A guide to low FODMAP meal planning

Meal planning is a great skill to have, not only for those with special dietary needs, but anyone who leads a busy lifestyle (let’s be honest, that’s most of us!).

As a dietitian with IBS, planning my meals in advance not only saves precious time during the week but also helps ensure that my low FODMAP diet is nutritionally balanced and well thought out (helping me avoid uncomfortable mistakes!).

Here is an example of what my typical day looks like. I like to use the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) to help plan out my day according to the number of serves I need of different foods from the five food groups. As a 23 year old female, the AGHE recommends that each day I aim for:

• 5 serves vegetables/legumes/beans
  
• 2 serves of fruit
  
• 6 serves of grain/cereal foods
  
• 2 ½ serves meat/alternatives
  
• 2 ½ serves dairy foods
  

Check out the AGHE website for more information about the 5 food groups and how much you need each day (this varies depending on your age, gender and activity level)

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials

Sample meal plan

Breakfast

Porridge with yoghurt, cinnamon & banana

½ cup cooked rolled oats (120g)

1 tsp. chia seeds (5g)

1 tbs. low-fat milk (25g)*

low-fat natural yoghurt (100g)*

1 medium (firm) banana (100g)

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Snack

• Small handful mixed nuts (30g)

Lunch

Moroccan chicken & roast vegetable salad:

chicken tenderloins (40g)

¼ cup roasted sweet potato (35g)

¼ cup roasted red capsicum (26g)

½ cup baby spinach leaves (19g)

¼ cup canned chickpeas (42g)

1 tbs. garlic infused oil (to cook chicken and vegetables)

1 tbs. Moroccan spice mix (cumin, coriander, cinnamon & ginger

½ cup cooked quinoa

Afternoon Tea

• 2 x wholemeal crackers (18g) 
• 2 slices low-fat cheese (40g)

Dinner

Beef stir-fry

Beef stir-fry strips (65g)

¼ cup red capsicum (26g)

¼ cup carrot (30g)

¼ cup green beans (43g) 

¼ cup bok choy (22g)

1 tsp grated ginger (3g)

½ red chilli (14g)

2 tsp oyster sauce (10g)

2 tsp soy sauce (10g)

1 cup steamed brown rice

Supper/dessert

• Tub of low-fat yoghurt (200g)* 
• 1 cup strawberries (140g)

*I am not lactose intolerant so use regular dairy products. Please substitute for a lactose free alternative if you malabsorb lactose.

Nutrition information    

Energy                                7223kJ

Protein                               103.5g

Carbohydrates                 170.7g

-Sugar                                68.0g

Fat                                       63.6g

-Saturated fat                  14.8g

Dietary fibre                     31.4g

Iron                                     12.8mg

Calcium                            1075mg

Sodium                             2059mg

Total FODMAPs 

(excluding lactose)       LOW

Meal planning tips: 

• Set aside a few hours each weekend to think about the coming week and plan your meals using the Monash App. Decide what you will have for dinner each night (at a bare minimum) and use this plan to write a shopping list. 
• Busy week ahead? Why not spend a few hours each Sunday afternoon cooking 1-2 healthy low FODMAP meals to set aside or freeze for those hectic weeknights! 
• Pre-prepare and stock your fridge with healthy low FODMAP snacks such as tubs of low-fat yoghurt (lactose free if needed), small zip-lock bags of low FODMAP nuts, cut up vegetable sticks (carrot, cucumber, capsicum) with https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/4-ways-to-enjoy-roasted-red-pepper/ or https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/low-fodmap-homemade-tzatziki-serves-lots/, low FODMAP fruit, cheese and plain crackers etc.