FAQ:

“Help! The family want to go out for dinner but I’m following the low fodmap diet. What on earth am I going to eat that’s fodmap friendly?”

RESPONSE:

Eating out can be tricky if you struggle with gut health issues. However, don’t let your sensitive gut get in the way of spending time with family & friends and celebrating special occasions at a restaurant. While you can’t control every ingredient that goes on your plate when someone else does the cooking for you, there are some options that are more likely to suit those following the low fodmap diet. And sometimes it's about making the best available choice.

This blog is for you if:
👉🏽 you struggle to decide what to order when you're at a restaurant
👉🏽 you second guess your decision to accept an invitation to dinner 
👉🏽 you're not sure which restaurant/take-away is likely to be the most fodmap friendly

Let’s look at some options.

Low fodmap pasta options are likely to be few and far between because Nonna’s famous fettucine ragu most likely starts with an onion, garlic and carrot base. However, most Italian restaurants will offer a caprese and/or rocket salad on the menu.  Both of these are usually low FODMAP (just ensure no garlic) and may be offered with grilled chicken breast. Caprese is a basic salad of fresh tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil.  Rocket salad is usually just rocket leaves with parmesan, olive oil and a splash of balsamic – a good pizza topping!

Sadly, Italian cuisine is tricky to navigate if you’re minimising fodmaps. Sauces are often slow cooked well in advance. But if Italian is the consensus, maybe you might want to consider eating before you go. Drinking 50g of Superflora blitzed in a blender with lactose-free milk before you go out will ensure you don’t arrive at the restaurant starving!

Indian

Generally speaking, Indian cuisine is high in fodmaps due to the use of onion, garlic and lentils. Where there are some dishes that may be suitable for your sensitive tummy, it’s likely that you’ll need to ask for a custom dish that uses plain rice, grilled meats and simple spices like cumin and turmeric. Some curry pastes are made with shallots rather than onions, but if the family want Indian food you may need to call the restaurant ahead of time and see if they can prepare something for you.

Chinese

While a popular choice, Chinese cuisine can be high in fodmaps due to onion, garlic and polyols. If you choose a made-to-order stir fry, you can request that onion and garlic be omitted and opt for meat or seafood with vegetables, along with rice or rice noodles. Choose fresh not fried spring rolls and avoid egg rolls and dumplings. Egg drop soup (traditionally flavoured with ginger and chives, not garlic) or chicken rice soup might be suitable. Sweet and sour dishes are likely to contain onion and vinegar-laden sauces which are best served on the side. Chicken and broccoli, fish with steamed vegetables or beef with tomato and peppers might be good choices while Szechuan sauce, Kung Pao and Chop Suey are likely to contain garlic, onion and other high fodmap vegetables. Where possible, stick to plain proteins and ask if the fried rice is onion and garlic free. Otherwise, choose steamed rice with soy sauce on the side.

2.     Most pubs have fish & chips on the menu which can also be a low fodmap option. Select grilled or steamed fish, while avoiding batters, marinades or sauces. Ask for lemon wedges rather than aioli or tartare. Depending on the location of the pub, you might also be offered fresh prawns, natural oysters and seared scallops which can be low fodmap too. Just avoid batters, marinades or sauces. Any dish that uses adjectives such as “crispy” or “crunchy” bears closer scrutiny. While “deep fried” doesn’t necessarily mean high fodmap, it’s often the high saturated fat content that can trigger gut health symptoms so proceed cautiously.

3.     Another pub classic is the roast. This can be made low fodmap by ensuring that there’s no gravy and opting for low fodmap veggies on the side (roast potatoes, carrots, sweet pots, parsnips and peas).