Low FODMAP Help

laurelin821
laurelin821 Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone, I’m a typical lurker and don’t really post but I’m at a total loss here. My doctor has just recommended me for a low FODMAP diet and I’ve gotten the hand outs and information and websites and I’m honestly on information overload. I suffer from anxiety and depression and I’m currently facing burnout/exhaustion so the thought of cooking just for a normal diet is a struggle but now with this I’m just totally lost and every time I try to figure it out I just can’t get the next steps. I’ve searched posts here but a lot seems to be people talking about it being helpful and providing more resources but what I’m searching for is just concrete basic simple things.

So, I guess long story short, does anyone have just the super basic list of staples to have on hand to make random dinners in case of not full meal planning days? Or the most basic and easy dishes you have found for the low FODMAP diet for days when you are just too tired to put extra thought into making a big meal? I’m just trying to get a place to start or some meals going while I sit and sort the information and plan the long term but that’s taking me a lot more time than it probably should so I’d like to at least do *something* in the right direction.

Thank you in advance!

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    Well if you have a medical recommendation to eat a low FODMAP plan, ask for a referral to a dietician for more specialized help.

    I mean, just use the eliminated food list and eat everything else in portions that keep you within your calorie goals. It's not any different for any of the rest of us who eat certain foods but not others. It isn't going to help you if we make suggestions because we don't know you or what you like to eat.

    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/low-fodmap-diet#section5
  • laurelin821
    laurelin821 Posts: 4 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    Well if you have a medical recommendation to eat a low FODMAP plan, ask for a referral to a dietician for more specialized help.

    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/low-fodmap-diet#section5

    I did go to a dietician based on a referral from my doctor and she was surprisingly useless, basically gave me the same handouts and googled the same things I already had. When I asked about specific things she wasn’t sure because she didn’t eat those things. It’s the VA and I can’t really afford to go outside of that for further specialists so I just came here to see if people had found easy go to recipes or staples that they found helpful to maintain in their kitchens.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited December 2018
    First, I think you might be a little overwhelmed and it might be making it look more complicated than it is. Hang in there :smile:

    I've never dealt with low fodmap so no firsthand experience, and I don't know anyone who has. Why not start making a list of the stuff you normally have on hand for quick meals, then check it to the list of foods you need to avoid? Then you'll have a list of what is fine, and a list of stuff you need to figure out a safe substitute for or need to just eliminate entirely.

    Also, I'll bet if you search something like "quick low fodmap meals" on the internet, you'll come up with more ideas to tide you over until you get more responses here. Good luck!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    this websmite might be of help:
    http://www.katescarlata.com/lowfodmapdietchecklists/

    it has a section on low FODMAP meal planning
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    So I don't do FODMAP, but I do eat the same basic foods over and over in different combinations.

    I think you just need to have a list on your phone of things you cannot eat, and then just work around that. Meals don't have to be complicated or fussy. A vegetable dish and some chicken. Bacon and eggs with side vegetable. Tuna in the can with a carrot...you know, whatever fits.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited December 2018
    This site hosts an app, with a downloadable diet guide (the guide is also in the app) which includes lists and recipes. With the app, you can cross check products while you're shopping. This is a link to the diet guide page.

    https://monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/diet-guide/
  • greencar98
    greencar98 Posts: 18 Member
    For those who have never done a FODMAP diet, please understand that it is very overwhelming; mainly because there are no cut and dry solutions. It takes months to figure out your triggers, which can change over time....which means you have to start all over again. Very frustrating! Laurelin821, I'm struggling to not give up. There is so much conflicting info. And so many hidden ingredients. And then, how do you know what the trigger was??? UGH! Hang in there!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    The approved FODMAP list is a lot shorter than the forbidden list. So come up with some simple meals and do a lot of repeats. Boring, but you need simple right now.

    Breakfast: oatmeal with lactose free milk or a substitute, or eggs.

    Lunch: tuna or chicken flakes with a green salad and tomatoes, no onion.

    Dinner: brown rice with a meat side of your choice (chicken, salmon, beef, eggs).

    There are a few cheeses allowed including Parmesan and Mozzarella.

  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 674 Member
    When I did my FODMAP elimination, I lived on anything tacos. Pick an appropriate veggie, pair it with a protein, and season simply. Honestly, after years of GI discomfort, it was nice to just eat quickly, simply, and comfortably. Zucchini boats and loaded baked potatoes are also good vehicles for your protein, if a little more work. Bowls of berries and pineapple were also frequent guests at my table.

