Low FODMAP meal plan

Low FODMAP Snack ideas:

• Piece of low FODMAP fruit
• Carrot/ cucumber sticks
• Olives
• Handful of nuts (avoid cashews and pistachios)
• Lactose free yogurt (avoid high FODMAP fruit flavours)
• Piece of gluten free toast with peanut butter
• Gluten free Crisp breads/ crackers with cottage/ cream cheese (max 2 tbsp per sitting)
• Gluten free bread sticks
• Plain popcorn

Veggie swaps
Some of the most commonly consumed veggies must be avoided or limited on a low FODMAP diet (for example cauliflower, peas, broccoli and sweetcorn), however there are many vegetables that can be freely included. Root vegetables such as parsnips, carrots and turnips are low FODMAP, cheap and widely available. Try roasting or boiling and mashing with a pinch of salt, pepper and drizzle of olive oil. You could try adding rosemary or thyme for extra flavour and cook in bulk, freezing individual meal portions for later in the week. A variety of green veg, including green beans, spinach and salad leaves are also low FODMAP and will help to boost iron and calcium intake.  

Enjoy fruit, little and often
Fruit is an important source of nutrients including fibre and vitamin C. Some commonly consumed fruits are high in FODMAPs and must be avoided or limited (eg apples, pears, peaches and ripe bananas), whilst others can be included. Try to spread fruit portions out over the course of the day to avoid over consumption of fructose.  - 1 portion is approximately 80g.  Easily obtainable suitable fruits for a low FODMAP diet include oranges, strawberries, kiwi, honeydew and cantaloupe melons. If these aren’t part of your usual fruit repertoire then challenge yourself to try 1 new fruit from the ‘suitable fruits’ list each week.. try including a portion of fruit as a simple snack or chopped fruit added to cereal or plain soya/ lactose free yogurt. Some fruit juices are acceptable to include in small amounts (max 100ml per sitting), including orange and pineapple. For a longer fruit juice drink, try diluting 50:50 with water.

Garlic and onion are used to enhance flavour in numerous recipes. Unfortunately, both must be avoided when following a low-FODMAP diet. In place of garlic and onion, experiment with the following ingredients to make you favourite recipes super tasty:

• Fresh/ dried herbs and spices (be cautious with ‘spice mixes’, these may contain garlic/ onion powder)
• Asofetida spice – this Indian spice provides a leek-type flavour
• Garlic-infused oil (FODMAPs are not fat soluble, therefore garlic adds flavour without FODMAPs in this widely available condiment)
• Chopped chives
• Spring onion (green part only)
• Chopped/ grated ginger
• Chili
• Lemon/ lime juice
• Soy sauce (the small amount of wheat included in soy sauce is acceptable whilst following a low FODMAP diet)
• Worcestershire sauce
• Vinegar

Schär has had a range of their foods tested and certified by Monash University as suitable for a low FODMAP diet.  The product range includes breads, rolls, pizza bases and breadsticks which are available nationwide in many supermarkets. Read more here.