AIP Grocery List Canada
AIP is stricter than paleo, and most packaged "paleo" products don't actually qualify — here's what the elimination phase really allows.
The autoimmune protocol (AIP) is stricter than paleo, and that distinction matters at the grocery store — a product labelled "paleo" is frequently not AIP-compliant, because AIP excludes several categories paleo still allows.
What's allowed
- Meat and fish, ideally from a source you trust for quality
- Vegetables, excluding nightshades (see below)
- Healthy fats — olive oil, coconut oil, avocado
- Fermented foods (in most protocols) for gut support
- Herbal teas and bone broth
What AIP excludes beyond paleo
- Nightshades — tomatoes, potatoes (not sweet potatoes), peppers, and eggplant — all excluded during the elimination phase
- Eggs — allowed on paleo, excluded on AIP
- Nuts and seeds — also allowed on paleo, excluded on AIP
- Grains, legumes, dairy, and refined sugar — excluded on both, same as standard paleo
Why "paleo" packaged products often aren't AIP
A packaged product labelled "paleo" is allowed to contain eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshade spices like paprika and chili powder — all of which are excluded on AIP. Reading the full ingredient list rather than trusting a "paleo-friendly" front-of-package claim is essential during the AIP elimination phase specifically, since the two diets genuinely diverge on several common ingredients.
Turn this into a printable system
Every post pairs with a binder or checklist you can actually put on the fridge.
Take this with you: the free Meal Planning & Kitchen Organization Checklist
A printable PDF of the full checklist, emailed to you. The weekly system, the pantry setup, and the freezer inventory that keep meal planning from collapsing by Wednesday.
Read the checklist onlineAll free resourcesPersonalized version, CA$7
Frequently asked questions
AIP is a stricter subset of paleo, additionally excluding nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant), eggs, nuts, and seeds during the elimination phase — all of which are allowed on standard paleo.
Keep reading
- Vegan Grocery List Canada
The plant proteins, the B12 plan, and the hidden dairy and gelatin that sneak into packaged food when you're not reading every label.
- Paleo Grocery List Canada
Meat, fish, and vegetables are the easy part — the condiment aisle is where paleo actually gets broken without anyone noticing.
- Plant-Based Grocery List Canada
"Plant-based" and "vegan" aren't the same shopping list — this one is built around whole foods first, not packaged substitutes.