You followed the low FODMAP elimination diet perfectly at every meal — then a mid-afternoon snack undid the whole thing. Finding low FODMAP snacks is one of the trickiest parts of managing IBS, because so many packaged foods hide onion powder, garlic, honey, or high-fructose corn syrup deep in the ingredient list. The options below are organized by diet phase so you know exactly what's safe and when.
If you're building out your pantry, pair this list with our complete low FODMAP foods list to cover meals and snacks together.
Elimination Phase Snacks (Strictest)
During elimination you're cutting all high-FODMAP groups to establish a baseline. These 12 snacks rely on ingredients that are well-tolerated across all five FODMAP categories.
Store-Bought Options
- Rice cakes with peanut butter — Plain rice cakes (Lundberg Thin Stackers work well) topped with 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter. Check the label: the only ingredients should be peanuts and salt.
- FODY bars — FODY Foods makes snack bars specifically certified low FODMAP. The Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt bar is a reliable grab-and-go option.
- Lactose-free yogurt — Green Valley Creamery makes a lactose-free plain yogurt. Top it with a handful of blueberries (up to 1/4 cup is safe) for a filling snack.
- Popcorn — Air-popped or plain microwave popcorn (up to 7 cups popped) is low FODMAP. SkinnyPop is a widely available brand with a clean ingredient list. Avoid kettle corn — the added sweeteners can be an issue.
- Hard cheese and grapes — Aged cheeses like cheddar, Parmesan, and Swiss are naturally very low in lactose. Pair 1 oz with a small bunch of grapes (up to 6 grapes).
- GoMacro bars — The Sunflower Butter + Chocolate flavor is made without high-FODMAP ingredients. Always read the label, as some flavors contain cashews or chicory root fiber.
- Walnuts (10 halves max) — A small handful of walnuts (about 30g) stays under the FODMAP threshold. They're low in GOS at this serving size.
- Corn tortilla chips with salsa verde — Plain corn chips are safe. Choose a salsa verde without onion or garlic — Frontera brand makes one with tomatillos, jalapeños, and cilantro only.
Homemade Options
- Oranges — One medium orange is a perfectly safe, zero-prep snack. Oranges are low in fructose and contain no other FODMAP groups.
- Strawberries with dark chocolate — 5 medium strawberries dipped in 1 oz of dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher). Both are safe at these serving sizes.
- Oat energy balls — Blend 1 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons hemp seeds. Roll into balls and refrigerate. Each ball stays low FODMAP if you keep portions to two.
- Cucumber rounds with feta — Slice half a cucumber into rounds, top each with a small cube of feta and a pinch of dried oregano. Feta is low in lactose and safe in portions up to 1/2 cup crumbled.
Reintroduction Phase Snacks
Once you've completed 2-6 weeks of strict elimination and identified your personal triggers, you can start testing moderate-FODMAP foods one group at a time. These snacks incorporate ingredients that are moderate in a single FODMAP group, making them useful for structured challenges.
Testing Fructans
- Sourdough toast with butter — Traditional sourdough fermentation reduces fructan content significantly. Start with one slice and monitor for 24 hours.
- Small handful of cashews (10 nuts) — Cashews contain fructans and GOS. A 10-nut portion lets you test your tolerance without going overboard.
Testing Lactose
- Regular Greek yogurt (1/4 cup) — Greek yogurt has less lactose than regular yogurt due to straining. Start with a quarter cup to test your threshold.
- Ricotta on rice crackers — Spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta on rice crackers. Ricotta has moderate lactose, making it a useful test food.
Testing Polyols
- Avocado slices (1/4 avocado) — Avocado contains sorbitol. One-eighth of an avocado is low FODMAP; a quarter lets you push the boundary and gauge your response.
- Blackberries (5-6 berries) — Blackberries contain polyols in moderate amounts. A small portion makes a controlled test.
Testing GOS
- Hummus with carrot sticks (1 tablespoon) — Chickpeas are high in GOS, but a single tablespoon of hummus keeps the dose small enough for a structured challenge.
- Edamame (1/4 cup shelled) — Soybeans contain GOS. A quarter cup of shelled edamame is a measured way to test tolerance.
Tips for Snacking on Low FODMAP
Read every label, every time. Manufacturers reformulate products constantly. Onion powder, garlic powder, inulin (chicory root fiber), and high-fructose corn syrup are the four most common hidden FODMAP ingredients in packaged snacks.
Portion size is everything. Many foods are low FODMAP at small servings and high FODMAP at larger ones. Walnuts are safe at 10 halves but may cause issues in larger portions. Avocado is fine at 1/8 but questionable at 1/4. When in doubt, err on the smaller side.
Prep snacks in advance. The easiest way to avoid a FODMAP mistake is to have safe options ready. Spend 20 minutes on Sunday making energy balls or portioning out nuts into small bags.
For days when you're not snacking at home, check out our guide to ordering low FODMAP fast food at major chains.
Check Any Menu Instantly
Next time you're eating out, DinePick can flag high-FODMAP items instantly — join the waitlist to try it first.