30-Day Elimination Diet Meal Plan For Identifying Food Sensitivities | Nourish (2024)

If you think some foods or drinks are affecting your health or causing discomfort after eating, consider trying an elimination diet.

It’s not an evidence-based approach, but with the proper guidance from a professional nutrition expert, you may gain better insight into how foods make you feel.

Keep reading to learn more about an elimination diet and why a registered dietitian is essential for this approach.

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Elimination Diet Basics: Getting Started

An elimination diet is a temporary eating pattern that may help you identify links between your nutritional intake and food sensitivities.

Developing an elimination plan is a highly personalized practice that should be done under the guidance of a registered dietitian.

They can ensure your meals remain nutritionally balanced and help you track your symptoms.

Although there are no published guidelines for following an elimination diet, most protocols follow these three steps:

1. Eliminate certain foods from your eating plan and observe any change in your symptoms. Keep track of your symptoms with a food journal, app, or voice memos—whichever method is easiest for you.
2. If you feel better after removing these foods, continue to avoid them. This is referred to as the maintenance phase of an elimination diet.
3. End the elimination diet by reintroducing trigger foods back into your diet. You and your dietitian will try to establish the threshold (or portion size) you can tolerate and still feel comfortable. This step is often overlooked but is very important for maintaining a robust diet long-term.

What to Limit on an Elimination Diet

Below are common food intolerances and associated foods you may want to limit while following an elimination diet:

• Dairy.
• Wheat.
• High FODMAP foods (foods with a type of carbohydrate that is difficult for some people to digest, e.g., wheat, soy milk, shallots, and artificial sweeteners).
• Histamine.
• Food additives.

You may have sensitivities to foods that are not mentioned on this list.

To gain better insight, track your dietary intake and document your symptoms after eating.

If you notice a pattern between certain food items and symptoms, bring up your concerns to your health professional.

Elimination Diet Meal Plan

We created a sample 30-day elimination meal plan, which addresses the common food intolerances indicated above, to help you identify possible food sensitivities.

This eating plan is as nutritionally balanced as possible but is still very limited and shouldn’t be followed long-term.

We strongly urge you to use this elimination diet as an investigative way to determine how food could affect you—not as a remedy.

Ask your dietitian for appropriate serving sizes and let them know if you need more variety.

Week 1

Breakfasts

• Overnight oats with unsweetened soy milk, chia seeds, raspberries, and blackberries.
• Egg omelet with spinach, red bell pepper, shredded sweet potato, and cracked black pepper.
• Cold cereal (puffed rice) with diced apple, cinnamon, and your preferred lactose-free milk (dairy or plant-based alternative).
• Hot oatmeal with strawberries, nut butter, and ground cinnamon.
• Smoothie with coconut milk, banana, spinach, nut butter, and plain lactose-free Greek yogurt.
• Four-ingredient pancakes with egg, mashed banana, chickpea flour, and baking powder.
• Savory porridge with cooked oats, bamboo shoots, bok choy, and an egg. Dress with sesame oil and low-sodium soy sauce.

Lunches

• Sandwich with sourdough bread, smashed chickpeas, shredded lettuce, sprouts, mint, and yellow mustard.
• Quinoa bowl with black beans, shredded lettuce, tomato, and cilantro. Dress with garlic-infused olive oil and a spritz of lime.
• Lettuce wraps with shrimp, diced cucumber, julienned turnip, pumpkin seeds, and mayonnaise.
• Lentil soup with carrots, celery, and spinach. Use low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth and your favorite spices (but no garlic or onion powders as they are high FODMAP).
• Grilled chicken sandwich with whole wheat bread, cucumber, lettuce, and mayonnaise.
• Tofu bowl with cooked quinoa, zucchini, red bell pepper, and tomato. Add a tablespoon of feta and drizzle with olive oil.
• Tuna dressed with olive oil, fresh basil, diced bell pepper, walnuts, and goat cheese. Serve with a whole wheat English muffin.

Dinners

• Baked salmon and roasted sweet potato. Serve with a green leafy salad.
• Extra-lean ground beef tacos with corn tortillas, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, lactose-free sour cream (optional), and mild green chilies.
• Grilled cod served with brown rice and roasted vegetables (carrots, bok choy).
• Air-fryer tempeh with cooked millet and sautéed spinach, peppers, and carrots. Dress with sesame oil and seeds.
• Roasted pork loin with apples, served with herbed quinoa and a green leafy salad.
• Five-bean chili with tomato, green bell pepper, fresh corn, carrots, and paprika seasoning.
• Grilled chicken breasts served with squash and a leafy green salad.

