Frequently Asked Questions

If you are comfortable eating two animal protein sources (like eggs and salmon, or all varieties of fish and shellfish), we’d encourage you to complete the Original Whole30, utilizing compatible plant-based protein sources (like a pea-based vegan “chorizo” or protein powder) to ensure adequate protein intake. The Original program will afford you the greatest learning opportunity, and the ability to test out a wider variety of plant-based protein sources (including legumes, lentils, soy, and peanuts) to determine how well they work for you. Feel free to consume only plant-based fats during your Original Whole30, as there are plenty to choose from.

If you don’t eat any animal products and are not open to doing so, or if you’ve done the Original Whole30 and are curious about how a plant-based diet might work for you by comparison, then the Plant-Based Whole30 would provide the best fit.

Nope! Each program was carefully designed to function as a stand-alone, discrete elimination and reintroduction protocol, with carefully selected parameters that have proven incredibly effective for the vast majority of people who complete the program. Once you choose a program, please complete it exactly as written, unless your healthcare provider directs you otherwise. Read the Original Whole30 Program Rules, and the Plant-Based Whole30 Program Rules.

A: It’s important to supplement certain nutrients on plant-based diets, since these nutrients are not as bioavailable, or as easily found in plants. The Plant-Based Whole30 medical advisory team recommends working with your healthcare provider to include the following supplements during your Plant-Based Whole30:

• DHA & EPA from algae oil
• A multivitamin that includes B12, zinc, iodine, selenium, magnesium, D3, K2, and choline
• An iron supplement (if needed based on lab results)

Always follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations when it comes to supplementation, and consult with them before beginning any new dietary program.

A: Absolutely, you can choose to reintroduce only specific animal proteins and/or dairy products on the Plant-Based Whole30. If the only animal proteins you’d consider eating are eggs, fish, and seafood, bring that back as one reintroduction group, eating eggs for breakfast, salmon for lunch, and shrimp for dinner. Then, return to your Plant-Based Whole30 elimination for 2-3 days. You can also choose to reintroduce any form of dairy, including high-protein options like greek yogurt or grass-fed whey protein, on its own reintroduction day, returning to the Plant-Based Whole30 elimination for 2-3 days following. For more on Plant-Based Whole30 reintroduction, read this.

The Plant-Based Whole30 includes legumes, soy, peanuts, and lentils to ensure you consume a variety of essential amino acids and sufficient protein. We recommend aiming for a minimum of 15 grams of protein from one or more protein sources at each of your four meals, adding nuts and seeds (like chia and hemp) to boost the protein content. If you’re active, an athlete, or have more muscle mass, you should also consider including a compatible plant-based protein powder at least once a day to supplement your protein needs. See this handout to learn more about plant-based protein sources.

A: Nope! Our Plant-Based Whole30 program was carefully designed to function as a stand-alone, discrete elimination and reintroduction protocol, and should be completed exactly as written. Use beans, lentils, peas, and soy to ensure adequate protein intake. If needed, supplement with a compatible plant-based protein powder. Then, use reintroduction to effectively evaluate how the addition of eggs and/or dairy works for your diet and body.

It depends on what you mean by “work.” The Plant-Based Whole30 is a self-experiment designed to show you which plant-based food groups may or may not be right for you. If you have a poor experience during the elimination phase–with lethargy, digestive issues, skin issues, or other negative symptoms–it is likely that some plant-based foods (or a 100% plant-based diet) don’t work well for you. In that context, the program functioned exactly as intended, helping you identify food sensitivities and moving you closer to an individualized, sustainable diet that works best for you. If that is the case, we encourage you to listen to your body. If your religious, cultural, or ethical convictions allow, consider expanding your plant-based options to include modest amounts of responsibly raised and sourced animal protein (such as bone broth, eggs, and fish). Or, seek the help of a qualified healthcare provider to determine whether any underlying health conditions (like SIBO) may have impacted your Plant-Based Whole30 experience, and create a customized dietary program that meets your specific needs. Others who participate may discover that a 100% plant-based diet provides a positive benefit to their energy, sleep, digestion, mood, and other health factors—or that a few plant-based foods aren’t well-tolerated, but many are. Their Plant-Based Whole30 experience would then allow them to fine-tune their vegetarian or vegan diet in a way that is even more health-promoting.

