15 Low FODMAP Breakfast Ideas to Fuel your Day

What are FODMAPs?

You might be wondering, what the heck is a FODMAP? FODMAPs is an acronym for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, and Monosaccharides And Polyols. These are carbohydrates that can ferment in the gut and trigger unwanted digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating to name a few. If you go on a low FODMAP diet, you remove foods that contain those certain carbohydrates for a period of time, until symptoms improve. Once your symptoms improve, you start to add foods back in to see what exactly is causing the issue.

While not a forever plan, the low FODMAP diet helps over 70% of IBS suffers find relief from their symptoms. Be sure to work with a FODMAP educated dietitian throughout this process!

My patients often ask me for meal ideas, just to break up the standard low FODMAP recipes that they seem to make over and over again. What better way to add more variety than with the most important meal of the day, breakfast!

Breakfast has the reputation of being the fastest meal to prepare so I am offering up some quick and easy options and also some that require a little more prep! Below are 15 low FODMAP friendly breakfast ideas that the whole family will love!

1. Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Photo credit Klara Knezevic

Overnight oats are a FODMAP friendly breakfast great for meal prep when you have a busy morning, and not a lot of time to prepare breakfast. They are grab and go, portable and most importantly, delicious! I make them at the beginning of the week in a large batch.

While oatmeal is naturally gluten free, sometimes gluten can be introduced during processing, so be sure to buy oats that are certified gluten free. There are so many ways to customize them to your likings!

2. Muffin Tin Eggs

Photo credit Klara Knezevic

This is another FODMAP friendly breakfast recipe that is great for meal prep, and very customizable. Switch out the veggies and other low FODMAP friendly cheeses to change up the variety. To make these muffin tin eggs portable, make it into a sandwich with a gluten free english muffin! 

3. Sweet Potato Hash

Photo credit Kaitlin Eckstein

This sweet potato hash has become a favorite breakfast among my clients, for meal prep, or a special weekend morning breakfast.

It’s packed with complex carbohydrates and good quality protein to keep you full until lunch!

4. Gluten-Free Bagel Sandwich

Photo credit Kaitlin Eckstein

One of my favorite breakfasts is a bagel sandwich! Fill it with proteins like eggs and turkey bacon and toppings such as tomatoes, lettuce, and low fodmap hot sauce. To bring the meal together, add a low FODMAP fruit of choice for an extra punch of fiber. Trader joes has awesome gluten free bagels!

5. FODMAP Friendly Breakfast Cereal

Photo credit Klara Knezevic

You can’t argue with the convenience of breakfast cereal in the morning. Finding a gluten free alternative can be hard sometimes, especially since they are often sweetened with honey which is very high in FODMAPs. We really like Barbara’s Puffins Peanut Butter cereal. But you can also try One Degree Veganic Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps or rice chex.

6. FODMAP Friendly Breakfast Yogurt Parfait

Photo credit Klara Knezevic

We are all about the convenience when it comes to breakfast, especially during the week. These yogurt parfaits can be made ahead of time, and are just grab and go.

We recommend bagging up the walnuts separately and adding it to the yogurt right before eating so they don’t get mushy.

Some low FODMAP yogurts are lactose free yogurts, and coconut yogurts. Proceed with caution for almond milk yogurts, but they may be tolerated.

7. FODMAP Friendly Breakfast Smoothie

Photo credit Kaitlin Eckstein

This smoothie can be a perfect blend and go breakfast. Throw the ingredients in a blender, add some protein, and away we go.

I like the OWYN protein powder as a filling addition!

Blend 2 servings and throw one in the freezer until you are ready to consume it.

To differentiate a ripe vs unripe banana, look for some green still on the banana, this will make it unripe!

8. FODMAP Friendly Breakfast Tacos

Photo credit Rebecca Bitzer

What would a post be without tacos? My favorite food can be a FODMAP friendly breakfast by using FODY Foods salsa!

Feel free to use bacon in the place of the sausage.

9. Breakfast Buckwheat

Photo by Kaitlin Eckstein

Buckwheat is a delicious gluten free grain option that we don’t always think about! Most people suspect that the “wheat” in the name means it contains wheat, luckily that is not the case.

This is a great alternative if you want something a little different than oatmeal! Top with fruit and serve with protein for a balanced breakfast.

10. Breakfast Toasts

Photo by Kaitlin Eckstein

This is a very customizable breakfast. Toast up some gluten free bread and top as desired. Our favorite option is peanut butter, unripe banana & chia seeds.  Feel free to think out of the box and top your toast with lactose free cottage cheese and make it savory with salt and pepper. OR a hardboiled egg and 1/8 of an avocado!

11. Pancakes or Waffles

Grab yourself a bag of Bob’s Red Mill pancake mix for a sweeter alternative to breakfast. Toss some blueberries into the mix and enjoy with your typical
toppings of butter, maple syrup, or powdered sugar.

Vans frozen waffles may be a bit more convenient on a busy morning, but at least you have 2 options!

12. Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

I love chia seed pudding as a breakfast option! It is high in protein and fiber leaving you full and satisfied for the whole morning. Plus, you can make it in
advance in individual mason jars just like you would with overnight oats.

There are so many different ways and additions you can make to chia seed pudding but here is a basic chocolate chia seed pudding recipe:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup almond milk
• ½ tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• Low fodmap fruit of choice—raspberries, strawberries, ¼ cup blueberries

Directions:

• Mix everything together in a mason jar to sit overnight and voila! Enjoy!

13. Scrambled Eggs with Spinach

Make this on the morning you have a little more time! Incorporate any leafy greens of your choice and mix in breakfast sausage if you prefer. To make this a full American breakfast, add some gluten free toast with strawberry jam!

14. French Toast

You don’t have to miss out on French toast during the low FODMAP elimination phase! Not a make ahead, but great for Sunday brunch with the family. My favorite is to top with maple syrup and strawberries! Powdered sugar will top it all off.

15. Lactose Free Cottage Cheese with Pineapple

Most people don’t realize that lactose free cottage cheese does exist! Cottage cheese can be made savory or sweet for breakfast and packs a large amount of protein, and a small amount of carbohydrates.

The most popular brands in stores are Green Valley, Lactaid, and Good Culture.

Do you want help meal planning on a low FODMAP diet? Make an appointment with Dana by calling 301-474-2499 or clicking here. 

Updated August 2022

Contributions by Kathleen Tabb, MS, RD, LD, CLT