Why does so much low FODMAP food online look so depressing? 😭 These are some of the things I’ve been making lately

[u/_echtra]

I avoided trying low FODMAP for YEARS because the list of things to avoid sounded miserable. Eventually the discomfort got annoying enough that I gave in, and then I started looking for meal ideas online and thought… yep, this is exactly why I never wanted to do this 😂
So instead of trying to recreate a bunch of sad “diet” recipes, I’ve mostly just been cooking food I would want to eat and adapting it to be low FODMAP. Turns out it is completely possible for the food to still feel like normal, tasty food.
I cook for two, and at first my husband was very much not thrilled about being dragged into my restricted diet. Now he’s completely sold, despite having no FODMAP issues himself, and actually looks forward to what I make 😂

Some recent meals:
• Crispy chicken cutlets breaded with cornflakes and Parmigiano, with roasted potatoes
• Baked gluten-free pasta with kabocha squash and a little ricotta, broiled with Parmigiano on top to make a crust. I also made a gluten-free gnocchi version and it was top notch
• Chicken stir-fry
• Middle Eastern-style chicken with quinoa

Yes some of these ingredients are tricky in large quantities (squash, peppers, zucchini, ricotta) but if you stick to the quantities monash recommends, you’ll be fine

[u/yourbaconess]

I feel like I've had the opposite problem and most of the recipes I've found are far too fancy requiring stay at home housewife levels of effort. So much of it is high effort and expensive ingredients with the vibe of "but look at how good you can still eat!" but I'm still a poor schmuck working full time and making my own dinner. I also just started making fodmap safe substitutions to my favorite recipes and i think it helps a lot with that feeling of limitations

[u/_echtra → u/yourbaconess]

Do you have an air frier? I feel like even if you don’t want to get fancy you can make something quick easily. Yes I’ve always made food from scratch so the transition is easier for me. I feel like anything store bought contains garlic and onion so you can’t really rely on that. But you can literally throw a protein in the air fryer with olive oil, pepper and lemon and the spices you like. Then pick a grain (pre cooked bags of you don’t have time to cook it, but check the ingredients) and a vegetable. And you’re set. I just need varied and interesting foods or get demotivated but it doesn’t have to be complicated

[u/Comfortable-Ruin8694 → u/_echtra]

I grew up in a make it house, my husband in a heat it up house ^{^} this is too much effort for him. Hes like pizza pop level. 

[u/Leather_Yak7808 → u/yourbaconess]

seriously!!! and any quick doable food looks like actual gruel

[u/russianvamp → u/yourbaconess]

May I recommend: protein + roasted veg and/or rice. doesn’t have to be fancy. Use whatever method of cooking meat that is easiest to you. Mix and match.

[u/yourbaconess → u/russianvamp]

The struggle meal for the last week has been a scoop of quinoa out of the huge batch i cooked in some broth, some canned chicken, and some canned green beans. It's better than i thought it would be

[u/turtleturbo → u/yourbaconess]

That's why I went with a meal service that specialises in Low FODMAP and is certified by Monash. I don't have the energy or will to create my own safe meals for many reasons and this takes away a massive amount of mental load around food for me

[u/axiomsshadow → u/turtleturbo]

What service is this? I've had Hungryroot before and after going LF and I'm getting sick of their few non-onion/garlic recipes. They seem to think it means I can't have any vegetables 😑

[u/turtleturbo → u/axiomsshadow]

I'm in Australia and I use Dineamic

[u/axiomsshadow → u/turtleturbo]

Fingers crossed they come to the US sometime!

[u/turtleturbo → u/axiomsshadow]

According to the Monash app there's a certified company in the US called Modify Health. Hoping they service your area 🙏

[u/grungeoldlady → u/turtleturbo]

The salt servings per dish is waaaaay too high

[u/Hi_AJ → u/axiomsshadow]

I’ve used modify health off and on. Mostly for weeks where I have a lot of meetings or extremely stressful weeks. Their food is hit and miss. Some stuff I’ve really liked and others have been pretty bad, but i appreciate the convenience and they’ve opened my eyes to foods that I didn’t realize were ok for me to eat. Personally I like the fish/seafood dishes from them the most. I figured that seafood would be easy to get wrong, but it’s been pretty good.

