There is no doubt that I love food - my waistline and my purse will testify to that. I tend to eat very healthily at home and purchase organic where I can - this includes fruit, veg, meat, dairy and grains.

I’m not into fad diets (you cant be if you are a food blogger) so I was very interested when Ally Houston from Scottish company Paleo Canteen contacted me to trial some of his dishes.

So what is a paleo diet?

The Paleo Diet is basically eating how our ancestors use to eat; typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, veg, nuts and seeds and excludes grains and legumes.

It appealed to me as it was what I was eating most meals anyway, minus bread, potatoes, beans etc.

Paleo Canteen only sources and uses the best of food - they use grass fed Scottish beef and lamb, chicken is free range and all their dishes are free from dairy (except those marked 'keto'), legumes, refined sugar, refined vegetable oils, and grains. Only the beef chilli and chicken tagine contain nightshades in the form of tomato, chilli, and paprika.

At Paleo Canteen headquarters in Cumbernauld, everything is cooked from fresh ready for Thursday deliveries. The cooked dishes lasts until the Tuesday and the salads until the Sunday in the fridge but dishes (excluding the salads) are freezable.

You can choose 10 mixed meals or choose the set meals from the lower carb or higher carb. Prices are very reasonable (between £5-£6 per meal) or £58 for the lower/higher carb box, portions are a good size (I promise you, you wont go hungry). Place your order by a Sunday and they are delivered to your door for the Thursday.

The box is well packed and yes all of their packaging is 100% recyclable, including the plastic film. Simply wash off excess food and pop it into your recycling bin with the cardboard delivery box. The gel packs and padded envelope can be saved and sent back to them for re-use after your fifth delivery, and they pay for the postage!

Heat them up in the microwave or oven, eat and enjoy!

I tried out the following:

Provencal Beef Stew with Cauliflower Rice and one with garlic lemon greens
Chicken Tagine with Sweet Potato mash and one with honey cumin carrots
Chicken Salad
Beef Chilli with white rice
Thai Chicken Salad
Lamb Curry with white rice and one with cauliflower rice

You can also try out dishes like chicken korma and lamb kofta. When you choose your dish, you are then given an option to add your side and these include

Canteen Cauliflower Rice (Low Carb)
Garlic & Lemon Greens (Low Carb)
Beetroot Mash (Low Carb)
Honey & Cumin Roasted Carrots
Canteen White Rice
Sweet Potato Mash

All the ingredients are listed including your amount of protein and macros are tracked via My Fitness Pal. Every piece of info you need (calories, fat, carbs) to eat healthily, whether you are trying to improve your health or trying to loose weight, is available not only on their website but also in the handy info sheet that is sent with your packaged food.

My verdict

I loved the Beef Stew, Lamb Curry and the Chicken Tagine. These were chunky filled with meat that was soft and tender and well seasoned. My favourite sides included the honey and cumin roasted carrots, the sweet potato mash and the cauliflower rice. Salads were crunchy and crisp and kept well for 2-3 days.

I was impressed by how full I felt for hours afterwards, which is a good sign for a paleo who’s try to produce nutrient dense dishes to keep those pesky binges at bay. For ready meals they lost none of their flavour and the delicate seasoning in the more Asian inspired dishes shone through.

If you battle with overfilling your plate, feel its bad karma to leave food on your plate, if you are a pants cook or someone with no time on their hands and want good, healthy, filling meals delivered to your door where all you have to do at lunch or in the evening is reach into the fridge, remove the wrapper and pop it in the microwave, then Paleo Canteen is an option for you.

Paleo Canteen

Order online - www.paleocanteen.co.uk or follow them on Facebook

PRODUCT REVIEW : Paleo Canteen