For those who may be feeling overwhelmed with figuring out what to take for lunch, the good news is that with he right food choices, you’ll be able to take tasty lunches to work, school, and everywhere else in between. It will all start with planning, and from there, daily management starts to feel easier.
Note: This article is not medical advice. The info that I’m sharing today are general guidelines for GERD. No two people are the same and not everyone can follow this blueprint. Make sure you work with your medical team to ensure that what you plan to eat will meet your individual unique needs.
What is GERD
You may be aware of heartburn, but GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is more than regular heartburn. It’s when a person experiences ongoing heartburn (some describe this as a burning sensation in their chest) several times a week, has a tendency to become more severe over time, and can occur at night (waking the person up).
GERD can also be called chronic acid reflux, but first we need to know, what is “reflux”? Reflux is defined as the flow of fluid through a vessel or valve in the body, in a direction opposite to normal. So when we put the two together acid + reflux, we get “the flow of acid in the wrong direction”. In the case of GERD and acid reflux, it’s moving back up towards the mouth rather than down towards the intestines.
GERD is considered a chronic condition and you’ll need to work with your doctor to determine what types lifestyle modifications and dietary changes will support your unique needs.
How Fatty Foods Trigger GERD Symptoms
I personally think that when you have a better understanding of how the mechanisms in the body work, it makes it easier to not only understand our medical conditions, but also be invested in improving our overall health. So, let’s take a look at fatty foods.
When you eat fatty foods and they enter the stomach pouch, this triggers the release of a hormone called cholecystokinin (also called CCK). This in turn can cause the lower esophageal sphincter (also called LES) to relax. The chronic relaxing or malfunctioning of the lower esophageal sphincter is what allows for the reflux to happen, which then causes your symptoms.
Another way to think about this: your LES is like the door to your house. If it’s locked up tight, nothing gets in. When it’s left wide open, wind, debris, and who knows what else can enter. However, just like a door to your home, it can be left ajar (open a tiny bit), or wide open. How open the door is indicates how much stuff can enter your home. The same is true of your LES. In some patients, there’s only slight disfunction whilst others are experiencing chronic, full on disfunction.
Common GERD Symptoms
Symptoms of GERD and symptoms of acid reflux can include:
- Upper Abdominal Pain
- Chest Pain
- Burning Sensation in Your Chest
- Difficulty Swallowing
- Lump in the Throat
- Sour Liquid Backwash
- Nausea
Whilst these are the most common acid reflux symptoms, remember, no two people are the same. You may experience some, none, or all of them. Additionally, you may have symptoms that aren’t on this list. A great way to track not only symptoms but any progress made from diet and lifestyle changes is to keep a detailed food journal. This will also help you have a better understanding of your unique GERD triggers, and also if you have a threshold on the amount of food eaten to cause a flare in symptoms.
Delicious Recipes to Make for a GERD-Friendly Lunch
Here are some delicious lunch ideas to get you started. Also, be sure to check out my free 7-day GERD meal plan that includes a handy list of foods to avoid and foods to enjoy. The list can help when you’re coming up with more lunch ideas.
- Creamy Mango Rice
- Chicken & Sweet Pepper Meatballs
- Greek Lamb Tacos
- Italian Pork & Beef
- Easy Rice Cookup
- Easy Gluten Free Sheet Pan Buckwheat Bread (great for making sandwiches)
- Peach & Pork Meal
- Easy Spiced Carrots (pair with a protein)
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Related 101 Snack Ideas (many will be great on the GERD diet, good for adding to your lunchbox)
Sandwich Ideas
Cold sandwiches can be as simple as a little peanut butter and jelly (remember to keep an eye on your peanut butter portion size). However, there’s a whole world of great sandwiches to explore. Now, you will have to ditch a lot of commercial deli meats when following a GERD diet, but the good news is that you can make your own thin sliced meat at home. I do this ALL the time with bison, and it allows me to have that deli meat experience whilst using raw ingredients that are safe for me to eat.
Sandwich Filling Ideas
Here are just a few ides on sandwich fillings to get you started. Browse this article for more ideas (you’ll need to adapt them for your GERD needs).
- Homemade thin sliced pork + shredded carrot + shredded apple + homemade peach dressing
- Homemade thin sliced beef + salted smashed avocado (used as a spread) + eggplant slices
- Shredded chicken + homemade nomato sauce (super cool tomato free sauce) + almond slices + baby spinach
- Chickpea salad (it’s a play on egg salad, but a vegan/egg free version)
- Grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, cucumber slices, and a homemade sauce
If you need gluten free bread recipes, these are both GERD friendly:
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Wrap Ideas
If you’re a fan of wraps and tortillas, here are a few filling ideas to try out. You’ll most likely need to make sauces at home, however, the effort will be worth the extra flavour in your meals.
