Lunch is a tricky meal. That’s why I curated a list of easy low FODMAP lunch ideas to inspire you and expand your low FODMAP recipe collection all while keeping your gut happy.
Some classic lunch ideas include hearty soups and sandwiches, meal-size salads, veggie-loaded grain bowls, and, of course, leftovers. Restaurants also offer an option for lunch on the go, and low FODMAP meal delivery services allow you to go from frozen to ready and delicious in 4 minutes.
First up in our tour through low FODMAP lunch ideas is the good ol’ leftover lunch…
Leftovers
Ah leftovers. The meal of kings, right? Well, maybe not, but leftovers are so easy that it’s almost a crime to not take advantage.
Leftovers are my go-to lunch meal at the office, so I always make enough food for supper to allow for leftovers the next day. Sometimes, if I’ve made a particularly large portion at supper, I fill single-serving containers and pop them in the freezer for when I need lunch in a pinch.
Low FODMAP meal delivery services
Pre-prepared meals by low FODMAP meal delivery services like Gut Feelings are among the easiest low FODMAP lunch ideas.
The nutritious and balanced meals made by Gut Feelings can be ready in 4 minutes. You can microwave them at home or at the office (assuming you have access to a microwave).
Gut Feelings is Canada’s only low FODMAP meal delivery service, and currently ships only within Quebec and Ontario. If you want to learn more, check out my review.
Other meal delivery services outside Canada:
- Modify Health in the U.S.
- Field Doctor in the U.K.
- We Feed You in Australia
Low FODMAP salads and grain bowls
These two types of dishes are similar but there’s one distinct difference: the base. The base is what makes up the bulk of the meal, with other items well represented but not forming the greatest majority.
A meal-size salad will have a base of vegetables (including leafy greens), whereas a grain bowl with likely have a base of quinoa, rice, millet, barley, etc.
Some ideas for salad and grain bowls:
- Lemony quinoa salad
- Asian chicken noodle salad
- Quinoa salad with kale and sweet potato
- Tempeh taco salad
- Simple potato and egg salad
- Summer beef salad with mustard vinaigrette
Low FODMAP sandwiches
Sandwiches are easy, portable lunches which makes them perfect for bringing to work. The filling is easy to prepare in advance (like during supper prep the night before), and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days.
Gluten-free bread can be tougher than a pillowy soft 100% whole wheat bread.
Here are some tricks to overcome this challenge:
- Choose the freshest bread possible.
- Cut off the crusts.
- Compile your sandwich fresh in the morning before work.
- Avoid making the sandwich with frozen bread.
- If you’re at home, warm the bread briefly in the microwave or toast the bread before building the sandwich. This works great for something like a tuna melt.
- Avoid gluten-free bread altogether by choosing sourdough wheat bread. (Sourdough bread is low FODMAP because the fermentation process breaks up the FODMAPs).
- Make wraps with soft corn tortillas.
- Use gluten-free crackers instead.
Here are some low FODMAP sandwich ideas:
- Hawaiian chicken salad sandwich
- Open-faced omelet sandwich
- Ham, cheese & spinach toasted sandwich
- Tuna salad filling
- Salsa verde beef Meximelt
- Avocado green goddess sandwich
Hearty low FODMAP soups
I titled this section “hearty soups” because I’m talking about soups with a variety of foods that include veggies, healthy carbs and a source of protein. I’m not referring to sad brothy liquids with 5 pasta noodles and a whisper of chicken meat – I classify these “soups” as salt drinks, as there’s very little nutritional value.
A light, buttery tea biscuit is such a nice complement to a hot hearty soup, and I find it helps fill me up.
- Low FODMAP biscuits
- Minestrone soup
- Kale, potato and sausage soup
- Chicken and wild rice soup
- Slow cooker beef stew
- Creamy ham and potato soup
Bits & bobs (aka bento box)
The ‘bits and bobs’ approach – you might know it as the bento box – is as simple as pulling together a variety of mostly single ingredient foods and calling it a meal. in fact, you can pull a couple healthy snacks together and call it a lunch.
The ‘bits and bobs’ meal is a pretty common lunch around my house on weekends. I tend to have a large late breakfast Saturday and Sunday, and I seldom have leftovers handy. If bits and bobs don’t appeal to me, I’ll throw a Gut Feelings meal in the microwave.
Smoothie bits & bobs
Pretzel bento box
- Plain lactose-free yogurt
- Low FODMAP granola
- Blueberries
- Peanut butter
- Pretzels
Hummus bento box
- Homemade hummus
- Mini gluten-free pita (or crackers)
- Low FODMAP veggies: carrots, cucumbers, green peppers
- Peanuts
- Banana
Eggy bento box
- 2 boiled eggs
- Mini rice cakes
- Low FODMAP ranch dip
- Low FODMAP veggies: broccoli crowns and carrots
- Cheese
Vegan bento box
- Edamame, green peppers, cucumber
- Carrot & cumin dip
- Peanut butter
- Gluten-free crackers
- Kiwi
Low FODMAP restaurant ideas
A lot of people opt to eat out for lunch on work days, especially if there’s a cafeteria nearby. The challenge with eating out when you’re on the low FODMAP diet is that onion and garlic are in almost everything. If you plan to eat out for lunch, be prepared to order plainer meals and limit sauces.
If you have a favourite lunch spot, peruse the menu and cross-reference it with the Monash University FODMAP app to identify low FODMAP options.
And if you spy high FODMAP veggies or fruit in your favourite dishes, remember that most high FODMAP foods have low FODMAP serving sizes. So for instance, you’ll likely still be in low FODMAP territory even if there are a few red pepper pieces in your omelet, or a couple thin slices of pear in your arugula walnut salad.
Cuisines that may offer low FODMAP options:
- Pizza – order gluten-free crust and choose your own low FODMAP toppings
- Pub food – grilled meat/chicken/fish with potato and simple garden salad
- Japanese – sushi, stir-fries
- Thai – pad thai
- Sandwich spot / deli – choose gluten-free bread
- Bistro – steak frites
Got any other great low FODMAP lunch ideas? Let me know if the comments below!
xoAndrea, RD
