FODMAP and IBS - recommendations for eating out and at home

A friend asked for advice on how to stick to FODMAP diet when eating out

EATING OUT - yes, a really tricky one. Difficult because, you can ensure lactose free if you go for vegan, but almost always that will have added garlic if not also onion – and probably gluten too. If you go for gluten free, most likely will have lactose if not the garlic again.

I don’t eat out often, for that reason. Try to research in advance on the restaurant’s website both the menu options so you don’t need to worry about it when you’re there – I need at least 5 mins to work out what I can safely choose. A lot of them provide detailed allergen guides on every single item. So I would arrive with my order already planned, then I need my willpower to stick to it when everyone else is ordering whatever they fancy. Having given in before, I now know it is truly definitely going to be worth it afterwards!

Recently we went to Pizza Express, and I studied their menu and detailed allergens guide – the only dish that worked was their salad niçoise but I insisted on no dressing, and asked for oil/balsamic vinegar on the side. I also had polenta chips as a side which were not stated as gluten free which I assumed was due to a light flour coating. They were really yummy. I told them not to bring me the dip it came with. I also had their vegan sorbet which was reasonably tasty and at least I didn’t have to watch everyone else indulge in brownies etc!

Most of the chain restaurants and many independent now offer gluten free pasta – but you still have to avoid any of their sauces – I don’t bothe but you could ask for butter and plain cheese only instead. GF pizza in restaurants doesn’t appeal to me, they appear to be uncooked.

HOME-MADE FODMAP FRIENDLY PIZZA

I make my own at home with the GF base and they are yummy – usually I make my own tomato base to have with pasta, and keep some to top a GL pizza base (Schar do a good sourdough GF one, get it in Morrisons) with lots of toppings like roasted pepper, anchovies, tuna (featuring a lot for me!), cheese. I usually eat half and freeze the other half) - The image for this post is an example.

Recently we went to Italy, it was impossible as I couldn’t speak good enough Italian – I had a pretty severe case of IBS most of the holiday!

Essentially – can feel a bit depressing but honestly I have learned so much better than having the IBS afterwards – the safest approach is have something like grilled fish with butter, insisting on no garlic, those chefs will add it everywhere if you don’t! Plain potatoes, rice, steamed veg…. beautifully cooked fish or meat and veggies with simple butter can be delicious too.

Normally when out for the whole day I will take my own food because most of the sandwich chains don’t really cater all for us. Sushi is generally ok, but watch out for added crispy onions (which I loved ☹ ) and dressing with garlic in. Pret salads such as tuna niçoise is ok but without the dressing, or their boiled egg/spinach. That’s why I bring my own. You could carry a small amount of your own oil/vinegar dressing but I don’t bother. If bringing my own salad I put a dollop of mayonnaise into the box.

When supporting a relative in hospital recently, there was an M&S there, so I choose a ripe and ready avocado to moisten up a feta/ olive salad for lunch, then for dinner I had some of their bagged salads with a tortilla from their tapas range, it was truly delicious (using the same plastic box I’d kept, from lunch as a “plate”) Re M&S try their oat cakes are delicious! Not dry like Nairns. M&S GF brown bloomer, is the best sliced GF I have found, really tasty (although Morrison's brown seeded GF also great and better value). Luckily the hospital M&S had that to bulk up the meal. So, since Costa’s offering was impossible – nothing suitable to eat! – I was able to eat FODMAP compliant. A tablespoon of cottage cheese is another alternative to use to eat with some pre-washed bagged salad, and is ok according to the Monarch app. I also bring my own titanium cutlery set so I can so a bit of prep when out – the wooden or plastic version you get out are useless for that.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

As mentioned, M&S do great bread, also their scones and T-cakes are lovely. Morrisons is my usual go-to supermarket for very good and low priced GF pasta, love their free-from carrot cake, and free from ice cream – excellent. Sainsburys and Tescos do gorgeous lactose free Greek yoghurt. The GT tortilla wraps available everywhere (eg Tescos) are a bit tough – however I have found if you cut them into triangles, cover with a little cheese (check on the Monarch app how much is ok, and what type of cheese) – air fry or oven baked both work well . I also make wraps with a filling, spray with a little oil and air fry – almost tastes like pastry. (I haven’t’ yet found a good GL pastry on sale, let me know if you do)

Anyway, I’ll leave it there. Hope some of that is helpful. Let me know if any more questions.

Categories: : Diet, Eating out, FODMAP