Packing a low FODMAP lunch!

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Packing lunch for a school age child or a grown-up FODMAPer on the go might require a little extra creativity but still can be quite tasty and nutritious.  If you are in need of a little inspiration, I’ve got you covered. 🙂 Here are some quick to prepare brown bag lunch suggestions that I put together including some fantastic ideas from a wonderful group of Mom’s with kids following the low FODMAP diet.

low FODMAP lunch

Favorite low FODMAP sandwiches can start with:

Udi’s Gluten Free White Sandwich bread, Franz Gluten Free Mountain White bread or Deland Gluten Free Millet bread or your favorite tolerable low FODMAP bread option.

{Please note manufactured product listed in this post have not been certified to be low FODMAP but appear low FODMAP from the ingredients listed}

Add some protein:

  • Homemade tuna, chicken or egg salad (mayonnaise and/or Dijon mustard work well to mix up the salad, along with green part of scallion)
  • Peanut butter and banana slices
  • Suitable deli meat. Applegate has some products that seem to work for FODMAPers: Applegate Farms Roasted Turkey, Natural Roast Beef or Slow Cooked Ham.
  • Low lactose cream cheese (Green Valley makes an option) with suitable jam such as Stonewall Raspberry or Blueberry Jam
  • All natural peanut butter and jelly (pick suitable jelly made with sugar, not high fructose corn syrup)

Not big on sandwiches?  How about trying the following alternatives:

  • Thermos Tacos!  Saute ground beef with cumin and chili powder (without onion) and salt/pepper to taste and add flavored meat to thermos. Pack corn taco shells, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar and a few diced tomatoes.
  • Protein-Packed Cheese Plate:  Hard cooked egg, cheese chunks, carrot sticks, cucumber spears, olives, handful of grapes and rice crackers, Barney’s almond butter 90 calorie single serving pack (read ingredients) or handful of nuts or seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
  • Chopped Salad: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chicken, suitable deli meat, shredded cheddar and oil and vinegar dressing on the side.
  • Rice Cakes with peanut butter, banana and chia seeds.

Fruit and Veggies to boost nutrition:

{Keep fruit to one serving per meal}

  • Baby carrots, cucumber spears, red pepper slices
  • Handful of grapes
  • Kiwi, cut in half and provide a spoon to scoop out the middle
  • Clementine–easy to peel for little fingers 🙂
  • Cantaloupe or honeydew chunks
  • Banana
  • Orange
  • Blueberries, strawberries or raspberries
  • Pineapple chunks

Flavorful Treats: 

  • Snyder’s gluten free pretzels
  • Rice crackers
  • Potato chips (avoid flavored, choose simply salted)
  • Smart puffs or Pirates Booty
  • Tortilla chips (plain)
  • Peanut butter Go Macro bar
  • Ginny Bakes Chocolate Chip Love (full size or minis)
  • Laiki crackers (red or black rice crackers)
  • Aleias Almond Horns

Calcium booster:

  • Low lactose yogurt
  • lactose free milk
  • Mozzarella sticks
  • Chia pudding

Another great tip from a Mom of a FODMAPer:

Zipsicles are available for purchase to make your own portable yogurts with lactose free yogurt. Just the right size and fun for on the go.  For a fun after school snack or refreshing dessert, use zipsicles to make your own popsicles (add blended suitable fruits or lemonade)!

What’s your favorite brown bag lunch? Please share….we can all learn from one another!

 

15 replies on “Packing a low FODMAP lunch!“

  • Barbara

    I have found snack bars that seem to be low-FODMAP –2 Moms in the Raw, blueberry and cranberry. Be careful, there are others that have honey as a sweetener.

  • Azure

    I have actually found that most of your recipes hold up quite nicely for lunches and are excellent reheated, if that is an option, the next day (week).

    • katescarlata

      Hi Carol, I had a hard time accessing the actual ingredients on the Boar’s Head site…but the turkey says sugar and salt–and that should be okay. Wish they made it a bit easier to see what they add. If you have a package handy, feel free to send in the actual ingredients and I can provide my best guess.

  • Judy King

    I called Boars Head Nutritionist to ask ingredients of my favs……MOST I could not eat….I have one I can! Yay! I forget the turkey that she said they usually recommend for folks with food challenges for my store does not carry it.

    She was MOST gracious going thru all the ingredients of the products I questioned. She asked me to call anytime I had a question.

    Thank you, Kate, for ALL you do for all of us! I LOvE your posts, recipes, info, etc!

  • Sandie Saporito

    Love your blog, you’ve helped me a lot navigating fodmaps. Just got your book, love the recipes. Not having much luck with finding RD in my area to get advice. Was told today that the gal l was hoping to got to is no longer there (Sharpie Youmans) at Munroe Regional in Ocala,
    I wondered if you knew of another RD in that area or a source for me to find one. Thanks for all you do for everyone. God Bless you.
    Sandie

    • katescarlata

      Thanks for you sweet comments, Sandie! I don’t know of a FODMAP knowledgeable RD in the Ocala area. I would call some of the large hospital outpatient clinics and inquire specifically if they have a dietitian knowledgeable in the low FODMAP diet.

  • Delena

    My favourite lunch is a recipe from Monash University LOW FODMAP diet app under recipes>snacks called “cheese savoury slice”. It is almost equal parts oats/grated carrots/grated cheese (1/4 cup each) with some seasonings and egg to hold it together. Great to eat cold, room temp, or hot : ) Thanks for the great suggestions above!

  • Cate Kohman

    Hi, Kate

    I am looking for a RD Fodpmap-wise in the southwest Minneapolis area. I have other health issues which makes it more complicated.

    Thanks for the lunch suggestions.

    I have been addicted to STRONG Chai Tea for a while but not currently drinking it. I miss it. Is it the strong black tea or all the spices which make it problematic? Would Green Chai work do you think?

    Thanks for your books and blog. I’d be lost without them.

    Cate K

  • Kelly McCabe

    Hi Kate,
    I love this post for me considering I commute back and forth to school. I know you recommend Udis white bread to be used for sandwiches, but why not Udis whole wheat? I looked at the ingredients to try and point out what was high fodmap but I was not sure. Thanks for all your awesome posts! You are really helping me turn my life around with yummy suggestions and positivity. 🙂

  • Anne

    Hi Kate,

    The Franz Gluten Free Mountain White bread has “agave syrup” listed as one of the main ingredients. Is this okay to try? I’ve always stayed far away from agave and honey, but maybe I don’t need to?

    Best

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