12 tips and recipes for stage 1 of the GAPS intro diet - The Nourishing Gourmet (2024)

by KimiHarris 60 Comments

This grain free chicken noodle soup is GAPS friendly! For the intro diet, leave out the celery.

The intro diet to GAPS can be an effective healing tool for many, but it is quite restrictive. You can read the instructions for the introduction diet here. On stage one, you are basically consuming homemade bone broths, meats cooked in broth, and non-fibrous vegetables, also cooked in broth, with a little bit of sauerkraut juice. It can be hard to get through, get enough calories, especially if you have children on the diet. This is what I learned more recently when we did a test run of the GAPS diet for my daughter after some issues cropped up again after some unavoidable antibiotics.

But before I get to the practical tips, read this amazing GAPS story for encouragement. A mom with very fussy eaters on the GAPS diet with great results. I love it!

1. Make broth every day so you don’t run out.

2. Make very large pots of soup so there are plenty of leftovers.

3. Plan to eat very, very often until you adjust to the new dietary foods. I plan on feeding my daughter every two hours.

4. Everything has to be cooked in broth, but you can pull out hamburger patties, steaks, and other cuts of meat from the broth and eat it with a fork while sipping a cup of broth on the side.

5. If you don’t do well on a low carb diet, or have children doing the diet with you, eat lots of squash and carrot soups for the carbs. (It goes without saying that you should check with your health care provider about dietary changes.)

6. Cut carrots into carrot sticks and cook until soft in broth. Remove, then sprinkle with salt and serve. This is a great way to get some carbohydrates into your diet.

7. Invest in a hand blender. When you can’t even saute onions in oil yet, your soups are going to pretty basic. By blending some of your soups, you will have a more enjoyable soup experience with certain vegetables. A hand blender makes this much easier. I have been happy with my Kitchenaid Hand Blender!

8. My personal favorite soup on the diet: Creamed Cauliflower with Beef. Cut up cauliflower and place in pot with several peeled garlic cloves (I also add oregano which is not technically in stage one). Cover with broth. Cook until soft, blend with hand blender. Bring to a simmer and drop balls of uncooked, salted, ground beef into the soup to create meatballs. Simmer until cooked through. Adjust with salt to taste and serve with chopped cilantro.

9. My daughter’s favorite soup on the intro diet is Ginger Squash Soup. Peel a large butternut squash soup and cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon and dice the squash. Place in a pot with a tablespoon or two of finely grated peeled ginger, and several peeled garlic cloves. Cover with broth. Simmer until the squash is cooked well. Blend until soft and salt to taste.

10. We also really liked Broccoli Beef Soup. Thinly slice one or two well-washed leeks. Add to a pot of salted broth. Simmer for ten minutes. Then add cut up broccoli and salted ground beef shaped into small meatballs. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until cooked through.

11. Make sure you eat plenty of fat. Keep all of the fat in the broth. I found that the pureed soups tasted velvety when they contained lots of fat. This is important for both satiety and for healing.

12. Purchase the ebook, What Can I Eat Now? 30 Days on the GAPS Intro Diet. You will not be disappointed as she walks you through the intro diet with a variety of tasty recipes. We have not used it strictly, but rather used it as a resource for more recipe ideas. (She also has a lot of other great resources too! Like this GAPS accessible Grain Free Afternoon Freezer Class !)

So there are 12 of my tips and recipes for Stage 1 of the GAPS intro diet. I’d love to hear yours as well!

Thank you so much for supporting this blog by purchasing through any of the above affiliate links. I appreciate you!

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12 tips and recipes for stage 1 of the GAPS intro diet - The Nourishing Gourmet (2)

KimiHarris

I love beautiful and simple food that is nourishing to the body and the soul. I wrote Fresh: Nourishing Salads for All Seasons and Ladled: Nourishing Soups for All Seasons as another outlet of sharing this love of mine. I also love sharing practical tips on how to make a real food diet work on a real life budget. Find me online elsewhere by clicking on the icons below!

12 tips and recipes for stage 1 of the GAPS intro diet - The Nourishing Gourmet (3)

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12 tips and recipes for stage 1 of the GAPS intro diet - The Nourishing Gourmet (2024)

FAQs

What is Stage 1 of the GAPS diet? ›

Foods Allowed During Stage 1

Start every day with a glass of mineral or filtered water with fresh lemon juice. In Stage 1, you can have: Homemade stocks from fish, beef, chicken, turkey, and lamb: Make sure to reserve and utilize bone marrow and soft tissues in soups. Soups with well-boiled vegetables and meats.

How do I prepare for the GAPS diet? ›

These include:
  1. Do not eat meat and fruit together.
  2. Use organic foods whenever possible.
  3. Eat animal fats, coconut oil, or cold-pressed olive oil at every meal.
  4. Consume bone broth with every meal.
  5. Consume large amounts of fermented foods, if you can tolerate them.
  6. Avoid packaged and canned foods.