For those who are currently omnivorous and would like to test the Plant-Based Whole30, our team of healthcare experts highly recommend taking a few weeks to slowly introduce legumes and lentils for a few weeks prior to starting the reset. This allows your microbiome a chance to adapt to the specific carbohydrates and fiber in beans, and should alleviate at least some digestive distress during the program. You would also benefit from preparation and cooking techniques that make legumes and lentils easier to digest such as soaking, draining, and rinsing. Finally, eating most of your vegetables cooked (not raw) can also help ease your transition to a 100% plant-based diet.

The Plant-Based Whole30 is designed for:

• Vegans or vegetarians who want to experience the life-changing benefits of the Whole30 without any animal products
• Omnivores who want to test how well a plant-based diet works for them with a structured, proven elimination and reintroduction protocol
• Original Whole30 community members who want to compare their Original Whole30 experience to a Plant-Based Whole30 experience, to further fine-tune their food freedom

Please note, the Plant-Based Whole30 is not recommended for those who are pregnant or nursing, or young children. Always consult your physician before beginning any new dietary or lifestyle program.

Whole30’s vision is to change lives everywhere, one Whole30 at a time. Though the Original Whole30 serves omnivores, we have always supported vegetarians and vegans in our community. Over the years, we’ve offered plant-based shopping lists, guidance for vegetarians and vegans in the 2012 book It Starts with Food and the 2015 #1 best-seller The Whole30, a Vegan Reset outlined in the 2016 book Food Freedom Forever, and a plethora of website resources. In 2020, we began plans for a program that would more effectively support our vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based-curious community members. In November 2021, we conducted a survey of 1,461 Whole30’ers, and found that an astonishing 87% of omnivorous community members were interested in exploring a plant-based diet. The Plant-Based Whole30 is the result of those conversations and community research, and the next generation of plant-based support for our community.

How quickly digestion improves depends largely on how you were eating before your Whole30. If you were eating a Standard American Diet, Whole30 medical advisor Dr. Michael Ruscio says you should give it a full four weeks before evaluating—essentially, all the way through your 30-day elimination. If you’re coming from a Paleo-style or whole food-based approach, you should start to see improvements after two weeks. However, as we share on our Whole30 Timeline, many people notice digestive improvements right away, sometimes within the first day or two of starting the program. If your digestive symptoms are concerning at any point during your Whole30, please consult your healthcare provider.

Yes! As we share on our Whole30 Timeline, it’s incredibly common to experience food dreams on the Whole30. People report dreams about eating chocolate, drinking wine, or ordering fast-food burgers. Sometimes they wake up feeling gleeful, and other times they wake up in a panic, thinking, “Did I just blow my Whole30?” It’s normal to have food on the brain, especially if the Whole30 is a dramatic dietary change. However, this should ease quickly, and by the middle of your program, making Whole30 meals and snacks should feel far less effortful. However, if at any point your Whole30 starts to feel like it’s taking your mental health to an unhealthy place, please discontinue the program and consult a therapist or healthcare provider.

Not in the least. No two people’s Whole30 experience is the same. You may find you breeze past some of these phases in our Whole30 Timeline while being stuck in others for longer than you anticipated—or you might skip certain phases altogether. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong! However, if you feel uncomfortable with how your Whole30 is progressing, or if the improvements you hoped to see just aren’t appearing, please consult your healthcare provider or registered dietitian for more specialized guidance.

Yes! It’s called The Whole30 Day by Day, and it’s part Whole30 handbook, part guided journal. The book includes a day-by-day timeline for your Whole30, personal motivation, community inspiration, habit hacks, and meal tips. Each day also offers guidance for self-reflection, food journaling, and tracking your non-scale victories to keep your momentum going and help you plan for the days to come. You can also see a high-level preview of a typical Whole30 experience in our Whole30 Timeline.