Week 2

Breakfasts

• Overnight oats with unsweetened soy milk, chia seeds, oranges, and passionfruit.
• Egg omelet with shredded kale, red bell pepper, and goat cheese. Serve with a slice of rye bread.
• Cold cereal (Cheerios) with diced banana, cinnamon, and your preferred lactose-free milk (dairy or plant-based alternative).
• Hot oatmeal with kiwifruit, nut butter, and ground cinnamon.
• Smoothie with lactose-free milk, blueberries, lemon zest, spinach, nut butter, and plain lactose-free Greek yogurt.
• Four-ingredient pancakes with egg, mashed banana, shredded sweet potato, and baking powder.
• Savory porridge with cooked oats, bell pepper, shredded carrots, and an egg. Dress with sesame oil and low-sodium soy sauce.

Lunches

• Open-faced sandwich with rye bread, air-fried lentil cakes, shredded lettuce, and horseradish.
• Wheatberry bowl with chickpeas, shredded lettuce, tomato, mint, basil, and feta. Dress with garlic-infused olive oil and a spritz of lime.
• Lettuce wraps with extra firm tofu, diced cucumber, julienned carrot, sunflower seeds, and hot sauce.
• Lemon chicken soup with carrots, celery, and Swiss chard. Use low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth and your favorite spices (but no garlic or onion powders as they are high FODMAP).
• Grilled eggplant sandwich with sourdough bread, tempeh, cucumber, lettuce, and mayonnaise.
• Tofu bowl with cooked buckwheat, kale, red bell pepper, and carrot. Add a tablespoon of goat cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
• Canned salmon mixed with olive oil, fresh oregano, capers, cucumber, lemon juice, and green pepper. Serve with wheat-free crackers.

Dinners

• Baked trout and roasted squash. Serve with a kale salad.
• Ground turkey tacos with corn tortillas, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, lactose-free sour cream (optional), and olives (also optional).
• Grilled chicken thighs served with brown rice and roasted vegetables (eggplant and bell peppers). Flavor with soy sauce and sesame seeds.
• Air-fried tofu served on wheatberries and sautéed Swiss chard, peppers, and turnips. Dress with avocado oil and sunflower seeds.
• Spinach salad with roasted chickpeas, orange slices, fresh bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, and feta cheese. Drizzle olive oil and spritz lemon juice before eating.
• Baked cod with fresh pineapple and green bell pepper salsa. Serve with a baked yam.
• Grilled shrimp served with spaghetti squash and a leafy green salad.

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Week 3

Breakfasts

• Overnight oats with unsweetened soy milk, chia seeds, dragonfruit, and pineapple.
• Egg omelet with Swiss chard, tomato, and feta cheese. Serve with a slice of sourdough bread.
• Cold cereal (quinoa flakes) with diced orange, ground clove, and your preferred lactose-free milk (dairy or plant-based alternative).
• Hot oatmeal with passionfruit, nut butter, and ground cinnamon.
• Smoothie with silky tofu, strawberries, lime zest (and juice), nut butter, and plain lactose-free Greek yogurt.
• Four-ingredient pancakes with egg, mashed banana, almond flour, and baking powder.
• Savory porridge with cooked oats, eggplant, bok choy, and an egg. Dress with sesame oil and low-sodium soy sauce.

Lunches

• Sandwich with sourdough bread, sliced turkey, shredded lettuce, tomato, and yellow mustard.
• Buckwheat bowl with roasted kidney beans, fresh baby spinach, tomato, basil, and feta cheese. Dress with garlic-infused olive oil and a spritz of lime.
• Lettuce wraps with chicken, diced tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, and a drizzle of tahini.
• Black bean soup with carrots, sweet potato, celery, kale, and fresh cilantro. Add fresh lime juice, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, and your favorite spices (but no garlic or onion powders, as they are high in FODMAPs).
• Grilled sirloin steak rice wraps with rice noodles, cilantro, mint, cucumber, carrot, and baby spinach. Dip in sweet and sour sauce.
• Hard-boiled egg served over cooked sorghum, eggplant, zucchini, and fresh tomato. Add a tablespoon of aged parmesan and drizzle with olive oil.
• Tuna cakes made with mayonnaise, lactose-free plain Greek yogurt, dill, lemon zest, egg, and red bell pepper. Serve with wheat free crackers.

