What eating out used to mean for me….
At the very height of my suffering I wouldn’t entertain the idea of eating out. I had numerous occasions where I’d reacted to something I’d eaten which resulted in long embarrassing stints in the restaurant toilet. If I was invited out in a group I would sit at the table and socialise but not eat which always felt awkward for everyone. I guess I thought I was managing my IBS by doing this.
What changed?
When I first started researching the low FODMAP diet I couldn’t quite comprehend that a certain group of foods were causing my symptoms. The list of foods just seemed so unbelievable! Amongst them were some of my favourites, cauliflower, peas, onion, garlic etc. foods I was eating on a daily basis. I thought it can’t be all of them! but then I read about the reintroduction stage and realised its a way of finding out which of the high FODMAP foods are causing a problem. Once I got my head around how the Low FODMAP diet worked then it was easier to understand which foods I could eat safely without the unpleasant reaction I was getting.
How I now approach eating out
- Always check the menu online before you visit
- If you have any special requests call the restaurant a few days prior so they can consult with their chef and source the correct ingredients
- If there isn’t one specific meal that is safe for you, pick elements from the menu that can be put together to make your meal a Low FODMAP version
- Try to choose restaurants that use fresh ingredients otherwise some restaurant chains pre prepare their food so it can’t be altered afterwards.
- Don’t forget your drinks! One standard bottle of beer is acceptable on a Low FODMAP Diet but if you want two or more you’ll need to find out if your restaurant has gluten free beer options. Its always good to limit alcohol so don’t over do it!
- Be careful of sweeteners in mixers as they are high in FODMAPs
How do I find places to eat?
A good place to start is restaurants that offer gluten free and dairy free options. Coeliac.org have a list of chains that offer gluten free options and those that do normally have a dairy free option too.
You can find the list here
Amongst that list is Brunning and Price restaurants of which I visit regularly. They have an interactive menu online where you can filter allergens and intolerances which I find really useful prior to visiting. My local Brunning and Price restaurant tick everything on my list above so they are a great place to start for peace of mind.
Tripadvisor is also a great resource for filtering restaurants based on dietary requirements. Ok gluten free is the best you and I can hope for currently but if you help me to spread the word on FODMAP’s I’m sure we’ll see this as a filter soon!