Eating right when you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be a real challenge. For some people with IBD, it’s obvious if food is contributing to the discomfort, but for others it’s more difficult to tell. To complicate matters more, a food that’s just fine today may cause problems tomorrow.
There is no diet that is recommended for IBD. It’s up to you to determine what works best. There are a few guidelines that may help:
- High fiber foods may be difficult to digest.
- Fried foods or foods high in fat may contribute to diarrhea.
- Dairy products may cause gas and bloating if lactose intolerance is a problem.
- Raw fruits and vegetables -- while a part of a healthful diet -- may cause discomfort during a flare-up.
- Carbonated beverages may contribute to gas and bloating.
There are many recipes developed for people with IBD that may be helpful. Be sure to read the ingredient list carefully -- we're all different, and what works for some may not work for all.
Beverages
- Erin's B-4 scope Orange Smoothie: To try this smoothie you'll need to be able to tolerate orange juice and sugar (but don't drink this the night before your scope, only in the days preceeding!).
- Isocal Eggnog: A new twist on an old favorite (contains rum).
Breakfast
- Banana Bread: Banana bread made with soy milk.
- Carol's Coffee Cake
- Citrus Biscotti: Makes 24 cookies to pair with decaf tea or coffee.
- Lactose-Free Carob Cake Donuts: You can bake your own donuts at home with carob.
- Lactose-Free Cinnamon Rolls: This recipe sounds delicious, but may take some time to prepare.
- Pumpkin Bread: A favorite bread for fall.
- Rice Flour Pancakes: Pancakes made with rice or soy milk and rice flour.
Cookies
- Carob Brownie: A recipe for some sugary brownies made with carob.
- Chewy Carob Brownies: A second recipe for brownies made with carob.
- Lactose Free Gingersnap Cookies: Gingersnaps without the problems of lactose.
- Lactose Free Pumpkin Cookies: Mold these cookies into the shape of a pumpkin or other fun shapes.
- Tart Lemon Squares: Makes 6 lemony squares.
- Rasberry Sauvaroff Cookies: This recipe is a little more involved, but promises to be well worth the work.
Cakes and Pies
- Banana Snack Cake with Frosting: A recipe for both the cake and the frosting.
- Carob Cake with Carob Icing: A recipe for both cake and ice cream made with carob.
- Carob Frosting: Some frosting made with carob to add to your cakes and cookies.
- Lactose Free Apple Cobbler: This tasty dessert is easy to make.
- Lactose Free Lemon Meringue Pie: For the more experienced bakers, learn to prepare this pie with no lactose.
- Lactose Free Pumpkin Pie: A Thanksgiving favorite made with soy milk.
- Lactose-Free Swedish Brownies: Brownies made with soy margarine.
- Ryan's Lactose Free Cheesecake: The ingredients in this dish are IBD-friendly.
Chilled Desserts
- Ensure Ice Cream: A creative use for this IBD staple.
- Pink Grapefruit Sorbet: Requires an ice cream maker.
- Raspberry Ring: I personally have had enough Jell-O to last me a lifetime, but this recipe does sound yummy.
Snacks
- BBQ Cups: A creative quick snack.
- Soft Pretzels: Get your pretzel without any fiber.
- Lactose-Free Hot Pockets: A quick meal that contains no cow's milk.
Side Dishes
- Brittany's Crispy Onion Rings : This recipe sounds good, but be sure you can tolerate all the ingredients first.
- Herbed Poultry Stuffing: Stuffing for your Thanksgiving dinner or any time of year.
- ’Hope & Joy’ Potato Latkes: Potato latkes to add a little bit of variety to your meals.
- Microwave Broccoli: A great way to spice up plain broccoli.
- Oven French Fries: Made from real potatoes with Parmesan cheese.
Soups
- Butternut Squash Soup: This recipes contains beer and yogurt. The author says that leaving the yogurt out is fine; you could even try replacing it with a rice or soy variety.
- New England Clam Chowder: Made with rice milk instead of cow's milk.
Main Dishes
- Ensure Quiche: Another use for that IBD staple food, Ensure. This recipe also calls for onions and mayonnaise.
- Grilled Turkey Breast: Cut down on the spices in this dish if you have heartburn or GERD.
- Mashed Potato and Meat Casserole: A sort of Shepherd's pie in reverse.
- Pot Roast for Tender Tummies: You could try different types of potatoes with this dish to add a little variety.
- Rachel's Parmesan Chicken: Chicken coated with bread crumbs and lactose-free Parmesan cheese.
- Shepherd's Pie: Made with turkey instead of beef, this recipe is an old-fashioned favorite.
- Shrimp Scampi With Linguine: Shrimp cooked in garlic and white wine--what could be better?
- Soy Cheese and Macaroni: Homemade mac 'n cheese.
- Steamed Oriental Dumplings: This recipe made with ground pork or turkey takes some time to prepare.
- Turkey Burgers & Grilled Onions: Turkey burgers cook up just like beef patties, and are healthier.
