Living with IBS: Tips for Work, Eating Out and Travel
Updated October 2026
At home, you decide what goes on your plate. At the office, in a restaurant, on the move or at a friend’s house, that is harder, because onions and garlic often hide where you cannot see them. Here are tips you can put into practice straight away, from your packed lunch to a glass of wine at a party. Our article What are FODMAPs? explains how the FODMAP diet works, and our IBS guide covers diagnosis and treatment.
Key points
- Eating regularly and not leaving long gaps between meals is one of the basic rules for IBS. A packed lunch and snacks in your desk drawer make this easier at work.
- In restaurants, simple dishes such as grilled meat, fish or tofu with rice or potatoes are the easiest to adapt. Order sauces, dips and dressings on the side, because they often contain onion and garlic.
- For long flights, Monash University advises telling the airline which foods trigger your symptoms rather than ordering a gluten-free meal. Snacks belong in your hand luggage.
- According to Monash, beer, white wine, gin and whisky are low FODMAP in normal amounts, but rum and dessert wine are not. However, alcohol can irritate the gut even without FODMAPs.
- The guidelines recommend regular exercise for everyone with IBS. A symptom diary shows you what upsets your gut in everyday life and what does you good.
IBS at work, school and university
Lunchtime meetings, a sandwich at your desk, long days without a break: on working days, eating regularly can easily fall by the wayside, even though it is one of the basic rules for IBS. NICE guidance in the UK advises having regular meals, taking time to eat and not leaving long gaps between meals.
Cook extra the evening before or at the weekend and take the leftovers with you. You can freeze individual portions. Rice, potatoes, quinoa or rice pasta work well with chicken, fish, eggs or firm tofu, plus carrots, cucumber, aubergine or green beans.
Snacks that keep well are handy at work when a meeting runs over. You will find ideas with amounts under snacks on the go. In the canteen and for takeaways, the same rules apply as when eating out.
Coffee is low FODMAP, but it stimulates the gut in some people, even when it is decaffeinated. NICE advises no more than three cups of coffee or tea a day. Sugar-free chewing gum often contains sorbitol, which is not a good idea if you have diarrhoea.
A desk near the toilets, or working from home on bad days, can take the pressure off. When you are out and about in Switzerland, the Eurokey helps. Pro Infirmis issues it to people with a chronic bowel condition who have a doctor’s certificate. It costs a one-off CHF 45 and opens more than 3,400 accessible facilities, including many toilets.
Whether you mention your IBS to anyone is up to you. In Switzerland, a doctor’s certificate for your employer does not normally include a diagnosis, and in Germany the electronic sick note does not pass one on to your employer either. Some people find it helps to let one trusted colleague in on it.
School and university: On request, many universities in Switzerland and Germany make adjustments for students with a chronic illness, for example so that toilet breaks are not deducted from their exam time. A dedicated office at the university usually deals with this. For children, a word with the teacher helps, so that they are allowed to go to the toilet at any time. If a child eats a balanced diet, the German guideline advises against changing it because of IBS.
Low FODMAP snacks on the go
A snack in your bag stops you arriving at a restaurant ravenous or grabbing the first sandwich you see at the station. Monash suggests preparing snacks at the start of the week and adding some protein, because it keeps you full for longer. According to Monash, these examples are low FODMAP:
Snacks and amounts according to Monash
Based on information from Monash University (2016 to 2021). The Monash FODMAP app shows the current amounts, and our FODMAP list gives an overview with traffic lights.
Bars and ready-made snacks: Many cereal bars and snacks with health claims contain inulin, chicory root, honey, fruit juice concentrate, dried fruit or sugar alcohols such as sorbitol (E420) and maltitol (E965). According to Monash, inulin, onion powder and garlic powder count even in small amounts. Certified products make things easier, such as Fody’s nut bars, which according to the manufacturer are certified low FODMAP.
Eating out with IBS: how to order
In a restaurant, you do not know exactly what goes on in the kitchen. Onions and garlic are often hidden in stock, sauces, marinades and dips, where you cannot see them. These tips from Monash University help when you eat out:
Check the menu beforehand. Many restaurants put their menu online. If you have special requests, call outside the busiest times so that the kitchen can plan for them.
Keep it simple. The easiest dishes to adapt are grilled meat, fish, chicken or tofu with rice, potatoes or rice noodles and vegetables or salad. Wheat bread and wheat pasta contain fructans.
Sauces on the side. Ask for sauces, dips and dressings to be served separately, so that you decide how much to have. Oil and vinegar are all a salad needs.
Ask about stock and marinades. Soups, risotto and many sauces are made with stock, which often contains onion and garlic. Marinated meat can contain both as well.
