20+ Low-FODMAP Lunch Ideas: Packable, Quick, and Delicious
Over 20 low-FODMAP lunch ideas including packable options, sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, leftovers strategies, and tips for eating out at restaurants.
Lunch is the meal most likely to happen away from home, which makes it the hardest to control on a low-FODMAP diet. Whether you are packing a lunch box for work, looking for quick options at home, or navigating a restaurant menu, you need ideas that are practical, portable, and genuinely satisfying. This guide covers more than twenty lunch ideas plus strategies for eating out and making the most of leftovers.
For ingredient guidance, see the low-FODMAP grocery list and the high-FODMAP foods to avoid.
What Are the Best Packable Lunches?
These lunches travel well in a container and work at room temperature or reheated:
1. Rice and protein bowl. Cooked rice with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shredded carrots, and a drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil. Add scallion greens for color.
2. Quinoa salad. Quinoa tossed with bell peppers, olives, cucumber, feta cheese (small amount), pumpkin seeds, and a lemon-olive oil dressing. Holds up well in the fridge for three to four days.
3. Mason jar salad. Layer dressing on the bottom (olive oil and red wine vinegar), then cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, grilled chicken, cheese cubes, and lettuce on top. Shake and eat.
4. Rice paper rolls. Fill rice paper wrappers with cooked shrimp, rice noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint, and lettuce. Pack soy sauce with a little ginger for dipping.
5. Egg salad. Chop hard-boiled eggs, mix with plain mayonnaise, a little Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and chopped chives. Serve in a gluten-free wrap or on GF bread.
6. Leftover stir-fry. Last night’s stir-fry over rice makes an excellent packed lunch. Most stir-fries from the dinner guide reheat perfectly.
What Sandwich and Wrap Options Work?
Bread is the main concern here. Use gluten-free bread, corn tortillas, or traditional sourdough with long fermentation.
7. Turkey and Swiss on GF bread. Layer sliced turkey (check for garlic/onion in ingredients), Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mustard on gluten-free bread.
8. BLT on sourdough. Bacon (check ingredients), lettuce, and tomato on traditional sourdough toast with mayonnaise.
9. Chicken salad wrap. Shredded chicken mixed with mayo, diced celery (small amount — celery is moderate), salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon, wrapped in a corn tortilla or large lettuce leaves.
10. Tuna salad sandwich. Canned tuna mixed with mayo, a squeeze of lemon, chopped chives, salt, and pepper. Serve on GF bread with lettuce.
11. Grilled cheese. Cheddar on gluten-free bread, grilled in butter until melted. Pair with a cup of safe tomato soup (see below).
12. Smoked salmon wrap. Smoked salmon, cream cheese (small amount or lactose-free), cucumber, and dill in a corn tortilla or GF wrap.
What Salads Actually Fill You Up?
The key to a satisfying low-FODMAP salad is adding protein and a starch component:
13. Chicken Caesar (modified). Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, Parmesan shavings, and a homemade dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, and a pinch of salt. Use GF croutons or skip them.
14. Nicoise salad. Mixed greens, canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, green beans, olives, and cherry tomatoes. Dress with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
15. Asian chicken salad. Shredded cabbage (small amount), shredded carrots, edamame (half a cup), grilled chicken, and rice noodles. Dress with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger.
16. Greek-style salad (modified). Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives, bell pepper, and feta cheese. Dress with olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and salt. Add grilled chicken or canned chickpeas (rinsed, quarter cup) for protein.
What Soups Work for a Low-FODMAP Lunch?
Make a batch on the weekend and portion it out for the week:
17. Tomato soup. Sauté carrots in garlic-infused olive oil. Add canned tomatoes, low-FODMAP stock, a pinch of sugar, basil, and salt. Simmer 20 minutes and blend. Pair with a grilled cheese (idea 11).
18. Chicken and rice soup. Garlic-infused olive oil, carrots, diced chicken, rice, low-FODMAP stock, thyme, salt, and pepper. See the dinner guide for the full framework.
19. Potato leek soup (modified). Use only the green part of leeks (the white part is high in fructans). Sauté in garlic-infused olive oil with diced potatoes. Add stock, simmer until tender, and blend. Stir in a splash of lactose-free cream.
20. Pumpkin soup. Roasted pumpkin blended with low-FODMAP stock, coconut cream, cumin, and a pinch of nutmeg. Portion into jars for the week.
How Can You Use Dinner Leftovers for Lunch?
