know before you start on their website for free, and they’ve said it will always stay that way!

For a full, detailed version of these Whole30 rules, visit their website.

In the meantime, here is a simplified version for your quick reference!

The Whole30 Rules | Foods to avoid on the Whole30 diet, for 30 days:

  • ANY sweeteners, real or fake
  • Alcohol. At all. Even when you’re cooking.
  • Grains
  • Legumes
  • Dairy
  • Harmful additives: carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites
  • No recreating/ “paleofying” foods using approved ingredients (breads, muffins, pancakes, tortillas, etc)

Some Exceptions:

  • Clarified butter or ghee (my favorite brand here): because this is a form of butter that doesn’t include the harmful proteins, you may use it during your Whole30!
  • Fruit Juice or dates as a sweetener (in sauces, for example).
  • Certain legumes: Because green beans, sugar snap peas, and snow peas are more pod than bean, they’re approved for your Whole30. New update: peas are also now compliant!
  • Vinegar: the only exceptions to this exception are malt vinegar (it contains gluten) and vinegars with sugar.
  • Salt: this is super nitpicky, but salt has dextrose in it, which is sugar. Since it’s in such tiny amounts, and it would be near impossible to avoid, it’s approved for your Whole30.

Do you have questions? Let me know below!