- Grilled Ginger Chicken + Lettuce + Black Beans
- Shredded Maple Chicken + Apple Slaw + Corn Kernels
- Thin Sliced Lean Beef Steak + Homemade Ground Mustard + Honey Sauce + Grilled Mushrooms
- Maple Candied Salmon + Cucumber Spears + Grilled Eggplant Strips
- Veggie Wrap (sear or grill spears of vegetables you love, and add a homemade hummus to bring it all together)
Cold Lunch Ideas
Here are some ideas for meals that will totally taste good cold. If you take lunch outside your home, don’t forget to load your lunch bag/box with an ice pack.
- Quinoa + Steamed or Oven Roasted Broccoli + Lean Beef
- Homemade Fried Rice (chicken, carrot, peas, soy sauce, assuming you love the taste of cold fried rice, my kids do)
- Ground Beef Taco (tortilla, beans, corn, shredded cabbage, homemade sauce)
- Ground Pork Taco (tortilla, beans, peas, baby spinach, homemade sauce)
- Sushi Rice Bowl (cooked sushi rice, small diced salmon, diced cucumber, homemade sauce)
- Homemade Veggie Fried Rice (rice, carrots, peas, dates, roasted beets, diced mushrooms)
- Grilled Chicken Tender Salad with Homemade Dressing
- Homemade GERD Friendly Meaty Ragu + Cooked Quinoa
- Grilled Asparagus + Beef (thin sliced, ground, or steak) + Rice or Quinoa
- Chinese Chicken Salad (lettuce, shredded seasoned chicken, shredded carrot, shredded cabbage, crushed peanuts, homemade sauce)
Related: Need more GERD-Friendly meal ideas? This article includes 35 breakfast, lunch, and dinners, as well as snacks and dessert ideas as well.
Breakfast for Lunch
These recipes are naturally dairy free and egg free, making them very GERD friendly and perfect for lunches. When my kids were younger, I’d batch cook pancakes and waffles in a range of flavours and keep them in the freezer. Then, the kids could grab what they wanted for lunch from the freezer and add fresh produce to their lunchbox. Easy. Peasy.
- Spinach Banana Pancakes
- Carrot Cake Waffles
- Overnight Oats (if you like these cold, you can make several GERD-Friendly recipes and have several on hand, ready to go)
- Savory Oatmeal (this only works if you’re eating lunch at home as it’s best served hot)
- Muffins + Leftover Cooked Protein + Fresh Fruit
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Tips to Make Your Daily Life Easier
Packing lunches day in and day out can start to feel cumbersome, especially if you’re the primary care taker for children in your home and are packing their lunches as well. There are a few things that you can do to make your daily life easier. Here are my top tips.
Batch Cook and Use Leftovers the Next Day and Day After
You can make a double batch of a delicious GERD-friendly meal, then use the leftovers for your lunch the next day, and day after. A great example of this is lean ground beed and shredded chicken. These can be made in large amounts then used in the coming days with tortillas, rice, quinoa, and a range of vegetables.
Batch Cook and Freeze
Many of the GERD recipes I shared are freezer friendly, meaning an easy way to make your life easier is to make double batches of the recipes and freeze leftovers. I’m a HUGE advocate of batch cooking when living any kind of free-from/restricted diet life. Whilst it requires an investment up front of elbow grease, the ROI is incredible. For each extra batch you make up front, you save yourself 40 – 60 minutes of cooking and cleaning in the future. Plus, a double batch usually only requires an extra 5 – 10 minutes of your time.
Plan to Have Simple Meals
The more complicated your meals, the more complicated your life. Plus, you’re more likely to skip your safe food, eat something you know will trigger your symptoms, then regret it for quite a while.
Making significant changes to your diet is no easy task, so it’s important that you set yourself up for success. When you make half your meals for the week super simple (think cooked meat + produce + easy to make carb like rice), the changes don’t feel nearly as hard to make.
Need a GERD Meal Plan?
If you’d like a free printable reference of foods to eat and avoid, PLUS a free seven day GERD meal plan, you can download it below. My GERD diet meal plan is gluten free and very allergy friendly. I’ve also included meals that boost overall digestive health.
