Low FODMAP Meal & Snack Ideas
The low FODMAP diet has gained celebrity status for it’s use in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) management. Maybe you clicked on this post because you’re trying out the diet, or thinking about trying it. As a heads up, this blog post won’t be an explanation of what the low FODMAP diet is and a list of which foods are low FODMAP. I think there’s enough content online already about those topics.
For an explanation on FODMAPs, the low FODMAP diet, and it’s use in IBS management: https://cdhf.ca/health-lifestyle/understanding-fodmaps/
For an extensive list of low FODMAP vs high FODMAP foods: https://www.niagarahealth.on.ca/files/Externalsite-AnIntroductiontoTheLowFODMAPDietforIrritableBowelSyndrome2015.pdf
Here’s an infographic you might find helpful, with low FODMAP foods in the green circle and high FODMAP foods in the red circle.
I’m writing this post because, when I’ve done my reading on the low FODMAP diet, I’ve noticed that there’s a lot of emphasis on, “eat these foods” and, “don’t eat those foods”. But where are the concrete ideas about how to actually put the diet into practice? So today I’ve decided to write all about low FODMAP meal and snack ideas.
Before I get started, however, I just want to stress that this diet is for IBS management - it is not a weight loss diet. If you have IBS and would like to start the low FODMAP diet, please consult a registered dietitian. They will help you make sure you’re still meeting your nutrition needs while following the diet. They can also review your food intake and symptoms with you to ensure you are only avoiding foods that are causing symptoms.
Breakfast Ideas
Hot or Cold Cereal with Fruit
Hot cereals: oatmeal, quinoa flakes, corn meal
Cold cereals: Rice Krispies, puffed rice, puffed quinoa
Milk/milk alternatives: lactose free milk, rice milk, coconut milk, almond milk
Fruits: banana, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi
Eggs + Carbs
eggs any style on gluten free toast
*If you buy flavoured bread, check the ingredient list for high FODMAP ingredients like garlic, onion, and glucose-fructose (this is high fructose corn syrup)
omelette with veggies and cheese
Veggies: red or green bell pepper, spinach, tomato
Cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Edam (any hard, aged cheese)
serve with potatoes: all types of potato are low FODMAP. All vegetable oils are also low FODMAP. You can fry up some taters with spices and seasonings like paprika, chili powder, and cumin.
*Keep in mind, ketchup is high FODMAP. You can add flavour to your breakfast by adding salt, pepper, herbs, spices, and cheese.
Eggs with potato is one of my all-time favourite food combos. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Baked Goods
butter and margarine are low FODMAP
all-purpose gluten free flour can be used instead of wheat flour in virtually any recipe
make sure you use lactose free milk or milk alternatives (coconut, rice, almond)
sweeteners: table sugar (sucrose), brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, icing sugar
Examples: banana bread, carrot or blueberry muffins, pancakes, waffles
Lunch Ideas
Sandwiches
meat, fish, poultry, and eggs are all low FODMAP - and they can all be used in some way as sandwich filling
for a healthy crunch in your sandwich: spinach, any type of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radish
for flavour: low FODMAP cheese, mustard, mayo, butter, margarine, any green herbs
use gluten free/low FODMAP bread
Try this low FODMAP tuna melt. I added mayo, dijon mustard, and lemon juice to my tuna salad. The cheeses are cheddar and Swiss and I added a layer of spinach. The bread slices are from a loaf of Udi’s gluten free millet-chia bread.
Grain Bowls
start with a base: cooked rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth
add a protein: fish, chicken, eggs, tofu
now the veggies: bok choy, butternut squash, sweet potato, collard greens
toppers: spring onion (only the greens -not the bulb), chives, walnuts, seeds - sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, chia
dressing: use any desired combo of vegetable oil, vinegar (except for unfiltered apple cider vinegar), lemon/lime, mustard, herbs (exs: dill, mint)
Pasta or Potato Salad
pasta salad: use low FODMAP pasta (rice, corn, quinoa) and add chicken or ham
potato salad: use any type of potato. You can add hard boiled egg or lactose free greek yogurt for protein
add some veggies: zucchini, carrot, cucumber, tomato, chives, herbs
dressing: any combo of mayo, oil, vinegar, and seasonings (ex: turmeric, paprika)
Dinner Ideas
Roasted Veggies + Carbs + Meat
toss some squash, eggplant, carrots, green beans, or green or red bell pepper in oil with salt, pepper, herbs, and spices. Roast in the oven at 400 F for 15-20 minutes.
serve with any potato, rice, or low FODMAP pasta
make the meat, poultry, or seafood of your choice
many store-bought sauces contain high FODMAP ingredients. But there are many simple recipes you can make from scratch with low FODMAP ingredients. For example, mix some mayo, lemon juice, and dill together to add flavour to white fish.
Stew or Chili
cook up any meat or poultry with low FODMAP vegetables and add spices and herbs
*you can use fresh tomato, canned tomato, and tomato paste - but tomato sauce/pasta sauce is high FODMAP
serve with low FODMAP bread or pasta or with any rice or potato
Stir Fry
use any vegetable oil or garlic-infused oil
*to make garlic-infused oil: cook some fresh garlic in oil on a frying pan until the garlic has turned golden brown. Remove the garlic and keep the oil. Use the oil that same day; garlic-infused oil doesn’t keep well.
protein: tofu, poultry, red meat, egg
veggies: bok choy, peppers, kale, zucchini, green beans
grain: rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, low FODMAP noodles
sauce: I encourage you to play around with flavours, but here’s a basic sauce recipe
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup water
1 & 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
I made this low FODMAP stir fry the other day. I cooked up some chicken thighs and grated parsnips and carrots and ate it with quinoa. For flavour I added mint, chives, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and some sugar.
Snack Ideas
Smoothies
use lactose free milk or a milk alternative (almond, coconut, rice)
add lactose free yogurt or coconut yogurt
*watch out for high FODMAP sweeteners on the ingredient list like agave syrup or polyols (ex: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol)
protein: nut or seed butter (except for cashew or pistachio), 100% whey isolate (*must be 100% to be low FODMAP)
*limit amount of nut or seed butter to 1 - 2 tablespoons
fruit: banana, pineapple, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi
for flavour: cocoa powder, cinnamon, maple syrup, mint
Crunchy Carb + Protein
low FODMAP/gluten free crackers with low FODMAP cheese
*check the ingredient label on the crackers for high FODMAP ingredients like onion or garlic in the form of salt or powder
rice cake with nut or seed butter (except for pistachio or cashew)
low FODMAP toast with nut or seed butter + cinnamon sprinkled on top
for something sweet & salty: melt some butter or margarine and mix it with maple syrup. Spread this on low FODMAP toast and top with low FODMAP cheese
These are my favourite crackers. They also happen to be low FODMAP!
Instead of Potato Chips
corn tortilla chips
small handful of plain banana chips
small handful of nuts & seeds: peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds
Those are my low FODMAP meal and snack ideas for you. I hope I gave you some foodspiration that will make the low FODMAP diet easier for you to follow. As a reminder, if you are going to follow this diet, please consult a registered dietitian to make sure you are meeting your nutrition needs. I wish you and your tummy the best of luck.
Have you tried the FODMAP diet? Tell me what your experiences have been like!