What Do You Eat on the Carnivore Diet? A Comprehensive Guide

October 25, 2025 •

3 min read

The carnivore diet has seen a significant increase in search interest over the last 18 months, attracting over 290,000 monthly searches. As a highly restrictive eating plan, the carnivore diet focuses exclusively on animal products, completely eliminating all plant-based foods, and emphasizes eating meat, fish, eggs, and certain dairy products.

Quick Summary

This article explains the core components of the carnivore diet, detailing the full list of approved animal-based foods, including meat, seafood, eggs, and low-lactose dairy. It also provides insights into acceptable fats, seasonings, and beverages, while clarifying which foods are strictly prohibited on this regimen.

Key Points

Core Foods Are Animal-Based: The carnivore diet includes meat, fish, eggs, and certain dairy products, but no plants.
Emphasize Fatty Meats: Fattier cuts of beef, pork, and lamb are encouraged to provide sufficient energy.
Organ Meats Offer Added Nutrients: Liver, kidney, and heart are valuable sources of vitamins and minerals on this restricted diet.
Dairy Varies by Tolerance: Some carnivore dieters include low-lactose dairy like hard cheese and butter, while strict followers avoid it.
Stay Hydrated with Water and Broth: Water is the main beverage, supplemented by nutrient-rich bone broth.
Seasonings Are Minimal: Only non-plant-based seasonings like salt are strictly compliant, though some relax this rule for pepper.
High-Fat is a Key Component: Prioritizing animal fats like tallow, lard, and butter is crucial for meeting energy needs.
Long-term Effects Are Unresearched: There are no long-term controlled studies proving the health claims or sustainability of this restrictive diet.

The carnivore diet is a highly restrictive nutritional approach that revolves around consuming only animal products. While it can seem simple in theory, understanding the specific food groups and permitted items is key to properly following the diet. This guide breaks down what is and isn't included.

The Core Principles of Carnivore Eating

The fundamental rule of the carnivore diet is that it prohibits all plant-based foods. This means eliminating fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds entirely. The diet focuses on nutrient-dense animal sources for energy, with proponents suggesting it may aid in weight loss and other health goals, although scientific evidence is limited. By prioritizing high protein and fats from animal sources, the body can enter a state of ketosis.

A Comprehensive Food List: What to Eat

Meat

Meat is the cornerstone of the carnivore diet. Fatty cuts are often recommended for energy, and grass-fed options are preferred by some. Allowed meats include beef (ribeye, ground beef, organ meats), pork (chops, ribs, bacon), poultry (chicken, turkey), and game meats.

Fish and Seafood

Fish, especially fatty varieties like salmon and mackerel, provides omega-3s. Other included options are white fish (tilapia) and shellfish (shrimp, crab).

Other Animal Products and Fats

Beyond meat, staples include eggs, animal fats like tallow and lard, bone marrow, bone broth, and butter and ghee.

Limited Dairy

Dairy is optional and often limited to low-lactose items like hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan), butter, ghee, and heavy cream for those who choose to include it. High-lactose dairy like milk and yogurt is typically avoided.

Beverages and Seasonings

The primary drink is water, with bone broth also permitted. Black coffee or tea is sometimes included, though purists avoid all plant-based drinks. Salt is allowed, but plant-derived spices like pepper are technically off-limits in the strictest version.

Carnivore vs. Other Low-Carb Diets


Feature	Carnivore Diet	Ketogenic (Keto) Diet	Paleo Diet
Carbohydrates	Near zero; no plant foods allowed.	Very low (typically under 50g daily); vegetables, nuts, and seeds permitted.	Low to moderate; excludes grains, legumes, and dairy, but includes fruits and vegetables.
Food Sources	Exclusively animal products (meat, fish, eggs, some dairy).	High fat, moderate protein, very low carb from a mix of animal and plant sources.	Lean meats, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Dairy	Limited to low-lactose products like hard cheeses and butter.	Often includes a wider range of high-fat dairy.	Typically excluded or minimized.
Emphasis	Animal-based nutrition and elimination of potential plant-based irritants.	Maintaining ketosis by keeping carbs very low.	Eating like our pre-agricultural ancestors.
Fats	Primarily from animal sources like tallow, lard, and fatty cuts of meat.	High emphasis on fats from both animal and plant sources (e.g., avocado, olive oil).	Healthy fats from whole food sources.

A Note on Quality

Choosing high-quality, fatty cuts of meat and including organ meats is important for nutritional completeness on this restrictive diet. However, potential deficiencies exist, and consulting a healthcare provider before starting is recommended.

Conclusion: Navigating the Carnivore Food List

The carnivore diet is a highly restrictive plan centered on animal products. What you eat on the carnivore diet includes a variety of meats, fish, eggs, animal fats, and some low-lactose dairy. While it simplifies meal planning, its limited variety requires careful consideration for long-term adherence and nutritional adequacy. Understanding the permitted food list is essential for anyone considering this approach.

For more detailed nutritional information and guidance on high-protein diets, consult reputable health organizations like the British Heart Foundation.

A Sample Carnivore Diet Meal Plan

Here is a sample meal plan for a week on the carnivore diet, focusing on variety within the allowed foods.

Monday

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with bacon.
Lunch: Ground beef patties.
Dinner: Ribeye steak.

Tuesday

Breakfast: Salmon jerky.
Lunch: Turkey burger patties.
Dinner: Lamb chops.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Hard-boiled eggs and bone broth.
Lunch: Leftover lamb chops.
Dinner: Beef brisket.

Thursday

Breakfast: Bacon slices.
Lunch: Chicken liver sautéed in ghee.
Dinner: Baked salmon.

Friday

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese.
Lunch: Sardines.
Dinner: Pork roast.

Saturday

Breakfast: Ground beef and bacon.
Lunch: Chicken wings.
Dinner: Filet mignon with butter.

Sunday

Breakfast: Omelet with cheese.
Lunch: Beef ribs.
Dinner: Grilled shrimp and scallops.

This sample plan provides examples of how to incorporate various allowed foods throughout the week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, eggs are a staple of the carnivore diet. They are a nutrient-dense source of protein and fat derived from an animal source and are widely included in the eating plan.

While all meats are allowed, fatty cuts of red meat like ribeye, brisket, and ground beef are often emphasized. Organ meats are also encouraged for their high vitamin and mineral content.

In some versions, low-lactose dairy products like butter, ghee, heavy cream, and hard cheeses are permitted in small amounts. However, many strict carnivores avoid dairy entirely to eliminate all carbohydrates, including milk sugar (lactose).

Strict adherents of the carnivore diet avoid coffee and tea since they are plant-derived. Other followers may make an exception for black coffee or tea, but this is a point of variation within the community.

Salt is universally accepted. Black pepper is plant-derived, so purists avoid it, but many carnivore dieters choose to include it for flavor.

The main beverages are water and bone broth. Drinks derived from plants, including soda, juice, and most teas and coffees, are generally prohibited.

While both are low-carb, the carnivore diet is more restrictive, aiming for zero carbs by eliminating all plant foods. The keto diet includes low-carb vegetables and other plant-based fats.