Eating out can be a daunting task when you have IBS and other dietary restrictions! 

I am here to share with you my top tips as someone who is coeliac and has IBS. These tips will help you be able to relax during your dining out experiences and MAYBE even enjoy them! 

First up, identify what your main trigger foods are, my main FODMAP containing trigger foods are: onion, mushrooms, avocado and cauliflower. I know if I eat some of them I will most likely end up feeling pretty rubbish the next morning, so I do my best to avoid them.

Secondly, when you are choosing somewhere to go, give them a ring and ask if they can cater to your requirements. Not only does this give you peace of mind, it also gives the restaurant some time to prepare an alternative meal option for you prior to your booking.

On that note, if you are booking, add your dietary requirements to the booking, hospo staff love this! 

Prior to eating out, I usually try to stick to lower FODMAP foods. This decreases my overall FODMAP load and therefore reduces the likelihood of having an IBS flare up if the meal contains FODMAPs.

As tempting as it is when eating out, try to listen to your fullness cues. Overeating or eating large volumes of food is a well known trigger of IBS and an easy one to avoid! So if you feel that you’re reaching your capacity, don’t push on just so you can finish your plate. You can always request to take the rest of your meal home in a doggy bag! 

If you do find that you have a meal higher in FODMAP’s, the best thing to do is keep calm and carry on. These things happen and that is when we can go into recovery mode where we sip on peppermint tea, look at supplements such as mintex, any prescription medications you may have, heat packs and lots of water. 

So please remember, eating out with IBS is possible! You will find a lot of places are highly adaptable, you just need to communicate your needs to them! Hopefully you found this helpful!

Published: 22nd May 2023

Author: Kelsey Paterson Monash FODMAP trained Dietitian