The “cook once, eat twice” strategy is the most efficient approach to low-FODMAP lunching. When you cook dinner, intentionally make extra:
- Stir-fries reheat perfectly — add a splash of water or soy sauce when microwaving
- Sheet pan meals can be repurposed as grain bowl toppings
- Soups and stews improve overnight and are ideal for portioning
- Grilled proteins can be sliced and added to salads or wraps the next day
- Pasta dishes work well reheated — add a splash of olive oil to prevent sticking
Plan your dinners with leftovers in mind. Monday night’s sheet pan chicken becomes Tuesday’s chicken salad wrap. Sunday’s beef stew becomes Monday and Tuesday’s lunch.
What Are Safe Options When Eating Out?
Restaurant lunch can work with these strategies:
Asian restaurants: Order steamed rice with grilled protein and vegetables. Ask for soy sauce on the side and request no garlic or onion. Sushi with rice, fish, and cucumber is often safe.
Mexican restaurants: Corn tortilla tacos with grilled chicken or steak, lettuce, tomato, and plain salsa (verify no onion). Rice on the side. Skip the beans and sour cream.
Burger joints: Bunless burger (or bring your own GF bun) with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mustard. Fries are usually safe if they are just potato and oil, but ask about seasoning. See the fast food guide for chain-specific advice.
Sandwich shops: Request GF bread if available, plain protein, safe vegetables, and mustard or oil and vinegar. Skip the pre-made sauces.
Italian restaurants: Grilled protein with a side salad (oil and vinegar dressing) and a baked potato or risotto (if made without excessive onion — ask). Some restaurants now offer GF pasta.
How Do You Build a Complete Lunch Meal Plan?
Here is a sample work week:
| Day | Lunch | Prep Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rice bowl with leftover Sunday chicken | Sunday dinner leftovers |
| Tuesday | Tuna salad on GF bread | Five-minute assembly |
| Wednesday | Quinoa salad (batch made Sunday) | Grab from fridge |
| Thursday | Leftover stir-fry over rice | Wednesday dinner leftovers |
| Friday | Eating out — Asian restaurant | Use ordering strategies above |
Using FODMAPSnap to photograph and log your lunches helps you spot patterns over time — you may discover that certain combinations work better for you than others, even within the low-FODMAP category.
For breakfast ideas to start your day right, see the breakfast guide. For sweet afternoon pick-me-ups, check the snack guide and the desserts guide.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a registered dietitian or gastroenterologist before making significant dietary changes. FODMAP thresholds are based on Monash University research and individual tolerances may vary.
Track Your Personal FODMAP Triggers
Everyone's gut is different. FODMAPSnap uses AI to analyze your meals for FODMAP content and learns your unique sensitivities over time — so you can eat with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest low-FODMAP lunch to pack for work?
The easiest packable lunch is a grain bowl assembled the night before: cooked rice or quinoa, a pre-cooked protein like grilled chicken or hard-boiled eggs, raw vegetables like cherry tomatoes and cucumber, and a simple olive oil and lemon dressing in a small container. It requires no reheating if you prefer it at room temperature, but also microwaves well. Another effortless option is a sandwich on gluten-free bread with deli turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.
Can I eat at a salad bar on a low-FODMAP diet?
Salad bars can work well if you know what to choose. Safe picks include lettuce (all types), spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds, and oil-and-vinegar dressing. Avoid croutons (wheat), dried fruit, beans, beets in large amounts, pre-made pasta salads, and creamy dressings that likely contain garlic and onion. Build your own plate from individual ingredients rather than choosing pre-mixed salads.
How can I handle lunch at a restaurant on a low-FODMAP diet?
Start by choosing restaurants where the food is relatively simple and customizable — grills, Asian restaurants (request no garlic/onion), and Mexican restaurants (corn tortillas, plain grilled protein, rice, and salsa) tend to work well. Tell your server you have a food sensitivity and ask for dishes to be prepared without garlic and onion. Order grilled proteins with a safe side like a baked potato or plain rice. Avoid sauces, soups, and anything described as marinated unless you can verify the ingredients.
Are pre-made sandwiches from a deli safe on a low-FODMAP diet?
Pre-made sandwiches are risky because you cannot control the bread type, the spread, or any hidden seasonings. The bread is almost always wheat-based, spreads may contain garlic or onion, and deli meats sometimes include garlic powder or onion powder in their seasoning. If a deli makes sandwiches to order, you can request gluten-free bread (if available), plain meat, lettuce, tomato, and mustard — which gives you more control.