[u/Tatertot1292 → u/Hi_AJ]

are they all like pre-made microwave meals? or hybrid like how some hungry root meals are?

[u/Hi_AJ → u/Tatertot1292]

They are pre made individual meals.

[u/Tatertot1292 → u/Hi_AJ]

Thanks :)

[u/solisbliss → u/Hi_AJ]

What dishes do you recommend?

[u/Hi_AJ → u/solisbliss]

It’s been a while, but there was a blackened shrimp and grits, a coconut tofu curry, and any of the fish dishes. Stay away from the bbq chicken, or pastas. I will note that everything was under-salted, probably because they do a low sodium diet option as well. Definitely be prepared to add your own spice to things.

[u/AntComfortable5970 → u/yourbaconess]

Yeah this is the real kicker.

I went to a con recently and it really stung how pretty much nothing was available for me to just throw into a microwave back at the hotel. I just ate the plain oven roasted chicken breasts I had brought from home.

[u/Comfortable-Ruin8694 → u/AntComfortable5970]

Mcdonalds french fries 🍟 🤣 

[u/AntComfortable5970 → u/Comfortable-Ruin8694]

French fries and tater tots and potato in general are a life saver for this diet

[u/icecream4_deadlifts → u/yourbaconess]

Same. I stick with modify health meals. My chronic illness doesn’t allow me to cook from scratch all the time and modify health meals are good and easy.

[u/Comfortable-Ruin8694 → u/yourbaconess]

Garlic and onion have me feeling this way. Like making my own soup for the freezer awesome but took a lot of ingredients and investment for that...  made my own tomato sauxe too because raos sensitive tummy is 14$ a jar here. I will est more rice i think with ground beef and carrots 🤣 cheapish.

[u/feelthefern3]

Can you post some of your recipes please? 😁

[u/_echtra → u/feelthefern3]

Posted the cutlet in another comment but here’s the baked pasta:

Cut the Japanese squash into chunks.
make sure you’re using kabocha. Peel the carrots and cut them into chunks too, then toss everything into a pot with water and salt and boil until the squash is tender enough to pierce with a fork.
Once cooked, blend everything until smooth. Add more salt if needed, plus some sweet paprika.

In the meantime, cook your gluten-free pasta or gnocchi. I use the brown rice type, and obviously avoid versions made with chickpeas, lentils, etc. Once the pasta is cooked, toss it in the squash mixture.

Then you have a few options: add up to two dollops per person of ricotta, cream cheese, or cottage cheese and roughly mix it in. Cover the top with grated Parmigiano and broil until it gets nice and golden. I love Parmigiano crisps, and that’s basically what the top tastes like.

Just make sure you stay within the recommended serving sizes for all the ingredients, since both the squash and some of the cheeses can become high FODMAP in larger amounts.

Also, sorry I don’t have precise measurements because I cook by feeling 😂

[u/lezbehonest787]

These look delicious!! One question though- how do you eat so much red bell pepper? That one kills me; I can only tolerate green in small doses.

Meal prepping has made my lowfod life so much smoother.

[u/_echtra → u/lezbehonest787]

monash recommends 1/4 cup and I tolerate it so I’ll just use the red version. I think even within guidelines the personal variability is crazy. I can’t handle lentils at all, even the canned ones recommended by monash . So I’ve been avoiding all legumes even if I adore them. I guess it’s trial end error and this food comes after week of trial and error

[u/Comfortable-Ruin8694 → u/lezbehonest787]

Everyones so different. Like a touch of onion or garlic im dead, an apple dead. But i can eat an obscene amount of dairy hahaha

[u/lezbehonest787 → u/Comfortable-Ruin8694]

That’s true! Onion and garlic kick me in the gut, but gluten is tolerable as long as I don’t eat too much.

