Survive Thanksgiving Dinner on a Low-FODMAP Diet

If you are in charge of the food preparation for your Thanksgiving dinner you can manage to serve a complete meal that matches the FODMAP elimination diet. But most of us share the cooking duties with others on this holiday, so you may have to settle for doing the best you can to make lower FODMAP food choices. Here are some suggestions:

Appetizers: Cheese and rice crackers; olives, carrot, celery sticks from the veggie plate with a little dip (not the french onion dip, though), potato or tortilla chips, shrimp, scallops or water chestnuts wrapped in bacon.

Beverages: A glass of wine; a frosty beer, or a classic martini, perhaps? Skip the sweet or fruity drinks.

Main: Turkey. Yeah, no FODMAPs here. A tablespoon or two of gravy, or more if it was thickened with cornstarch or sorghum flour.

Sides: Mashed potatoes made with lactose-free milk; tiny "no thank you" portion of stuffing"; mashed squash; 1/2 cup portion of either green peas or green beans or sweet potatoes (with marshmallows if you must--OK for FODMAPs). Skip the creamed onions, cabbage salad and waldorf salad.                         

Cranberries: OK, in my family, the cranberry sauce gets a food group all its own! Cranberries themselves are low in FODMAPs. Avoid the canned cranberry products that are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup; instead, look for Grown Right Organic canned cranberry sauce. Almost any home-made cranberry sauce or relish made with granulated sugar will be OK, too. Make my grandmother's cranberry-orange relish today and it will be ready by Thanksgiving!

Dessert: Unless you make it your self with lactose-free milk (comes out fine, by the way), don't go near the pumpkin pie, which is usually made with lactose-bomb evaporated milk. Yes, there is wheat flour in the crust, but a blueberry pie will be lower in FODMAPs than some of the alternatives. You could consider a continental style dessert of cheese and fruit (grapes, clementines, fresh pineapple?) Make some fudge or peanut brittle to share, or splurge on some fancy chocolates.

Remember, its not all about the food! Take time to cultivate non-food holiday traditions with your friends and family, too. Please leave a comment if you'd like to share a non-food holiday tradition or a low FODMAP holiday food idea. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Comments

[The Candid RD]

I made my dishes with garlic olive oil and omitted the garlic. No one knew!

[Alexandra]

I wish you could do a post on how to eat after a stomach flu. I'm getting over a doozy and other than Schar Wheat-Free Table Crackers (saltine like), I'm at a loss. plain (usually okay for me) Turkey, gatorade, jello, banana - ALL have made me sicker. Can't do chicken soup because all prepped soup has onion in it. Suggestions?

[Patsy Catsos]

I did a post on clear liquids that might offer a few ideas, but when a person a stomach flu its the virus causing the symptoms, not the fluids. There might be little one can you except keep some fluids coming in to prevent dehydration. Sometimes sucking on frozen ice chips help. Here's the link: http://www.ibsfree.net/ibsfree_at_last/2010/04/clear-liquids.html

[Brian Richards]

I just bought the 2nd edition of IBS and am starting the elimination phase. On pg 40, you say, "Serving sizes are suggestions". For instance, would it be consistent with the elimination phase to have say, 1 cup cooked amaranth, 1 cup cooked carrots, 1 cup cooked spinach and 1 cup cooked zucchini for lunch at one sitting?

[Debbie]

I just bought your book and am hopeful that it will help with my IBS.

[IBS-Free at Last]

Yes, you are on the right track. If the food in not in bold, you can eat according to your appetite and calorie needs.

[Brian Richards]

Patsy, Thank you very much. It's a very good book. I am giving a copy to my holistic doctor who was totally unaware of the FODMAPs.

[Theresa_SCD]

Patsy,
Your book explains things so well - I have read (and re-read) your book! I wish I would've found it sooner.

How can I tell the difference between leaky gut and an extreme case of FODMAP sensitivities?

Thanks,
Theresa

[Patsy Catsos]

Leaky gut, or increased intestinal permeability, as it is sometimes known, is not a very well established diagnosis in the allopathic medical system. There are some tests for it that are used in the research setting, but it isnt usually done in clinical practice. At this time you would probably have to see a naturopathic doctor to explore this diagnosis.Theoretically If a person has leaky gut, they would have food sensitivities that would go beyond effects on the gastrointestinal tract.

Sent from my iPhone

[Theresa_SCD]

Thank you for the explanation! Happy holidays!!
Theresa

[Nancy Falini]

Can you suggest some Kosher low FODMAP bars, as well as liquid supplements or medical nutritionals for patients?
Thank you for all your great work and dedication.
Nancy Falini

[Patsy Catsos]

Hi Nancy,
Have you checked my pinterest board to see if there are any Kosher products already there? pinterest.com/pcatsos. I would be glad to comment if you could send links to any Kosher products you'd like me to evaluate.