7-Day Low FODMAP Meal Plan: Week 1 of the Elimination Diet. Dietitian Approved
What we love about this 7 day low FODMAP & gluten free meal plan
If you’ve just been told to start the low FODMAP diet, you’re likely staring at a list of forbidden foods - goodbye garlic, farewell onion - and wondering what on earth is left to cook. We’ve been there, and we know exactly how "Day 1" feels.
This mouth-watering 7-day low FODMAP meal plan is designed for beginners (but can be used by anyone), and acts as a gentle on-ramp to the elimination phase. It focuses on easy to make recipes, with standard supermarket ingredients to get you through the first week with real, delicious food. No sad chicken and rice, just a clear path to feeling better.
Dietitian Approved: This 7 day low FODMAP meal plan is from the IBS Coach: FODMAP Diet Plan app. The beginner friendly, complete fodmap plan to feel good again. We highly recommend it.
New to all this? Jump to the FAQs for everything you need to know. Ready to cook? Scroll on.
Dietitian advice for FODMAP beginners
When you’re starting the low FODMAP diet, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. That’s why many people turn to a trusted meal plan to take the pressure off.
To make life easier, you can follow this meal plan in any order. We encourage you to pick and choose the recipes that suit your schedule. If you prefer to spend less time in the kitchen, many of these dinners are designed to be batch-cooked; simply double the portions and enjoy the leftovers for lunch the following day. With 14 easy low FODMAP recipes for lunches and dinners, you have a complete toolkit for a symptom-free start to the low FODMAP diet.
7 day quick & easy FODMAP meal plan
As well as the 14 main meals below, this meal plan includes a variety of low FODMAP breakfasts, two decadent desserts, and a selection of low FODMAP snacks to keep you full and symptom free. Links are below!
Low FODMAP Breakfasts: Start your day without the bloat. If you’re looking for quick low FODMAP breakfasts, the IBS Coach: FODMAP diet planner app includes a variety of quick and easy low FODMAP breakfasts ranging from overnight oats to high-protein egg dishes.
Low FODMAP Desserts: Satisfying a sweet tooth shouldn't result in a flare-up. This plan includes two of the best low FODMAP dessert recipes: The Chocolate Chia Pudding, and The Flourless Chocolate Cake.
Low FODMAP Snacks: If you feel hungry between meals, it is important to choose IBS safe snacks. You can find a comprehensive list of low FODMAP snacks to help you bridge the gap between lunch and dinner.
Day 1 Main Meals
Day 1 Lunch: low FODMAP Herby Frittata
This high-protein, low FODMAP baked frittata uses fresh herbs and ham for a naturally gluten-free, IBS-friendly lunch without the bloat.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Day 1 Dinner: low FODMAP Mongolian Beef with Rice
Recreate your favourite takeaway with this gut-safe low FODMAP Mongolian beef, using ginger and sesame to replace trigger-heavy garlic and onion.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Low FODMAP Mongolian Beef & Rice
Day 2 Main Meals
Day 2 Lunch: low FODMAP Smoked Mackerel Potato Salad
A nutrient-dense, low FODMAP smoked mackerel and potato salad featuring a zesty lemon dressing, perfect for a quick, digestion-friendly midday meal.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Day 2 Dinner: low FODMAP Chimichurri Chicken & Fries
Transform dinner with this low FODMAP chimichurri chicken, utilising fresh herbs and smoked paprika for a vibrant, garlic-free flavour profile.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Low FODMAP Chimichurri Chicken
Day 3 Main Meals
Day 3 Lunch: low FODMAP Rice Salad
Prep this refreshing, naturally low FODMAP rice salad with toasted walnuts and a safe balsamic dressing for a symptom-free lunch.
Total Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Day 3 Dinner: low FODMAP Chicken & Pesto Pasta
Indulge in a comforting, gluten-free chicken pesto pasta made with a bespoke, garlic-free basil sauce designed specifically for sensitive digestion.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Day 3 Dessert: low FODMAP Chocolate Chia Pudding
A rich, low FODMAP chocolate chia pudding recipe made with lactose-free milk and cacao for a fibre-packed, IBS‑friendly dessert that feels indulgent but sits gently on sensitive digestion.
Total Time: 10 minutes (plus chill time)
Difficulty: Easy
Make Low FODMAP Chocolate Chia Pudding
Day 4 Main Meals
Day 4 Lunch: low FODMAP Egg Fried Rice
Whip up a 15-minute low FODMAP egg fried rice using toasted sesame oil and edamame for a fast, symptom-free lunch.
Total Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Day 4 Dinner: low FODMAP Parma Ham Wrapped Cod with Potatoes & Spinach
This elegant low FODMAP baked cod wrapped in Parma ham delivers maximum flavour with zero high-FODMAP triggers for easy weeknights.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook the Low FODMAP Parma Ham Cod
Day 5 Main Meals
Day 5 Lunch: low FODMAP Fish Cakes & Asian Slaw
Enjoy crisp, dairy-free salmon fish cakes paired with a gut-safe Asian slaw, proving elimination phase lunches can be exceptionally flavourful.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Day 5 Dinner: low FODMAP Gourmet Beef Burger & Fries
A 100% IBS-friendly gourmet beef burger on gluten-free ciabatta with garlic-infused oil, proving you never have to miss Friday burger night.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Day 5 Dessert: low FODMAP Flourless Chocolate Cake
An ultra‑fudgy, low FODMAP flourless chocolate cake that’s naturally gluten‑free, using dark chocolate and butter in IBS‑safe portions for a mouth watering, restaurant‑style dessert without the bloat.
