This goes in recipes thread but I don't know how to post it there!
 

I am always stumped as to what to fix for hubby's and my lunch every day. I am on a really restricted diet with no dairy and low-fiber and low-fat. It's tough. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated! Love this board!

That does not leave much beside water. Try your public library, checking out just about any cookbook that has Paleo in the title or description, and there are a lot. The ones by Mark Sisson come to mind first. He is very much against the starches and beans, and as a child of the MidSouth, I was raised on beans, greens, cornbread, and catfish. In my view, these paleo recipes are not one size fits all, adapt to fit what is best for you. I've gone back over and over to his recipe for beef roast (substituting pork) and onions using coconut oil in a cast iron pot in the oven, cook on low for 3 hours, alternating covered and uncovered, a lot of rosemary in the spices. I think some of the cookbooks are pumped out just to fill a market niche, Paleo and Gluten-free being buzz words right now, but some are wonderful resources. Against All Grain is also a good book, think it is by Denise Walker. I see people going into Dairy Queen and McD asking for hamburgers wrapped in lettuce, leave off the bread.

Thank you for the input. We think I have IBS which eliminates so many foods that it is difficult! I have requested several cookbooks from the library mostly for this problem. Just at a loss sometimes as to what to fix since hubby is ok with most anything but will only eat certain things. I am basically on noodles, bananas, rice and white bread. I don't think gluten is my problem since that's what I've been eating since I came off dairy. I really don't think dairy is my problem either. I think it is mainly going to be raw veggies (which I love), and high fiber stuff.....including nuts, seedy-things, skins on stuff, and many, many green things. Like you said, "mostly water!" haha! Thanks again. have a good day!

oh and of course, NOTHING fried.

I'm thinking that if your doctor prescribed this diet for you, he must be associated with a hospital that has registered dieticians on staff who could help you with this difficult diet plan. Call the office and ask for a referral. Also, in the HyVee grocery stores here in the Midwest there are registered dieticians employed who can help people with their nutrition needs. Ask around in your area, surely there is a similar service available. I know that my DD was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and her doctor told her specifically not to look on the internet at the supposed diet cures for this problem because none of that has any real effect. Most of that is just selling books.

I too have been bothered with IBS most of my life. Have you ever heard of Heather's Tummy Fiber? It has been a life-saver for me. She has a website and you can sign up for a newsletter to tell what the latest research says about IBS. I order from both Amazon and Iherb.com. I can eat many foods that would bother other suffers of IBS, but I carefully read all labels, trying to avoid MSG, Sulfites, and anything that says "Natural Flavors", which can hide MSG.

If you have a hospital or rest home near you ask if you can speak to their dietitian. Often they will help you without charge if the need is just for suggestions.

My friend's daughter has occasional stomach discomfort, so she tried the Whole 30 plan where you eliminate
processed foods, flour, dairy, etc. She said she did feel better but from what I understand, you start adding back foods to see which is the culprit for her discomfort. I don't believe she was ever able to identify the source of her issue. But the plan did result in her changing a lot of her dietary habits to eat generally healthier. There's a lot of info on the internet about whole 30.

I use the peppermint tea from Heather''s site. It does help. I am actually better than I've been in monthes. I guess I should have posted a question like "what's your favorite go-to lunch meal for you and hubby?" That's really what I was after was ideas for lunches as we get so tired of sandwiches and they are not good all the time. So, missed the point I was trying to make I think. Thanks for the info though. I appreciate everyone's input. Keep it coming if you have further suggestions for me. God bless you all!

This sounds like a really helpful idea. Actually, my sweet dgd is going to be a dietitian but not until next May!! haha! I think I will ask her to look up some ideas for me. In her spare time, since she only has a live-in boyfriend and a 18 mo little one!! lol! Thanks again!

I live in a really small town, which only has two grocery stores and neither has an actual healthfood section and very few organic foods. It's really tough to shop out of town and get non GMO foods etc. But I am at that point. I just wish we had a Health Faire nearby. My sister shops there and it's great. Thanks again for the help.

High protein might be a good idea.....tuna salad....egg salad? I would check back with you doctor to see if your problem really is IBS, gluten or dairy. All of these ailments have diets that are 180 degrees from one another. My husband had stomach problems that a high count probiotic solved. We are not gastrointerologists, so check with your doctor on diet info after they determine your need.

