When eating out, unless you’re dining at a “FODMAP-aware” restaurant, it’s likely that the restaurant’s menu will be laden with high-FODMAP foods. Onion, garlic and wheat are regularly used in recipes. Despite this, your special dietary requirements need not be a social prison sentence. Have the confidence to eat out and enjoy it.
Since FODMAPs are not known to cause damage to the intestine, a meal out at a restaurant with friends might be one time you break the diet and eat foods that aren’t low-FODMAP. Sometimes the symptoms might be worth it if there’s something on the menu that really tempts your taste buds.
In many instances, though, you may still wish to follow your low-FODMAP needs as much as possible. If you’re eating out with friends, they may leave it to you to choose the restaurant. Often, restaurants that specialize in gluten-free dishes are more flexible and open to accommodating other dietary needs.
It’s not always possible to choose the restaurant yourself, but even if you do, it’s wise to let the staff know about your dietary needs. Often, restaurant staff (even the chef) may not be familiar with FODMAP requirements, so it may be simpler to ask for a “gluten-free meal with no onion.” If you prefer to be more specific, I recommend asking what ingredients are used in the dish you wish to order. You probably won’t be able to speak with the chef directly, so ask the waiters to ask the chef for you – this is important, as waitstaff might know a lot, but only the chef knows exactly what has gone into the meal! It can often be helpful to carry a business card–sized summary of your low-FODMAP diet in your wallet and use it when explaining your dietary needs. A dietitian could also help you with this.
It’s not always possible to choose the restaurant yourself, but even if you do, it’s wise to let the staff know about your dietary needs. Often, restaurant staff (even the chef) may not be familiar with FODMAP requirements.
Some FODMAP hazards to try to avoid when eating out are:
Instances where FODMAPs should not really be a problem:
“ … after suffering for twenty-nine years I improved dramatically within twenty-four hours of changing to the FODMAP diet. I still cannot believe the change this has made. It has now been some three weeks and I am still pinching myself to confirm I am not dreaming.
I have undergone many examinations, tests and tried numerous medications over the last twenty-nine years and have always been told by the medical community that it is IBS and that there is no useful treatment. It has been very debilitating, painful and at times embarrassing, and has disrupted every aspect of my life.
Although I learned to cope with it, it was not easy and there have been some very low points. I do not believe that most non-sufferers, including those in the medical community, understand the effects of this condition on the sufferer. ”
If you’re feeding yourself on your travels within America, you’ll benefit from knowing the local names for certain foods and also being familiar with the types of foods that are likely to be available and the outlets that are likely to sell them, even though every city and town will differ in the variety of suitable low-FODMAP foods it offers.
If your travels are part of a prepaid package that includes food, remember to organize your special meals before you go, as the tour company will be unlikely to have the capacity or resources to prepare meals accommodating your needs after you’ve commenced the journey. It would be wise to pack some between-meal snacks such as cookies, bars, cakes, muffins, nuts and seeds; some corn thins, rice cakes or low-FODMAP crackers as a basis for “building” a lunch; and a low-FODMAP breakfast cereal just in case.
If you’re traveling overseas to a country where English isn’t spoken, it’s wise to take a business card–sized translated version of your dietary needs in your purse or wallet.
Although the low-FODMAP diet is now used in many countries around the world, it’s still a fairly new dietary concept. You’re unlikely to find “FODMAP Friendly” foods in every country you visit. It would be wise to read the ingredients list on any packaged food – with a translator handy for languages other than English (see label-reading hints in English). When eating in restaurants, don’t assume that all meals are prepared with the same ingredients and methods as in America.
If you’re traveling overseas to a country where English isn’t spoken, it’s wise to take a business card–sized translated version of your dietary needs in your purse or wallet. To assist you, you could use an app, or see the translations of eating phrases and low- and high-FODMAP foods by using Google Translate.
