Daily Menu Choices for IC?

[Lisa7577]

Hi again! I know from reading many of your posts that diet is a huge help in combating IC symptoms. I have been really trying to stick to the guidelines I've seen on the site, but am finding it tremendously difficult to find any "normal" foods that are IC friendly. I would love to hear what other people are eating throughout their day. It would give me a better idea of what I could be making for myself. Anyone feel like typing out a Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snack menu? Thanks in advance!!

-Lisa

[MiLynn]

I'll post some things that work for me. Just keep in mind that not everything works for everyone.

Breakfast-Bisquick pancakes with real maple syrup
Eggs (scrambled, omlet w/red bell pepper,mushrooms, american
cheese)
I am able to handle rice krispies
Toast

Lunch- This meal is harder for me. I often make homemade pizza crust and have a white/veggie pizza (cheese, mushroooms, red bell pepper, little bit of
onions). I also like peanut butter and honey or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Dinner- I usually eat a modified version of what the rest of my family is eating. Some easy things are hamburgers, baked chicken with rice and veggies, homemade pizza like above, pasta with parmesan cheese. Or if I'm feeling lazy, refer back to the breakfast options :). Oh, my husband makes a wonderful stir fry. Usually with chicken, onions, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli all cooked on the stove with olive oil. Served over rice.

[MiLynn]

I forgot snacks. String cheese (mozerella) is really good. Other than that, it's usually some type of baked good here because I know I can handle the ingredients. I still, after a year, have a really hard time with healthy, quick and IC friendly snacks.

Oh, Breyers all natural vanilla ice cream is good too. Not healthy, but good. :)

[SharonA]

One of our Support Leaders, Traceann, posted this a while ago. It really is a very good list.

Click on the link: http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?p=311882#post311882

[Julie B]

Hi Lisa,

If you are interested, Confident Choices: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet has sample menus and a grocery list in it. You can buy it through the ICN shop through the links below.

You are right, it is much easier to write out meals in advance, even weeks in advance. It helps to reduce that frustration an hour before meal time when you are wondering what to eat. You can also make sure you have ingredients on hand for the meals and it can help keep you from eating out...better for IC AND your wallet! :-)

[Goldfinch]

Yes, finding a few foods you can eat isn't too hard, but finding variety in the IC diet is definitely a challenge. Additionally I need to stay away from cholesterol laden foods, so l don't eat a lot of cheese, etc and have to limit things with eggs or hi-fat dairy products. Too bad, because they are easy for me to tolerate. I did indulge myself with a really nice home-made rice pudding the other day that calls for mostly low-fat milk and only one egg. Yummy and very IC friendly. But I get pretty tired of sweet stuff as well, and crave savory.

I get most of my protein from chicken, and eat red meat only a few times a month. I eat shrimp or fish. I eat pasta with olive oil and garlic, and sometimes saute veggies and mix it in, like shredded raddichio, zukes, chard, etc.

But mainly I live on soup. I rely on "vat of the week." On the weekend I make my own stock and then make a large pot of soup with barley or other good grains and lots of veggies and usually chicken. It's good for several meals. I also eat a lot of beans over rice. I don't have any problem with pintos or most other types of bean. I cook them with home-made stock as well to boost the flavor, and I find that I can actually use one or two of those little hot red dried peppers and it doesn't bother me. I use onions and garlic without any problems.

My default lunch is leftovers or a simple turkey sandwich with lettuce and just a little butter--no mayo. When I am doing well I can eat small amounts of mayo with no problem. If I am flaring I stay away from it.

For snacks I am okay with a small handful of almonds or walnuts or popcorn. I pop organic corn the old-fashioned way in a pan on top of the stove in a small amount of corn oil and add nothin' but salt. I have read that some ICers are sensitive to corn, but I am okay with it. I also snack on cottage cheese sometimes. Or a pear. Yawn. Although I find that if I don't eat a pear for a few days then I appreciate them more! I also make a zucchini-carrot bread that's high in fibre and not very sweet but really tasty and I snack on that. It's easy to grab a piece and throw it in my bag if I need something that travels.

I'm not a big breakfast person, so I usually just have toast or a bagel. On the weekends we often have oatmeal or pancakes. And I drink large quantities of peppermint tea. I'm bored to tears with it, but at least it isn't plain water.

[rosezclark]

Breakfast: Eggs with IC friendly veggies, organic cereal with almond, or rice milk.

Lunch: Mung Bean noodles, or rice with IC friendly veggies, or a salad.

Dinner: Meat or seafood cooked at home with Mung Bean noodles, or rice with IC friendly veggies, or a salad.

I use only garlic and salt to flavor the food.

The best thing to do is always eat at home. But sometimes you’re running out the door late and what do you eat for lunch, or a snack???

I like to get Chinese or Japanese food because there are more bland selections. Or if there is only fast food around, ill get a salad and pick out the stuff I can’t have and eat whets left.