That’s not really a question, but we hear you. If you’ve been leaning hard on eggs, your favorite recipe, or the same Whole30 salad bowl from Chipotle for the last three weeks, it might be time to liven things up. Here are some ideas to spice things up no matter where you are on our Whole30 Timeline:

• Prepare your eggs differently (hard-boil, poach, scramble, or make a frittata)
• Make some new recipes
• Add a new dressing or sauce
• Shop for new vegetables, or prepare them a new way (roasting or air frying are our favorite)
• Build in variety with Whole30 compatible meals from Made By Whole30 meals (Original Whole30) or Daily Harvest (Plant-Based Whole30)
• Swap Whole30 recipes with a friend or someone on Instagram

And remember, you can just as easily eat a burger, chicken salad, or chili for breakfast as you can for dinner. If it helps to think about it as “meal one” instead of breakfast, do that.

We don’t recommend it. The first week or two of the program can be difficult, emotionally and physiologically. It takes time for your body to learn to burn fat instead of sugar, your taste buds to adapt, your cravings to subside, and your digestion to smooth out. Improvements in pain, fatigue, and other symptoms can take even longer to materialize. By staying in the elimination phase for less than 30 days, you’d experience all of the difficult parts without experiencing much (if any) of the potential benefits. Plus, you made yourself a promise to complete the Whole30, not the Whole22 or Whole27. Keep that promise to yourself, trust the process (and the results of millions of people who have come before you), and firmly commit to completing all 30 days. Read more about the Whole30 Timeline here.

In some cases, this can be a good idea. Extending elimination to 45 or even 60 days might be helpful for those who have already seen marked improvements in their health condition, and believe extending elimination will bring further benefits. (This is especially true for those with autoimmune conditions or chronic pain or fatigue, which can be slower to respond to dietary interventions.) However, unless your healthcare provider recommends it, we suggest you limit elimination to no longer than 90 days. Note, if you just like the comfort the Whole30 rules provide or are anxious about the impact of reintroducing certain food groups (like grains or added sugar), those aren’t good reasons to extend your Whole30. Elimination programs like the Whole30 aren’t meant to be followed long-term. There may not be health benefits associated with you continuing to eliminate all of these food groups, and there can be negative mental health consequences from restricting food groups unnecessarily. The goal of the Whole30 is to help you create your own ideal, sustainable diet (your food freedom) and you won’t get there by continuing to follow our rules. Use the last week of your Whole30 elimination to prepare for reintroduction, and take one step closer to your own food freedom plan.

A: That’s not really a question, but we know what you mean. The Pancake Rule eliminates baked goods, foods-with-no-brakes, and treats, even if they’re made with technically compatible ingredients. Remember, the program isn’t just about identifying food sensitivities. It’s about creating new healthy habits, and examining your emotional relationship with food. You may not turn to all of the foods that fall under the Pancake Rule, but we ask that you eliminate them anyway. Think about it this way—if you’re not that into pancakes, tortillas, or potato chips, it should be easy to avoid them for 30 days.

That’s not really a question, but we know what you mean. The Pancake Rule eliminates baked goods, foods-with-no-brakes, and treats, even if they’re made with technically compatible ingredients. Remember, the program isn’t just about identifying food sensitivities. It’s about creating new healthy habits, and examining your emotional relationship with food. You may not turn to all of the foods that fall under the Pancake Rule, but we ask that you eliminate them anyway. Think about it this way—if you’re not that into pancakes, tortillas, or potato chips, it should be easy to avoid them for 30 days.

Elimination diets are meant to be strictly followed—for good reason. Eating even small amounts of foods to which you are sensitive can disrupt the process and interrupt your healing. Complete elimination, on the other hand, can bring about improvements in any number of symptoms or negative health effects, and makes it easier to identify potentially problematic food(s) during reintroduction. Should you consume something from the elimination group during the first 30 days (accidentally or otherwise), we generally recommend starting your elimination over again from Day 1, to ensure you obtain as many benefits from the program as possible. However, you are responsible for your own Whole30. We’re going to give you our best recommendations based on science and our vast experience, but no one is going to come to your house to check up on you. To read more about this question, click here.

You can cook veggies at home any way you choose; air fry them, pan fry them, roast them, or grill them, in whatever shape you want (including rectangles). Your homemade sweet potato spears aren’t the same as those deep-fried, 19-ingredient fast food fries we call out in the Pancake Rule.

