“15 Simple & Delicious Dietitian-Approved Low FODMAP Lunch Ideas” was written by dietetic intern and functional nutritionist Krista Wale, B.S. and was reviewed, edited and updated by Jenna Volpe, RDN, LD, CLT.
Planning and preparing a healthy low FODMAP lunch each day can get overwhelming and time consuming, especially if you’re trying to follow a bunch of recipes.
In this article, we’ll show you how to easily assemble a variety of simple, nutritious, balanced, and very tasty low FODMAP lunch combinations for busy weekdays – with no complex step-by-step procedures required!
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Key elements of a balanced lunch
When assembling a balanced meal of any kind, it’s fundamental to incorporate something from every food group, so you’ll get what you need from a macro- and micronutrient standpoint.
More specifically, a balanced lunch should include each of the following:
- Complex carbohydrates (starch)
- 3-5 ounces of protein
- Fats
- A serving or two of veggies
- Optional: a serving of fruit
(Balancing your meals this way will help you to feel more energized and satiated for longer – so you can power through your afternoon each day with more ease.)
Anatomy of a balanced low FODMAP lunch
When following a low FODMAP diet, the key to a balanced low FODMAP lunch is to make sure you stick to all low FODMAP ingredients from each category or food group.
Below is a list of low FODMAP lunch ingredients for you to choose from, each organized by their corresponding food group for your convenience!
Low FODMAP complex carbohydrates
- 100% buckwheat soba noodles*
- Corn tortillas*
- Corn tortilla chips
- Cape Cod potato chips*
- Low FODMAP bread
- Oats (gluten free – whole, rolled, instant, sprouted, and/or quick)
- Polenta
- Popcorn (freshly popped)
- Potatoes (any kind)
- Pretzels (gluten free)
- Quinoa
- Rice (white, brown, wild)
- Rice noodles
- Rice or corn pasta
- Sweet potato
- Sourdough bread
- Tapioca flour
- Trader Joe’s brown rice & quinoa spiral pasta*
Low FODMAP lunch proteins
The following proteins are guaranteed to be low FDMAP when they are prepared plain – aka no marinades, sauces, dressings, or gravies unless specified to be low FODMAP!
- Bacon
- Beef
- Canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines)
- Cheese (hard)
- Brie
- Cheddar
- Colby
- Havarti
- Manchego
- Monterey jack
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Swiss
- Chicken
- Crab/lobster
- Eggs
- Fish (bass, cod, trout, halibut, tuna, salmon)
- Greek yogurt (plain)
- Ground meats (beef, chicken, pork, turkey)
- Lamb
- Pork
- Shrimp (fresh or frozen, raw or pre-cooked)
- Tofu (firm or extra firm)
- Turkey
Low FODMAP fats
- Almonds (limit 10)
- Almond butter (1 tbsp)
- Avocado (⅛ or 30g)
- Brazil nuts
- Butter
- Chestnuts
- Chia seeds
- Cheese (hard)
-
- Brie
- Cheddar
- Colby
- Havarti
- Manchego
- Monterey jack
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Swiss
-
- Lactose-free cream cheese*
- Flax seeds (ground)
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- Hazelnuts (limit 10)
- Macadamia nuts
- Nut butters (almond, hazelnut, pecan, walnut)
- Oils (all – almond, avocado, coconut, corn, grapeseed, flax, palm, peanut, sesame, sunflower, walnut oil, etc.)
- Peanuts
- Peanut butter (natural)
- Pecans
- Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Pine nuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Sunflower seeds (limit 3 tbsp)
- Tahini (1 tbsp)
- Walnuts
- Walnut butter
Low FODMAP veggies
One serving of veggies would be two cups of fresh greens, one cup of other fresh veggies, or 1/2 cup of cooked veggies. We recommend choosing one to two servings at lunch, for fiber and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants).
- Bean sprouts
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli (1/2 cup cooked, or less)
- Cabbage (red – 3/4 cup cooked, or less)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Collard greens
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Baby kale
- Lettuce (all types)
- Okra
- Pumpkin
- Scallions (green parts only)
- Spinach
- Squash
- Tomato
- Zucchini
15 balanced low FODMAP lunch ideas worth trying
Now that you have an idea of what foods in each category are low FODMAP, you can combine them into simple, healthy meals by choosing one from each category to fill your plate!
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- BLT (bacon, lettuce & tomato sandwich) on low FODMAP bread, with mayonnaise* and a side of 1 cup fresh sliced carrots/cucumbers/peppers
- Plain rotisserie chicken with a baked/roasted sweet potato and a side of sauteed zucchini with salt and cracked black pepper – cooked extra virgin olive oil
- Turkey & cheese sandwich with low FODMAP bread, shaved turkey breast and sliced cheddar cheese. topped with lettuce, tomato, mayo and mustard
- A salad with lettuce, tomato, carrots, cucumbers, 1 ounce fresh grated cheddar cheese, sliced chicken breast, quinoa, and a simple low FODMAP salad dressing
- Soup with bone broth, diced chicken breast, brown rice pasta noodles, diced zucchini, sliced carrots and green onion
- Rice/quinoa bowl with ground chicken breast, lettuce, diced tomato and roasted broccoli – topped with 1/4 of an avocado
- Tacos with lean ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning*, lettuce, diced tomatoes and shredded cheddar cheese packed into a corn tortilla* or almond flour tortilla*
- Chicken and cheese quesadillas with spinach, folded into a low FODMAP corn tortilla*
- Stir fry with rice of choice, shrimp, broccoli heads, bell peppers and carrots, cooked in sesame oil with a sprinkle of cumin and ginger powder, and a teaspoon of soy-free coconut aminos*
- Brown rice pasta with shrimp cooked in garlic-infused oil*, fresh grated parmesan cheese, baby spinach, fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- Caesar chicken wrap with romaine lettuce, rotisserie chicken, sliced cucumber, shredded parmesan cheese, and low FODMAP caesar dressing*
- Turkey burger topped with sliced swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mayo and mustard- in a low FODMAP roll*
- Semi-homemade pizza made with a low FODMAP pizza crust topped with low FODMAP tomato sauce*, shredded cheese, spinach, olives and bell peppers
- Bento box with low FODMAP rice crackers*, carrot sticks, sliced cheddar cheese and strawberries with plain Greek yogurt
- Egg salad with hard-boiled eggs, mayo, celery, and paprika on low FODMAP bread with a side of frseh sliced carrots/cucumbers/bell peppers
Low FODMAP lunch recipes
Rather a recipe? Give these healthy low FODMAP lunch-friendly recipes a whirl:
Low FODMAP Loaded Beef Nachos with Jalapeno Yogurt
Who would have thought that nachos could be low FODMAP? It’s all in the ingredients. These nachos start with a base layer of crunchy chips and are topped with seasoned ground beef and cheese, and any additional toppings are customizable to your taste preferences!
Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup
If you’re feeling under the weather, or want something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, a soup will do that for you! This gut soothing soup is made in the instant pot using low FODMAP ingredients like chicken breast, bone broth, rice, low FODMAP veggies and seasonings.
Low FODMAP Tuna Salad with Grapes
This is a delicious and unconventional way to enjoy tuna salad. While this recipe does call for a small amount of honey, it’s within the low FODMAP threshold of less than 1 teaspoon per serving. It’s great during the spring and summer months with a side of fresh cucumber!
Final thoughts
To reiterate, you don’t need an elaborate recipe to assemble a healthy low FODMAP lunch. You just need to decide which low FODMAP carbs, proteins, fats and veggies will jive well together, giving you a simple, tasty, nourishing, and IBS-friendly meal.
As long as you know what foods are FODMAP friendly, you can easily create a healthy meal by balancing your meals with low FODMAP sources of protein, veggies, carbohydrates and fats.
More resources
Looking for other low FODMAP meal and snack ideas? Make sure to check out the following:
- 50+ Tasty Low FODMAP Snacks
- 15 Tasty & Healthy Low FODMAP Breakfast Ideas
- Ultimate Guide to Finding & Choosing a Low FODMAP Cereal
If you found this post helpful, please feel free to share it with your fellow IBS-navigating friends!
