Key takeaways:
- People with IBS may avoid social situations centered around food, but with a little practice and some adjustments, dining out can become enjoyable rather than frightening.
- Checking the menu online beforehand, ordering simple dishes, asking waitstaff about hidden ingredients like garlic and onion, and eating smaller portions can help prevent a flare.
- Alcohol is a gut irritant; low FODMAP drinks like red wine, dry white wine, or gin may be easier to handle, but moderation and hydration still matter.
- Because anxiety can be a major culprit in setting off IBS symptoms, relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or hypnotherapy before going out may help.
Dining out should be enjoyable. Whether it's for a birthday, a romantic anniversary, or a treat for those days when you can't be bothered cooking, restaurants should be fun, not frightening. However, people with IBS may not feel enthusiastic about eating out and may avoid social situations centered around food.
Managing food sensitivities when dining out
With increasing numbers of people reporting different food sensitivities, restaurants and bars are now used to providing information about their menu's ingredients.
Gut-friendly gluten-free and lactose-free options are readily available in most places. You might find it reassuring to contact the restaurant beforehand or check their online menu to get familiar with the food choices.
If you follow a specific diet, such as the low FODMAP from Monash University
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