6. Getting ready for Stage 1: FODMAP elimination

In stage 1 of the low FODMAP diet – FODMAP elimination – you'll remove the high FODMAP foods in your diet and replace them with low FODMAP alternatives. We recommend doing this for 2 weeks to begin with. We’ll then ask you to review your symptoms before deciding whether to continue for another 2-4 weeks.  

Here are the steps to getting started with elimination  

1. Get to know the high FODMAP foods in your diet

Remember that you can’t tell whether a food is high in FODMAPs by looking at it, so you’ll need a list you can reference. You’ll find a list of high FODMAP foods and low FODMAP alternatives in the resource section for this week. You can print this list or download a copy to your phone.

We also recommend downloading the Monash FODMAP app too. This will help you check the FODMAP content of any foods you can’t find in our lists.  Start by having a read through our lists to familiarise yourself with which foods you will need to swap.  

2.Plan your meals and snacks

The first few days of a low FODMAP diet can be the hardest, as you’ll be learning which foods you can eat and which you’ll need to replace.  

To help you get off to a good start, we recommend creating a meal plan for your first 1-2 weeks at least, so you know what you’ll be eating and when.  

You don't need a very detailed plan, and you can use your usual diet as a starting point. For example, if you usually have breakfast cereal and an apple for breakfast, you could swap this for porridge and an orange. If you usually eat a pasta salad at lunchtime, you could switch this for a rice salad.  

We’ve created a template meal plan which you’ll find in the resource section. It’ll also be useful for creating a shopping list. Remember to add your Field Doctor meals to this plan.   

3. Shop for the foods you need and organise your kitchen

Once you’ve got your meal plan you can create a shopping list and get the ingredients you need for your first few days. From our experience, you’ll find the elimination phase easier to stick to if you have the low FODMAP foods you need in your fridge and cupboard ready to go. It’s also a good idea to have snacks that you can keep in a bag or at work for when you are away from home.  Printing a copy of our low FODMAP food lists and sticking them on the inside of your cupboard doors or fridge as a reminder can also be a huge help.   

4. Check out our extra resources

As well as FODMAP food lists and meal planner, we’ve included extra resources like a one-day sample meal plan to help you with FODMAP elimination. We’ve also linked out to useful recipe books, podcast and webinars that you might find useful. Take your time to read through these. If you have any questions, check our weekly FAQ guide. If you can't find an answer to your question, drop an email to Charlie at hello@fielddoctor.co.uk 

 5. Choose your start date

Once you’ve read through all the prep week lessons and you’re ready to begin elimination, you can get started. To give you a start date to aim for, we will label your Field Doctor meal delivery day as your day one of elimination. As you approach the end of your first two weeks of elimination, we’ll send you a reminder to re-assess your symptoms which will help you decide your next steps.   

You’ll also find more information, tips and advice shared within your member area as you start each new week. This will help you learn more about the FODMAP diet and other lifestyle factors that can impact your symptoms.