Low FODMAP Camping – Meals, Snacks & More to Keep You A Happy Camper!

Let’s Go Low FODMAP Camping!

Camping is one of my family’s favorite summer time activities. I live in Central Oregon, the home of many beautiful high lakes and within striking range of Yellowstone, Redwoods, and Glacier National Park. Several years ago we purchased a pop-up camper that we named “Bucky”, which we enjoy towing all over the Northwest.

I have been following a personalized low FODMAP diet amidst many camping adventures and have learned tips and tricks along the way for easy and delicious low FODMAP camping.

Plan & Prepare

Figuring out meals takes planning and preparation, especially when following a low FODMAP diet. Give yourself a few days in advance to plan a menu, grocery shop, and do a little meal prep so you can enjoy nature, relax, and not stress about food.

Be sure to check out our Low FODMAP Shopping Lists! 

To keep me organized I keep a few storage bins filled with camping essentials, such as non-perishable food items, cooking utensils, paper plates, and more. This saves me a lot of time when it is time to pack for our camping trips and helps reduce forgotten items.

These are some of the low FODMAP staples stored in my food bin:

• Oats
• Peanut butter
• Vegetable spray
• Ketchup
• Yellow mustard
• Small bottle of olive oil
• Peanuts
• Craisins
• Sunflower seeds (for salad toppers)
• Tea bags
• Coffee
• NuCo coconut wraps
• Low FODMAP granola bars
• Low FODMAP cold cereal
• Olives
• Nuts

I have found it helpful to keep camping lists and some favorite camp meals saved on my phone or attached to this storage bin to help me remember what to pack trip to trip.

The majority of these low FODMAP food suggestions can be prepared at a tent site with access to water, a campfire, and a cooler. A small grill or a simple Coleman propane stove is super helpful and will expand your food options.

Let’s Have A Low FODMAP Camping Breakfast

Here are some breakfast ideas that can be prepared in advance or at your campsite.

• Overnight oats–  These have became a breakfast staple in my house, camping or not. They are so easy to meal prep, plus provide a hefty fiber boost in the morning. Stir together the night before and store in the cooler.
• Yogurt Parfaits made with lactose-free yogurt such as Green Valley Organics, Yoplait Lactose-Free, YQ by Yoplait, or Siggi’s Plain Lactose-Free Skyr Yogurt, along with Green Light servings of your favorite low FODMAP berries, and ¼ cup (30 g) low FODMAP granola such as our Maple Pumpkin Spice Granola or Nature’s Path Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola.
• Pancakes are everyone’s favorite! Gluten Free Bisquik Pancake and Baking Mix or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pancake Mix make yummy pancakes that everyone should enjoy. Don’t forget the pure maple syrup.
• Based on the cooking situations you can make these in advance or on the spot if you have a stove. Serve with real maple syrup and butter. I found this handy dandy squeezable maple syrup from Thrive Market. Click the image to purchase.
  

Tip: you can premix pancake batter at home and pour into a plastic bag. Just snip the corner edge when ready to cook your pancakes for less mess. Keep chilled until needed.

• Egg in a bag– place your eggs and favorite low FODMAP add-ins like cheese, bell peppers, tomatoes, and spinach into a quart size plastic bag that is formulated to be submerged in hot and boiling water and carefully submerge in boiling water until the eggs are cooked.
• French toast – prepared with low FODMAP bread, lactose free milk, egg, and cinnamon made in advance or the morning of if you have access to a propane stove. I found this website for detailed instructions on how to perfect French toast while camping, substitute sourdough bread and lactose-free milk to keep it low FODMAP.
• Hard-boiled eggs, small ripe banana, and 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut butter.
• Low FODMAP muffins, low FODMAP fruit, and hard-boiled or scrambled eggs.
• Low FODMAP banana bread, low FODMAP fruit, and hard-boiled or scrambled eggs.
• Enjoy Life Breakfast Ovals – Berry Medley, Chocolate Chip Banana, Maple Fig are all Certified low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly.
• Cold cereal and lactose-free, oat, or almond milk. Check out our Low FODMAP Shopping Lists to get dozens of specific brand ideas. Cheerios, Rice Chex, and Rice Krispies are a few popular options and can now also be found Low FODMAP Certified by Monash!
• Breakfast sausages are easy to heat up in a skillet or skewer over the fire. There are many options on our Low FODMAP Shopping lists that do not contain garlic and onion. Applegate Naturals Organic Chicken and Maple Breakfast Sausages and Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Turkey Sausage Links are easy to find at most stores.

Tip: If you have access to a stove, scrambled eggs are easy; just crack all the eggs you need in a plastic container before you leave so egg transportation is much easier.