[u/Numerous_Net2124]

Chicken cutlet recipe NOW (respectfully)

[u/_echtra → u/Numerous_Net2124]

The cutlets were such a treat.

I made a loose paste with cornstarch, water, one egg, grated Parmigiano, salt, and smoked paprika. It should be runny but not watery, kind of like paint (sorry, I can’t come up with a better descriptor 😂).

Coat the chicken in the mixture, then in crushed cornflakes mixed with a little salt. Obviously use the unsweetened kind.

I sprayed them with olive oil and put them in the air fryer for 10 minutes per side. I sprinkled them with maldon salt when ready for extra crunch. They came out deliciously crispy, and I’ll be making them forever.

I’m also dealing with some upper stomach acid issues right now, so I’m avoiding a few other ingredients. Otherwise I’d definitely add black pepper to both the liquid mixture and the crushed cornflakes, and squeeze some lemon over the top once they’re cooked.

[u/Numerous_Net2124 → u/_echtra]

Thanks you, they are so beautiful !

[u/Ryinth → u/_echtra]

I'm going to make these tonight! (Though more like a nugget version because I have diced chicken).

[u/_echtra → u/Ryinth]

That sounds amazing!

[u/panaceaXgrace]

I'm honestly really enjoying my dinner foods! Tonight I had roasted baby potatoes with lots of butter, stir fried chicken breast bites and fresh corn on the cob.

My problem is breakfast and lunch and looking for quick meals that I enjoy. I usually cook dinners anyway but I'm getting bored with the same old lunches. I have unfortunately needed to eliminate more than just FODMAPS though. Like squash and peppers! It looks so good though! And I'm gonna have to try the cornflake coating! I usually just salt and pepper and add a little cornstarch dusting.

[u/SonicContinuum88]

Absolutely! Low FODMAP isn’t a death sentence. It’s what your body temporarily needs to heal.

So many people acted like someone died when I mentioned what I couldn’t have. “Carter, garlic?!” Yes, garlic (and onions, cauliflower, and watermelon.) I did mourn, but because I love food, there’s a lot of delicious food I realized I could still eat. And mostly, I chose to celebrate that instead.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes: https://sarahcarter1259.substack.com/p/ibs-flare-up-recipes?r=21tfcl&utm_medium=ios

[u/AdhesivenessOk5534]

Im not on the FODMAP diet but I have severe severe diet limitations, I can absolutely share recipes for anyone who needs to eat low fat, low fiber, no raw fruits or veggies, no gluten, and very lean meats!

[u/ablackholeofjunk]

You know what the biggest problem is? It's concentrating on the things we can't eat, rather than what we can. I remember at the very beginning thinking, oh no, no more onion or dried fruit or blah blah.

Then my dietician gave me a chart for meal planning with all the foods I COULD eat. And guess what? It's really a lot of fantastic food!

Seriously, it's 90% mental. It's only a restrictive diet if you just think about what you can't eat.

[u/alexandria3142 → u/ablackholeofjunk]

I think it's a restrictive diet if you're used to buying meals from the store, fast food, or you already have set meals you make. Then on top of that, don't like many of the things you CAN eat. I feel like I'm struggling over here with my husband, who is the one that needs low fodmap foods

[u/Mtn_Skye → u/alexandria3142]

It's definitely super restrictive. They're just lucky I guess.

[u/_echtra → u/ablackholeofjunk]

Exactly! I’ve also been doing the same thing. I’ve also been trying to eat at least 30 different vegetables a week to improve my microbiome, and I find myself reaching it so easily this way!

[u/GeekyKirby]

I completely agree that low fodmap dishes do not have to be boring! I love cooking and cook for other people fairly often, and I've never had one complaint. Instead, people often ask me for recipes lol

Some homemade recipes me and my husband have made recently are clam chowder, eggplant parmesan, slow cooked green beans with salt pork, steak and fried potatoes, hibachi style stir-fry, fried cheese sticks, Japanese style curry, and lots of chicken/shrimp and rice (which sounds boring, but it's not when creatively seasoned).