Total Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Low FODMAP Flourless Chocolate Cake
Day 6 Main Meals
Day 6 Lunch: low FODMAP Mediterranean Tuna Pasta
A quick, dairy-free low FODMAP Mediterranean tuna pasta using garlic-infused oil to deliver rich Italian flavours without the digestive distress.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Day 6 Dinner: low FODMAP Sweet & Sour Chicken
Prep this refreshing, naturally low FODMAP rice salad with toasted walnuts and a safe balsamic dressing for a symptom-free lunch.
Total Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook the Low FODMAP Sweet & Sour Chicken
Day 7 Main Meals
Day 7 Lunch: low FODMAP Bacon & Prawn Spaghetti
A mouth watering, IBS-safe seafood pasta combining succulent prawns and bacon in a soothing tomato sauce powered by garlic-infused olive oil.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Day 7 Dinner: low FODMAP Chilli Con Carne
A hearty, gut-soothing low FODMAP chilli con carne using a bespoke, onion-free spice blend to completely eliminate common digestive triggers.
Total Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
What to do next after this 7 day low FODMAP meal plan?
The 7‑day plan you’ve just read is designed as week one of a proper low FODMAP elimination diet. Most people need 2–4 weeks of low FODMAP eating for symptoms to settle before they start testing their tolerance to specific foods and moving into the reintroduction phase.
All of the meals in this plan come from the IBS Coach: FODMAP Diet Planner app, which is built to take you beyond this first week. Inside the app you can continue the elimination phase with a full 4‑week planner, then follow a structured testing plan to identify your personal trigger foods.
IBS Coach isn’t free, but for a relatively low cost you get around 100 dietitian‑approved low FODMAP recipes, personalised meal plans, automated shopping lists, detailed symptom tracking, and a guided reintroduction process so you’re not guessing which foods are safe. The method follows the research‑backed three‑phase low FODMAP protocol, where studies show 8 in 10 people experience meaningful symptom improvement when the diet is implemented correctly.
If this first week helps and you want structured support to do the full 10–14 week journey (elimination plus reintroduction), IBS Coach is an easy way to keep going with the same style of meals, but with the extra planning and tracking done for you
Frequently asked Low FODMAP Questions
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This plan is designed to flex around your life, not the other way around. A few things to know before you start:
Cook the recipes in any order that suits your weekDouble the portions and use leftovers for tomorrow's lunch - chilli, Mongolian beef and egg fried rice are all even better the next day
Batch cook on Sunday if you want a low-effort week - chilli freezes for 3 months, fish cakes can be frozen uncooked
Mix and match the breakfasts and snacks however you like - there's no rule that says you have to eat eggs on Tuesday
Skip a meal if you need to - a quick low FODMAP meal is better than burning out on day three
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This is the question everyone asks first. The answer is genuinely good news: you can have most of the flavour, just not the original ingredients.
Garlic-Infused Olive Oil - Your Secret Weapon
The fructans in garlic that trigger IBS symptoms are water-soluble, not fat-soluble. Translation: the flavour transfers into oil, but the FODMAPs don't. You get the garlic taste with none of the consequences.
You can buy ready-made garlic-infused oil from supermarkets (look for it next to the olive oils), or make your own by gently warming crushed garlic cloves in olive oil for 5 minutes, then straining the garlic out completely. Use it anywhere a recipe would normally call for fresh garlic.
Spring Onion Greens (Not the Whites)
Here's the trick: the white parts of spring onions are high FODMAP. The green tops are not. Use only the green tops as a low FODMAP onion substitute - same fresh, mild flavour, none of the trouble.
Chopped fresh chives are also low FODMAP and add an oniony note to almost anything.
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Most people who respond to the low FODMAP diet see some improvement within 1 to 2 weeks of strict elimination, but it can take up to 4 weeks for symptoms to fully resolve. One week often isn't long enough to know either way.
Keep going. If you haven't seen any improvement after 3 to 4 weeks of proper elimination, FODMAPs may not be your primary trigger.
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Coffee itself is technically low FODMAP, but we don’t recommend drinking it during the elimination phase. Coffee (even decaf) stimulates the gut and triggers the gastrocolic reflex, speeding up bowel movements and increasing cramping or urgency in many people with IBS. Because the goal of the first 2–4 weeks is to give your gut a genuine “quiet period”, this plan treats coffee as off the menu. Once your symptoms have settled and you move into the testing phase, you can re‑introduce coffee in a controlled way to see how much (if any) your gut can tolerate.
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You're going to slip up. Everyone does. Here are the most common ones to watch out for:
Assuming gluten-free means low FODMAP. It doesn't. Many gluten-free products contain other high FODMAP ingredients - chicory root, inulin, apple juice, honey. Always read the label.
Eating too much "safe" fruit. Even low FODMAP fruits become high FODMAP in large quantities. A small banana is fine; a large ripe banana is not. Stick to recommended serving sizes.
Forgetting that "garlic-free" doesn't mean "garlic-flavour-free." Garlic-infused oil is your secret weapon. Buy a bottle before you start the week.
Cutting calories accidentally. This isn't a weight loss diet. If you're hungry, eat more of the safe foods. You're not supposed to be suffering.
Quitting too early. Some people see improvement within days. Most see it within 2 weeks. A meaningful number need the full 4 weeks before they feel a clear difference.
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People rarely talk about what improvement actually feels like, which is a shame because knowing what to look for helps you recognise it.
Days 1-3: Often no change, sometimes worse before better as your gut adjusts. Normal.
Days 4-7: Many people start noticing their bloating reducing, especially in the evenings. Bowel habits may start feeling more predictable.
Week 2: This is when most "responders" see clear improvement. Less pain, less urgency, less unpredictability. Some people describe it as remembering what their stomach used to feel like.
Weeks 3-4: If you're going to respond to the diet, you should feel notably better by now. If you don't, FODMAPs may not be your trigger and it's worth re-engaging a GP or dietitian.
