If you need a refresher on what is the low FODMAP diet and how to utilize it, check out our low FODMAP diet plan blog.
Lunch time can seem mundane, and when you add the limitations of a low FODMAP diet, it can certainly cause some frustration. You may be thinking: What do I pack for work? What will travel well? What will taste good with my limitations?
One tip I always give my clients is to try and have leftovers from the night before. This will save you so much time and stress the next day! However, not everyone has this liberty, so the recipes below can be used in that place. Some of these foods may already be in your house!
All the recipes below are delicious and easy to make. Plus, they work well for meal prep, but there are options for last minute lunches as well! Some of the recipes feature products by the brand Fody Foods, which provide low FODMAP alternatives to ingredients such as spices, marinades, condiments, dressing, and much more!
Aside from Fody products, FreeFOD, offers up onion and garlic replacements in powder form that are suitable during the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet. Feel free to use this to spice up your recipes!
Let’s dive into 14 low FODMAP lunch ideas!
14 Low FODMAP Lunch Ideas To Mix Up Your Meal Prep
1. Low FODMAP Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are an easy meal prep food that holds up well throughout the week! A little bit of work at the beginning of the week can pay off!
Check out our Low FODMAP Stuffed Peppers for a tasty lunch option!
2. Tofu Zucchini Rice Bowl
Tofu is definitely something that I have been experimenting with more in the kitchen. The trick to getting the tofu nice and crispy is to drain out the excess water by pressing the tofu on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels and top with more paper towels and a heavy pan.
The yummy Asian style marinade gives the tofu an excellent flavor and makes this rice bowl a delicious alternative to ordering Chinese take-out.
3. Low FODMAP Salad with Fody Dressing
Salad makes a quick and delicious lunch option! Grill chicken or shrimp at the beginning of the week and have all of your vegetables chopped and ready to assemble. Take advantage of creative toppings such as 2 tbsp of canned chickpeas or 1 tbsp dried cranberries. Top it off with a Fody salad dressing if you are in a pinch!
Note: If prepping with seafood, be sure to eat within a few days. Other cooked proteins will last longer.
4. Low FODMAP Turkey Sandwich
Sandwiches are not off-limits when on a low FODMAP diet! Plus, they are super easy to make the day of for lunch! We like our sandwiches on Canyon Bakehouse White Bread or a spelt sourdough bread from the bakery section.
Top the bread with 1/8 an avocado, Applegate oven-roasted turkey breast, slice of cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and you are good to go!
5. Sushi
Many Low FODMAP-ers do well with sushi! Look for rolls that include carrot, avocado, and fish (imitation crab meat has sorbitol and wheat!). Sashimi is a very safe bet and feel free to use your soy sauce as it is low FODMAP at 2 tbsp.
Since the portions of these veggies such as avocado are small, the amount of FODMAPs present should be low enough not to cause symptoms but this is case by case!
6. Low FODMAP Salmon Avocado Boats
These salmon avocado boats are easy to put together and oh so satisfying. It is also excellent for meal prep because you can make the salmon mixture ahead, and assemble when it is time to eat! If the lettuce cups aren’t your thing, use corn tortillas instead.
7. Low FODMAP Tuna Salad with Crackers
Tuna salad is something my mom used to make all the time for lunch. Traditional deli tuna salads have high FODMAP ingredients such as onion and celery, so we came up with a low fodmap version so you didn’t have to miss out on this delicious and easy lunch.
Serve with gluten-free crackers (I like Crunchmaster), and low fructose fruit like 2 clementines. If the crackers don’t do it for you, use a low FODMAP bread of choice!
8. Low FODMAP Pasta Salad
This pasta salad makes an excellent lunch or side dish for your next gathering! Barilla gluten free is by far my favorite pasta brand. It comes together quickly and keeps well in the fridge for meal prep. Don’t be intimidated by making your own dressing!
Try putting all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar, and shake it up until combined, it really cuts down on the mess.
9. Low FODMAP Chicken Wrap
Here is another quick and easy lunch that travels well to work. We really like using Trader Joe’s Brown Rice wrap or food for life wraps as the base. Then fill with cheddar cheese, bell peppers, carrots, and rotisserie chicken!
10. Low FODMAP Quesadilla
Who said you had to say goodbye to delicious cheesy goodness on the low FODMAP diet? Not me!
Grab your 2 oz of cheese and put it between your favorite gluten free tortilla’s and voila! Feel free to add a cooked protein of your choice and dip the finished product in Fody salsa and sour cream.
11. Low FODMAP Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
Stir fry’s are an easy way to only utilize one pan and come out with a filling, balanced meal. Plus, they’re so customizable!
To save time, use rice (or rice noodles) prepped at the beginning of the week. Throw in ¾ cup broccoli and chopped carrots and top with soy sauce, minced ginger, and sesame oil. Sprinkle with Freefod garlic powder for the full stir fry flavor profile!
12. Low FODMAP Mason Jar Salad
What better way to meal prep than in individual mason jars that are easy grab and go options! Make a few at the beginning of the week and never worry about lunch again. Feel free to customize this with other low fodmap ingredients such as quinoa, and feta cheese. Check out our low FODMAP mason jar recipe.
13. Low FODMAP Ground Beef Tacos
Fody foods has solved the taco spice conundrum! Utilize their taco seasoning on ground beef for a simple meal that takes 10-15 minutes and only involves one pan. Additional toppings could be cheese, 2 tbsp sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, or 1/8 an avocado.
Check out our recipe for low FODMAP taco meat too.
14. Bento Boxes
Bento boxes have been quite the hype lately, and for good reason! You are simply pairing together different food groups (proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, fats etc.) to make a calorically substantial meal.
This is great for throwing together a lunch last minute. Here are some examples but feel free to get creative!
- 2 oz of Applegate roasted turkey, cheddar cheese stick, ½ cup raspberries, handful of rice crackers
- Fody protein bar, lactose free yogurt, sliced cucumbers with rice vinegar, 1 clementine.
- 2 tbsp peanut butter, gluten free pretzels, 2 hardboiled eggs, 4 medium strawberries chopped
Watch Dietitian Kaitlin preparing 2 of these Low FODMAP lunch recipes!
Do you need help managing your IBS symptoms? Make an appointment with one of our dietitians by calling 301-474-2499 or clicking here.
Interested in more dietitian-approved low FODMAP recipes? We have you covered with these recipes:
- 20 EASY LOW FODMAP SNACKS IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH IBS
- LOW FODMAP CHICKEN PAD THAI
- 10 LOW FODMAP FRIENDLY BREAKFASTS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR ANY MORNING
Want dietitian-approved products to make managing your condition easier? Below you’ll find products written and recommended by our very own dietitians!
Blog reviewed and updated September 2022.
As a certified LEAP therapist, Dietitian Kathleen can help you solve your digestive difficulties with cutting edge research and state of the art protocols. Co-author of Cooking with Food Sensitivities Survival Guide.