A: That’s not really a question, but we know what you mean. The Pancake Rule eliminates baked goods, foods-with-no-brakes, and treats, even if they’re made with technically compatible ingredients. Remember, the program isn’t just about identifying food sensitivities. It’s about creating new healthy habits, and examining your emotional relationship with food. You may not turn to all of the foods that fall under the Pancake Rule, but we ask that you eliminate them anyway. Think about it this way—if you’re not that into pancakes, tortillas, or potato chips, it should be easy to avoid them for 30 days.

That’s not really a question, but we know what you mean. The Pancake Rule eliminates baked goods, foods-with-no-brakes, and treats, even if they’re made with technically compatible ingredients. Remember, the program isn’t just about identifying food sensitivities. It’s about creating new healthy habits, and examining your emotional relationship with food. You may not turn to all of the foods that fall under the Pancake Rule, but we ask that you eliminate them anyway. Think about it this way—if you’re not that into pancakes, tortillas, or potato chips, it should be easy to avoid them for 30 days.

This came from our first book, It Starts With Food, originally published in 2012. “Foods with no brakes” describes hyper-sweet/salty/fatty, calorically dense, nutrient-poor foods. These are foods that scientists have designed to make you overconsume, with all the pleasure and reward signals to keep you reaching in for more, but none of the satiety signals to tell you to stop. (Potato chips are a great example.)

You certainly can, if you already suspect one food in that reintroduction group doesn’t work well for you. The more carefully and systematically you approach reintroduction, the more you’ll gain awareness of an individual food’s effects. Just remember to take 2-3 days of Whole30 elimination in between each reintroduced food or food group. For more on Original Whole30 reintroduction, read this. For more on the Plant-Based Whole30 reintroduction, read this.

Nope! There is no pressure whatsoever to reintroduce a food you don’t like or have no desire to eat. If you don’t miss peanut butter, skip it! If you never liked cottage cheese, don’t bother. The point of reintroduction is to figure out whether the foods you’ve been missing work well for you. The specific foods you reintroduce in each group is entirely up to you. For more on Original Whole30 reintroduction, read this. For more on the Plant-Based Whole30 reintroduction, read this.

As mentioned above, some quantity of added sugar usually comes attached to other reintroduction food groups. If you’re happy to reintroduce only low-sugar versions of grains and dairy, you can skip this optional step. Once you know how plain grains or dairy impact you, you’ll be able to compare that experience to how you feel when you eat your mom’s chocolate chip cookies in your food freedom. But what if the foods you want to reintroduce are higher in sugar? If you really miss blueberry muffins, brown sugar oatmeal, ice cream, or strawberry yogurt, you’re going to want to reintroduce those. But if your energy dips, your cravings return, or your skin breaks out, was it the grains (or dairy), the sugar, or both? If you plan on bringing back higher-sugar versions of these foods during grain and dairy days, this optional step can be helpful. These extra three days will help you evaluate how added sugar alone impacts your energy, mood, hunger, cravings, and other symptoms, so you’ll be able to compare by the time it’s blueberry muffin day. (You can also add this step if you simply want to evaluate the impact of sugar by itself.) For more on Original Whole30 reintroduction, read this. For more on the Plant-Based Whole30 reintroduction, read this.

This is related to the below question. Most of the foods you’ll want to reintroduce likely come with at least some added sugar. But reintroducing high-sugar versions of grains or dairy can complicate your observations. Choosing lower-sugar options for these categories helps you evaluate more clearly the impact of each food group. If you figure out that plain yogurt with breakfast has no negative effects, then later in your food freedom you try a sugary yogurt with breakfast and your energy tanks, you’ll know exactly why. For more on Original Whole30 reintroduction, read this. For more on the Plant-Based Whole30 reintroduction, read this.

Nope. We’ve arranged our reintroduction schedule in order of least likely to be problematic to most likely to be problematic, based on watching millions of people complete the program. However, you can reintroduce food groups in whatever order you choose. If you really miss oatmeal and rice, reintroduce non-gluten grains first. If you are desperate for that glass of wine, reintroduce alcohol first. Just make sure you only reintroduce one food group at a time, and return to the elimination diet for 2-3 days between each food group. For more on Original Whole30 reintroduction, read this. For more on the Plant-Based Whole30 reintroduction, read this.

