The GAPS Diet – Summer Survival Tips

It’s almost 6 months ago that we went through our GAPS Introduction Diet journey. Being in Australia, we started on day one of the kid’s summer holidays last December. We were on the GAPS Diet through the kid’s school holidays.

I chose to work through the strict Introduction Diet over that period because the boys were home every day and I could focus on cooking all the meals and be sure they were consuming all of the necessary healing foods.



As summer in the Northern Hemisphere has just started, and I believe that a number of parents will be considering following The GAPS Diet, as I did, over the summer holidays. So, I thought I’d share our GAPS Intro experience with you.

Preparation

If you know you’ll be starting in a few weeks, start buying and freezing vegetables, including the last of the spring vegetables, meat, chicken and other essentials. This way you can spread the cost of GAPS food over a longer time period. Read more in GAPS Diet Preparation.

Along with buying food in advance, make as much ahead as possible. Having a selection of stocks/bone broth in the freezer is essential to help you through the first couple of weeks when you’ll be consuming the nourishing ingredient at every meal.

Make a budget for equipment and essential elements so you can spread out the costs, these were our must haves:

Vegetable Spiralizer 

Dehydrator

Mason Jars

Epsom Salts and other detox ingredients 

Get Your Kids Used To The Food

Start off by talking with your kids about what will be happening well in advance. This will help to prepare them for the major change. It will also help to take them to farmers markets to shop for food, so they are involved in the process.

I experimented with meals for a while before we even started GAPS, to get them adjusted to the foods. This included foods like sauerkraut, which my youngest loves and my oldest begrudgingly eats.

Bone Broth/Stock is an integral element of The GAPS Diet and I was always looking for more ways to include the nourishing ingredient in my kid’s diets. I included all of my most popular methods in 10 Ways To Get Your Kids To Consume More Bone Broth.

In the picture above, there is a selection of meals I made for the kids from while we were on The GAPS Intro Diet. You’ll find all the finer details about the meals outlined in The GAPS Intro Diet Posts.

If you’re looking for more ways to make GAPS meals appealing to kids then read my post 12 Ways To Make Food Fun For Kids for some ideas your kids will love!

Books & Resources

The GAPS Diet Book is essential reading for anyone considering a GAPS Diet journey. It outlines the theory behind the diet and goes into great detail about how to correctly follow The GAPS Diet. In addition, a consultation with a GAPS Practitioner should also be considered to help make sure that The GAPS Diet is right for you.

If you’re going to do just one thing in preparation of The GAPS Diet, I recommend downloading 30 Days On The GAPS Intro Diet Handbook. The eBook was a lifesaver for us through the Introduction Diet, helping immeasurably with planning and knowing what to eat and when. (Click Here To Learn More About 30 Days On The GAPS Intro Diet Handbook)

 

 

 

 
When Hot Weather Is Predicted – Make A Plan! 

This is key to surviving The GAPS Diet through hot summer days. Keep a close eye on the weather report to help you plan ahead for days when it is going to be super hot.

In sweltering heat, when you can’t even think about consuming a portion of soup or broth, here are a couple of meal examples which we loved:
  • Cauliflower Rice
  • Zucchini Noodles
  • Burgers cooked in stock
  • Cooled Soups
  • Salads (when allowed)
I would spend the day or two leading up to hot days cooking and refrigerating meals to see us through the heat waves – and believe me, there were more than a few of them! Cooled soups and chilled, cooked meat and vegetable were our hot weather staples.
Overall, our GAPS Diet experience was an overwhelmingly positive one. We have since Transitioned Off The GAPS Diet, but still include many GAPS Meals in our weekly menu.
I’d love to hear from you – please share your tips for surviving The GAPS Introduction Diet over the summer.

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Disclaimer – this post should not be treated as medical advice. It is meant for informational purposes only – please consult with your health professional if you have any concerns for the health of you or your family. Thank you. 
 
Disclosure – This Post Contains Affiliate Links.