[Briza]

I found, especially in the beginning, that if you (or someone in your house) is willing and able to do the cooking and you are willing to stick to fresh or fresh cooked foods, and leave out the packaged or junk food, the Usually ok list of foods is very easy to work with and very healthy for both meals and snacks. If you are not used to cooking, or have no one in your house who does, then this is a bigger challenge but a very good time for you to learn how to cook and cook what you like!! Regular American style meals are best in the beginning, plain and simple, and easy to make and plan for, I have found...I have traveled quite a bit out of the country and believe me, if you have IC and need to stick to the diet strictly or moderately, whether you are cooking in or eating out, the US is probably the best place to be!
Best to shop the perimeter of the store to find the fresh foods and to stay away from the packaged or junk foods that are usually found in the aisles. That said, cured and smoked meats like ham, bacon, sausage are usually on the perimeter of the store...those are best to pass by.:( I like bacon :(

Breakfast:

eggs and tortilla or toast, glass of milk, pear or blueberries
Plain oatmeal made with milk, topped with brown sugar or honey,and real butter
chammomile or peppermint tea (hot or iced)
Eggs and grits topped with real butter and a dash of pepper

Lunch:

Hard boiled eggs w/ green salad with pine nuts, feta or mozzarella cheese, topped with olive oil and herbs, crackers or bread
Leftovers from dinner
Any combo of snacks listed below

Dinner:

Lightly seasoned (basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro, salt, pepper...) meat (fish, shellfish, chicken, beef, pork, etc) cooked baked, broiled, roasted, or lightly pan fried or sauteed in olive oil or butter
A steamed veggie
Potato, plain white rice or brown rice, small side of pasta with olive oil and a bit of mozz or feta cheese,or cous cous cooked in pres free low sodium chicken broth (or homemade chicken stock) and seasoned with herbs you can tolerate and throw in some pine nuts, chopped carrots, chopped squash to make it not so boring!
green salad with whatever...topped with olive oil and mild herbs you can tolerate
The combos for dinner meals just using some type of meat, a veggie, and a starch are endless...and very healthy when cooked healthfully!!!

Snacks (also can be used as a light lunch or light dinner):

fresh veggies platters and mozzarella cheese and crackers
glass of milk and crackers ( i like water crackers...think that's what they are called)
quesadilla made w/ flour tortillas or some kind of flat bread or pita bread and mozzarella cheese
blueberries or pear w/ glass of milk or cheese
organic/ pres free chips and plain smashed avocado seasoned w/ salt
potato or sweet potato thrown into microwave and topped with real butter or cream cheese YUM!!
green salad w/ olive oil, herbs,cheese,pine nuts or almonds and crackers
cup of leftover IC safe homemade soup w/ crackers
hot cornbread topped w/ butter, good quality honey or real maple syrup w/ glass of milk YUM!!! If you haven't tried it, it is really good!!!
pita or foldover sandwich with cucumber, avocado, and shredded carrots
Slice of angelfood cake (homemade preferably) with/ blueberries or just plain
Grilled cheese sandwich w/ sliced at deli Land O Lakes WHITE American cheese...w/ a side of celery and carrot sticks..one of my favs

[Briza]

Fast food that is ok for me, if I HAVE to eat it:

Taco Bell Tostadas: bean, cheese, lettuce...be sure to tell them no sauce on tostadas when you order!!

McDonalds: Their small cheeseburgers...meat, cheese, bun only and FF (no ketchup)

Most plain and dry cheeseburgers I am ok with, lettuce ok, but NOT Burger King's (they put liquid smoke or something on their burgers that bothers my body in more ways than one, not only my bladder!!!

French fries....just the regular ones as long as they are not the curly, batter-dipped, or seasoned ones, again no ketchup:(

Salads: Pick the stuff out that I don't like, order the cheese on the side, don't like ranch dressing but it seems to be safest in small quantaties, I CAN tolerate a squirt of real lemon or lime juice on my salads...I cannot tolerate a glass of lemon or lime-aid, I usually cannot tolerate the "grilled" chicken that most fast food restaurants use on their salads or on their sandwiches. I don't like the fried chicken on my salads, but I can tolerate it better than the grilled:confused:usually I just don't order it with chicken at all

to drink: an occasional rootbeer, usually bottled water

[ICNDonna]

I suggest you think about ordering the book, "Confident Choices" --- I consult it frequently.

You may want to avoid oatmeal at first --- it's on the "May be OK" list, which means that some ICers have a problem with it.

I also suggest you avoid all sodas until your symptoms are under control.

For right now, you could print out the food lists from the Patient Handbook and hang it on your refrigerator so you can consult it when preparing meals.

Good luck!

Donna

[Briza]

Yes, sodas are best to avoid. I can tolerate an occasional rootbeer with lots of ice...if I am not having symptoms, usually only once a month.

I see on the ICN diet cheatsheet that oatmeal is on the usually ok list? :confused: