As much as I would love to be a Stepford wife who has all the time in the world to cook up elaborate meals every night for my family, that is just NOT reality in this season of my life! (Can I get an amen?!) Between soccer, gymnastics, and karate practices, plus special school events (not to mention trying to squeeze in a little work here and there), it is near impossible to make completely homemade meals from scratch every night. So with that said, Â we are always on the look out for paleo products and prepared foods that will save us time (and our sanity) in the kitchen! Here are our top 5:
1. Siete Almond Flour Tortillas.
We have done the homemade thing… and if you are the baking type, here are two great tried-and-true recipes: Cauliflower Sweet Potato Tortillas and Paleo Tortillas. But if you are like me… this package of pre-made Dr. Brown approved tortillas is a LIFESAVER! And they are pretty delicious to boot. Just make sure you don’t overheat because that can cause them to crisp up and break easily when folding. Gently warm and you will get the perfect flour or corn tortilla alternative!
2. Primal Kitchen’s Avocado Mayo
So my actual favorite paleo mayo is the Tessemae’s brand to the right above, but unfortunately it has recently been pulled from the shelf with no explanation as to why. I sure hope it comes back soon because it was amazing! The mayo above is very similar except instead of using sunflower oil it uses avocado oil like we do in our homemade version. If you’ve ever tried to make homemade mayo, you probably have experienced just how difficult it can actually be to create the right texture. That’s why I LOVE that companies are coming out with sugar-free, soy-free, canola oil-free versions of jarred mayonnaise. Perfect for health-conscious busy mommas like me!
3. Primal Kitchen’s Ranch Dressing
I just learned of this product recently, and it is music to my ears… A creamy ranch dressing that is actually paleo-friendly! Apparently Tessemae’s has a creamy ranch too but it is mysteriously off the shelf alongside the mayo for the time being, so be on the lookout for that to come back as well. It is the same situation as above in that Primal Kitchen uses Avocado oil while Tessemae’s uses sunflower oil, so they will have a little different flavor. Either way I’m sure it beats the hassle of homemade and my guess is the bottled versions are more likely to get the kid stamp of approval. (Like homemade mayo, homemade paleo ranch can be a little tricky to get kid-approved texture and flavor from our experience.)
4. Veggie Noodle Co. Vegetable Spirals
  
Omg. These are the best things since sliced bread (well, before sliced bread became a No-No, that is.) While buying a spiralizer is relatively cheap and the process of spiralizing is pretty simple, it is definitely a time-consuming (and hand-cramping!) step in any veggie pasta recipe. These pre-spiralized packaged veggies make cooking paleo “pasta” super quick and easy. I’m obsessed!
5. Terra Plantain Chips
Probably the food I miss the most when eating 100% Dr. Brown approved is tortilla chips. Guacamole and salsa just aren’t the same when eating them with a spoon!! These plantain chips are a great substitute when needing that crunch of a chip but trying to avoid corn, flour, and potato. And while they are processed which isn’t ideal, the ingredients are actually super clean … literally just plantains, sea salt, and coconut oil. I will say, though, they aren’t quite as good as our fresh homemade version, BUT when pressed for time or if you are just feeling a little lazy, they will do!
I hope you find this list helpful in your quest to eat a cleaner diet. Are there any products you would absolutely add to this list? Comment below… we’d love to hear about them.
Til next time,