Let’s Do Lunch

Don’t forget to replenish mid-day with lunch:

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with a sugar sweetened strawberry jam and low FODMAP bread. Justin’s makes single serving peanut butter packets, which are super easy to pack.
• Deli meat sandwich. Your choice of garlic and onion free deli meat, mayonnaise – Hellman’s and Best Foods mayo is low FODMAP – brown or yellow mustard, a slice of cheese, and low FODMAP bread.
• Chicken or tuna salad paired with low FODMAP crackers or bread. Check out this article to learn more about low FODMAP tuna options.
• Aged cheese, low FODMAP nuts and crackers, and a piece of fruit such as an orange, honeydew, cantaloupe, or grapes.
• A little bento box or small container with little dividers filled with carrot sticks, gluten free pretzels, ten almonds, cheese cubes, grapes, and black or green olives make for a fun lunch that can be modified to be super kid friendly.
• Quinoa salad is easy to prepare in advance and taste great cold. Here is a delicious Asian inspired quinoa salad found on Monash’s website.
• Cold pasta salad makes for a simple meal. Check out this Low FODMAP Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Feta & Dill using Fody’s Low FODMAP Salad Dressing, either Garden Herb or Caesar

Fuel Your Hike: Camping Snacks

Here are a few low FODMAP granola bars for quick snacks or hiking fuel – or even for while lounging around the swimming hole:

• GoMacro bar – Peanut Butter Protein Replenishment and Sunflower Butter and Chocolate
• Nature Valley Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bar
• Low FODMAP certified bars by FODY, Rachel Paul’s Happy Bars, and Stellar Labs Protein Bars
• Enjoy Life Chewy Bars Coco Loco, Crispy Grain & Seed Banana Caramel Bar, Crispy Grain & Seed Chocolate Marshmallow Bar, and Crispy Grain & Seed Maple Sweet Potato Bar
• Bobo Bites – Original, Coconut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Lemon Poppy seed, and Original with Chocolate Chipsor half a 2.5 oz
• Health Warrior Organic Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Seed Bars – the honey falls within safe serving size.

Simple Snack Ideas To Make or Put Together

• DIY Snack Mix– combine gluten free pretzels (such as Snyder’s or Glutino), Rice Chex one tablespoon raisins or Craisins, 1 to 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, and a green serve portion of your favorite nut.
• Trail Mix – 1 tablespoon Craisins or raisins and green serve portion of your favorite nut such as peanuts, pecans, or walnuts.
• Rice cakes and peanut butter
• Jiffy Pop Butter Flavored Popcorn or make your own with a campfire popcorn maker like this one.
• Small portion of banana chips
• Low FODMAP Trail Mix Energy Balls

You May Want To Read: 8 Easy-To-Find Low FODMAP Snacks You Have to Try  and Best Low FODMAP Snacks: For On The Run

Be sure to check out our Low FODMAP Snacks and Sweets Collection on Amazon!

Dining By The Campfire

It’s time for low FODMAP dinner!

• Hobo packs or Grill Packs – These make your own foil packets are basically meat and your choice of low FODMAP vegetables such as thin sliced potatoes, carrots, zucchini, green beans, etc, seasoned with salt and pepper, wrapped in foil and cooked over the fire. Add a drizzle of garlic-infused oil, if you like.
• Baked potato – Did you know that there are NO FODMAPs detected in white potatoes? Just wrap your spud in foil, toss into a hot spot in the fire and top with butter, small portion sour cream, salt and pepper.
• Quesadillas – Just sprinkle a little shredded aged cheese between two corn tortillas or Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas , wrap in foil, and set on camp fire griddle until warm. Dip in FODY Salsa or Casa de Santé Salsa.
• Stick Food – Basically any food that you can cook on a stick, think chicken sausages without garlic and onion (The Original Brat Hans Bratwurst Chicken Sausage found at Wholefoods is my favorite) or a low FODMAP hot dog. Check out our article, All About Low FODMAP Hot Dogs to learn which ones we believe to be low FODMAP.
• Burgers – Unseasoned hamburger, turkey, or a low FODMAP veggie burgers are barbecue staples that require little preparation. The Original Sunshine Burger Garden Herb is my favorite veggie burger. Low FODMAP veggies burgers are hard to find, most contain garlic, onion, and beans. Canyon Bakehouse, Trader Joe and Udi’s gluten free white hot dog and hamburger buns are all low FODMAP. Stick with a teaspoon of ketchup and yellow mustard if desired.

Tip: if you want more help finding low FODMAP condiments, here are some of our favorites that can easily be stored in your food bin.

• Grilled Meats – Grilled steak, chicken, pork loin, or fish seasoned with salt and pepper or your favorite low FODMAP spice blends. Or marinate you proteins in advance with a low FODMAP marinade like FODY Teriyaki and store in a zip top bag and grill up at camp.
• Prepackaged Fully Cooked Meats – It is becoming more common to find already cooked meats at the market now, just read the label and avoid meats containing garlic and onion. Trader Joe’s Pork Belly or Grass Fed Beef Sirloin Roast are a few low FODMAP options.

