Low FODMAP shopping list:
a calm guide to every supermarket aisle

The first supermarket trip after starting the low FODMAP diet can feel slow. Products you bought for years suddenly need a second look, and the ingredient lists seem longer than ever.

This guide walks through the shop aisle by aisle. For each one, you will find low FODMAP options to start from, and the label terms that are worth a closer look. It is not a complete list of every food, and it does not need to be. The goal is a basket you can build meals from.

Before you go: three things to keep in mind

The elimination phase is temporary. Monash University describes the strict phase as lasting 2 to 6 weeks, and then reintroduction begins. You do not need to replace your whole kitchen. Our guide to the elimination phase explains how it works.

Portion matters. Many foods are low FODMAP at one serving and higher at a larger one. When this guide says "low FODMAP option", it means a food with a low FODMAP serving, not a food you can eat in any amount. Our article on FODMAP serving sizes explains why.

Read the ingredient list, not the front of the pack. Claims such as "natural", "light" or "free from" say nothing about FODMAPs. The list on the back tells you much more.

Fruit and vegetables

Monash University lists carrot, cucumber, lettuce, potato, aubergine (eggplant), green beans, bok choy and green bell pepper among its low FODMAP vegetable options. Fruits such as kiwifruit, orange, mandarin, pineapple, cantaloupe and blueberries have a low FODMAP serving too.

Onion and garlic are the two vegetables that need the most attention, because they are rich in fructans. For onion flavour, the green tops of spring onions and chives are low FODMAP options. For garlic flavour, garlic-infused oil works because fructans do not dissolve into oil. Our garlic and onion guide explains this in more detail.

For fruit, the balance of sugars and the portion size matter. Our guide to low FODMAP fruit explains why apples and pears behave differently from oranges and kiwis.

Meat, fish, eggs and tofu

Plain meat, poultry, fish, seafood and eggs contain no FODMAPs, according to Monash University. They are a simple base for the elimination phase.

What to check is anything added to them: marinades, sausages, breaded fish, stuffed chicken and ready-seasoned products. These can contain onion, garlic, wheat crumbs or other ingredients that change the profile.

For plant protein, Monash lists firm tofu and tempeh as low FODMAP options. Silken tofu is higher in FODMAPs. Firm tofu is pressed, and some of the water-soluble GOS leave with the liquid.

Canned lentils and chickpeas are worth knowing about. Their GOS are water-soluble, so some of them move into the canning liquid. Rinsed canned legumes have a low FODMAP serving in Monash testing, while the same legumes boiled from dry are higher.

Milk, yogurt and cheese

Dairy is about lactose, and lactose depends on the product.

• Milk: lactose-free milk is a low FODMAP option. Soy milk made from soy protein and almond milk have low FODMAP servings too. See our milk aisle guide.
• Yogurt: lactose-free yogurt is the usual starting point. Check flavoured versions for fruit concentrates or added inulin. See our yogurt aisle guide.
• Cheese: hard cheeses, brie, camembert and feta have low FODMAP servings, because much of the lactose leaves with the whey during cheesemaking, and ageing reduces it further. See our cheese aisle guide.

Our article on lactose-free vs low FODMAP explains why "lactose-free" covers only one FODMAP.

Bread, pasta, rice and cereals

Wheat, rye and barley contain fructans, so this aisle needs some attention. Monash lists oats, quinoa flakes, plain rice cakes, pasta made from rice, corn or quinoa, wheat-free breads and spelt sourdough among its low FODMAP options.

Gluten-free is not the same as low FODMAP, but the gluten-free shelf is a useful place to look. Gluten-free products avoid wheat, rye and barley. Some still contain other FODMAP sources, such as inulin, apple fibre or legume flours. Our article on FODMAPs vs gluten explains the difference.

Sourdough is a special case, because a long fermentation can break down fructans. Our sourdough guide explains which loaves were tested. For more on these shelves, see the bread aisle guide and the cereal aisle guide.

Snacks and sweets

Monash lists dark chocolate, maple syrup, rice malt syrup and table sugar among its low FODMAP options for sweet foods, and macadamias, peanuts, walnuts and pumpkin seeds among the nuts and seeds.

Packaged snacks are where label reading pays off. Cereal bars can contain dried fruit, honey, inulin or chicory root fibre. "Sugar-free" sweets often use polyols such as sorbitol or maltitol. Our guides to low FODMAP snacks and low FODMAP sweeteners go through the common terms. The snack aisle and the sweet aisle guides cover these shelves.

Sauces, stocks and ready meals

This is often the aisle with the most onion and garlic. Jarred pasta sauces, curry pastes, stock cubes and spice mixes frequently list one or both.

Plain passata, tinned tomatoes, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar and soy sauce are a useful base for cooking. Check each product, because recipes vary between brands.

Ready meals follow the same logic: the base can be low FODMAP while the sauce is not. See the sauce aisle guide and the ready meal aisle guide.

What about "spices" or "natural flavourings"?

Labelling rules vary between countries. A vague term such as "spices", "seasoning" or "natural flavouring" does not necessarily mean onion or garlic. It is a term that may need further checking, for example with the manufacturer. Our checklist of hidden FODMAPs explains how to approach these words.

Drinks

Water and plain coffee are low FODMAP options. Our article on coffee covers the milk and the syrups. Teas vary: some herbal teas, such as chamomile and fennel, are high FODMAP.

Fruit juice is the drink to look at most closely, because apple and pear juice carry excess fructose and are common bases for mixed juices. Some soft drinks contain high fructose corn syrup or polyols. The drink aisle guide lists the terms to look for.

The label checklist in one place

When you pick up a packaged product, these are the declared ingredients that most often change its FODMAP profile:

• Onion and garlic, in any form, including powders
• Wheat, rye and barley, as flour, crumbs or a main ingredient
• Milk, milk powder, whey or cream, depending on the amount
• Honey, agave, fructose and high fructose corn syrup
• Apple or pear juice concentrate, and dried fruit
• Inulin, chicory root fibre and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS)
• Polyols, such as sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol and xylitol
• Legumes and legume flours, such as chickpea or lentil flour

Ingredients appear in descending order by weight. So an ingredient near the end of a long list is usually present in a smaller amount than one at the start. This does not give you the exact quantity, but it gives useful context.

Let Belly Buddy help at the shelf

Reading every ingredient list takes time, especially in your first weeks. Scan a product with Belly Buddy to get a clearer view of its FODMAP profile. Belly Buddy flags declared sources of onion, garlic, lactose, fructans, polyols and other FODMAPs when they appear in the ingredient list. It works only with what the manufacturer declares, and it cannot predict how your gut will respond.

Our rating method explains how Belly Buddy analyses ingredients and reaches a verdict.

Belly Buddy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Monash University. Our FODMAP information is informed by publicly available scientific sources, including research from Monash University.