Money Saving Tips While On GAPS

It doesn’t take long to determine switching to GAPS food is not a cheap route to health, however, it is the most thoroughly effective. It may not be that switching to real food costs more, it may actually be a paradigm switch that inexpensive food costs so little since it’s not real food. Regardless, nourishment is essential to rebuilding. 

Washington State University published a report showing food expenditures and found Americans spent 6.8% of their annual budget on food – shockingly lower than the rest of the world. 

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International Business Times wrote a descriptive explanation reporting, “The US Spends Less On Food Than Any Other Country In The World.”

Ironically though it doesn’t have to be this way – the most healing foods are generally the cheapest cuts in the real food world. There are ways to save money while walking out healing while on GAPS.  Following some simple tips can help save you money, but remember, your future health expenses will decrease as your body is healthier. So, you may be spending more on food but you’ll be spending less on future medical expenses. The steps to saving money are simple but take time.

First, find a farmer. When you find a local farmer, who raises his animals on pasture, he is an asset. He is a real person, a neighbor in your community, who relies on consistent customers. He probably sells his cattle by the head to people filling a freezer. These customers may not be using the cuts of meat or bones you desire. If you are a consistent customer of his, you can ask him to be on the lookout for you, asking his customers if they will need their bones, liver and other organ meats. Many people who process a cow don’t use their prepackaged fat, organ meats and bones. These are valuable to a person healing with GAPS. Most farmers sell cattle to those filling their freezers in mid to late spring, after the cows have eaten their fill of the quick growing fresh spring grass. This makes the meat more tender. Ask your farmer during this time if he has any customers that may not be wanting their bones or organ meats when the animal goes for processing.

Find hunters. Hunters are valuable in so many ways. They are most often Christians, who believe in giving to those in need. These are salt of the earth people. In addition, they process their kill while throwing away their bones and organ meats. Hunters are often a network. Once you ask one hunter if they have access to the cuts you need, telling him the importance of these cuts for your child’s health or your health, they will help – especially if you bake them cookies. Even more accessible is the processor. Many towns have a guy who processes the deer as well as other animals in his garage. If you ask the hunters where they take their animals for processing you can pick up his bones and other cuts which he throws in the garbage. 

Get your own laying chickens. In his book, Folks, This Ain’t Normal, Joel Salatin says don’t waste money on a pet when a chicken can give you food (page 40). Chickens can live inside, just like a dog, if your neighborhood has restrictions. Chicken diapers (that you continually change the lining with panty-liners) are available, as well as harnesses if you would like to take them for a walk. 

Go heavy on the organ meats, which are generally the least expensive cuts. Again, most processors and farmers are throwing these cuts away. Many give them to their dogs for a treat. These cuts are by far the most nutrient dense parts of the animal. Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride recommends eating the amount of liver that would cover the size of our hand, not your palm – your hand. After eating liver for a few weeks you will notice the dark circles from under your eyes recede and you skin tone grow more vibrant.

Make your own ferments. Commercial probiotics are expensive, it’s no secret. Making your own probiotics at home with fermented vegetables are just as effective, if not more effective. Recent tests show 2 ounces of home fermented sauerkraut have more probiotics than a bottle of 100 count probiotic capsules. Other research showed kefir has 150 billion colony forming units per tablespoon with 10 to 20 different types of beneficial bacteria and yeasts. More recent research is showing commercial yogurt has very little to no probiotics, home brewed, however, is loaded with beneficial strains. The same numbers are proving true for kvass, kambucha, pickles and all other home brewed ferments. McBride says she has many patients who can not afford commercial probiotics and heal using home brewed ferments. 

Join COSTCO instead of shopping at big money specialty health food stores. COSTCO has been carrying more and more organic foods, meeting the desires of their customers. GAPS folks can source many different foods from COSTCO, supplementing with their farmer and that’s it. If you do not have a memebership yet, go with a friend. If you sign up at customer service with a referring member with you, COSTCO will give you a $10 in-store gift card because someone referred you and they will do the same to your referring friend. If your friend is a giving person she’ll give the gift card to you and you’ve just gotten your membership for a $20 discount. COSTCO also has amazing customer service and an incredible return policy.

Shop the sales and cook from the foods you have on hand. If you happen to hit a store, look for organic vegetables on sale. If organic cabbages are on sale for 99 cents a pound but as many as you can and make your sauerkraut in bulk. If the kraut is under the brine it’ll be shelf stable for many months without refrigeration.

Grow you own garden. This refreshing hobby can become addictive and really save with the budget. Vegetables can be grown in pots if you do not have yard space. When you grow your own garden, you control the pesticides and GMOs. You can sow seeds directly into the ground or start your own veggie starter trays to plant into the ground after your first frost.

*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, GAPS who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia through food she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. This is not a news article published by a paper trying to make money. This blog is put out by a mom who sees first hand the effects of nourishing food vs food-ish items. No company pays her for writing these blogs, she considers this a form of missionary work. It is her desire to scream it from the rooftops so that others don’t suffer from the damaging effect of today’s “food”.

“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.