If you have irritable bowel syndrome, you already know that what you eat can make or break your day. Bloating, cramping, unpredictable bowel habits — IBS turns eating from a pleasure into a minefield. The good news is that diet is one of the most powerful tools you have to manage it.
This guide covers exactly what to eat with IBS, what to avoid, and a sample meal plan to get you started.
IBS is a functional gut disorder affecting around 1 in 5 people in the UK. It causes symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, or a mix of both — and symptoms are often triggered or worsened by specific foods.
Unlike inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's or colitis), IBS doesn't cause physical damage to the gut. But it does affect how your gut moves and how sensitive it is to certain foods and stress.
The most well-researched dietary approach for IBS is the low-FODMAP diet, developed by Monash University. FODMAPs are types of fermentable carbohydrates that draw water into the gut and are rapidly fermented by bacteria — triggering exactly the bloating and cramping IBS sufferers know too well.
These foods are generally well-tolerated on a low-FODMAP diet:
Proteins Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, firm tofu, canned tuna. Plain cooked meats without garlic or onion-based sauces are your safest bet.
Grains and carbs White rice, oats (in moderate portions), gluten-free pasta, sourdough spelt bread, rice cakes, and plain potatoes. Many IBS sufferers avoid wheat, though it's the fructans in wheat — not gluten itself — that cause issues.
Vegetables Carrots, courgette, cucumber, spinach, tomatoes (in small amounts), green beans, aubergine, bok choy, and bell peppers. These are low in fermentable carbs and easy on the gut.
Fruit Bananas (unripe are best), blueberries, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, oranges, and melon (except watermelon in large portions). Stick to one portion of fruit per sitting.
Dairy alternatives Lactose is a common IBS trigger. Swap cow's milk for almond, oat, or rice milk. Hard cheeses like cheddar and parmesan are low in lactose and usually fine.
Fats and flavourings Olive oil, garlic-infused oil (the flavour without the fructans), fresh herbs, chives, spring onion greens, and most spices.
These are the most common dietary triggers:
High-FODMAP foods Onion, garlic, leeks, apples, pears, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas. These are high in fermentable carbs that ferment quickly in the gut.
Wheat-based foods Regular bread, pasta, pastries, and cereals contain fructans that frequently trigger IBS symptoms, particularly bloating.
Lactose Cow's milk, soft cheeses, yoghurt, and ice cream. Switch to lactose-free versions or dairy alternatives.
Alcohol and caffeine Both stimulate the gut and can worsen diarrhoea-predominant IBS. Coffee in particular is a strong gut stimulant.
Processed and fatty foods High-fat meals slow digestion and can trigger cramping. Ultra-processed foods often contain high-FODMAP ingredients like inulin, chicory root, and high-fructose corn syrup — check labels carefully.
Fizzy drinks The gas itself contributes to bloating.
Day 1
Breakfast: Porridge made with oat milk, topped with blueberries and a tablespoon of peanut butter
Lunch: Grilled chicken with white rice and steamed green beans, dressed with garlic-infused olive oil
Dinner: Baked salmon with boiled potatoes and courgette
Snack: Rice cakes with cheddar cheese
Day 2
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs on gluten-free toast with a side of spinach
Lunch: Tuna salad with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and spring onion greens (greens only — not the bulb)
Dinner: Turkey stir-fry with bell peppers, bok choy, and white rice
Snack: A small handful of grapes and a banana
Day 3
Breakfast: Gluten-free oat pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup
Lunch: Jacket potato with grated cheddar and a side salad (cucumber, tomato, carrot)
Dinner: Grilled cod with mashed potato (made with oat milk and olive oil) and carrots
Snack: Rice cakes with peanut butter
Keep a food and symptom diary. IBS triggers vary significantly between individuals. What causes bloating for one person may be fine for another. Tracking what you eat alongside your symptoms for 2–3 weeks is the fastest way to identify your personal triggers.
Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Large meals put more pressure on the gut. Eating 4–5 smaller meals rather than 3 large ones can reduce cramping and urgency.
Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Rushing meals means you swallow more air, which worsens bloating.
Don't skip meals. Irregular eating disrupts gut motility. Try to eat at consistent times each day.
Manage stress. The gut-brain connection is well established — anxiety and stress directly worsen IBS symptoms. Regular exercise, good sleep, and stress management techniques like mindfulness all have evidence behind them for IBS.
Reintroduce foods gradually. If you're following the low-FODMAP diet properly, it has three phases: elimination, reintroduction, and personalisation. Many people stay in elimination indefinitely, which means unnecessarily restricting foods that are actually fine for them. Work with a dietitian or use a structured tool to reintroduce foods one at a time.
The meal plan above is a starting point — but IBS is highly individual. Your triggers, your food preferences, your budget, and any other conditions you manage all affect what the right diet looks like for you.
EatByCondition builds personalised 7-day meal plans specifically for IBS, accounting for all your allergens, your other health conditions, and your UK supermarket budget. Every meal is low-FODMAP, every grocery list is auto-generated, and you can regenerate a new plan whenever you want a fresh week.
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EatByCondition generates personalised AI diet plans designed specifically for your diagnosis.
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