Runner Up
Winner
Best Meal Kit
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that affects the gut and digestive systems. It’s estimated that 25-45 million people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in just the United States alone. Common symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, and changes in bowel patterns. At its worst, IBS can cause weight loss, lead to malnutrition, and severely impact a person’s quality of life.
Irritable bowel can be unpredictable and range in severity. However, it’s food that triggers IBS, so taking a right dietary approach is important for managing these symptoms. High FODMAP foods are high on the list of triggers for IBS. These foods are high in fermentable carbs and can cause digestive distress in anyone, but especially in people who suffer from IBS.
Planning and preparing meals that fit into your IBS control plan can be frustrating and exhausting. IBS meal delivery eliminates the stress and guesswork so that you can focus on eating in a way that supports your gut health and reduces IBS symptoms. We’ve tried a lot of meal services and found these three to be the best for meals that won’t trigger IBS symptoms in most people.
Modify Health
BEST OVERALL MEAL DELIVERY FOR IBS
Modify Health is our top choice for meals explicitly designed for people with IBS. They offer a Low-FODMAP plan, where you can choose to have just meals delivered weekly or opt for the Low-FODMAP program that includes expert support from a specially trained GI registered dietitian.
Modify Health is one of the only certified Low FODMAP meal delivery service options, and their meal choices are designed to make a positive change in digestive health. Modify Health’s weekly menu includes about thirty dishes that are free of common trigger foods. Meal options include breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Key Benefits
- A great selection of low-FODMAP meals
- Optional nutrition support from a registered dietician that has been trained on the low-FODMAP diet
- Low-FODMAP meals delivered to your door every week, without extra shipping charges
- Meals are delivered fresh, not frozen, and are vacuum sealed to extend freshness
- You can cancel anytime or pause your subscription
Epicured
RUNNER UP BEST MEAL DELIVERY FOR IBS
Epicured is a popular meal service that offers low-FODMAP and gluten-free meals, all prepared for you from Epicured’s delicious recipes. Every dish prepared in Epicured’s kitchen is 100% gluten-free and made with clinically recommended ingredients for anyone dealing with IBS, IBD, and non-Celiac gluten sensitivity.
Epicured meals are not only gentle on your digestive system, but they also taste great too. Epicured earned the Good Housing seal of approval and was named the Best Gluten-Free service of 2021. Epicured offers a good selection of meals designed for the low-FODMAP diet, although their selection is slightly less than what you’ll find with ModifyHealth.
Key Benefits
- Epicured eliminates preservatives and additives from their meals
- Follow sustainable practices when sourcing their meat and other ingredients
- Offers separate menus for meals that are 100% low-FODMAP and for meals that are exclusively gluten-free, which are nice options for when you’re coming off of the elimination phase of the FODMAP diet
- Portions sizes are generous
- Choose full meals or a la carte items for more variety
Green Chef
BEST MEAL KIT DELIVERY FOR THE REINTRODUCTION PHASE OF THE FODMAP DIET
Green Chef is a meal kit delivery service that offers a meal plan for almost any dietary lifestyle. While they don’t have an exclusively low-FODMAP option, they do offer both a keto/paleo plan and a gluten-free plan. Many of their meals are suitable for people with IBS. They’re also great for once you move on from the elimination phase of the FODMAP diet and onto the reintroduction phase.
The nice thing about keto meal delivery services like this one, which is also gluten-free, is that you actually make the meals yourself. So if a dish sounds delicious but it contains a single ingredient that doesn’t agree with your IBS, it can easily be omitted in your own kitchen, even substituting with something else if you prefer.
Key Benefits
- Green Chef Is Certified Organic
- Keto meals are gluten-free, and paleo meals are dairy-free
- Plant-based options that are suitable during the reintroduction phase
- Meals are made in your own kitchen, using prepackaged ingredients, usually in less than 30 minutes or so
- Easy to omit ingredients that trigger gastrointestinal symptoms
Buying Guide
Physicians and nutritionists often prescribe Low-FODMAP diets to help deal with the uncomfortable and often painful symptoms of irritable bowel, Celiac Disease, and also a condition known as small intestine bacterial overgrowth, which can present with similar symptoms to IBS.
The acronym of FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are all fancy names for short-chain carbohydrates that are difficult for the body to break down and digest.
The reason that high FODMAP foods (including dairy products with lactose, certain types of sugars, and some fruits and vegetables) aren’t gut-friendly is that as they move undigested through the digestive system, they pull in extra water, which creates a feeling of fullness, bloating, and diarrhea.
The second thing that happens when you eat FODMAPs is that they take so long to digest that they begin to ferment in the digestive tract. As hungry bacteria feed on the undigested food, this creates gas. Most people experience a degree of symptoms when eating a food that’s high in FODMAPs, but for people with irritable bowel and other digestive disorders, the symptoms are much more severe and often quite painful.
There are solutions for irritable bowel syndrome, including eating a diet that is low in FODMAPs, using meal services, including the ones mentioned here, and researching recipes for low FODMAP dishes. These are all great ways to add some variety to your gut-friendly weekly menu.
Key Takeaways
Eating the right foods that are free of FODMAPs is one of the most effective strategies for reducing or eliminating the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Our top choice for low-FODMAP meals delivered is ModifyHealth meals. They offer certified low-FODMAP options, free delivery, good pricing, and a wide selection of dishes on the menu each week. Epicured is a solid second choice.
We also like Green Chef for its selection of dairy-free paleo and keto options that can be adapted as you begin to reintroduce foods back into your diet. You don’t have to suffer from painful irritable bowel symptoms or eat boring food every week. Try one of these excellent meal services and see for yourself!