Paleo Sourdough Starter: Arrival, Feeding & Care Guide
Just received your Living Dough paleo sourdough starter? Begin feeding it as soon as possible after arrival. This guide explains the first feeding, flour choices, daily maintenance, and refrigerator storage using the care instructions supplied with your starter.
Your starter may not look bubbly straight out of the package. Give it consistent feeding and time to regain activity after shipping.
Day 1: Your paleo starter's first feeding
- Choose a container. Transfer the entire starter you receive into a clean jar, bowl, or container with room for expansion.
- Add water and flour. Mix in 2 ounces by weight of water and 2 ounces by weight of flour. The supplied sheet lists approximately 4 tablespoons of water and 5 1/2 tablespoons of flour. Flour volume varies, so weighing is more consistent.
- Use the recommended water. Choose bottled, spring, or filtered tap water.
- Keep at room temperature. Monitor the starter as you continue its feeding routine over the following days.
What flour should you use for this starter?
Cassava flour is our recommended first choice for this paleo starter. The care sheet also lists coconut flour, almond flour, and tapioca flour as alternatives, including blends of these flours.
Different flours absorb water differently and can change the starter's texture and activity. These are the flour options in the supplied care routine, not a nutritional analysis of the starter or finished bread.
Day 2 onward: Feed at a 1:1:1 ratio
Feed every 24 hours using equal weights of starter, flour, and water. This is a 1:1:1 feeding ratio, written as starter:flour:water.
For example, feed 1 ounce of starter with 1 ounce of flour and 1 ounce of water. If you retain more starter, increase both feeding amounts to match its weight.
Use a kitchen scale rather than equal cups or spoonfuls. Flour and water do not weigh the same by volume, and different flours have different densities.
For more examples, read our 1:1:1 sourdough starter feeding guide. Continue following this page's flour choices and care schedule for your paleo starter.
Adjusting the consistency
The supplied instructions describe a grainy pancake-batter consistency. If the starter becomes thicker, add a little more water as needed. Adjust gradually, since cassava, coconut, almond, and tapioca flour can absorb water differently.
When to discard before feeding
Once your starter is active, or after three days of feeding, remove some before feeding to keep the amount manageable. Continue feeding the starter you retain using the same 1:1:1 ratio by weight.
One maintenance example from the care sheet is to retain 4 ounces of starter, then add 4 ounces of water and 4 ounces of flour. Weigh these ingredients rather than relying on a fixed cup conversion across different flours.
When is your paleo starter ready to bake with?
Your starter may respond after one feeding, or it may need up to six days of consistent feeding to regain activity after arrival. Watch for a significant rise or bubbling after feeding.
Begin your recipe when the starter is roughly at its peak size. The original guide suggests approximately 3–6 hours after feeding, but temperature, flour, and starter activity affect the timing. Watch its activity rather than relying only on the clock.
This starter may not bubble or double as dramatically as a traditional sourdough starter. Learn its usual rise-and-fall pattern instead of expecting every starter to behave the same way.
Countertop care and refrigerator storage
Feed an active starter kept on the counter every 24 hours using equal weights of retained starter, flour, and water.
If you are not using your active starter regularly, the supplied routine calls for storing it in the refrigerator and feeding it every 5–7 days. Before baking, allow time and feedings for it to return to its usual activity.
Paleo starter feeding questions
What if my starter is sluggish?
The care sheet suggests trying a 1:3:3 feeding for a sluggish starter: one part starter, three parts flour, and three parts water by weight. Contact us if you need help adjusting the routine.
For additional help, see our sourdough starter feeding troubleshooting guide. Keep using this page's flour recommendations and storage schedule.
Can I blend the recommended flours?
The supplied instructions allow a blend of cassava, coconut, almond, and tapioca flour. Monitor consistency and activity when changing your flour mix.
Can I feed with equal cups instead of equal weights?
No. This routine uses equal weights of starter, flour, and water. Equal cups will not give the same ratio. A scale makes repeat feedings more consistent.
Why isn't it doubling like a traditional starter?
The care sheet notes that this type of starter can show less dramatic bubbling or doubling than a traditional starter. Watch for its own consistent signs of activity after feeding.
Need help with your Living Dough starter?
We guarantee success and 100% satisfaction. Email Joe@LivingDough.com with questions or issues. Include your flour, feeding amounts, room temperature, time since arrival, and photos when helpful.
Have a different starter? See our traditional starter arrival and care guide or gluten-free starter feeding instructions for their separate routines.
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