Low FODMAP Snacks: Sweet Edition
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What should I eat?
This question comes up quite frequently for people when they embark on the Low FODMAP diet. For people with IBS, the Low FODMAP diet can do wonders to identify their food-related triggers, but at the same time this elimination diet can feel quite restrictive. Sometimes finding foods you can eat...that you want to eat, can feel like a challenge (especially when you are hungry and want something to eat NOW, right?!)
Since I know how challenging it can be to find appropriate snacks, I decided to put together a list of sweet snacks that are suitable on the Low FODMAP diet. (For those who prefer savory snacks check this post out.)
Snacks can mean different things to different people. A snack can be a nutritious ‘mini’ meal, in between main meals OR a snack can be something that we eat for enjoyment (as in when you care craving something salty or crunchy and not necessarily to meet your nutritional needs). Some of the snacks listed will be more balanced and will provide a healthier mix of nutrients, while others are foods that may be eaten for pure enjoyment. This list is more about FODMAPs, or lack thereof, rather than nutrition as a primary focus.
All my recommendations come with a caveat - please check ingredients lists of any packaged foods. Companies can change the ingredients of their recipes without much notice. So, while my recommendations are low FODMAP, it’s best to double check ingredients lists on packages to be sure.
Low FODMAP Fresh Fruit
This may be a bit of an obvious one, but fruit is a great snack. It may not always be what you are craving when looking for something sweet but sometimes it does do the trick. Low FODMAP fruits that make great snacks include:
Cantaloupe (¾ cup) and Honeydew (½ cup) melons
Red and Green Grapes* (1 cup)
Kiwi (2 small)
Mandarin* oranges (2 small) or Navel* orange (1 medium)
Pineapple (1 cup)
Strawberries (10 medium)*
Raspberries (30 berries)
Blueberries (¼ cup)
Bananas - yellow, without black spots (1 medium)
Papaya* (1 cup)
Monash University recommends limiting fruit to 1 serving per sitting, up to 2 times per day. In other words, 2 pieces of per day but spread out (at least 3 hours apart). If you are really craving fruit and want some extra, stick to the FODMAP “free” fruits as indicated by the asterisk (*) above.
Frozen Grapes
Grapes are free from FODMAPs which means that they are a pretty safe fruit to consume while on the Low FODMAP elimination. While they are great fresh, they are also make a delightful frozen snack. You can just wash and freeze grapes or skewer them to make fun snack (skewering them is my favourite!). Just freeze for a few hours and you’ve got a sweet, icy and FODMAP-free snack.
Banana Chips
If you are looking for something sweet and crunchy, banana chips just may do the trick. Banana chips are a great addition to a packed lunch or a handy portable snack for when you are on the go. Monash has tested banana chips and found that 15 of them is a low FODMAP serving.
Low FODMAP Yogurt
Craving something sweet and creamy? Maybe a low FODMAP yogurt is something you’ll enjoy? If you are looking for something “yogurt-y” you have a couple of options.
Lactose-free yogurt - as these yogurts are lactose-free, you can eat them freely. That is, as long as there are no other high FODMAP ingredients in them. If you want a flavoured lactose-free yogurt, look for a vanilla or a low FODMAP fruit flavour, like strawberry. I do find the flavour selection of lactose-free yogurts to be pretty sparse so if all you can find is plain, you can jazz it up with chopped up low FODMAP fruits or even a drizzle of maple syrup.
Coconut yogurt - per Monash a safe serving of coconut yogurt is 125g or a “small tub”. Again, as long as there aren’t any high fodmap ingredients or flavours in your coconut yogurt, it’s a go!
Frozen desserts
Sometimes all you want is ice cream. The trouble is that ice cream is high in the FODMAP lactose. Fortunately, there is a way for you to enjoy something creamy, sweet and frozen, without jeopardizing your digestive comfort. Your options for “ice cream” include both lactose-free ice cream and non-dairy frozen treats. Some low FODMAP options out there include (flavours may vary depending on your location):
Haagen Daz non-dairy frozen desserts (i.e. non-dairy peanut butter chocolate bars, coconut caramel dark chocolate)
Fiasco Brand sorbetto (i.e. Raspberry Lime*, Strawberry Rhurbarb, Zesty Lemon are low FODMAP) *limit this flavour and other ones made with FODMAP containing fruits to ½ cup
Natrel Lactose-Free Ice Cream
Chapman’s Sorbet (i.e. Orange flavour is low FODMAP).
As with other products, it’s best to check the ingredients to make sure no high FODMAP ingredients are included as sometimes product recipes get changed. Look for sweeteners such as fructose (or high fructose corn syrup), honey or agave syrup).