Is the GAPS diet legit? ›

It's promoted as a treatment for people with brain disorders such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and autoimmune diseases. However, many health professionals have criticized the GAPS diet as being too restrictive and promoting unsupported health claims.

What foods can you eat on GAPS diet? ›

Acceptable GAPS foods include:
  • eggs.
  • meat, fish, and shellfish (fresh or frozen only)
  • fresh vegetables and fruit.
  • garlic.
  • natural fats, such as olive oil, coconut oil, and ghee.
  • a moderate amount of nuts.
  • GAPS baked goods made using nut flour.
Apr 26, 2019

What can you eat on the Phase 1 diet? ›

The Kaufmann Phase 1 Food List
FoodAllowed
FruitFresh Green Apples, Berries, Avocados, Fresh Coconut, Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Tomatoes
VegetablesAll Fresh Vegetables - organic is preferred
GrainsPseudo-grains: Buckwheat, Quinoa, Amaranth, Millet
VinegarUnpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar
7 more rows

How long is Stage 1 of the GAPS diet? ›

Stage 1. I recommend that most people follow Stage 1 for just 2-3 days. Stage 1 consists of soups with well-cooked meat and veggies, with broth or tea in between meals. There's no added fats and limited variety in the food.

Can you eat eggs on GAPS diet? ›

Hence the importance in introducing many egg yolks to the GAPS Diet on a daily basis. Free range organic eggs are the best source because they wont be fed antibiotics or have exposure to environmental chemicals. One of the best foods for treating adrenal fatigue is raw egg yolks.

Can you eat sweet potato on the GAPS diet? ›

GAPS diet specifics

The GAPS diet is similar to the customized Paleo diet, with the following distinctions: It restricts all sources of starch (e.g., sweet potatoes, potatoes, plantains, etc.). It emphasizes the use of fermented foods and bone broths to restore healthy gut microbiota and gut barrier integrity.

Is cheese OK on the GAPS diet? ›

Initially no dairy products are to be consumed. You will be instructed how and when to introduce the foods on this list. Raw cheese from organic grass-fed cows is always preferred. All dairy should be hormone-free.

Are bananas allowed on the GAPS diet? ›

Fruits in the GAPS Diet are only allowed in moderation: Apples. Banana. Berries.

What are the disadvantages of the GAPS diet? ›

Downsides of the GAPS Diet

There are no peer-reviewed clinical studies assessing the GAPS diet or proving it effective at healing the gut and treating the conditions it claims to cure. In addition, it's unclear if a leaky gut is the result of having a certain condition and not the cause.

Is oatmeal allowed on gaps? ›

Foods to Avoid (or Limit)

Grains, including cereal, oats and wheat. Sugar, honey, agave syrup, and molasses.

Is bacon allowed on GAPS diet? ›

Selecting the right bacon is important: GAPS does not recommend smoked meats as they normally contain nitrites or other substitutes that are even worse than nitrites with alleged cancer causing agents so store bought bacon is out (including some nitrate free commercial brands).

Are bananas good for leaky gut? ›

Bananas are considered one of the best gut healing foods for individuals with leaky gut. They are easily digestible and gentle on the gastrointestinal system. All these qualities makes banana a soothing choice for those with digestive issues.

What is Stage 1 gaps breakfast? ›

But, What am I Actually Eating During GAPS Intro Stage 1? Breakfast– GAPS basic chicken soup (simmer a whole chicken in filtered water with sea salt to taste, 3 roughly chopped carrots, 1 chopped onion, and 3 small peeled and seeded zucchini with 1 Tbs raw apple cider vinegar. Optional, add a bouquet garni of herbs).

What is Phase 1 of the Mayo Clinic diet? ›

Phase one of the Mayo Clinic Diet: Lose It

The goal is to add five healthy habits, break five unhealthy habits and adopt five bonus habits. Even though this phase is designed to jumpstart your weight loss, there's no calorie counting, and you can eat as many fruits and veggies as you want.

What is Phase 1 body reset diet? ›

The 3 Phases of Body Reset Diet Program Explained

In this first phase, you are required to have three smoothies and two snacks per day. The smoothies contain protein (protein powder or unsweetened non-fat Greek yogurt), healthy fats (nuts, seeds, or avocado), and high-fiber carbs (fruit and veggies).

What are the negatives of the GAPS diet? ›

Why I think GAPS is very bad for your digestion in the long term
  • It is a diet that is extremely high in saturated fat and animal protein. ...
  • It increases colonic pH. ...
  • It creates dysbiosis. ...
  • It decreases levels of beneficial bacteria.

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