More About GERD: Foods to Avoid and Foods to Enjoy
Foods to Avoid on a GERD Diet
As you read over this list, you’ll notice that the common thread for most of the items are acidic foods and fatty foods. In a nut free nutshell, those are the most common food triggers for those managing acid reflux disease and GERD.
- Alcohol
- Bacon
- Butter (in high amounts)
- Caffeine (coffee, most tea)
- Carbonated Beverages (soda, soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.)
- Cayenne
- Chili Powder
- Chocolate
- Citrus (including lemon juice, lime juice, etc.)
- Cream Cheese
- Cream Based Soups (made with dairy cream, not a creamy soup made with a thickening agent)
- Cured Meats with a High Fat Content
- Dairy & Egg Based Puddings (think: pudding made with fatty ingredients such egg yolk)
- Egg Based Mayonnaise (small amounts of egg free may may be tolerated, but it’s not completely fat free)
- Fatty Foods in General
- Fatty Red Meat
- Fried Foods
- Full Fat Dairy Products (cream, sour cream, etc.)
- Garlic
- Greasy Foods
- High Fat Foods (butter, cheese, ice cream, etc)
- Ice Cream
- Onions (green onion, white onion, yellow onion, red onion, purple onion, scallions, shallots)
- Peppercorn (black pepper, white pepper, green pepper, pink peppercorns)
- Peppermint
- Pineapple
- Salad Dressing (most will contain ingredients you can’t have, but you can make delicious salad dressing at home)
- Spearmint
- Spicy Foods (including spices such as cayenne pepper and condiments such as hot sauce)
- Tomato (including tomato sauce)
- Vinegar
- Whole Milk
It’s important to note that these foods are mostly healthy foods for those who aren’t managing GERD. The issue for those battling acid reflux is that on an empty stomach, these foods can cause acid reflux and lead to you experiencing symptoms.
For those who enjoy milk, especially because it’s known to alleviate heartburn in the short term, fat-free milk in small amounts are the way to go. Know that milk, in the long run, can increase stomach acid production which is what we’re trying to avoid.
Related: GERD Friendly Dairy + Egg Free Ice Cream
List of Foods to Eat on a GERD Diet
Unlike many other restricted diets that will leave you scratching your head at the grocery store, I can tell you, the GERD diet (and the acid reflux diet) offer you a VERY wide range of ingredients to work with. Whilst this isn’t an exhaustive list, these are some of the best foods to lean into, and this list will get you started. Don’t forget, it’s always a good idea to work with your medical team when making major diet and lifestyle changes to to ensure you’ll have the best results.
Fresh Vegetables
Here’s a list of common and popular fresh veggies you can incorporate into your diet. Also note, frozen vegetables also have great health benefits and vitamins + nutrients, and are a great choice to include in your diet as well.
- Asparagus
- Bok Choy
- Corn
- Cruciferous Veggies (broccoli, cauliflower)
- Edamame (soy)
- Leafy Greens (chard, collard greens, kale)
- Lettuce & Salad Greens (arugula, spinach)
- Mushrooms (there are loads of varieties to choose from)
- Peas & Green Beans
- Root Vegetables (beets, carrots, potatoes)
- Squash (spaghetti squash, zucchini/courgette)
- Sweet Potatoes, Japanese Yams, and Yams
Fresh Fruits
Non-citrus fruits and low-acid fruits are going to be the focal point of what you want to eat on a GERD diet. Remember, frozen fruit will also deliver great health benefits, vitamins, and nutrients, so use those as well. Here are lots of delicious options:
- Apple
- Apricot
- Banana
- Blackberry
- Blueberry
- Cantaloupe
- Dates
- Figs
- Grapes
- Honeydew Melon
- Mango
- Nectarine
- Peach
- Pear
- Strawberry
- Watermelon
Whole Grains
There are SOOOOO many whole grains to choose from that will be compatible with a GERD diet. I’ll list a few, but this no where near an exhaustive list.
- Brown Rice, White Rice, Wild Rice
- Gluten Free Grains (Buckwheat, Cassava, Millet, Sorghum, etc.)
- Oats (Rolled Oats, Steel Cut Oats, Oatmeal, etc.)
- Quinoa
- Wheat (Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour, Wheat Pasta, etc.)
Lean Meats & Lean Proteins
Lean proteins come in a wide range of options. Here are many to use in your recipes. I personally like to rotate thru proteins as they each have a different nutrition profile, and will bring different flavors to your plate (or bowl).
