What is the Hunter-Gatherer Diet?
The hunter-gatherer diet is an ancestral approach to eating based on the foods humans evolved consuming over millions of years. Before the agricultural revolution roughly 10,000 years ago, our ancestors ate what they could hunt, fish, and forage: wild game, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and eggs.
The core premise is simple: our genes haven't changed much since then, but our diet has changed dramatically. The hunter-gatherer diet aims to realign what we eat with what our bodies evolved to thrive on.
The Evolutionary Mismatch
2+ million years: Humans ate whole, unprocessed foods — whatever they could hunt, fish, and forage.
10,000 years: Agriculture introduced grains, dairy, and later, processed foods.
100 years: Industrial food processing brought refined sugars, seed oils, and ultra-processed products.
Our digestive systems, hormones, and metabolic processes evolved for the first scenario — not the last. This "evolutionary mismatch" may explain many modern health issues.
Core Principles
The hunter-gatherer diet is less about strict rules and more about guiding principles:
Eat Whole Foods
If it didn't exist 10,000 years ago, think twice. Focus on foods with one ingredient.
Eat Seasonally
Our ancestors didn't have year-round access to every food. Embrace variety through seasons.
Nose-to-Tail
Organ meats, bones, and connective tissue were prized — not just muscle meat.
Embrace Fasting
Hunter-gatherers didn't eat three meals a day plus snacks. Periods without food were normal.
Move Naturally
Food and movement were inseparable. Walking, carrying, climbing — not gym sessions.
Live with Nature
Sunlight, sleep cycles, and outdoor time are part of the picture — not just food.
Hunter-Gatherer Foods
Here's what to embrace and what to avoid:
✓ Eat Freely
- Wild and grass-fed meats: beef, lamb, venison, game
- Poultry: chicken, turkey, duck
- Fish and seafood: salmon, mackerel, sardines, prawns
- Eggs: preferably free-range or pasture-raised
- Vegetables: all types, especially leafy greens
- Fruits: berries, apples, citrus (moderate amounts)
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, macadamias, hazelnuts
- Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower, chia, flax
- Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado, coconut oil
- Herbs and spices: all natural seasonings
✗ Avoid or Limit
- Grains: wheat, bread, pasta, rice, oats
- Legumes: beans, lentils, peanuts
- Dairy: milk, cheese, yoghurt (some include)
- Refined sugars: sweets, cakes, biscuits
- Processed foods: anything in a packet with ingredients you can't pronounce
- Seed oils: sunflower, rapeseed, vegetable oil
- Artificial additives: preservatives, colourings
- Alcohol: especially beer (grain-based)
- Soft drinks: both sugary and diet
- Ultra-processed foods: ready meals, crisps
What About Dairy?
Strict hunter-gatherer excludes dairy since our ancestors didn't domesticate animals for milk. However, some people include high-quality, full-fat dairy (especially fermented like kefir or aged cheese) if they tolerate it well.
The key question: does your body handle it? If you experience bloating, skin issues, or digestive problems after dairy, try eliminating it for 30 days and see how you feel.
Hunter-Gatherer vs Paleo vs Primal
These diets share common ground but have subtle differences:
- Paleo: Focuses on specific food rules — no grains, dairy, legumes, or processed foods. More rigid, clearly defined boundaries.
- Primal: Similar to paleo but often includes high-quality dairy and puts more emphasis on lifestyle factors (sleep, sun, movement).
- Hunter-Gatherer: Principle-based rather than rule-based. Emphasises seasonal eating, fasting, food diversity, and the whole lifestyle picture. More flexible interpretation.
In practice, they overlap significantly. Choose whichever framing resonates with you — the core message is the same: eat real food, avoid processed junk.
UK Hunter-Gatherer Meal Ideas
Here's what a day of ancestral eating looks like using foods from UK supermarkets:
Morning (if hungry)
- 3 scrambled eggs cooked in butter
- Smoked salmon
- Handful of spinach
- Half an avocado
Midday
- Grass-fed beef burger (no bun)
- Large mixed salad
- Olive oil and lemon dressing
- Handful of walnuts
Evening
- Roasted lamb chops
- Roasted root vegetables
- Steamed broccoli
- Bone broth (optional)
Seasonal Eating in the UK
Hunter-gatherers ate what was available. Here's how to apply that in Britain:
- Spring: Wild garlic, asparagus, spring lamb, nettles, rhubarb
- Summer: Berries, courgettes, tomatoes, mackerel, fresh herbs
- Autumn: Game birds, apples, pears, squash, mushrooms, venison
- Winter: Root vegetables, cabbage, kale, beef, pork, preserved foods
UK Shopping Guide
Where to find hunter-gatherer foods in British supermarkets:
Best Supermarkets
- Waitrose: Best for grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, and quality meat
- M&S: Good quality prepared whole foods and meats
- Aldi/Lidl: Surprisingly good for budget grass-fed beef, wild salmon
- Local butchers: Often have grass-fed, game, and organ meats
- Farm shops: Best for truly pastured meats and seasonal produce
Budget Tips
- Buy cheaper cuts: Beef shin, lamb shoulder, chicken thighs — often more nutritious than expensive cuts
- Frozen wild fish: Often cheaper and just as nutritious as fresh
- Seasonal vegetables: Cheaper and better quality when in season
- Eggs: One of the most affordable complete proteins
- Tinned fish: Sardines and mackerel are budget-friendly omega-3 sources
Organ Meats: The Forgotten Superfoods
Hunter-gatherers prized organs over muscle meat. Liver is nature's multivitamin — packed with vitamin A, B12, iron, and copper. Kidneys, heart, and bone marrow were all consumed regularly.
Start small: add chicken liver pate to your diet, or hide minced liver in bolognese. Most UK supermarkets stock liver cheaply — it's one of the most nutrient-dense foods per penny.
Intermittent Fasting & The Hunter-Gatherer Lifestyle
Our ancestors didn't eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner on schedule. They ate when food was available — which meant natural periods of fasting. This is why intermittent fasting pairs so well with ancestral eating.
Consider:
- Skip breakfast: If you're not hungry in the morning, don't force it. Our ancestors didn't wake up to a full English.
- Two meals a day: Many people thrive on a large lunch and dinner with no breakfast.
- Occasional longer fasts: A 24-hour fast once a week mimics the feast-famine cycle our bodies evolved with.
NutraSafe includes a built-in fasting timer to help you track eating windows if you want to incorporate intermittent fasting.
Common Questions
Won't I miss carbs?
You'll still eat carbohydrates — just from vegetables, fruits, and tubers rather than grains. Sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, and berries provide plenty of carbs. Most people find they need fewer carbs than they thought once their body adapts to using fat for fuel.
Is this expensive?
It can be, but doesn't have to be. Eggs, tinned fish, chicken thighs, and seasonal vegetables are all affordable. You'll also likely eat less overall as whole foods are more satiating. Many people save money by not buying processed snacks, takeaways, and convenience foods.
What about fibre without grains?
Vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds provide plenty of fibre — often more diverse types than grain-based fibre. A large salad with nuts and seeds contains more fibre than a bowl of wheat bran, plus more micronutrients.
Can I build muscle?
Absolutely. The hunter-gatherer diet is naturally high in protein and provides all essential amino acids. Many athletes follow ancestral eating patterns. Just ensure you're eating enough overall calories and protein for your goals.