Homemade Trail Mix
If you like a mix of sweet and salty, maybe a trail mix is something that’ll work for you? While you could possibly find a pre-made one that works, you have to be careful that it doesn’t contain sneaky high FODMAP components like cashews or too much dried fruit. Making your own trail mix is probably the best option. The good thing about making your own trail mix is that it’s easy to do, and you can personalize it depending on your preferences (and ensure it’s low FODMAP at the same time!).
A few items that you could include in a low FODMAP trail mix include low FODMAP portions of nuts and seeds, a crunchy cereal (like Kellogg’s Crispex or Corn Flakes), gluten free pretzels, dark chocolate chips, banana chips, or even a small portion of raisins.
If you’re going to put together your own trail mix, take a quick peek at the Monash FODMAP app to make sure that your estimated FODMAP load per serving isn’t too high. If you’d rather not think too much about portioning, check out the following low FODMAP trail mix recipes:
Homemade Trail Mix by Kate Scarlata, RD
FODMAP safe Trail Mix by Fit Fab Fodmap
Toast with Jam
Sometimes something as simple as a piece of low FODMAP toast (gluten free, traditional sourdough or a LowFod bread) with the sweetness of jam or an orange marmalade is enough to satisfy.
For jams, pick ones made with lower FODMAP fruit like strawberry or raspberry. As always, avoid any products made with high FODMAP ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, fructose, agave syrup and honey.
Chocolate
While the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet can feel pretty restrictive at times, the good news is that at least chocolate isn’t completely eliminated. It’s important to note that not all chocolates are equal in their FODMAP content and safe portion sizes vary depending on the type. Dark chocolate is low FODMAP at 30g* (~5 squares), milk chocolate at 20g* (~4 squares) and white chocolate at 25g* (~4 squares).
*If you don’t have a food scale at home, the best way I find to estimate the amount of chocolate in grams is to look at the total weight of the chocolate (on the package) and estimate - for example, if a dark chocolate bar weighs 100g, then a third of the bar would be a safe portion.
When selecting chocolate, always look for the addition of other high FODMAP ingredients, especially in flavoured chocolate products. Just take your time when selecting a chocolate bar or other products, as there are low FODMAP options out there. Like always, you just have to be selective.
Snack Bars
If you’re looking for a quick and easy snack bar, you’ve got a few choices. Not a lot, mind you, but a few. I can’t tell you the amount of time I’ve spent looking through the protein bar, energy bar or granola bar aisle to be disappointed by finding sneaky high FODMAP ingredients like inulin, agave nectar, honey, or cashews printed on the back. Luckily, you can find some options out there, including:
Go Macro Bars - this brand a whole array of low FODMAP choices. Check out the full selection here.
Bobo’s Oat Bars - these oat-based bars make a satisfying snack. Not all their flavours are low FODMAP but there are a few that meet the criteria including lemon poppyseed, maple pecan, original and almond butter.
A note on serving size: I recommend enjoying only half of an oat bar at a time. According to Monash FODMAP, rolled oats are safe at 52 grams (½ cup), with larger portions (greater than 78 grams) being high in oligos. Each of these oat bars are 85 grams and while they aren’t 100% oats, it’s fair to say that oat make up the majority of the ingredients. So, keep it to half of one of these oat bars (and ensure you aren’t grabbing one of the flavours with high FODMAP ingredients!) and you should be good. On a personal note, I find half of these bars pretty satisfying as they are very dense!
Nature’s Valley Crunchy bars - Peanut Butter and Maple Brown Sugar flavours.
Love Crunch Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter bar.
Enjoy Life - this brand has a whole selection of certified low FODMAP snacks (breakfast bars, energy bites, cookies and bars)
which you can check out here.
Fody snack bars - Fody has a few low FODMAP snack bars that you can choose from, check them out here.
Boom Chicka Pop - Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn
If you’re looking for both sweet and salty, this popcorn may be just what you are looking for. The ingredients are simple - popcorn, oil, sugar and sea salt, and definitely low FODMAP. According to Monash, a safe serving of popcorn is 7 cups.
Homemade treats
Another good option for sweet snacks is to make them yourself - there are lots of recipes for great low FODMAP baked goods and no-bake energy balls out there (if you prefer not to bake!). The good thing about making some sweet treats is that you can always pop a few items in the freezer to enjoy later, so you don’t have to always be making a mess in the kitchen when you feel like a quick, sweet treat.
If you need some inspiration of treats to make at home, try these:
Low FODMAP coconut macaroons by A Little Bit Yummy
Low FODMAP blueberry muffins by Fun Without Fodmaps
What are your favourite low FODMAP snacks? Let me know in the comments below.
For more posts about FODMAPS, check these out:
Thinking about starting the Low FODMAP Diet? Do this one thing first.
10 Things This Dietitian Learned Doing the Low FODMAP Diet
Low FODMAP Snacks: Savory Edition
10 Low FODMAP Breakfast Ideas