    The best part of the elimination was when I added things back in and found I could eat "fun" foods, just not in American sized portions. Good luck!
  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
    I'm not on a lot FODMAP sorry but I completely understand the difficulty of making a meal when you're depressed. One thing I wanted to pass on is a piece of advice I had gotten previously from a therapist for when you do have a couple of group it foods:

    You don't have to make the sandwich.

    Basically, if you don't have the energy to make the dish, eat the component parts. I have put turkey breast, cheese, and some hummus on a plate with a wrap on the side and just eaten the parts. Same thing with a salad. I have committed down in a head of romaine dipped in dressing. At a certain point, as long as your getting nutrition, who cares what shape the food takes?

    I hope things get better.
  • Diamond75
    Diamond75 Posts: 4 Member
    Hi, I really feel for you as I was told the same thing almost 2 years ago and I just didn’t know where to start.

    This link was a fantastic reference for me - there’s a print friendly list I stuck to my fridge and I also had a pdf copy on my iPhone, because it’s a long and somewhat random list and it was handy to refer to if I was out. https://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-diet-chart/

    There is also a diet plan app called the Low Fodmap 7 Day Diet plan which will literally tell you what to eat for each meal.

    There a supportive Facebook group called The Calm Belly Crew, full of people discovering they have these issues for the first time and people who are a little further along who can offer advice.

    Triggers are different for everyone, but I feel like most people seem react to onions and garlic and portion sizes have an impact too.

    If you do get the opportunity, there are breath tests now that might be able to further narrow down what is causing you issues - I found out I have a fructose intolerance which has helped me understand better what to avoid.

    It really is overwhelming in the beginning and I also didn’t find that much help out there, but you will get your head around it and it’ll be worth it, as these gut issues have a proven link with depression and anxiety, so you may find you see an improvement there too.

    All the best!


  • laurelin821
    laurelin821 Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you so much everyone for the responses! I let the thread get away from me for a bit but these have been incredibly helpful answers. I really appreciate that I got answers for both issues and it is helping me be a little more grounded.
    skram01 wrote: »

    You don't have to make the sandwich.

    Basically, if you don't have the energy to make the dish, eat the component parts. I have put turkey breast, cheese, and some hummus on a plate with a wrap on the side and just eaten the parts. Same thing with a salad. I have committed down in a head of romaine dipped in dressing. At a certain point, as long as your getting nutrition, who cares what shape the food takes?

    This is actually super helpful and seemingly obvious but not something I had fully thought out before. I have salad stuff and totally fail at making salads because cutting up the veggies to mix it all seems like so much energy. Sometimes it is the simple advice that can be some of the most impactful so thank you to you and your therapist for sharing!

    I am also really loving the zuchinni boat and baked potato idea so I will definitely incorporate those more and for those totally lost and blah days I think I am just going to have some minute rice and some of the frozen, pre-cooked chicken and friendly veggies.

    I think it will get easier and it will be nice to not constantly be having some sort of gi upset but it is just really scary looking at first when they throw all of the diet info at you.

    Thank you all again!


  • gstapler
    gstapler Posts: 1 Member
    Monash university has a paid app. This is the only way my husband was able to figure out that his issue was the sugar alcohols. They not only list the foods, but serving sizes that are acceptable, and which fodmap foods are included in said food. Fodmap is very hard to get a hang of because it’s like re-learning all the foods you thought you knew. Just start with one meal at a time that is safe - and build from there
  • mshawski
    mshawski Posts: 1,054 Member
    Hello!
    I recently started the FODMAPS elimination phase for a second time (first time it was so overwhelming and then I got pregnant shortly after and gave up). I looked at the copied pages of allowed foods my doc gave me and they were by Patsy Catsos - so I looked her up and found the IBS elimination diet and cookbook. It outlines the program, the allowed foods, and offers recipes. Somehow, having the book in my hands makes me feel more grounded and makes it less overwhelming than internet research and random photocopied pages. Not sure if physical books have the same effect on you, but maybe worth a read 🙂. As mentioned previously by other posters, the Monash app is also very helpful. Good luck!

    https://www.ibsfree.net/ibseliminationdietandcookbook

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