The short version: Eggs, plain fish or meat, rice and carrots are useful low-FODMAP starting points. Other options include firm tofu, oats, potatoes, selected fruit and vegetables, lactose-free milk and hard cheese. The right portion, preparation and added ingredients matter. Use the list below to plan a meal, then check the current tested serving for the foods you choose.
You should be able to look at a food list and work out what to make for dinner. This guide pairs everyday options with the checks that can change the answer: how much is on the plate, whether a food is fresh or processed, and what went into the sauce.
If you are considering a low-FODMAP diet for ongoing symptoms, start with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian. The stricter stage is temporary; reintroducing foods and finding your own tolerances are part of the process. Monash explains the three stages here.
Low-FODMAP foods by category
These are examples to help with shopping, not unlimited portions or a guarantee that a food will suit you. Monash's food guide includes examples across these groups. Check a tested serving before treating a whole category as low-FODMAP.
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| Category | Options to check | What changes the answer |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Eggs, plain chicken, fish, firm tofu | Marinades and sauces; firm versus silken tofu |
| Grains and starches | Rice, potatoes, oats, rice or corn pasta | Portion, pasta ingredients and toppings |
| Vegetables | Carrots, cucumber, lettuce, bok choy, green beans | Amount and seasoning |
| Fruit | Orange, kiwi, pineapple, blueberries | Amount, fruit variety and dried versus fresh |
| Dairy and alternatives | Lactose-free milk, hard cheese, soy-protein milk | Lactose content; whole-soybean milk differs |
| Nuts and seeds | Peanuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds | Serving size and flavored coatings |
| Flavor and sweetness | Garlic-infused oil, chives, table sugar, maple syrup | Garlic pieces, blended ingredients and quantity |
For foods that more often need a swap during the first stage, see our high-FODMAP foods guide. A high-FODMAP label does not mean a food is unhealthy or that you must avoid it forever.
How to check a portion
A food can have different FODMAP ratings at different amounts. Monash's serving-size guide explains why a smaller portion of some wheat foods, legumes or vegetables can fit even when a typical serving is rated higher. Individual tolerance varies too.
- Match the food. Search for the exact type, including firm or silken tofu, fresh or dried fruit, and the relevant packaged product when available.
- Match the amount. Open the food entry and check its different portion ratings. A green rating applies to the stated serving.
- Match the preparation. Follow the entry's raw, cooked or drained description. Do not weigh uncooked pasta against a cooked-pasta entry.
- Check the rest of the meal. Include sauces, seasonings and toppings in your plan.
Monash lists portions per meal and explains how raw and cooked weights work in its food-guide instructions. Use its current entries for exact grams rather than an old screenshot or a generic “one bowl” serving.
You do not need to count every combination anxiously. If symptoms are well controlled, Monash says there is no reason to start worrying about FODMAP stacking. If symptoms continue despite following low-FODMAP servings, discuss your portions and meal patterns with your dietitian before cutting more foods.
Swaps that keep meals interesting
Keep garlic flavor with an appropriate infused oil
Garlic-infused oil can bring flavor to rice, vegetables or fish. Fructans dissolve in water but not fat, which explains why an appropriate infused oil differs from garlic simmered in soup. Removing garlic pieces from a water-based sauce does not remove the fructans that have entered the liquid. Choose a suitable commercial oil and check its ingredients; a low-FODMAP-certified option gives you a tested product to work from. Read Monash's infused-oil explanation.
Check the pasta and the sauce separately
Rice or corn pasta may be a useful base, but the sauce still deserves a look. Gluten-free and low-FODMAP describe different things: gluten is a protein, while FODMAPs are carbohydrates. Some gluten-free products contain higher-FODMAP ingredients, and some gluten-containing foods have low-FODMAP servings. A low-FODMAP food list does not replace the restrictions required for celiac disease or a food allergy. Monash explains the distinction.
Choose the tofu you actually checked
Firm, drained tofu and silken tofu are not interchangeable in a FODMAP lookup. Processing changes their FODMAP content; Monash reports a lower rating for firm tofu at a standard serving. Check the current entry for the specific type and portion you are buying. See Monash's tofu guide.
Read the small ingredients too
Onion, garlic, honey and sweeteners such as sorbitol or mannitol can appear in otherwise simple meals or snacks. The NIDDK's IBS diet guide identifies these among ingredients to consider during a low-FODMAP trial. “Sugar-free” alone does not tell you whether a product fits.
Three meals to build from the list
Use these as combinations to adapt, with each ingredient in a portion that fits your plan. They are not lab-tested finished recipes.
- Breakfast: eggs with potatoes and chives. Check any breakfast sausage or sauce separately.
- Lunch: a rice bowl with plain chicken, carrots, cucumber and a suitable dressing. Keep the dressing separate while you check its ingredients.
- Dinner: firm tofu with rice, bok choy and an appropriate garlic-infused oil. Use the tofu entry that matches the product you bought.
For the next grocery trip, write down the ingredients for one breakfast and two main meals before adding snacks. That gives you a usable shopping list without buying a dozen unfamiliar substitutes. If sauces are the sticking point, try our grocery guide for meals with flavor.
At a restaurant, ask about the preparation as well as the menu name: “Is the chicken marinated with garlic or onion?” is more useful than asking whether the whole dish is healthy. See our restaurant ordering guide for more questions to ask.
Using the list without staying restrictive
Monash describes three stages: a low-FODMAP stage, usually two to six weeks with a dietitian; structured reintroduction of individual FODMAP groups; and a longer-term pattern based on what you tolerate. The goal is to bring suitable foods back and keep your diet as varied as possible. The three-stage guide explains what each step is for.
If you are following a formal reintroduction plan, use the foods, amounts and timing agreed with your dietitian. Keep a simple record of what you ate, the portion and any symptoms. If the approach is not helping, check in with your clinician rather than making the list of foods you avoid longer.
Common food-list questions
Are there foods with no FODMAPs?
Plain meat, fish and eggs are naturally free of FODMAPs. Added ingredients can change the meal, and low FODMAP content cannot guarantee freedom from every digestive symptom. Monash also identifies rice and carrots as useful foods with little or no FODMAP content in its stacking guidance.
Do I have to stop eating dairy?
Not automatically. Lactose is the FODMAP in dairy, and its amount differs between foods. Lactose-free milk and lower-lactose hard cheeses may fit. Milk allergy is different from lactose intolerance: lactose-free dairy still contains milk proteins and is not a substitute for following a milk-allergy plan.
What if I cannot find a food on this list?
Look up the specific food and preparation in a current tested database. A short shopping guide cannot cover every herb, condiment, noodle or mixed dish. If the food is not tested or the ingredient list is unclear, ask your dietitian how to handle the uncertainty.
Where Après fits
Après makes chewable digestive-enzyme mints. If you are comparing enzyme options for meals, start with the current ingredients and directions and our Après and FODZYME comparison. An enzyme supplement does not replace a diagnosis, a structured dietary plan or precautions for celiac disease and food allergies.
This article is general information, not personal medical advice. A healthcare professional can help assess ongoing digestive symptoms and decide whether a low-FODMAP approach is appropriate.