In my last post on the low FODMAP diet, I talked about how many of us living with PCOS are also struggling with IBS. If you have tried to find a solution for chronic digestive issues like gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea but still find yourself without any answers, you might want to try a low FODMAP diet.

FODMAP sensitivities are unique to each person and are difficult to spot without doing a FODMAP elimination diet to spot trigger foods. I’m not going to sugarcoat it – doing the elimination diet is hard work. However, after of a few weeks, you might find exactly what is causing your IBS symptoms and be able to live IBS-free for the rest of your life. That’s a pretty big pay off!

The best way to stick to a FODMAP elimination diet is to cook everything yourself until you have identified all of you trigger foods. Below are my best cooking tips for the Low FODMAP diet.

Low FODMAP Diet Cooking Tips

Replace white and red onions with green onions.

It’s hard to find a recipe that does not call for onion, which is a high FODMAP food. Green onions are the perfect low FODMAP alternative, since they can boost a dish’s flavor without irritating your gut. I recommend keeping green onions on hand allthe time because onions are used many dishes. But make sure not use the white part of the green onion because it is a high FODMAP food.

Replace garlic with garlic-infused oil.

Garlic is another High FODMAP food that is difficult to avoid. When a recipe calls for garlic, I simply use garlic-infused olive oil to in place of regular oil so that I get that garlic flavor. You can buy garlic-infused olive oils at specialty shops, but I like to make my own because it is so easy. Place 8 cloves of garlic and 8 ounces of olive oil in a crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Let the oil cool, strain it, and keep it in a mason jar.

Replace pasta with roasted veggies.

I love this trick! Dry boxed pasta is nearly flavorless. So why not replace it with some delicious roasted veggies? This tasty swap will lower the calorie count of your meal while adding nutrients – it’s a win-win!

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Clean and chop into chunks your choice of low FODMAP veggies (I like to use carrots, courgette, and bell pepper.) You’ll need about 1 cup per serving.
3. In a large bowl, add 1/2 tbs olive oil for every cup of veggies. Add spices if you’d like.
4. Spread out on to a pan. Don’t crowd the veggies. If the pan is overcrowded, the veggies will come out mushy.
5. Roast for 35-45 minutes. Turn veggies with a spatula every 15 minutes.
6. Treat the veggies like cooked pasta: toss in sauce, top with cheese, chicken, or shrimp.

Avoid packaged foods.

Most refined or premade foods contain FODMAPs. Even packaged “health foods” like protein bars can be high in FODMAPs. There are exceptions to the rule, but even after very careful inspection of a label, you still might end up eating a FODMAP. Frankly, I’d rather not waste time researching labels. Instead, I focus my mental energy on cooking homemade low FODMAP meals. Once you are through the elimination diet and know your FODMAP triggers, you can try adding in a few packaged foods.