Eating more vegetables on a low FODMAP diet

Luckily, there are very few vegetables that are completely off limits during the low FODMAP diet. Luckily because vegetables are packed full of fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals and when vegetables are included in the diet, research has found there to be a reduction in the incidence of many lifestyle diseases.

Vegetables need not be limited to just the dinner plate. Here are some suggestions to increase your vegetable intake:

At breakfast:

• Blend a handful of baby spinach leaves into a lactose free banana smoothie
  

• Combine stewed rhubarb with berries to accompany muesli and yoghurt or porridge
  

• Try carrot cake porridge and modify this tasty creation to be Low FODMAP by replacing half the rolled oats with quinoa flakes, using lactose free milk and omitting the sultanas
  

• Have a side of spinach and/or tomato with eggs or combine eggs with vegetables and cheese in omelettes, frittatas or quiches
  

At the main meal:

• Aim for three different coloured vegetables on your dinner plate
  

• Incorporate grated vegetables (such as, zucchini and carrot) in mince meat patties, meat loaves and sauces
  

• Make vegetable skewers/kebabs with a variety of vegetables and/or meat/chicken/fish/tofu or haloumi cheese (try this yummy recipe for Greek vegetable kebabs from Jamie Oliver)
  

• When eating out or having takeaway, order a side salad with no onion
  

For snacks:

• Make dips that incorporate vegetables
  

• Have vegetable sticks on a snack platter, with cheese, nuts and/or cold meats

• Incorporate in baking – carrot cake, corn fritters, zucchini loaf, rhubarb crumble
  

Handy Hint - When using the Monash University Low FODMAP App on your smart phone, make sure you click to view vegetables with a red traffic light next to them. While some vegetables (e.g. sweet corn) are high FODMAP when consumed at 1 serve (e.g. 1 cob) they may be green/amber when consumed in a ½ serve (e.g. ½ cob).

3 TIPS ON HOW TO GET KIDS TO EAT MORE VEG:

1. Make it fun – arrange vegetables with/without other foods in a shape or smile
   
2. Involve kids – in selecting veggies at the supermarket, in basic meal preparation involving vegetables (i.e. mixing/grating/blending/threading onto skewers), in self-serving vegetables to their plate from a selection on the family table, in self-assembling meals involving vegetables (e.g. jacket potato[P4] , pizza, tacos, wraps)
   
3. Role model – sit down and eat meals and snacks with your child that incorporate vegetables in a way you enjoy
   

And Remember…

As a parent you can only control when, where and what food is offered (not whether or not it is eaten!) so ensure vegetables are regularly offered at social family meals.