How to Eat Out on a Low FODMAP Diet
Restaurants are the hardest environment for a low FODMAP diet, because you cannot see the ingredients and garlic and onion are used in almost every kitchen. With some preparation, you can still eat out comfortably.
Before you go
- Review the menu online. Look for simple dishes built around grilled protein, plain starch, and vegetables.
- Call during a quiet time. Between lunch and dinner service, staff have time to answer questions about ingredients.
- Choose the restaurant yourself when possible. A place with a flexible, ingredient-focused kitchen is easier than one built on heavy sauces.
- Eat a small safe snack beforehand if you are very hungry, so you are not tempted to compromise.
What to look for on the menu
The safest dishes are those with the fewest components:
- Grilled or roasted meat, poultry, or fish
- Plain rice, baked or boiled potatoes, or corn tortillas
- Simple salads with oil and lemon instead of a prepared dressing
- Eggs, prepared simply
Be cautious with anything described as sauced, glazed, marinated, creamy, or "house seasoned." These words often signal garlic, onion, or stock.
What to ask the server
Be polite, brief, and specific. A request that is easy to act on gets better results than a long explanation. For example:
"I have a digestive condition and avoid garlic and onion. Could the kitchen prepare the salmon with just oil, salt, and lemon, with plain rice and steamed vegetables?"
Useful follow-up questions include whether the sauce or marinade contains garlic or onion, whether the stock is made with onion, and whether the dish can be prepared without them.
Cuisine by cuisine
| Cuisine | Often easier | Often harder |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Sashimi, plain rice, grilled fish, simple sushi | Tempura batter (wheat), sauces and broths with onion or garlic |
| Mexican | Grilled meat, corn tortillas, rice, guacamole in a small serving | Beans, salsa, and marinades with onion and garlic |
| Mediterranean | Grilled fish or meat, potatoes, salads with olive oil | Hummus, falafel, garlic sauces |
| Thai and Vietnamese | Rice noodles, plain rice, grilled meat, herbs | Curry pastes and sauces with garlic and shallot |
| Italian | Grilled meat or fish, polenta, gluten-free pasta where offered | Wheat pasta, garlic-based sauces, risotto made with onion stock |
| Indian | Plain rice, simply grilled meat | Most curries, which are built on onion and garlic |
Be realistic
You may not be able to guarantee a completely FODMAP-free meal at a restaurant, and that is acceptable. FODMAPs are dose dependent, so a small trace of garlic in a sauce is very different from a plate built around it. If you are in the reintroduction phase, you will have more flexibility.
Treat each outing as information. If a dish causes symptoms, note it in your symptom journal rather than assuming you have failed.
Takeout and delivery
Apps and delivery menus let you add notes to your order. Use the notes field to request no onion or garlic, and favor simple dishes. If you eat the same safe order from the same restaurant regularly, the kitchen will often learn it.
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