Yes. (Can we just say that?) Reintroduction is a necessary part of every elimination program. It’s where you learn the most about the way various foods impact you, and helps you identify food sensitivities or adverse reactions. Without reintroduction, you’ll miss half of the learning experience of the Whole30. (And that feels like a big bummer, considering how hard it is to give up the foods you love for 30 days.) Be patient, take your time with reintroduction, and use that knowledge to fuel your food freedom. We promise, it’ll be worth the extra few days. For more on Original Whole30 reintroduction, read this. For more on the Plant-Based Whole30 reintroduction, read this.

As counterintuitive as it may feel after 30 days of elimination, look for products that do contain added sugar for this step. Add sugar or a sweetened dairy-free creamer to your coffee, drink a sugary (or sweetened “diet”) beverage, glaze your tofu in a maple syrup glaze, use a ketchup or salad dressing that contains added sugar, choose a sweetened nut butter, add date paste to your smoothie, or top your salad with sugar-coated pecans.

This is a special situation. As these foods are made from compatible Whole30 ingredients, you might think, “I’ll just eat them as I choose throughout my reintroduction.” However, we’d encourage you to separate these foods from the rest of your reintroduction schedule, and turn them into their own reintroduction category. That means dedicating one day to reintroducing Pancake Rule foods only, then spending 2-3 days back on Whole30 elimination. In addition, pay close attention to how that paleo banana bread, cassava flour tortilla, or serving of potato chips makes you feel. It’s possible that the high quantity of alternative flour found in many of these foods will mess with your digestion, or that the return of tortillas, baked goods, cereal, chips, or fries brings back cravings.

How quickly digestion improves depends largely on how you were eating before your Whole30. If you were eating a Standard American Diet, Whole30 medical advisor Dr. Michael Ruscio says you should give it a full four weeks before evaluating—essentially, all the way through your 30-day elimination. If you’re coming from a Paleo-style or whole food-based approach, you should start to see improvements after two weeks. However, as we share on our Whole30 Timeline, many people notice digestive improvements right away, sometimes within the first day or two of starting the program. If your digestive symptoms are concerning at any point during your Whole30, please consult your healthcare provider.

Yes, it can. The Whole30 is contraindicated (not recommended) for those with a history of disordered eating. The Whole30’s elimination phase is a form of restriction (of food groups, rather than calories), and can lead to intense cravings, binging, and the reactivation of dormant disordered eating habits. (It can even promote such behaviors in those without a history of disordered eating. Current research suggests that some people are simply more susceptible for the development of eating disorders during certain dietary protocols.) If this is your context or if you are at all concerned, speak with a qualified therapist or healthcare provider before committing to the Whole30. Read this article with Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Emily Deans for more.

Seed oils are relatively new to the human diet. They were first introduced in the early 1900’s, and quickly began to replace more traditional fats like butter and lard. (In 2023, soybean oil had the highest level of consumption of any edible oil in the United States.) As such, we have just a few generations to evaluate the impact of the shift in our dietary fat sources. While seed oils have been extensively studied and we have high-quality data to rely on, Whole30 is always evaluating our program rules against the research. We will continue to do so here.

Much like a gluten-free or dairy-free call-out, “seed oil free” is simply an identifier for interested consumers. Gluten and dairy are not problematic for everyone, nor are they “unhealthy” ingredients. (Dietary call-outs aren’t the same as a warning on a pack of cigarettes.) However, for those who must avoid gluten or dairy due to an allergy or sensitivity, those labels can be helpful. Likewise, for people looking to decrease their omega-6 consumption or seeking a potentially healthier version of processed foods, a “seed oil-free” label can be equally valuable. However, much like “gluten-free” or “dairy-free,” a “seed oil-free” label or certification does not automatically mean the product is healthy. It also doesn’t make it, by default, healthier than other products that do use seed oils.

