It’s true that there were no fast food restaurants back in the Paleolithic Age, we know this. But if you follow the paleo diet, that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in some fast food once in a while. And if Taco Bell is the place where you choose to indulge, you may want to know exactly what you can order that’ll pass for paleo. We’ve got you covered.
The paleo diet, which draws from the main food groups eaten by our hunter-and-gatherer ancestors way back in the day, consists of things like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds. It doesn’t include foods that came along later, like most grains and dairy products, as well as anything that’s been processed or contains added sugar.
While dietary restrictions like this can make it pretty tricky to eat out (especially at fast food restaurants, which aren’t necessarily known for their raw, healthy ingredients) – it’s not impossible. And even at somewhere like Taco Bell, you can find a few diet-friendly menu items to enjoy as an occasional treat or a convenient meal on the go.
Let’s break down every paleo-friendly item on the current Taco Bell menu so you can come prepared next time you drive through.
Paleo-friendly items available on the Taco Bell menu
If you’re serious about the paleo diet, you probably know that fast food as a whole isn’t something you should consume – most ingredients come with processed or hidden additives, and it’s not necessarily in line with the concept of the diet. But for most people, a once-in-a-while indulgence is a-okay. So just take these recommendations with that grain of salt.
There are a few major things to avoid when you’re ordering at Taco Bell, which unfortunately rule out many of the menu items. Those are things like refined grains (aka tortillas and rice), legumes (aka beans), added sugar (aka sweets and sugary drinks), and processed foods (aka fries and packaged sauces). That seems like a lot off the list, but there are ways to avoid these ingredients by customizing your order to add more paleo-friendly options in their place.
One of the ingredients that can be a bit tricky when it comes to eating paleo is cheese (and dairy products in general). Some allow cheese within their paleo diet, some limit it to certain types of cheese, and others eliminate it entirely. Since the paleo diet generally discourages the consumption of dairy products, we’ve left cheese off the list of paleo-friendly ingredients at Taco Bell. But one great way to get around that is to order your item “fresco-style”, which will automatically replace any dairy or mayo-based ingredients with tomatoes.
Since Taco Bell’s many sauces are mostly processed or contain hidden additives and sugars, it’s best to avoid any condiments or sauces altogether, so you won’t see those on the list below either. And while potatoes are generally okay to consume on paleo, Taco Bell’s hash browns, fries, and potato bites are all fried and processed, so those are no-gos as well.
While there’s a lot you can’t eat at Taco Bell, there’s still enough to work with that will make for a few paleo-friendly meals. First off, pretty much any vegetable is free reign. And meat is of course a big focus of the paleo diet, so most of Taco Bell’s protein options are also up for grabs. This list avoids overly processed meats like bacon and sausage and leaves the others as paleo-friendly choices. But again, just keep in mind that at a place like Taco Bell any of the meat will likely have additives (so you’ll want to consume it sparingly). For your best bet as far as less-processed meat options, choose the grilled chicken or the grilled steak for your meal.
Here are your best options as a paleo person at Taco Bell!
| Paleo Menu Items | Necessary Modifications |
| Grande Toasted Breakfast Burrito (Steak) | No tortilla, no cheese, no potatoes |
| Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken Burrito | Order fresco-style, no tortilla, no tortilla strips |
| Burrito Supreme (Beef, Steak, or Chicken) | Order fresco-style, no tortilla, no beans, no red sauce |
| Power Menu Bowl (Chicken or Steak) | Order fresco-style, no rice, no beans |
| Paleo Ingredients + Add-Ons | |
| Eggs | |
| Seasoned Ground Beef | |
| Steak | |
| Chicken | |
| Jalapeño Peppers | |
| Lettuce | |
| Onions | |
| Guacamole | |
| Tomatoes | |
| Paleo Beverages | |
| Black Coffee (Hot or Iced) | |
| Unsweetened Iced Tea |
Potatoes are a bit of a controversial ingredient when it comes to the paleo diet since they’re high in starch, but they are considered a whole food and a vegetable so they’re generally allowed on a paleo diet. However, the potato bites, hash browns, and fries at Taco Bell are all fried in processed oils and are not paleo-friendly because of the way they’re prepared.
As is, the Power Menu Bowl on the Taco Bell menu is not suitable for a paleo diet because it comes with rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, and other sauces. However, it can be modified to be paleo-friendly by removing those ingredients and adding more paleo-friendly ingredients instead, like extra meat, onions, or jalapeños.
Unfortunately, tortillas are not a paleo-friendly food because they’re usually made with refined grains. Since both wheat flour and corn are to be avoided on a paleo diet, both flour tortillas and corn tortillas are off-limits.
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