Snacks are great to have on hand during the low FODMAP diet. When you’re on the go and feeling peckish, it is a good idea to have a list of quick, nutritious snack ideas ready to go. Today, we’re taking the guess work out of snacking for you! We’ll provide a range of snack ideas using both premade certified FODMAP Friendly snacks as well as snacks that you can prepare at home.
Who are snacks ideal for?
Snacks are particularly great on the days where your breakfast or lunch weren’t as filling or there are big gaps between main meals. Low FODMAP snacks may be particularly helpful for people on the go all day who may not get the chance to sit down to a proper meal – such as those whose work requires them to be on their feet or parents of younger children.
Why can snacking be difficult on the low FODMAP diet?
Snacking can be difficult on the low FODMAP diet as it is not as simple as just pulling out an apple or bag of mixed nuts. Careful attention needs to be paid to all meals, including snacks. Sometimes, when we’re just craving a snack, we don’t want to have to check the ingredients list meticulously to see whether there are any high FODMAP ingredients! Be sure to keep this article as a handy guide to a range of snacks that you can rest assured are low FODMAP.
Which high FODMAP ingredients should I look out for in common snacks?
Pre-made snacks such as energy bars are often off limits to low FODMAPPERs because they can contain honey, dried fruit, apple juice and sugar alcohols such as mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol. It is important that when a product says its ‘sugar free’, you take a look at the ingredients list and ensure that the sugar hasn’t been replaced with sugar alcohols (which unfortunately is usually the case). Snacks are often bound with fibres such as inulin and chicory root, fructans that those with IBS typically aim to avoid. When it comes to savoury snacks, make sure you look out for onion and/or garlic powder that is often added to nut mixes and crackers. Additionally, lactose can be disguised in a number of different foods under a range of names, so look out for milk, sour cream, whey protein concentrate, yoghurt & milk solids on the ingredients list.
Now that you know what to look out for, here are 20 examples of snacks suitable for your low FODMAP diet:
20 low FODMAP snack ideas
Snacks on the go:
Five snacks with no prep time required.
- 10 almonds
- Piranha Sweet & Salty Popcorn (or 56g of air popped popcorn)
- 2 kiwifruits
- Epicured Peanut Butter & Chocolate Energy Bites
- 1 tub of lactose-free yoghurt with a handful of grapes
Quick and easy homemade snack recipes:
The following ideas would be great recipes to meal prep on a Sunday and enjoy for the week.
- Peanut butter bliss balls
- Savoury pumpkin muffins
- Blissful chocolate protein brownie
- Four ingredient shortbread
- Baked zucchini fries
Low FODMAP & gluten free snacks:
Five snacks perfect for anyone following both a low FODMAP and gluten free diet.
- Pumpkin Spice Latté
- 2 gluten free rice cakes with 1 tbsp. avocado
- 1 boiled egg
- 1 slice of gluten free, multigrain or sourdough toast with peanut butter
- Piranha Snaps Light & Tangy Salsa chips
‘Mini meal’ snacks:
The following snacks are great for when you’re looking for a small meal to satisfy you.
- Homemade smoothie with lactose-free milk, low FODMAP fruit (firm banana, strawberries) and 1 tbsp of peanut butter
- Garlicy cheese toastie
- 1 small tin of tuna in brine with cherry tomatoes and rice cakes
- Food for Health Fruit Free Clusters with lactose-free yoghurt
- Leftover zucchini and ricotta fritter
This is not an exhaustive list but should get you started. Remember to look out for the FODMAP Friendly logo at the supermarket to discover other low FODMAP certified snacks.
To summarise
It can be difficult to find low FODMAP snacks out there, but with a few label-reading skills and ideas in your pocket, you’ll be an expert in no time! Common high FODMAP ingredients in snacks are inulin & chicory root, high FODMAP sweeteners such as honey and sugar alcohols, onion & garlic and lactose. Be sure to refer to our handy guide of low FODMAP snacks and look out for the FODMAP Friendly logo when shopping at the supermarket.
Written by: Charlotte Barber (Student Nutritionist)
Reviewed by: Sotiria Karatsas (Accredited Practicing Dietitian)