We know oils that are higher in PUFA content can become unstable when exposed to air, heat, and light. As such, your best practices for buying, storing, and cooking with seed oils include:

• Buying oils in dark glass or aluminum bottles, to protect them from light exposure
• Check expiration dates and choose the freshest oils
• Purchasing them in a smaller size, so they aren’t being stored for long periods of time
• Storing them in a cool, dark place, like a kitchen cabinet (not above the stove)
• Cooking with most seed oils on low heat

Finally, your best option for hemp, flax, and sesame seed oils is to avoid heating them altogether.

A high oleic version of safflower or sunflower oil means the seeds have been bred to contain a higher amount of monounsaturated fats, and lower amounts of polyunsaturated fat. (Note, this is not the same as genetic modification.) These oils have a neutral flavor and are more stable than their traditional counterparts. High oleic cooking oils are a great choice for your Whole30, and you’ll find them in many Whole30 Approved partner products.

We do—and by default, people will, thanks to the program rules. However, due to financial constraints, accessibility issues, or a lack of resources, some may choose to use a refined cooking oil on the program—and we’re fine with that. Most people are already making a huge change to their diets when they start the Whole30, giving up soda, fast food, chips, alcohol, candy, and many other ultra-processed foods. If canola oil is the only ultra-processed food in their diet for 30 days, and that makes the program more accessible, it’s a big win for their health and their results.

In some cases, yes. The refining process for seed oils often includes bleaching, deodorizing, and high heat extraction. This can prevent rancidity, breaking down unstable fatty acids and extending their shelf life. While high temperatures are used during extraction, it’s also done under high pressure—which means there is no potential for oxidation. In addition, the heat heat also causes any chemical solvent used to evaporate. (Most vegetable oils have no detectable hexane residues. Per an analysis from Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, you’d have to consume 11+ liters of seed oils a day for this to be of concern.) However, the refining process can also remove beneficial antioxidants, vitamin E, and phenols.

Whole30 has no rules around ultra-processed foods, although you’ll be eliminating most (if not all) during the elimination phase as a result of the other program rules. However, if you wish to avoid refined oils on the program, you can use other cooking oils, like extra-virgin olive oil, ghee, unrefined coconut oil, avocado oil, cultured oil, or algae oil. You can also look for unrefined, expeller-pressed, or cold-pressed versions of sunflower or safflower oil (high oleic or otherwise).

While it may be controversial, it’s not at all a dramatic departure. You have always been able to cook with or consume some seed oils on the program, including canola, safflower, sunflower, sesame, and grapeseed oils. This rule change only serves to allow a few additional seed oils, including corn oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, and soybean oil, back into the program. To be honest, this rule change reflects a more logical and consistent approach to the program rules.

Yes, consuming MSG is okay on your Whole30. We no longer include MSG on our list of additives excluded from the program.

People can be sensitive to all kinds of generally safe and healthy things, including eggs, broccoli, or xanthan gum. But we have decided the evidence is no longer strong enough for us to specifically call this additive out in the Whole30 rules. (As an aside, Registered Dietitian Michelle Jaelin also says these reactions may be the result of a tyramine intolerance, not necessarily a reaction to MSG.)

You probably won’t find “MSG” on a Whole30 compatible food label. You may find some brands of canned tuna that contain MSG, but in general, it’s not an additive found in Whole30 foods. (However, as an interesting aside, MSG is chemically indistinguishable from glutamate, a common amino acid found in everything from tomatoes to chicken soup to mayonnaise and beef jerky. It’s likely you eat glutamate in some form on a regular basis.)

While this rule change might not impact your grocery shopping experience, it’s important for us to right the wrong we made when excluding it from the program back in 2010. Removing it from our rules is a small but powerful way of calling out the racism and xenophobia behind the stigma, and allows us to share more accurate, reliable information with our community.

Yes, you could now add MSG to tomato sauces, soups, stews, salads, dips, or dressings. You can find MSG in your local Asian market, or in the spice aisle of many grocery stores. The brand Ajinomoto, from the folks who first discovered MSG, is one of the more popular. (Just shake it on to taste, like salt.)