You May Want To Download:Trader Joe’s Low FODMAP Supermarket List

• FODMAPPED For You carries a line of certified low FODMAP entrées that can easily be heated up in a pot.
• Tofu dishes are easy to prepare in advance and can easily be wrapped in foil for a quick warm up or eaten cold. Here is an easy tofu dish by Audrey Inouye BSc, BaSc, RD, Tasty Marinated Tofu.

How About Some Easy Side Dishes?

No need to forgo the side dishes even though your are camping:

• Fruit! Blueberries, cantaloupe, honeydew and citrus tend to hold up best when prepped in advance and stored in the cooler for several days.
• Edamame sprinkled with a little salt.
• Raw vegetables that hold up for several days in a cooler include carrot sticks, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes. I find it helpful to prepare a low FODMAP dip like this hummus recipe or maybe a low FODMAP salad dressing for easy dipping.
• Salads – Those pre-washed lettuce bags are simple, just top with a tablespoon of Craisins, a few crushed low FODMAP nuts and your favorite low FODMAP salad dressing.
• Minute Rice – Brown or white is super easy and fast!
• Lotus Foods has a few different precooked rice bowls that need to just be warmed up. Just top you favorite protein and vegetable for a low mess meal.
• Cold cooked quinoa makes a decent side in a pinch. Many brands also carry precooked quinoa, just warm up in a pot at camp.
• Seeds of Change Brown & Red Rice with Chia & Kale is precooked and can easily be warmed up.

Campfire Desserts

• What is a campfire without s’mores? Most marshmallows contain corn syrup, not high fructose corn syrup – the high FODMAP ingredient, but double check the label. A small piece of milk chocolate or a bigger piece of dark chocolate and one to two sweet crackers like this brand, Nairn’s Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Oats & Syrup is pretty close to a S’More. I have not been able to find a true low FODMAP graham cracker. Read All About Dark Chocolate, for detailed info.
• My new favorite campfire dessert is to skewer a large strawberry dipped in Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Cream and slowly roast on the fire, messy but delicious.
• Banana Boats: Slice one small ripe banana down the middle and fill with any of these yummy ingredients, peanut butter, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, or strawberries, wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil and cook on campfire grate until warm.

Don’t Forget to Hydrate

Here are some low FODMAP camping options for beverages:

• Lactose-Free Milk – I often fill up a Nalgene or other small water bottle with lactose-free milk. This is perfect for a cold cereal, coffee, or hot cocoa. Store in the cooler, of course. I found this shelf stable lactose-free milk by Natrel looks convenient if cooler space is limited. Shelf stable almond milk is also an option.
• Who needs coffee? While I love my percolator and French press, they are a bit bulky. Instant coffee like the Starbucks Via work like a charm.
• For you serious hikers an oral rehydration drink, aka “ a sports drink” may be a good idea Skratch Hydration Drink Mix uses cane syrup and dextrose versus fructose and other high FODMAP ingredients. Nuun Sports Hydration Tablets are a portable option to boost your electrolytes on hot days – just stick with low FODMAP flavors, there are no high FODMAP ingredients in the natural flavors.

Where To Go When You Need To Go….

When camping it’s important to prepare for bouts of IBS-D or IBS-C. Sometimes when our routines are disrupted, even for fun, our systems get out of whack. So be prepared. Here are our recommendations:

Stay Regular – Fiber!

Carry your tried and true solutions with you – fiber supplements such as Certified low FODMAP Regular Girl or Certified MSPrebiotics that you can easily add to your meals to keep you regular. Psyllium, PHGG, and acacia are my top recommendations, peppermint capsules, peppermint tea, or you favorite “go to” supplement in case of a flare. It may be challenging to consume your typical fiber goal when camping resulting in some bowel disruption. I always pack my psyllium husk powder, miralax, and magnesium to have on hand!

You can always add chia seeds and flax seeds to give your oatmeal, hot cereal, or yogurt a fiber boost.

Keep Clean and Comfortable

Make sure you have gentle, all natural, fragrance free wipes to help keep yourself comfortable and clean.

And if you are going to be set up somewhere for a couple of days and there is no porta-potty nearby then you can set your own up! This combination of pop-up potty tent, snap on toilet lid for a bucket and potty bags will help keep everyone and the environment healthy and clean.

Remember…. pack out what you bring in. And have fun!

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We LOVE Vanessa’s articles and if you have a family, we think you will find them helpful, too. Check out her article on BACK TO SCHOOL!

Also read her article on Intermittent Fasting, what you need to know, as well as an interesting review that she did for us on a nutrition-focused conference.

Van Fan?

If you love van travel, we have an article specifically for you: Van Travel with IBS: Low FODMAP On The Road.

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I hope this gives you several low FODMAP meal and snack suggestions for your next camping adventure.

Time to get outside and enjoy nature!

What are your favorite low FODMAP foods or products to bring when you go camping?