FODMAP reintroduction schedule: a week-by-week planning grid

What reintroduction is for

The low FODMAP diet is usually described in phases. In the first, you limit high FODMAP foods for a few weeks. If symptoms improve, the next step is to add foods back slowly. NIDDK notes that you may be able to eat some foods with FODMAPs without IBS symptoms. The aim is a diet that is as varied as your own tolerance allows, not a permanent list of foods to avoid.

The British Dietetic Association notes that a doctor may refer you to a dietitian, who can make sure your diet stays nutritionally adequate during a dietary change. FODMAP Friendly also recommends guidance from a FODMAP-trained dietitian before you start the challenge phase. If you have not seen one yet, ask your doctor about a referral.

The usual shape of a schedule

Dietitian-run sources describe the same structure, though details vary from clinic to clinic:

• One FODMAP group per challenge. That way a reaction points to one group. The four groups used in the app are fructose, lactose, oligosaccharides (fructans and GOS) and polyols.
• About three days per challenge. Amounts usually start moderate and go up over the days. FODMAP Friendly describes moderate, then high, then very high, with the doses set by a dietitian.
• Washout days between challenges. You return to your usual low FODMAP eating for two to three days. This matters especially after a reaction, so each test starts from a settled baseline.
• A stopping rule. If a challenge brings a sharp increase in symptoms, stop challenging that group and return to low FODMAP meals until things calm down. Ask your dietitian what counts as a reaction for you.

Full plans often take longer than one cycle. Sources mention about 8 to 12 weeks, because plans may test subgroups, repeat an unclear result or pause while symptoms settle.

A planning grid to adapt

This is a layout, not a prescription. It assumes three challenge days and three washout days for each group. Change the order, the length and the groups to match your dietitian’s plan. The test foods and amounts are for them to choose.

Starting from a calm baseline matters. Begin when your symptoms have been stable for a while, and avoid a week with travel, a very stressful stretch or a medication change if you can.

What to log during each challenge

1. The test food and the amount, every day of the challenge.
2. Everything else you ate. A clean test is only clean if the rest of the meal is low FODMAP.
3. Symptoms with times and severity. Reactions can show up hours later. FODMAP Friendly mentions a window of roughly 4 to 24 hours, so keep logging the next morning.
4. Stool form, using the Bristol chart.
5. Context: sleep, stress, your cycle and anything unusual.

You can log this on the printable two-week diary or in Bloat Gone. In the app, you can mark your current dietary phase and see the day count, and the app suggests when to review the next phase. That suggestion is a prompt to review, not an instruction.

After the challenges

Look at the whole record with your dietitian. One tough day can have other causes, and a food that bothers you at a large amount may be fine at a smaller one. A useful result is often a portion you tolerate, not a yes or no. Stacking also matters: several foods that are fine alone can add up in one meal.

This page does not replace a dietitian’s plan. See the food guide for the app’s food ratings at listed servings. It is a lookup, not a challenge protocol.