Recipes for IBS: low-FODMAP and not too fatty

All recipes here follow our low-FODMAP rule and also meet the first diet tips for IBS: not fried, not spicy, no coffee, alcohol or fizzy drinks, no more than 25 g of fat per serving and no more than 40% of the energy from fat. Which foods give you symptoms is individual.

With IBS, the first steps are usually simple: eat regular meals and cut down on fried, fatty and spicy food, coffee, alcohol and fizzy drinks. That's what the NICE guideline and the British Dietetic Association suggest, for example. If that isn't enough, the next step is the low-FODMAP diet in three phases, developed at Monash University – ideally with support from a dietitian. The recipes here combine both.

Recipes for IBS

Vegan turmeric and ginger juice with orange – 95 kcal
High-protein cottage cheese pancakes for breakfast – 340 kcal
Vegan sweet potato glass noodles with sesame tofu – 550 kcal
Vegan pineapple and turmeric juice with yellow pepper – 110 kcal
Baked oats with a chocolate centre – 350 kcal
Chicken schnitzel with a polenta crust – 480 kcal
Peanut butter chocolate oat smoothie – 450 kcal
Low-FODMAP chicken and rice stir-fry with carrots and pak choi – 450 kcal
Vegan ginger and turmeric shot with lemon – 35 kcal
Mediterranean chicken and quinoa bake – 420 kcal
Vegan pineapple and turmeric smoothie – 110 kcal
Low-carb grapefruit and ginger juice – 50 kcal
Vegan oat and carrot soup with fennel seeds – 190 kcal
Vegan fresh carrot, ginger and citrus juice – 110 kcal
Quick orange and grapefruit juice – 84 kcal
Vegetarian cottage cheese porridge – 340 kcal
Gluten-free pan-fried potato and squash gnocchi – 380 kcal
Banana porridge with pecans – 380 kcal
Banana oat cookies with walnuts – 60 kcal
Vegan chestnut cream – 160 kcal
Vegan ginger and lemon juice – 24 kcal
Vegan blueberry spinach smoothie – 150 kcal
Oven-baked wild salmon with quinoa and spinach – 450 kcal
Gluten-free pumpkin gnocchi – 340 kcal

Frequently asked questions

What can I eat with IBS?

Potatoes, rice, millet, quinoa and small amounts of oats work well, with veg such as carrots, courgette, parsnips and spinach, plus fish, chicken, eggs or firm tofu. Common triggers are onion, garlic, pulses, wheat, apples, pears, honey and large amounts of lactose.

How does the low-FODMAP diet work?

In three phases: two to six weeks of strict low-FODMAP eating, then testing the FODMAP groups one by one, and finally only avoiding what gives you symptoms. That's how Monash University, which developed the method, describes it.

Why no more than 25 g of fat?

Fatty and fried meals trigger symptoms in many people with IBS. That's why we only include recipes with no more than 25 g of fat per serving and no more than 40% of the energy from fat.

Where do the rules come from?

The FODMAP rating is based on data from Monash University; it isn't a certification. The other points follow the first diet tips in the NICE guideline (CG61) and from the British Dietetic Association. The recipes don't replace support from a dietitian.