What is Whole30?
Whole30 is a 30-day diet program that emphasizes eating whole, unprocessed foods. It was created in 2009 by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig, who outlined the program in their best-selling book “It Starts With Food.”
The goal of Whole30 is to reset your eating habits by cutting out certain food groups for a month. These include sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy. The eliminations are meant to relieve symptoms caused by inflammatory foods and reset your taste buds.
During the 30 days, you are only supposed to consume Whole30 approved foods. These include meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, natural fats, herbs, spices, and seasonings. The rules also extend beyond just food. You are not supposed to weigh yourself or consume baked goods, junk foods, or treats with “approved” ingredients.
After the 30 days, you slowly reintroduce the omitted food groups and pay attention to how your body reacts to them. The program is intended to change your relationship with food and establish long-term healthier eating patterns.
Are Hash Browns Allowed on Whole30?
Hash browns seem like they would be compliant with the Whole30 diet since they are made from potatoes. However, most types of store-bought or restaurant hash browns are not actually Whole30 approved due to the processing and additional ingredients involved.
According to the Whole30 website, hash browns are only permitted if they meet the following guidelines:
– Made from fresh potatoes, without any additives or seasonings
– Cooked in a skillet with compliant fat like ghee or avocado oil
– Do not contain any added flavors, preservatives, salt, or Binders
That means most frozen hash browns, the kind at fast food restaurants, or ones cooked in vegetable oil are off-limits. Even most fresh refrigerated hash browns contain preservatives orBinders to hold them together.
So in their original form, hash browns would be Whole30 compliant since they are simply made of potatoes. But to stay within the rules, you would need to shred and cook fresh potatoes yourself at home.
Why Aren’t Most Hash Browns Whole30 Approved?
There are a few reasons why most types of store-bought or restaurant hash browns don’t fall within Whole30 guidelines:
Processed potatoes: Many hash browns start with potatoes that have been processed into shreds, cubes, or patties using machines. Whole30 avoids food that has been mechanically processed.
Preservatives: To prevent oxidation and browning, many store-bought hash browns contain preservatives like sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, citric acid, and ascorbic acid. Whole30 does not allow additives or artificial ingredients.
Binders: To hold frozen hash browns together, they often contain Binders like flour, cornstarch, potato starch, or xanthan gum. These ingredients are eliminated on Whole30.
Vegetable oils: Many hash browns are cooked in high-inflammatory vegetable oils like canola, soybean, corn, or sunflower oil. Whole30 recommends cooking in unrefined fats like ghee or coconut oil.
Seasonings: Most types of hash browns contain added seasonings, especially salt and pepper. Whole30 requires foods to be free of additives like spices, herbs, flavorings, and salt.
Cooking methods: Hash browns cooked in deep fryers or with trans fats would also violate the Whole30 guidelines.
So in their plainest form, hash browns can be Whole30 compliant. But most mass-produced versions at grocery stores and restaurants don’t adhere to the rules.
How to Make Whole30 Approved Hash Browns
To make hash browns that meet the Whole30 guidelines, you’ll need to prepare them yourself from scratch. Here are some step-by-step instructions:
Ingredients:
– Potatoes
– Whole30 approved cooking fat like ghee, avocado oil, bacon grease, etc.
Equipment:
– Box grater or food processor for shredding potatoes
– Large skillet
– Spatula
Instructions:
1. Wash and peel the potatoes if desired. Shred into long thin pieces using a box grater or food processor.
2. Place shredded potatoes in a clean dish towel and wring out as much moisture as possible. This helps them get crispy when cooking.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1-2 tbsp of chosen cooking fat.
4. When fat is hot, add potato shreds in an even layer across the skillet. Press down lightly with spatula to form a flat cake.
5. Cook 4-5 minutes without stirring until underside is browned. Flip and brown other side another 4-5 minutes.
6. Repeat with remaining potato shreds, adding more fat to the skillet as needed.
7. Cooked hash browns can be served immediately or kept warm in a 200°F oven until ready to eat.
The key things to remember are shredding whole fresh potatoes yourself, cooking in approved fats, and not adding any seasonings or preservatives. This will produce simple hash browns that meet the Whole30 standards.
Whole30 Approved Alternatives
If making your own hash browns from scratch seems like too much work, there are some store-bought alternatives that are compliant with the Whole30 diet:
Juli’s Paleo Hash Browns
Juli’s hash browns contain just potatoes, cassava flour, and oil. They are Whole30 approved since they don’t contain any additives or preservatives. The cassava flour acts as a binder to hold the shreds together.
Trader Joe’s Hash Brown Patties
Trader Joe’s hash browns only have potatoes, potato starch, and expeller pressed canola oil. The potato starch acts as an acceptable binder. They bake in canola oil instead of cooking in vegetable oil.
Alexia Sweet Potato Fries
These fries are made from sweet potatoes and expeller pressed canola oil. The irregular shapes give them a similar texture to hash browns.
Be sure to always check labels, even on these brands, as ingredients can change. But these pre-made options can make it easier to get Whole30 approved hash brown flavors.
Healthier Alternatives to Hash Browns on Whole30
If you want to mimic the crispy potato flavor of hash browns, there are some other compliant options to consider on Whole30:
Roasted Potato Wedges
Cut potatoes into wedges, toss in Whole30 compliant oil, and roast at 425°F until crispy on the outside and tender inside. Add spices after Whole30.
Fried Sweet Potatoes
Shred sweet potatoes or cut into cubes and fry in coconut oil or ghee for a sweet twist.
Fried Plantains
Slice green plantains and fry or bake with avocado oil for crispy plantain chips.
Celeriac Root Hash
Grate celeriac root and fry in bacon grease for a stellar hash.
| Food | Ingredients | Cooking Method |
|---|---|---|
| Roasted Potato Wedges | Potatoes, Oil | Baked |
| Fried Sweet Potatoes | Sweet Potatoes, Oil | Fried |
| Fried Plantains | Plantains, Oil | Fried |
| Celeriac Root Hash | Celeriac, Oil | Fried |
These provide the same crispy potato texture and flavor as hash browns. The sweet and savory variations give you more versatility on the Whole30 diet.
Conclusion
Hash browns made from fresh potatoes cooked in compliant fats are technically allowed on the Whole30 diet. However, most store-bought and restaurant versions do not adhere to the rules due to added ingredients and processing methods.
To stay compliant, you’ll need to shred and cook potatoes yourself at home with minimal seasonings. There are a few pre-made options that fit the criteria, like Juli’s hash browns and Trader Joe’s patties. But you’ll have the most flexibility making your own.
If hash browns aren’t possible, roasted potatoes, fried sweet potatoes, plantains, and celeriac root make for tasty approved alternatives to get your potato fix during the 30 days.