Be specific. Name your two or three main triggers, for example ‘no onion or garlic’, and ask which dish can be made without them. Gluten-free protects you from wheat, not from onions. There is more on this in FODMAP vs gluten.
Plan your day around it. If you are eating out in the evening, keep breakfast and lunch low FODMAP, so that less builds up over the day. Read more in our article on FODMAP stacking.
Keep an eye on portion size, fat and spice. Large portions bring more FODMAPs with them, and very fatty or spicy food can irritate the gut as well, even if it is low FODMAP.
Which cuisines are easier?
The simpler a dish, the easier it is to adapt. Curries and other dishes with lots of sauce are harder, because onion and garlic often form the base. Examples from Monash University:
Based on Monash University posts from 2014 to 2020.
Enzymes can help: If you know from reintroduction that you react to fructans, GOS or lactose, FODZYME may be an option. According to the manufacturer, the enzyme powder breaks down these FODMAPs in your food when you sprinkle it over the first few bites at the table. It does not work on fructose or on polyols such as sorbitol. Read more in our FODZYME FAQ.
Travelling with IBS and going on holiday
On holiday, lots of things change at once: mealtimes, food, sleep and exercise. According to Monash, this is easier to handle if you know your triggers from reintroduction. Some people even tolerate more on holiday than at home, because they are more relaxed.
1Before you go
planning and packing
Look up restaurants and shops near where you are staying. Having a kitchen makes you more independent. If you are flying, snacks and any remedies you normally take go in your hand luggage.
2Getting there
plane, train and car
Eat well before short flights and take some nuts with you. For long flights, tell the airline your main triggers, such as onions, garlic and apples. According to Monash, a gluten-free meal is not a safe choice.
3Once you arrive
markets and restaurants
At the market, you will find fruit, vegetables, hard cheese, olives and nuts for a picnic. Learn how to say ‘without onion’ and ‘without garlic’ in the local language.
At the breakfast buffet
Good choices
- Eggs
- Hard cheese, Brie or Camembert
- Oats, for example as porridge with lactose-free milk
- One slice of ordinary bread, or spelt sourdough or gluten-free bread
- Kiwi, orange, mandarin, pineapple, blueberries and cantaloupe melon
- Maple syrup instead of honey
Best avoided
- Muesli with wheat or dried fruit
- Honey
- Apple and pear juice
- Apples, pears, mango and watermelon
- Milk and yoghurt, if you do not tolerate lactose well
- Larger amounts of wheat bread, croissants and rolls
Based on Monash University’s food list and serving sizes. You will find more foods with traffic light ratings in our FODMAP list.
Routine and fluids: Try to eat at regular times, even across time zones. NICE recommends at least eight cups of fluid a day, especially water or herbal tea, and having your own water bottle makes this easier.
Dinner invitations, parties and alcohol
At drinks parties, birthdays and over the festive season, a lot comes together: fatty food, hidden FODMAPs in dips, sauces and stuffings, alcohol and often stress as well. According to Monash, this is why many people with IBS have more symptoms than usual at celebrations. These tips help:
Have a small low FODMAP meal beforehand, so that you will not reach for everything when the nibbles come round.
Offer to bring a dish that you tolerate and that is filling, in case it turns out to be the only safe option.
Fill up on what you tolerate and only try a little of everything else. Good options include peanuts, olives without garlic, hard cheese, rice crackers, sushi, smoked salmon and roast meat without gravy.
With flavoured crisps, nuts and crackers, it is worth reading the label, because according to Monash, vegetable powder often contains onion or garlic. Sauces, stuffings and dips often contain hidden FODMAPs too.
In busy weeks, plan some quiet evenings with a low FODMAP meal, plenty of water and no alcohol. According to Monash, stress can trigger symptoms.
According to Monash, a few hidden FODMAPs will not undo your progress. Afterwards, simply carry on eating as usual.
Having fondue or raclette? We have put together separate tips: Low FODMAP and lactose-free fondue, raclette and fondue chinoise.
Alcohol and IBS: what Monash says
Monash University has tested various alcoholic drinks in its laboratory. Most are low FODMAP, but a few are not:
Even low FODMAP drinks can cause symptoms, because alcohol acts directly on the gut and can change how it moves and how permeable it is. In observational studies, around a third of people with IBS report symptoms after drinking alcohol. NICE advises cutting down on alcohol and fizzy drinks. Your diary will show you how much you can tolerate.
Exercise, stress and sleep
Not every symptom comes from food. Here is what the guidelines and Monash University say about exercise, stress and sleep:
The British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) advises regular exercise for everyone with IBS, and so does the German guideline. In a Swedish study of 102 people, symptoms eased more than in the comparison group when participants were moderately to vigorously active three to five times a week for 12 weeks. Taking the stairs, walking and cycling to get around all count too.