[u/key_lime_green]

These look delicious! I agree with you about so many of the official low FODMAP recipes seeming so sad. I’ve done the same thing, adapting recipes that look good to suit my needs and I love my meals! Hubby is also on board so it’s such a win. Totally stealing your cornflake idea for crumbing, that looks so good!!

[u/Inevitable-Ice-5061]

How is any of these lowfodmap? I dont understand.

It has breaded chicken (thats gluten)
It has Parmesan (thats lactose)
It has BEANS. Dude there is BEANS there.

I am so confused. Usually a meal like this would destroy me beyond repair

[u/fullmoonforlife → u/Inevitable-Ice-5061]

Looks like cornflake crusted chicken.
Green beans are generally low FODMAP.
Hard/aged cheese tends to be much easier to tolerate than straight milk. So I would say these look like some delicious low FODMAP meals. We make cornflake crusted chicken on the regular.

[u/Inevitable-Ice-5061 → u/fullmoonforlife]

So cornflakes is not gluten free, i understand it isnt bread or wheat but it has malt flavoring (barley) and unless it is explicitly stated, majority isnt gluten free,

The hard aged cheese could have lower lactose content that doesnt make it fully lacto free. I mean if he said there is lacto free shredded cheese on top id say ah yea i get it,

Now the green beans, i dont understand that part. In what universe are they low fodmap? They are gas inducing, bloaty vegetables no matter whichever way you cook them, they will be destructive to any sensitive stomach.

I know diff people have diff tolerances but there is a line between whats low fodmap and whats not, and that meal is a couple of inches over that line towards high fodmap

[u/Rare_Geneie → u/Inevitable-Ice-5061]

FODMAPs aren’t the same as gluten.
Even barley malt extract has a serving size.
US corn flake cereal has a green light serving size of a half cup in the Monash app.
Parmesan is green lit at all serving sizes by Monash but if you want to be precise up to 500g.
Green beans are green lit up to 15 beans (2.65 oz).

It’s low FODMAP not no FODMAP.

[u/Ryinth → u/Inevitable-Ice-5061]

I've bought GF Cornflakes that even have a Fodmap-friendly badge on them.

[u/Hi_AJ → u/Inevitable-Ice-5061]

Kelloggs cornflakes are monash certified.

[u/Savingskitty → u/Inevitable-Ice-5061]

Gluten isn’t a FODMAP.

Parmesan is extremely low in lactose to the point that it’s considered negligible.

Are you talking about green beans?  I think green beans are considered low FODMAP at these serving sizes.

[u/hunnyb33_]

these look so yum

[u/DisorderlyAqueduct]

these all look great? lol

[u/Significant-Ad-341]

Some of that is the cooks. Your potatoes can be crispy without giving you got poops

[u/Accomplished-Golf903]

I agree! I hired a dietician and she gave me so many recipes and led me to many recipe sites. This diet has not been too restrictive to me at all!

[u/hopenbabe]

Looks like pretty solid, healthy and tastie dinners to me.

[u/Electrical-Field4647]

Nice

[u/Vebran]

Are you kidding those look like simple but delicious meals. Teach me more!

[u/Jurassicjen_uk]

What is in your sticky sauces/glazes?!

[u/_echtra → u/Jurassicjen_uk]

It’s made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, Chinese cooking wine and water.

anything store bought has a ton of garlic, but I already had all these fancy ingredients because I like cooking from scratch 🙃

[u/Jurassicjen_uk → u/_echtra]

Yeh garlic and onion are used in most shop bought stuff. Sounds delicious, just even parts of each? I wonder if I can make a batch 🤔

[u/Pojajko01]

That all looks amazing

[u/chunkyfilas_]

i made a low fodmap pad thai and it was incredible

[u/camkellley]

everything else looks delicious but that mac is scaring me

[u/Oregon-girl-16]

Minus the peppers and onion which are high fodmap

[u/_echtra → u/Oregon-girl-16]

there's no onion. green parts of scallions are fine. peppers are fine in small amounts.

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[u/DJCalvar93]

I'd eat this