Months 1 - 2
You are in the beginning of your food journey – and it may feel a bit stressful, but do not fear – you can do this! This is when you turn to your child, your partner, or yourself and realize that many of the foods that you may have been eating are off the table…for awhile. I emphasize “for awhile” because my mantra with my family is, “Not now, but eventually. Just hang with me. This won’t be forever.” Some foods we may never return to, but other foods we may be able to have in moderation or every now and then over time. I definitely try to avoid the mindset that there are certain foods that can never ever be eaten again.
I explained to my whole family that we are going to improve our gut health and bring joy to our bellies. This was something we were doing together, as a family. Dinners our sacrosanct as special time in our house, a time where we all sit down together, and where we all eat the same thing. Other family members were able to eat their waffles, bread, rice and crackers with breakfast and lunch but I was not serving rice, potatoes or corn tortillas at dinner –staples in our previous dinners. This felt important. So many times i would be asked at dinner, “Can I eat everything here?” And they needed to hear, “Yes – of course!” An hour after dinner, other family members might be eating yogurt and granola or avocado toast, but at the dinner table, we were all eating the same thing. Which by the way, was delicious! And I should note that 2-3 months into the diet, I now serve rice or corn tortillas at dinner and those who can eat them do, and those that can’t, don’t. Our goal is to heal with the idea that once that happens, more food options will become available.
The list below is what we lived on the first month. Texture at this phase was crucial. Everything was peeled and cooked, including fruit.