Stress changes how the gut moves and, in IBS, can make you more aware of sensations in your abdomen. NICE advises making the most of your free time and setting aside time to relax.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy are among the psychological treatments with the best evidence in IBS. The German guideline recommends offering them where appropriate. Our IBS guide explains how they work.
Monash advises early nights and good sleep during busy weeks. Note in your diary how you slept, so that you can see whether bad nights and bad days go together for you.
Symptom diary: spotting patterns in everyday life
A diary shows you which situations, foods and amounts give you symptoms, and what does you good. The German IBS guideline names a properly structured food and symptom diary as a way to find your personal food triggers.
What to write down
The Monash FODMAP app has a diary for food, symptoms, bowel movements and stress. You can export your entries, and according to Monash they are stored on your device. A notebook works just as well.
Some symptoms do not fit IBS, such as blood in your stool, unintentional weight loss, fever or symptoms that wake you at night. You will find an overview of the warning signs in our IBS guide.
Frequently asked questions about living with IBS
What can I eat at a restaurant if I have IBS?
The easiest options are grilled meat, fish, chicken or tofu with rice, potatoes and vegetables or salad. Order sauces, dips and dressings on the side, because they often contain onion and garlic. Soups, risotto and curries are harder.
What are good snacks for IBS on the go?
Good choices are 10 almonds, about 20 g of peanuts or walnuts, rice cakes, popcorn, hard cheese, a hard-boiled egg or a kiwi. Cashews, pistachios and dried fruit are high FODMAP, and many bars contain inulin, honey or sugar alcohols. You will find more ideas under snacks on the go.
Can I drink alcohol if I have IBS?
The guidelines do not forbid alcohol, but NICE advises cutting down. According to Monash, beer, white wine, gin, vodka and whisky are low FODMAP in normal amounts, while rum and dessert wine are not. However, alcohol can irritate the gut even without FODMAPs.
What helps when travelling with IBS?
Plan meals and snacks in advance, look up restaurants and shops near where you are staying and pack your usual remedies in your hand luggage. Accommodation with a kitchen makes you more independent. Some people even tolerate more on holiday, because they are more relaxed.
Do I have to tell my employer that I have IBS?
As a rule, no. In Switzerland, a doctor’s certificate for your employer does not normally include a diagnosis, and in Germany your employer does not learn it from the electronic sick note either. Whether you talk openly about it is up to you.
What should I do if I slip up when eating out?
No need to panic: according to Monash, a few hidden FODMAPs will not undo your progress. Afterwards, carry on eating low FODMAP as usual and note what happened in your diary.
Does exercise help with IBS?
The British and German guidelines recommend regular exercise for everyone with IBS. In one study, symptoms eased more after 12 weeks of increased activity than in a comparison group that kept to its usual routine.
Can stress trigger IBS symptoms?
Yes, in some people. Stress changes how the gut moves and, in IBS, can make you more aware of sensations in your abdomen. Gut-directed hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy are among the treatments with the best evidence in IBS.
Sources: Monash University, eating out: Eating out tips and tricks (2020), Eating out on a low FODMAP diet (2017), Italian, Chinese, French and Indian (2017), Eating out Asian style (2015), Greek cuisine (2014) · Monash University, travel: Travelling on a low FODMAP diet (2016), Europe on a low FODMAP diet: go to the market (2016) · Monash University, snacks and serving sizes: Low FODMAP snacks (2021), Popcorn (2016), Bananas re-tested (2017), Serving size and FODMAPs (2017), Practical guide to beginning the diet (2018) · Monash University, High and low FODMAP foods · Monash University, Label reading and FODMAPs (2021) · Monash University, alcohol: How alcohol can impact IBS (2022), More than FODMAPs: alcohol and IBS (2018) · Monash University, Non-FODMAP dietary triggers of IBS symptoms (2024) · Monash University, festive season: Preventing festive flare-ups of IBS (2015), 7 tips for the festive season (2021) · Monash University, App help (Diary) · NICE, Irritable bowel syndrome in adults (CG61) · Vasant et al., BSG guidelines on the management of IBS (Gut 2021) · DGVS and DGNM, German S3 guideline on irritable bowel syndrome (2021, under revision) · Johannesson et al., Physical activity improves symptoms in IBS (Am J Gastroenterol 2011) · SAMW and FMH, Legal guide: medical certificates for employers (in German) · gesund.bund.de, Electronic certificate of incapacity for work (in German) · Pro Infirmis, Eurokey · Adjustments for students: University of Zurich, Disability Office, Deutsches Studierendenwerk (both in German) · Kiwi Biosciences, FODZYME help pages: Dosing instructions, What if FODZYME isn’t working? · Fody Foods, Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Snack Bars
Photo: Ella Olsson on Unsplash