- Beans & Lentils: legumes are on the menu, and their fiber content can improve digestion over time, however, don’t start with a cup of beans if you’re not used to eating them as this can cause GI distress.
- Eggs (some need to avoid egg yolks due to the fat content and only eat egg whites)
- Lean Mammal Meats: beef, bison, chicken breast, rabbit, and turkey (for some, you’ll need to specifically purchase a lean cut or lean grind).
- Seafood: fish such as tilapia, salmon, trout, and sea bass. Shellfish such as scallops, shrimp, and oysters. Generally, all seafood is on the menu.
Healthy Fats in Moderation
Whilst you’re going to need to avoid greasy foods and deep fried foods, there are still many healthy fats to choose from on a GERD diet. Make sure you’re making wise choices and look into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats as these will bring the good fats to the table.
- Cooking Oils: Avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, tiger nut oil (tuber, not a tree nut)
- Avocado and Homemade Guacamole (store bought will contain non-GERD ingredients)
- Tree Nuts
- Seeds (chia seeds, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds)
- Fatty Fish such as Salmon
Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth
Beef stock, chicken broth, and bone broth are all excellent items to make at home. You may be able to purchase clean/minimal/organic options, but due to how common onion is as an ingredient, you may need to make these at home.
When you make these at home, you can cook with them to make flavourful soups, stews, and more. You can also use them to cook rice and pasta in to add more flavour to your meals.
Seasonings to Use on a GERD Diet
To avoid having bland and boring meals, it’s important that you learn how to salt and season your food well. Whilst you’ll need to avoid most seasoning blends as they contain onion and garlic, you can still make your own combinations as home.
- Salt (sea salt, pink salt, finishing salt, smoked salt)
- Basil
- Bay Leaf
- Caraway
- Cardamom
- Celery Seed
- Cilantro
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Dill
- Fennel
- Juniper Berries (excellent with apples, pork, and game meats)
- Lavender
- Marjoram
- Mustard
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Saffron
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Thai Basil
- Thyme
- Turmeric
You can make a faux Italian seasoning combination with basil + marjoram + tarragon + thyme. Be sure to explore other combinations though, as seasonings have a wide range of pairings.
You May Find Chewing Gum Helpful
In the case of chewing gum, it may help you feel a bit better, as it increases saliva production and reduces the amount of acid in the esophagus. However, it’s important that you avoid peppermint gum and spearmint gum as these can relax the lower esophageal sphincter.
Great GERD-Friendly Foods for Gut Health
There are lots of ingredients that are known to improve your gut health, which in turn can improve your overall digestive health and well-being. When following a GERD diet, you’ll be eliminating some well known natural prebiotic foods (foods that feed the good bacteria in your gut), but don’t worry, there are more to choose from.
Here’s a list of ingredients to include in your diet that can support your digestive system:
- Apples
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Chicory Root
- Dandelion Greens
- Flaxseeds
- Oats
- Seaweed
Each of these foods will bring different nutrients to the table, and different prebiotics as well. What I can tell you is this: having a well rounded diet that includes a range of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and a range of colors of said produce, is one of the best ways to improve gut health and overall well-being.
Still Feeling Lost?
If after reading all of this following a GERD diet feels really big and overwhelming, consider hiring a private chef or working with a registered dietitian. They’ll be able to look at your list of foods to avoid and foods to enjoy, plus take your food preferences into consideration, and build you a meal plan that will support your needs, and make sure you get all of the essential nutrients.
Dietitians will also be able to give you fantastic nutritional guidance to make sure your meals are ticking all the boxes for essential nutrients. If you’re not sure how to find one, ask your physician for a referral, or check websites like ZocDoc.
Answering Your Questions About GERD-Friendly Lunches
Should I follow the Mediterranean Diet with GERD?
The Mediterranean Diet is a great option to start with, as it delivers loads of essential nutrients and is full of green vegetables. However, you’ll need to modify some of the recipes that you find in a Mediterranean Diet cookbook or website since they use some ingredients that aren’t GERD compliant.
Is an english muffin OK to eat with GERD?
If we’re talking about a commercial, store-bough english muffin, most likely, no. This is because they usually contain vinegar, and some can contain milk. Now, if you were to make an english muffin at home with GERD friendly ingredients, yes, it’s GERD friendly, and it’s a great way to make sandwiches for your lunches.
Will probiotics cure my GERD?
There are some very interesting studies about how probiotics can help with GERD symptoms. I’d encourage you to check out this NIH page on the topic, and read more about it.