Traditionally, it would be fermented from seaweed broth. Today, it’s made from the fermentation of a number of plant-based substances, such as sugar cane, sugar beets, cassava or corn. Because none of the fermented substrate (such as the sugar or corn) carries forward into the MSG product itself, regardless of how it’s made, MSG is compatible with the Whole30.

MSG produces the same kind of umami flavor that comes from mushrooms or dried seaweed. It’s not salty, it’s savory, and a little can add a ton of flavor to sauces, soups, stews, salads, veggie dishes, and more.

 As with any Whole30 food or beverage, if your body doesn’t respond well to something, whether that’s almond butter, sparkling water, or MSG, leave it out of your program. But it would be an interesting experiment to see if adding MSG to your Whole30 salad or stew produced the same “side effects” as consuming Chinese take-out. (Maybe it’s not the MSG.)

Our weekly meal delivery service offers a rotating menu of fresh, chef-prepared meals that you can order exclusively online, with new meals delivered to your door every week. These meals are not available in stores and are designed for convenience and variety.

On the other hand, our prepared foods at Costco are ready-to-eat meals available in-store. These items are not part of the weekly delivery service and are only available at select Costco locations.

Yes. We partner with independent small businesses all across the country, so our menus vary based on the customer’s geographic region. This allows us to deliver a diverse array of meal options from local chefs, featuring ingredients that are fresh and seasonal in their region. We have East Coast and West Coast supplier networks and fulfillment centers. Made By Whole30 meals offer three different menus based on the customer’s geographic location: East Coast, West Coast, and the Shipped Menu, which covers the rest of the country.

With our subscription option, some meals are available weekly, some biweekly, and some less frequently. We try to keep customer favorites available each week. New meals are introduced regularly, especially during seasonal changes.

New menus are added to your ordering site every week on Friday morning. This menu is visible until the next order deadline (Thursday at midnight EST).

We deliver to the lower 48 states (excluding AK and HI). Our coverage reaches over 98% of the contiguous U.S., but there are still a few remote areas we are not yet able to service. Enter your ZIP code on our website (meals.whole30.com) to see if we deliver to you.

Local delivery fees are $9.99 per box. Shipped delivery fees via UPS range from $10.99  to $19.99. Shipping depends on your shipping zone, and does not change based on the number of meals you order. 

You can place your order before Thursday at 11:59PM to receive your meals the following week. So order any time up to 11:59 p.m. for your menu delivery zone and you’re good to go.

• Shipped customer order deadline—11:59PM CST
• East Coast menu order deadline—11:59PM EST
• West Coast menu order deadline—11:59PM PST  

Once a subscription customer places an order, you can edit it any time during the weekly menu period (Friday morning through Thursday at midnight). Once the ordering window has closed, no further edits can be made to that order.

You will be able to cancel your orders within your user dashboard before the Thursday at midnight deadline. If the deadline has passed, you can reach out to the Mealogic support team at [email protected] for help canceling your order.

There are two delivery methods for customers, based on their location: Local East Coast, Local West Coast, and Shipped. Subscription customers in our Local delivery zones (East Coast and West Coast menus) will receive up to two deliveries per week, on Sundays and Wednesdays. These subscription customers can choose meals for either or both delivery dates. They can order a minimum of four meals and a maximum of 24 meals per week (but each box must have a minimum of four meals—customers may not order two meals for Sunday and two meals for Wednesday). Meals have four days of shelf life once they are delivered, so two deliveries helps maximize freshness.

Subscription customers in our Shipped delivery zones get one weekly delivery, on Wednesdays. These customers can order a minimum of six and maximum of 12 meals per week. These meals have a longer shelf life and last for a full week after they are delivered,

Currently you can only order an even quantity of meals (six or eight, but not seven). This is to ensure the quality of meals upon arrival.

You’ll find a small postcard tucked into the side of each delivery with a special packet designed to ensure the meals arrived safely and at the proper temperature. Consult this card when you receive each delivery. 

If the circle in the packet is green or yellow, your meals are safe to eat. If the circle is orange, red, or white (unactivated), your meals could have been affected by time and/or temperature. Do not eat those meals, and reach out to Customer Service by replying to your Order Confirmation email or emailing [email protected].

If you need to skip a week of deliveries, you can do so in your dashboard. Simply click “MANAGE UPCOMING DELIVERIES” and skip as many weeks as needed.

