If your child suffers from inflammatory bowel disease, leaky gut syndrome, autism, ADHD, anxiety, or depression, chances are you’ve heard about the GAPS diet. Inspired by The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) and develop by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndromeand is intended to remove gut-damaging foods that are difficult to digest and replace them with nutrient-dense foods in order to allow the intestinal lining to heal and seal.
The GAPS diet isnot intended to be a quick fix, and is a much more regimented protocol used to treat leaky gut, gut flora imbalances, and nutrient deficiencies, and if you do a quick search on Google, you’ll read some pretty powerful stories about the gut-brain connection and how the GAPS diet has helped children overcome symptoms of autism, ADD, allergies, and more.
If you’re interested in pursuing the GAPS diet for yourself or your children, there are heaps of delicious GAPS recipes for kids online, but before we share our favorites, let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?
What is the GAPS diet?
The GAPS diet is based on the gut-brain connection, and is designed to heal and seal the gut lining, balance the immune system, and restore healthy bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract by focusing on diet, supplementation, and detoxification. There are several different stages of the diet, with new foods being introduced as you progress from one phase to the next. The diet eliminates dairy and sugar, allows minimal fruits and grains, and includes broths and probiotic foods to help the body heal.
Who can benefit from the GAPS diet?
The GAPS diet was designed to help those with food allergies and intolerances, behavioral and emotional challenges like autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression, as well as other autoimmune disorders, but some would argue it can be beneficial to everyone when followed correctly.
Does the GAPS diet work?
The reviews are mixed. While some report their child was cured of all autism symptoms as a result of the GAPS diet, others question the validity of the diet, and while there shouldn’t be anyharm trying some of the GAPS recipes for kids listed below, it’s important to do your own research before deciding if a full-fledged GAPS diet is right you and your family. Educate yourself on the benefits as well as the potential risks, talk to your family doctor, and enlist the help of a naturopath to ensure you fully understand the ins and outs of the GAPS diet before deciding how to proceed.
What are the best GAPS recipes for kids?
OMG, where do we start?! GAPS for kids can be challenging, especially if your little one is already a picky eater, but thanks to all of the parents who have already done the hard work for us, we’ve found over 50 GAPS recipes for kids that promise to be as delicious as they are healthy.
GAPS Recipes for Kids: Proteins
Superfood Meatballs | The Family that Heals Together
Paleo Three Cup Chicken | How WeFlourish
Pesto Sausage Cakes | Just Take a Bite
GAPS Salmon Cakes | Taste is Trump
Chicken Breasts with Figs and Squash| Real Healthy Recipes
Roast Pork with Onion Apple Gravy| Phoenix Helix
Lemon Basil Shredded Beef| The Paleo Partridge
Balsamic Braised Beef Shanks| The Primordial Table
Simple Tender Pot Roast with Holy Grail Gravy| Phoenix Helix
GAPS Tuna Salad | How We Flourish
GAPS Meat and “Potatoes” | How We Flourish
Chicken with Plums Carrots and Apples| A Squirrel in the Kitchen
Kalua Pig| Nom Nom Paleo
Hawaiian Pork Roast| Beyond the Bite
Beef Brisket| Elana’s Pantry
Cinnamon Chuck Roast and Onions| Whole Life Eating
Italian Pork Roast |The Clothes Make the Girl
Pulled Pork and Roasted Vegetables| Gutsy By Nature
Honey Garlic Chicken| Sweet Potatoes and Social Change
GAPS Recipes for Kids: Breads/Pasta
GAPS Friendly Pizza Crust | The Soft Landing
Garlic Coconut Flour Bagels | Low Carb Yum
Coconut Tortillas | Wholesome Yum
GAPSSpaghetti and Meatballs | How We Flourish
GAPS Recipes for Kids: Side Dishes
Instant Pot Refried Beans | The Soft Landing
Cauliflower Fried Rice | How We Flourish
Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls | Raising Generation Nourished
Braised Red Cabbage| The Bacon Mum (substitute honey)
Crockpot Caramelized Onions| Phoenix Helix
Nomato Sauce| A Clean Plate
Crockpot Butternut Squash |Empowered Sustenance
GAPS Recipes for Kids: Desserts
Paleo Strawberry Shortcake | Busy Creating Memories
Vanilla Bean Custard | Scratch Mommy
Fermented Cinnamon Apples | Hettman Homestead
Almond Pumpkin Cookies | Coach Sofia Fitness
Applesauce| GI365
Cranberry Applesauce| Paleo Cajun Lady (substitute honey)
GAPS Recipes for Kids: Breakfasts
Paleo Breakfast Casserole | Low Carb Yum
Avocado Bird’s Nests | Just Take a Bite
GAPS Recipes for Kids: Soups/Broths
Creamy Chicken Soup | How We Flourish
Slow Cooker Chicken Broth| Comfort Bites
Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth| Mangia Paleo
Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Kale | Deliciously Organic
Spring Breakfast Chicken Soup| A Squirrel in the Kitchen
Easy Butternut Squash Soup| Real Food Carolyn
Tomatoless Soup| The Primordial Table
Bill’s Slow Cooker Chicken and Bone Broth| Everyone Eats Right
Cantonese Ham and Lotus Root Soup| My Heart Beets
Beef Stew with Cranberries and Rosemary| Phoenix Helix
Apple Butternut Curry Soup| Enjoying this Journey
Bone Marrow Soup | How We Flourish
Chicken Curry Soup | How We Flourish
Pork and Butternut Stew| The Bacon Mum
GAPS Recipes for Kids: Drinks
Homemade Cranberry Juice| My Heart Beets
Spiced Cider| A Clean Plate
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia by Natasha Campbell-McBride
- The Heal Your Gut Cookbook: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Intestinal Health Using the GAPS Diet by Hilary Boynton
- Recover with GAPS: A Cookbook of 101 Healthy and Easy Recipes That I Used to Heal My ULCERATIVE COLITIS while ON THE GAPS DIET by Pamela Jenkins and Donna Gates
- GAPS Guide 2nd Edition: Simple Steps to Heal Bowels, Body, and Brain by Baden Lashkov
Heal Your Gut, Change Your Life: Step by Step Guide to the GAPS Diet + 50 Recipes by Andre ParkerIf your little one suffers from food allergies, behavioral and emotional challenges like autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression, or another autoimmune disorder, and you are a believer in the gut-brain connection, the GAPS diet might be for you. It is said to help heal and seal the gut lining, balance the immune system, and restore healthy bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract, and with so many delicious GAPS recipesfor kids available, what do you have to lose? Just be sure to do your research and talk to a professional to ensure the GAPS diet is safe for the specific needs ofyou and your family. Like all diets, it comes with risks and benefits, and only you can decide if it’s the right lifestyle change to make.
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