The Complete Carnivore Diet Food List and 7-Day Meal Plan!

The benefits of a plant-based lifestyle are well-known, but how about an all-meat one? That’s precisely what the carnivore diet focuses on, and this article dives into all the pros and cons of following it, along with providing a simple 7-day meal plan to help you get started. So is this another fad diet in the industry or can it actually help with resetting your system? Read more to find out!

What is the Carnivore Diet?

The foundation of the carnivore diet is that it’s a zero-carb eating plan that is based exclusively on animal foods like fish, meat, eggs, and a few low-lactose dairy products. This requires you to eliminate all plant-based foods which include fruits, grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts, etc. The underlying principle is that completely eliminating carbohydrates induces your body to burn fat for energy which can help with inflammation, cardiovascular health, weight loss management, and improved blood sugar levels.

It’s not just any low-carbohydrate diet like the Paleo and Keto diet — the carnivore diet doesn’t just limit carbs but fully eliminates them making it a lot more restrictive. Dr. Shawn Baker popularized this strategy through his 2019 book The Carnivore Diet and it’s inspired by ancestral eating habits for nutrition. However, it has remained fairly controversial because of its limitations that deprive people of various plant-based nutrition.

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Health Benefits and Risks of the Carnivore Diet

Below are the pros and cons of following this particular diet, which can help you decide if you’d like to try it out!

Benefits

People are drawn to the carnivore diet for its simplicity and bold health claims. Cutting out carbs and sticking strictly to meat, fish, eggs, and a bit of dairy often leads to quick weight loss and better blood sugar control—at least in the short term. Some followers also say they feel more energized, sleep better, and notice improvements in mental clarity and autoimmune symptoms [1].

Because it eliminates common trigger foods like gluten, soy, and sugar, it can also function as an extreme elimination diet to help identify sensitivities or allergies. One survey-based study even found that many people following the diet reported positive changes in weight, mood, and energy levels [2].

Risks

However, the diet is also very restrictive and comes with real risks. It cuts out plant-based foods that are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and essential nutrients, which can lead to constipation, nutrient deficiencies, and long-term health problems. High intake of red and processed meats—especially those high in saturated fat and sodium—has been linked to increased risks of heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, and high blood pressure [3].

Some have also reported experiencing digestive issues like diarrhea, along with headaches and fatigue. And while testimonials are everywhere, scientific research is still very limited. Most claims are based on personal stories, not clinical trials, so the long-term safety of the carnivore diet is still unknown.

Carnivore Diet Food List

Here are a variety of foods that you can choose from to add to your carnivore diet shopping list to follow this meat-only diet! Incorporating animal fats like beef tallow and ghee can also help you meet your daily energy needs.

Meat

• Beef: Ribeye, New York strip, skirt steak, porterhouse, T-bone, chuck roast, brisket, ground beef
• Pork: Pork chops, pork ribs, pork shoulder, pork belly, bacon (limit processed versions), ground pork
• Lamb: Lamb chops, lamb shanks, ground lamb
• Poultry: Chicken breast, thighs, wings, drumsticks, turkey breast, duck

Seafood

• Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout
• White Fish: Cod, halibut, tilapia
• Shellfish: Shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, scallops, clams, oysters

Organ Meats

• Liver (beef, chicken, or lamb)
• Heart
• Kidney
• Tongue
• Sweetbreads (thymus or pancreas)
• Brain
• Tripe
• Oxtail
• Bone marrow
• Cheeks and feet

Other Animal Products

• Eggs (chicken, duck, quail)
• Bone broth
• Lard
• Tallow
• Animal-based gelatin

Optional Low-Lactose Dairy Products (for less strict versions)

• Butter
• Ghee
• Heavy cream
• Hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, gouda)
• Soft cheeses (limited, due to higher lactose)
• Full-fat Greek yogurt (strict carnivores often avoid this)

Beverages

• Water
• Bone broth
• Black coffee and plain tea

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7-Day Carnivore Diet Meal Plan

The following eating plan provides you with meal ideas and delicious recipes for a week that’s sure to keep things interesting and flavorful!

Day 1

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with diced pancetta, and coffee with heavy cream (optional)

Lunch: Ribeye steak grilled with rosemary and sea salt, with bone broth on the side

Dinner: Baked salmon with lemon-infused butter, and poached eggs.

Day 2

Breakfast: Egg and ground beef breakfast cups

Lunch: Slow-cooked beef short ribs, with bone marrow, roasted with coarse salt

Dinner: Pan-seared pork with duck fat-fried egg

Day 3

Breakfast: Deviled eggs made with egg yolk and beef tallow, with sliced hard cheese (optional)

Lunch: Grilled lamb skewers with broth made from lamb bones

Dinner: Oven-roasted chicken thighs with crispy skin, and chicken liver sautéed in butter

Day 4

Breakfast: Soft-boiled eggs with a side of turkey bacon and black coffee

Lunch: Bison patties with ghee and sea salt, along with seared beef tongue slices

Dinner: Pan-fried mackerel with lemon zest and poached duck egg

Day 5

Breakfast: Omelet with minced liver and melted cheese, and coffee with butter

Lunch: Slow-cooked pork belly slices and bone broth with marrow added

Dinner: Lobster tail broiled with clarified butter and hard-boiled quail eggs

Day 6

Breakfast: Fried eggs with grilled sausage, with cheese crisps on the side

Lunch: Grilled venison steak and bone broth

Dinner: Pan-seared scallops and chicken heart skewers

Day 7

Breakfast: Egg yolk custard with a side of crispy pork rinds

Lunch: Roast duck with rendered fat and poached eggs

Dinner: Beef filet and shrimp grilled in ghee and liver pâté

Check out more meal plans:

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Conclusion

Aside from the Keto and Paleo diets, you now know of an even more extreme version of the no-carbs diet strategy. We hope that this information has been useful in helping you decide which diet works best for your needs, and you can always be sure by consulting a medical professional to ensure that it aligns with your health goals. However, it is important to consider that a balanced diet, which includes a variety of healthy foods, is often more sustainable and beneficial for overall health compared to the restrictive nature of the carnivore diet. For more tips and resources for how you can lead a healthy lifestyle, check out the JustFit app!