The Nomad Guide to Eating Out on a Low-FODMAP Diet

In my last article, I talked about my journey with IBS and navigating the low-FODMAP diet while traveling full time. Eating out with IBS can be exhausting and feel borderline impossible, especially in certain countries and more remote locations. For a long time, I stopped eating out altogether, but food gives you so much insight and understanding about a culture. In most places, meals and eating are social gatherings, a full family affair.

When I lived in Lebanon, Sunday lunch was my favorite time because everyone got together and just spent the day cooking and eating, or out at a restaurant for a four-hour meal. Food became an event. You learn so much about what grows in a place, the ingredients they use, and why. Food shapes a place, and I wanted to keep experiencing that as much as possible.

While I definitely eat out less and can’t enjoy a lot of dishes, I have found ways to eat out safely. I have easy go-tos when I’ve been out all day and need food, or choices I can make regardless of who I’m with or where I am. Navigating these choices isn't just about the food, though—it’s also a mental game. I recently wrote an article on my Substack about the times I ended up foregoing my health because it felt disrespectful to say no when people offered me food, and the psychology behind not wanting to be difficult. Read it here.

While everyone’s tolerance thresholds are unique, here is my tried and tested blueprint for navigating restaurant menus without triggering a flare-up:

1. My Ultimate Go-To: Sushi

When all else fails and you’re in a state of decision fatigue, find a sushi restaurant. It is consistently the cleanest, most predictable cuisine available globally.

• Stick to basic nigiri (fish over rice), sashimi, and simple maki rolls.

• Standard soy sauce contains small amounts of wheat. However, unless you are strictly Celiac, the microscopic amount of gluten in a splash of soy sauce is typically well-tolerated on a low-FODMAP protocol.

• Steer completely clear of tempura (which is battered and deep-fried) and any modern fusion rolls drenched in sweet, sticky, or creamy sauces that likely contain hidden dairy or high-fructose corn syrup.

2. Avoid Fried Food

Fried food is an immediate red flag for sensitive guts.

• Most fried items are coated in wheat-based breading or batters.

• High-fat meals drastically speed up gut motility, which can trigger an IBS flare-up even if the food itself is technically low-FODMAP.

3. Stick to "Naked" Simplicity

The simpler the plate looks, the safer your stomach will be.

• Choose plain grilled meats, low-FODMAP vegetables (like carrots, cucumbers, or zucchini), and plain white rice.

• Always ask for sauces or dressings completely on the side. This gives you absolute control over what enters your body.

4. Watch Out for Hidden Alliums

Simple food is your armor because hidden ingredients are a traveler’s worst nightmare. I learned this lesson the hard way while slow-traveling through India, Vietnam and Malaysia—with Malaysia being particularly brutal for my gut.

• The incredible laksa, curries, aromatic marinades, broths, and rich sauces in Southeast Asia are heavily laced with garlic and onions (alliums).

• Even if a stir-fry looks light, or a soup looks like a clear broth, the foundational paste almost always contains blended garlic and onion. Because you cannot see the pieces, it is incredibly easy to be blindsided until your stomach starts churning a few hours later.

Pro-Tips for Stress-Free Ordering

To make eating out sustainable, you have to get comfortable advocating for yourself without feeling like a burden to the restaurant staff.

• Use the "Allergy" Keyword: Waitstaff do not always understand what "FODMAP" means, but they instantly understand "allergy." Informing them you have a severe allergy to garlic and onion ensures the kitchen takes your order seriously.

• Translate in Advance: If you are slow-traveling in a country where you don't speak the language, write down your triggers in the local language on your phone notes, or download a translation card to show your server.

• Scope the Menu Online: Never walk into a restaurant blind when your gut is sensitive. Pick the spot in advance, review the menu when you are calm, and decide exactly what you will order before you even arrive.

Final Thoughts

Everyone's gut heals at a different pace. It takes time to understand what your body tolerates, but do not let IBS rob you of the joy of traveling. Start with simple, clean whole foods, be unapologetic about asking for modifications, and trust your gut—literally.