Tags
breakfast, dinners, Low FODMAP, lunch, meal planning, snack ideas, Soufriere, St. Lucia, travel
I’m a creature of habit. Once I find something that works for me I thrive off of routine.
Everyday I wake up between 4-5am (no alarm needed), have my coffee, workout if it’s a late shift day/weekend, have one of my three go-to breakfasts, go to work, come home, make dinner, go to bed by 9. Repeat.
This same comfort of routine is especially true when it comes to my diet. With my stomach as sensitive as it is, I know the foods that I can handle and rarely stray from these in order to keep things in a happy place. 
As you can imagine, traveling throws my whole routine out the window. So how did I manage to maintain a low FODMAP diet for eight days in another country?It was all about preparation and informed choices.
PLANNING AHEAD: TRAVEL SNACKS
The last thing I wanted was to be sick on my wedding day so I was meticulous about keeping things basic and bringing with me as many snack/meal options that I could. This included:
- 1 whole loaf of spelt bread (yup, just threw it in my luggage)
- 1 jar natural peanut butter
- Homemade single-serve oatmeal packets
- 100 calorie almond packs
- Larabars
- Ginger chews
I also packed Z and I sandwiches and fruit for the plane ride down to St. Lucia to avoid having to scour the airport for something edible. As I said, I was prepared.
ST. LUCIAN EATS
BREKAFASTS
Thankfully FODMAP friendly fruit was abundant!
The first day we bought fresh bananas from a cart right outside our hotel. I paired that with a granola bar and was all set.
At the resort we stayed at the fresh fruit plate was amazing: banana, pineapple, papaya, orange and watermelon (I gave that to Z). 
At the villa my breakfasts were pretty consistent: oatmeal, peanut butter, banana, sprinkle of almonds.
LUNCHES
At home my weekly strategy involves cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot on my weekend and incorporating it into my lunches throughout the week. In a similar fashion, during our second day on the island I picked up a pack of chicken breasts at the market, cooked it up, and had it for lunch each day. 
St. Lucia offers many FODMAP friendly vegetables as well: humongous carrots, tomatoes, green leaf/romaine lettuce, and assorted root vegetables.
DINNERS
These were a bit trickier, but I managed. My major requirement: no onion/garlic.
BBQ at Le Gallerie: grilled chicken, salad, rice, and fresh fruit.
Wedding Reception: Pumpkin-coconut soup, mahi-mahi w/ fruit topping, chocolate basil brulee.
Boucan Restaurant @ Hotel Chocolate: Mixed green salad with citrus, cashews, white chocolate vinaigrette. Not low FODMAP but it’s my favorite salad ever so decided it was worth it. 
The Fox Grove Inn: Grilled tuna (salt & pepper only), steamed potato, carrots, breadfruit (gave the broccoli to Z).
EATING VS. EXPERIENCING
Now after reading this you may be thinking:Plain chicken? Oatmeal every day? Wow that all sounds pretty boring. Isn’t the point of traveling to experience new things?
While yes, the traveling offers up many new opportunities, I can’t enjoy them to their full extent if I feel sick. I’d much rather take advantage of the scenery and activities of travel as opposed to the food.
And now I’m back to routine. It’s 5:14 am (been up since 4). I’ve had my coffee. Time to make the oatmeal…
I want to know…
If you had to choose would you rather experience new activities or new food on your next vacation?
What is the weirdest, most unique dish you’ve every tried while traveling?
The Adventures of Z & K 
You don’t have to leave the US to get ‘foreign’ food, so I would go with the new adventures and sites. Most unique dish while traveling? Probably that salad with the white chocolate dressing… chocolate dressing??? It was yummy!
Such a unique flavor! Can’t beat it!
You did try new local root vegetables. My FODMAP restrictions aren’t as extensive as yours but I also do no wheat, dairy, eggs, soy and refined sugar. Its just not worth it to get sidelined. The most unique dish I’ve tried is bee beem bop and a cute little place in Portsmouth, NH. Its rice and vegetables all served in the cast iron pot it’s made in. [no egg no onion] Its amazing!
At one restaurant a server says to me the chef says you can only have PLAIN salmon with plain vegetables and plantains plain. I said that was fine and he thought I was crazy and kept saying plain and shaking his head. So funny.
With quality ingredients plain can be delicious too!
So right!
I came across your blog a while ago looking for IBS tips. Unfortunately, I have many of the same symptoms that you do. You really seem to have done lots of research! That said, I hope I am not overstepping when I ask if you think that you are getting enough calories each day? I know the temptation to go hungry rather than face the consequences of eating something that doesn’t agree with you can be very strong. This is especially true when traveling but I find that it comes out a lot in normal life as well. It is something that I have had to really struggle with for a few years. However, it sounds like you have a pretty active lifestyle and your body may require more fuel than you are giving it. Again, I am coming from a place of experience. Anyway, thank you for the ideas and congratulations on the wedding!
Jenna, thanks for your comment. I’m sorry you have to deal with the unfortunate symptoms too, but it’s always comforting to find someone who can truly relate. Meeting the caloric requirements for my active lifestyle is always in the back of my mind. As I’m sure you know there are times when you feel so sick that the thought of anything but the blandest of food seems unappealing and small meals become the name of the game. Even when I feel good, I’ve found I operate best with a big breakfast and small frequent meals throughout the day.
With wedding stress over and symptoms currently in a manageable state I’m excited to start working with a registered dietitian this week who specializes in the fodmap diet to help me create a customized food plan. My hope is that I can better assess where my intolerance lie (ie which category of fodmaps am I most sensitive to)and add back some things which may not be a problem.
It’s all a learning process and something I’m trying to figure out as I go!
Recently found your blog, and so much of it has resonated with me, particularly this post! Within the last six months have been going through the FODMAP elimination and finding more and more foods that I’m sensitive to. Really the list of foods I CAN eat seems smaller than the list of foods that I can’t. Exactly like you though, I find the foods that I feel well with and stick to those – I have been eating the same breakfast every day the last six months.
As a foreign service officer though, it’s been a real challenge going to different countries and feeling like I’m playing russian roulette with my belly and well being. My strategy has been to pack protein powder that I can tolerate, protein bars that I can tolerate (unfortunately Lara bars are off for me!), individual bags of corn chex and I use that as standard fare for most of the meals that I’m there, supplementing with simple foods (fish, eggs…). It may not seem like much, but I would rather feel good!
And, like you … I am absolutely a morning person. There is one 10 o’clock that I know and it is a few hours before lunch!
Although I’m sorry you can relate I’m glad you can relate! Glad someone understands the situation of “russian roulette with my belly” (exactly!).
Seems like you’ve figured out a system that works for you which is great
and 10pm? What’s that?? ; )
I am on a strict on gluten and FODMED diet and I am soon to be travelling with children to non English speaking countries. I would be really interested to know what bars you have found that you can tolerate.
A lot of bars have honey as a binder so finding ones without is certainly tricky. I stick with Larabars Specifically the pb cookie variety. The only ingredients? Peanuts, dates and sea salt. Although dates are higher in FODMAPs I don’t have any issues with them in this form.
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