Three Days with Paleo On The Go

I made a new friend this week, and the friend’s name is Paleo On The Go.  Unlike meal subscription services that deliver ingredients and instructions, POTG brings you fully prepped, frozen meals that simply need to be reheated in your oven.  You’ve probably gathered that everything on their menu is paleo-approved, but POTG also offers more specialized menus for people following Keto, Strict 30, or AIP (Autoimmune Protocol).  All the entrees I tried align with both Keto and AIP guidelines.

 

Don’t mistake these for TV dinners; you can’t snatch one out of the freezer and eat three minutes later.  The meals need to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, so plan ahead.  The meals I tried all came with the same post-defrost instructions:  remove the film, cover with foil, and place on a baking sheet to heat in the oven (heating times varied between 25-40 minutes).

First up was Juicy Lucy with Caramelized Onion Maple Bacon Jam.  Juicy Lucy is not common in Texas—at least, I’ve never come across it—so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  If, like me, you’re unfamiliar, Juicy Lucy is a burger where the meat patty is stuffed with cheese (rather than placing the cheese on top) prior to cooking, resulting in a melted core of cheese.  Keto and AIP both avoid bread, so POTG’s Juicy Lucy was more like a hamburger steak—very hearty and savory.  By some wizardry (something to do with the gelatin and nutritional yeast, I suspect) their chefs have come up with a dairy-free “cheese” that actually tastes and melts like real cheese.  If you can find a bread substitute that fits your diet plan, this would make a tasty gourmet burger.

 

The next evening I tried Asian Chicken Burgers with Fried Rice.  This was a natural fit for me because I love ginger and I’ve been missing rice.  The catch, of course, is that you’re actually eating diced (“riced”) cauliflower.  No, it doesn’t taste exactly the same, but it’s a great find if you’re avoiding starches; just be sure to eat it piping hot if you’re trying to forget you’re eating cauliflower.

 

Side note: I’m starting to get a bit spoiled.  I can walk in after work, turn the oven on, and by the time I’ve changed clothes and finished a quick treadmill workout, dinner is ready.  I could get used to this.

 

My third evening meal was Zesty Salmon Burgers with Avocado Sauce and Sautéed Kale.  I was a little suspicious of this one since I’m generally opposed to kale, but this lemon- and garlic-seasoned side won me over.  Both the Salmon Burgers and the previous evening’s Chicken Burgers were well-portioned, moist, and flavorful.  AIP & Keto guidelines both cut out a wide variety of flavorings and fillers, so Paleo-On-The-Go compensates by being generous with fresh herbs and approved spices; you’ll find a lot of dishes featuring dill, ginger, scallions, turmeric, and coconut aminos.

 

While prepared foods that align with Strict 30 and Keto guidelines are slowly becoming more common, it’s still ridiculously difficult to find AIP-approved dishes, be it in a restaurant or the freezer section.  That being said, POTG’s Strict 30 and Keto menus both contain around thirty items; the AIP menu has 56(!), including sauces, snack items, and desserts that I’m currently daydreaming about.

 

If you’re making plans for a 30 day program, either AIP or a reset program, it might be a good idea to check out POTG’s monthly meal bundle, especially if you tend to default to take-out meals when you’re tired or stressed.  I can also see how these would be helpful to parents of children with extensive/severe food allergies; AIP is free from most of the common allergens (with the exception of seafood), and it would be easy to send a thawed meal and dessert along to a birthday party or sleepover.

 

I’m labeling POTG a solid find.  Go have a look at their menus and let us know what you decide to try.  Especially if you’re trying dessert.