Dinners

• Baked cod and roasted sweet potato and eggplant. Serve with a leafy green salad.
• Tofu tacos with corn tortillas, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, and lactose-free sour cream (optional).
• Grilled chicken skewer served with brown rice and roasted vegetables (oyster mushrooms and radish). Flavor with soy sauce and sesame seeds.
• Air-fried tofu served on quinoa, sautéed spinach, green chili pepper, and freshly shredded carrots. Dress with avocado oil and pumpkin seeds.
• Shredded kale salad with roasted lentils, blueberries, cucumber, carrots, olives (optional), and goat cheese. Drizzle olive oil and spritz lemon juice before eating.
• Turkey meatballs served on spaghetti squash. Garnish with olive oil, fresh basil, and aged parmesan cheese.
• Grilled pork chop served with roasted summer squash and a leafy green salad.

Week 4

Breakfasts

• Overnight oats with coconut milk, chia seeds, almonds, and raspberries.
• Egg omelet with sweet potato, tomato, and goat cheese.
• Cold cereal (puffed quinoa) with strawberries, walnuts, and your preferred lactose-free milk (dairy or plant-based alternative).
• Hot oatmeal with pineapple, fresh coconut, and ground cinnamon.
• Smoothie with silky tofu, blueberries, cocoa powder, nut butter, and plain lactose-free Greek yogurt.
• Four-ingredient pancakes with egg, mashed banana, oat flour, and baking powder.
• Savory porridge with cooked oats, pumpkin, Swiss chard, and an egg. Dress with sesame oil and low-sodium soy sauce.

Lunches

• Sandwich with rye bread, egg salad, and shredded lettuce.
• Brown rice bowl with white beans, fresh arugula, green beans, parsley, tomato, pine nuts, and a spritz of lemon. Dress with garlic-infused olive oil and lemon.
• Lettuce wraps with pineapple salmon ceviche (skip the onion), diced tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper.
• Turkey soup with carrots, sweet potato, spinach, and dried rosemary. Use low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth and your favorite spices (but no garlic or onion powders, as they are high FODMAPs).
• Sandwich with almond butter, fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and sunflower seeds.
• Ground turkey patties served on a wheat free bun with mayonnaise, tomato, and lettuce.
• Crab salad with mayonnaise, lactose-free plain Greek yogurt, mustard, and diced. Serve with wheat free crackers.

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Dinners

• Baked herring stuffed with fresh basil, parsley, rosemary and lemon. Serve with roasted potato and carrots. Add a leafy green salad on the side.
• Shrimp tacos with corn tortillas, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, green chili pepper, fresh corn, and lactose-free sour cream (optional).
• Grilled chicken breasts served with quinoa and roasted seasoned vegetables (tomato and turnips). Flavor with soy sauce and sesame seeds.
• Air-fried salmon served on wheatberies with sautéed collard greens and carrots. Top with fresh cilantro.
• Stir-fry vegetables (bok choy, carrot, green bean) with tofu and peanuts. Garnish with cilantro and serve with brown rice.
• Baked lentil balls served on spaghetti squash. Garnish with olive oil, fresh basil, diced tomato, a spoonful of tahini, and feta cheese.
• Grilled squid served with lemon and herb brown rice and a leafy green salad.

Snacks

Mix up your snacks throughout the week:

• Fresh fruit with sliced cheese.
• Fresh fruit with nut butter.
• Fresh-cut vegetables with avocado dip.
• Rice crackers with hummus.
• Trail mix with your favorite nuts.
• Lactose-free yogurt with fruits and nuts.

Who Should Follow an Elimination Diet?

There’s no official target demographic for an elimination diet because it isn’t an evidence-based approach.

If you suspect that foods or drinks may be causing symptoms (bloating, changes in stool habits, gas, etc.), you may want to explore an elimination diet under the guidance of a registered dietitian.

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Tips for Reintroducing Eliminated Foods

An elimination diet is meant to be temporary; you should eventually reintroduce eliminated foods.

Try to be methodical and slowly introduce items back into your diet. If you eat everything at once again, it will be hard to tell which foods might be contributing to your symptoms.

Your dietitian can help you build a plan to reintroduce these foods.

Takeaway

Feeling unsure about what to eat is frustrating, but working with a registered dietitian can help.

At Nourish, every dietitian offers online counseling that’s covered by insurance.

You’ll receive unconditional support and free resources to help you manage your health.

Find a dietitian who accepts insurance through Nourish today.