To permanently cancel a subscription, you can scroll to the bottom of the page, select “Manage Subscription,” and then cancel.

There is a “use by date” printed on the top of the carton. This is the date we recommend that you use the product by in order to have the best eating experience.

Currently, you can purchase these products at Costco locations throughout the Southern United States, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. You can also find the Lemon Garlic flavor in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. We are working to expand to additional stores soon. Use the form below to sign up for our email list and be notified once Whole30 prepared foods are available near you.

Yes, if you can’t use the product by the “use by date” on package it is okay to freeze. If you do freeze the product, make sure to use within 6 months. When you would like to prepare the entree, please defrost in the refrigerator for 12 hours, and then follow the heating instructions on the package. Eat within three days of defrosting.

The yearly licensing fee will vary depending on your company’s last 12 months of revenue and the number of approved products. If these numbers change, you can accurately forecast based on our fee schedule.

Generally, within 1-2 weeks after acceptance into the program. The timeline can move more quickly or more slowly depending on how long it takes for us to receive required information and review the license agreement. We strive to move the process along quickly.

Whole30® and Whole30 Approved® are legally registered trademarks with the USPTO, and may not be used to promote, advertise, market, or sell your product or service without a license.

You can submit a new product to us for review at any time during your license period. Once approved, there is no additional fee to add a new product to your existing license. Fees are only reviewed during annual renewal periods.

The specific terms of the license will be provided upon acceptance into our program. The primary purpose of the licensing is for placement of our Whole30 Approved® logo on your product packaging, website, and marketing materials and long-term brand alignment.

Sponsorship opportunities vary depending on the time of the year and our initiatives at Whole30. Learn more about our Branded Content options during your application process with our Whole30 Approved Program Manager.

You will receive an email from our online portal with renewal information.

Yes, absolutely. We provide this documentation once the partnership is confirmed.

There are set dates for the Community Cohort and during those set dates are when you can participate in the experience. To find when the next cohort is, visit shop.whole30.com.

No special technology is needed! All you need is a working phone, laptop, or tablet to access the Cohort. You can also download the mobile app to take the Cohort with you on the go.

If you need assistance with the Community Cohort program or SMS functionality, please click this link to reach out to our support team for help.

Yes we do offer a Plant-Based Whole30 Community Cohort! To learn more about the cohort click here.

You can cancel your purchase anytime before the Cohort begins for a full refund. After the Cohort begins, refunds are available up until Day Six of the Cohort.

Discutimos la investigación específica detrás de nuestras categorías de eliminación (azúcar añadida, alcohol, granos, lácteos, legumbres y la Regla de los Panqueques) en La Ciencia Detrás de Whole30. Es importante tener en cuenta que aunque estos grupos de alimentos suelen ser problemáticos (en diferentes grados, en un amplio rango de personas), no los eliminamos porque sean “malos”. No existen alimentos universalmente “buenos” o “malos”, y el Whole30 no asigna moralidad a los alimentos. Eliminamos estos grupos porque son desconocidos: pueden ser problemáticos, y no sabrás exactamente si o cómo son problemáticos para ti hasta que los elimines, los reintroduzcas y compares tu experiencia.

Ambos programas ofrecen un período de eliminación de 30 días y una reintroducción estructurada, con el objetivo de identificar sensibilidades alimentarias, crear nuevos hábitos y restablecer una relación saludable con la comida. Los programas Whole30 Original y Whole30 a base de plantas difieren solo en sus fuentes de proteínas y grasas, y en el tiempo que los programas llevan disponibles. El Whole30 Original incluye proteínas de animales de alta calidad y fomenta el uso de algunas grasas animales, mientras elimina legumbres como los cacahuetes y la soja. Whole30 a Base De Plantas no incluye ninguna proteína ni grasa de animal. Utiliza frijoles, lentejas, guisantes, soja, polvos de proteína compatibles, frutos secos y semillas para garantizar una ingesta adecuada de proteínas; y solo incluye fuentes de grasas de origen vegetal. Haz clic aquí para leer las Reglas del Programa Whole30 a Base de Plantas.