Meal and Snack Suggestions
for When you are Flared-up
When you are experiencing IBD symptoms, it is generally best to AVOID fried, greasy, or fatty foods, as well as gravy, beans, lentils, nuts or seeds, spices, dairy, high fibre foods, caffeine, carbonated beverages, alcohol, corn or popcorn, acidic foods, processed foods, prunes, vegetables in the cabbage family such as broccoli and cauliflower, as well as crunchy veggies and fruits. It's better to eat them well cooked.
Actually, on a bad day it's better not to eat anything you have to chew; liquid or pureed foods are better digested. But, not consuming any solid foods will most likely drive you crazy. Chewing gum is a horrible alternative since it can cause bloating, gas, or even diarrhea when you chew too much of it. (Drinking through a straw can surprisingly give you similar effects by the way.) Plus, it will make you hungrier. I don't recommend you rule solid foods out completely; just try to consume less during a flare-up.
It's always better to eat small portions several times a day rather than a lot in a single sitting.
The key is to balance your fibre and non-fibre consumptions.
Everyone with IBD has their own trigger foods though, so I recommend keeping a health journal so that you can determine what foods cause you discomfort. I'll be honest, it's not an obvious things to do, especially that most of what you eat when you are flared-up comes right back out; it took me over a year to figure out what I had to avoid eating to diminish the cramps or urgent trips to the bathroom. But trust me, once you figure it all out you will be happy you kept the journal. For best results, reintroduce foods one at a time, like you would do with a baby.
Note down the exact times you eat, precisely what you eat (don't just write pasta, for example, note every single ingredient used to make your meal), and how it was prepared (raw, boiled, fried...) because sometimes it's not what food you eat that aggravates your symptoms but how it's prepared. Also note if you end up rushing to the bathroom, become bloated, or get cramps afterwards. Look for a pattern.
It's a bit tricky because sometimes how you feel or even the ambient temperature can affect the results. I tend to go to the bathroom more often when I am stressed, anxious, or feel either down or upset, and can digest certain things better in the winter than on hot summer days. Just so that you have everything covered, note down your general mood and if you are in a cool, warm, or hot environment.
I know it all seems very complicated. I used to tell people that figuring out what I could eat on any given day sometimes felt like a mathematical equation. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Nothing is black or white with IBD; there are a lot of grey areas. It gets easier over time though, and you should be able to get to a point where you will instinctively know if you should eat something in a particular moment or not.
Here are some suggested meals and snacks that might not be terribly exciting but are easy to digest and should help reduce the diarrhea, bloating, and pain when you are flared-up or simply have an off day.
Breakfast:
-2 slices of toast (white bread) with nothing on it. (If you are lucky, you might be able to stomach smooth peanut butter. Jams, marmalades, chocolate spreads, or honey are not recommended.)
-A plain croissant, dinner roll, or pita bread.
-A bowl of hot oatmeal prepared with water.
-A bowl of Rice Krispies or Special K cereal with no milk. (some people who can't digest milk will use lactose free, soya, or almond milk instead, but I personally don't recommend it on a bad day any more than regular milk.)
-A bowl of the same cereal mentioned above (without milk), but with pieces of cut up banana; only use 1/2 the fruit since the whole thing is hard to digest.
Snacks:
-Unsalted soda crackers.
-Regular rice crackers.
-Plain rice cakes.
-Pretzels.
-Tea biscuits.
-Fruit purees since they are easier to digest than whole fruits; just make sure you buy the ones that don't have cabbage in them for colouring, as it might make you gassy. (some of the fruit purees come in pouches, so they are convenient to carry with you wherever you go. I always keep one in my purse.)
-1/2 a banana. (A whole one is hard to digest.)
-Ripe avocado.
-Pieces of pita bread with a ripe avocado that has been squished with a fork. (Eat like a dip.)
Drinks:
-Water!!! (It is very important to stay hydrated.)
-Diluted fruit juice (half water/half juice) with no pulp.
-Herbal tea.
Lunch:
-1/2 a cup of white or basmati rice. (Rice is always good for you, unless you eat too much of it. Although it can help with diarrhea, eating too much rice and not enough fibre can have the opposite results; constipation. It might seem like a nice change from running to the bathroom, but it's painful too.)
-A bowl of homemade chicken and rice noodle soup (see recipe).
-A bowl of couscous.
-Pureed baby food. It is easy to digest, and doesn't have any preservatives or sugar etc.
-Cooked pasta noodles (with a pinch or parsley flakes, plus about 1/2 tablespoon (7.5ml) olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) balsamic vinegar if you can stomach it.)
-White bread sandwiches: Processed meats are not good for you so try to avoid them. Instead, try pure tuna, chicken, or turkey.
*Tuna (from a can-make sure the fish is ONLY in water, not vegetable broth.)
*If you have leftover chicken or turkey, use it. If not, simply boil a poultry breast for about twenty minutes to cook it. Frying it may cause you digestive problems. (You can test to see if the chicken or turkey is ready by putting the breast on a plate and cutting into the centre of the meat. If the inside is still a shade of pink, continue to cook!)
*Don't use any mayo as it will give you gas, or mustard because of the spices.
Dinner:
-Fish and poultry are easier to digest than pork and red meats. So, I recommend cooking any type of fish fillet (not nuggets) wrapped in tinfoil on the middle rack of the oven on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes at a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or boiling a chicken or turkey breast for about twenty minutes. (You can test to see if the chicken or turkey is ready by putting the breast on a plate and cutting into the centre of the meat. If the inside is still a shade of pink, continue to cook!) Again, frying it can cause you digestive problems. Just add a side dish.
-Smoked salmon on toast (white bread) is easy to prepare; literally just place the fish on your toast and add a side dish.
-If you can't eat fish or poultry, try grilling pork chops or beef steaks without putting any seasoning on them, and adding a side dish.
-Root vegetables such as carrots and squash as well as potatoes are easy to digest, so I recommend them as a side dish. If you like your potatoes mashed, try not to use any dairy. (As mentioned above, some people who can't digest milk will use lactose free, soya, or almond milk instead, but I personally don't recommend it on a bad day any more than regular milk. Your mashed potatoes may not be as fluffy or flavourful, but they will still taste fine and you will feel better after eating them plain rather than with milk or milk substitute during a flare-up.)
-White or basmati rice, or noodles are good accompaniments. I generally don't eat rice or pasta with potatoes though, as they are all starchy.
-Most of the recipes included on this website, such as the rice and chicken or turkey breast meal, roast, strew, pastas (without tomato sauce), as well as the modified shepherd's pie, should be easy for you to digest even when you are not feeling well. Other recipes, such as my meals with tomato sauce, are suggestions for good days; assuming you can digest tomatoes.
Your doctor will most likely prescribe supplements such as Vitamin D, B12, calcium, iron, or Omega 3.
Meal replacement drinks and puddings are a good way to get your nutrients too. It also helps you get energy as well as gain the weight you lost. You can find them at most grocery stores and pharmacies, and they have different flavours to choose from.
Just make sure you don't chose one that is high in fibre. The ones advertising extra calories are particularly good for gaining weight. So are the ones with extra protein as they will help build muscle mass, but be warned that they might make you gassy.
The most popular brands of meal replacements are Ensure and Boost, but there are store brands that exist as well. I personally find that some of them taste a bit chalky though, so in my opinion it's better to pay the extra money. They go on sale often, and Ensure actually mails coupons when you register to their free club.
If you find that those meal replacements are too milky, Oasis makes meal replacement drinks with real fruit juices. I find them quite delicious and refreshing.