Yep. back to doc on the 26th after two CT scans, ultrasound, HIDA scan, colonoscopy, and stool samples are back. Nothing showed up so far so that is really good news!! Just had to go on limited foods to survive. Taking a probiotic and can start adding dairy back in and see how that goes.
I really just wanted to know I guess, what your go-to lunch ideas are for you and your hubby. I just run out of things to fix for us. We have tuna fish about once a week (he's not fond of it) and leftovers from dinner. Just wondering what others do for a quick meal at noon time! Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I am a work-in-progress as they say! Hope I'm done soon!! haha! Thank you and God bless you guys. You are the best!!

I have had IBS FOR OVER 25 years, my biggest triggers are white bread, pizza and white pasta, and stress, whole meal bread and pasta is fine, I eat a lot of salmon, chicken, prawns, with veg, salad lots of fruit, potatoes are fine, so is rice. As long as I stay away from white processed foods I'm pretty good.

Sounds like you are able to handle a lot of fiber. I hope I can gradually add it back in but for right now, it's not suiting my tummy. Yep, I eat lots of chicken, salmon but the raw veggies don't suit either. Thank you for your advice. It's tough figuring all this out, isn't it? I had my first beef last night since Christmas time! I have missed it. I used to be quite the meat eater but am learning to eat more soluble fiber veggies and less meat at each meal. All a learning process! Thanks again! have a great day.

I am kind of surprised to hear that about the white bread. Is it the gluten in it? or do you know what it is? I can handle it just fine. Better than whole wheat although I try to eat the whole wheat for fiber. Thanks!

How about soup for lunch? You could take many of the low fiber veggies you can eat along with some pasta, broth, chicken & seasonings. I love having soup on hand for lunch.

I am the "allergy queen" full of knowledge. My DH has been gluten and dairy free for the past 30+ years.
If you suspect an allergy. Stay off of the item (all aspects of it----look for the word "casein" if you are trying to check for dairy).----stay off of the item for 7 days then "sock it to yourself." In the case of dairy-----on the 8th day eat yogurt, ice cream, milk, creamed soups, anything with dairy in it.... Then wait 48 hours for any effects...
Tested our young son for a dairy allergy and by the 4th hour on the first day of eating dairy, he ended up in the bathroom in bad shape. SO---no dairy for him unless he eat LACTAID first.

As for lunches, what about turkey roll-ups...or applesauce, fruit, chicken salad, egg salad, taco meat in pita bread, any leftovers from dinner the night before???

Gosh! I really don't want to sock it to myself and get what I get if I do eat the wrong thing!! yikes! haha! Thanks for the lunch suggestions. I should have asked if people have a "favorite" lunch meal they could share. I am really looking for new ideas.....ie, new foods I guess! lol! So tired of the same old things because of the small list of items that he likes and the even smaller list that I can eat. Thanks for you ideas though. Just ready to resolve this mystery in my life!!

Have you discussed this with a dietician? Ask your doctor for a recommendation for seeing one at your local hospital. I received a lot of helpful hints from the hospital dietician before I was discharged from the hospital. My SIL made an appt. with a dietician when he was faced with a difficult food restrictions.

my dietician is covered by medical insurance. Most is covered as a preventive type of medicine, i'm sure they can help. I have a list of foods I can eat, and it's narrow too, but I cheat and pay for it later. I eat a lot of nuts for my proteins. good luck

My husband has thyroid cancer which prompted a low iodine, dairy free + diet - there are downloadable recipes at thyca.org - very helpful; it seems there may be some recipes that may assist you in your search.

Homemade soup is good anytime. Just make it with any veggies you can eat,with meat or without. It's even better the next day. I like to put the ingreds in slo cooker after supper,then turn on low & let it go all night.Can be frozen,also keeps good in the fridge.
Can you have meat loaf,maybe use very lean ground turkey.Also easy to slice & wrap for feezer. Fruit salad keeps well,using fruit you can have.Good luck......Google for low fat recipes.

Thank you shrink42020 for taking time to post this. i will definitely check it out. I am so sorry you and your husband are having to deal with this disease. I sincerely hope he will get well soon!