A sample FODMAP friendly shopping list

A sample FODMAP friendly shopping list

When it comes to starting the Low FODMAP Diet, a bit of planning can go a long way. A simple shopping list can make the difference between a stressful grocery shop and a great one, where you leave excited about all the delicious food you’ve bought to eat.

To start your first low FODMAP shopping list, set aside some time to think about what meals you’d like to eat in the weeks ahead. Look through low FODMAP cooking books, visit websites such as Lo-Fo Pantry for recipe inspiration and go over your list of low FODMAP foods . Your chosen meals don’t have to be set in stone, but having a meal plan for the first few weeks that you can fall back on can help make sticking to the diet so much easier.

As a general rule, try and avoid pre-packaged, processed foods such as frozen meals as many of them contain spices such as onion and garlic, milk and added fructose. You also don’t need to buy lots of fancy free-from products. Instead, concentrate on basing your meals on naturally low-FODMAP foods such as those in the list below.

There are also a number of brands who have created low FODMAP products that you can get your hands on, such as the Lo-Fo Pantry range of flours! Many of these products are certified Low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly (a product testing and certifying body) or Monash University so you know that they’re safe to eat.

In our increasingly busy world, many of us also shop online for ease and have our food shopping delivered to our door. Shopping in the supermarket for the first few weeks can be another way to get low FODMAP recipe inspiration. It’s much easier to read labels on products too.

Create a pantry full of tasty and nutritious options low FODMAP options, so you feel far from restricted.

A sample FODMAP friendly shopping list

 Vegetables/herbs

Spinach, potatoes, courgette, aubergine, ginger, kale, carrots, bell peppers, parsnips, radish, fresh herbs – sage, basil, thyme, chives, cucumber, lettuce

Fruit

Lemons and limes, oranges, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, cantaloupe melon, passion fruit

Dairy/dairy alternatives

Almond milk, butter, feta cheese, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, butter

Protein sources (stick to plain, fresh meat, poultry and fish without any added marinades which might include ingredients such as onion or garlic)

Chicken, meat, fish, firm tofu, eggs

Breads and grains

Polenta, gluten free pasta, gluten free bread, millet, oats, rice, rice noodles, quinoa

Nuts and seeds

Walnuts, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, macadamia nuts

Store cupboard

Anchovies, capers, spices – mustard seeds, smoked paprika, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, tinned lentils and chickpeas (can be easier on the gut because the FODMAPs leach out into the liquid), mustard, peanut butter, miso paste, white wine vinegar, tamari, peppermint tea, Lo-Fo Pantry plain flour, bread flours, and baking mix.

Sugars and confectionary

Dark chocolate, light brown sugar, pure maple syrup

 

Please note that I am not a medical or FODMAP nutritional professional and that this is not a complete list of low FODMAP ingredients but a guide. Check out the Monash University or FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps – my go to resources – for the latest research on individual foods.