Bland Diet Foods

Bland Diet Foods to Eat and Avoid

Dairy

• Low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese
• Ice cream, in small amounts (about half a cup); no nuts
• Cottage cheese; cheddar cheese, and soft, mild American cheese

Vegetables

• Cooked, canned, or frozen vegetables
• Asparagus, baby okra, beets, carrots, celery, eggplant, green beans, mushrooms, peas, pimento, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes, and wax beans

Fruit

• Fruit and vegetable juices, but avoid tomato juice (and blends containing tomato juice), as they might irritate. Also avoid other acidic juices such as orange and grape.
• Cooked or canned fruit with the skin and seeds removed. Applesauce, canned peaches, and pears are good options.
• Ripe bananas
• Citrus (no membrane)
• Melon (no seeds, and only if you can tolerate it)

Grains

• Refined white flour products: breads, crackers, pasta, etc.
• Cream of wheat

Meat/Poultry/Fish

• Lean cuts of meat: beef, ham (but make sure it’s very tender) lamb, liver, pork, veal. These can be prepared by baking, steaming, broiling, roasting—any cooking method that keeps the meats soft and easy to digest.
• Chicken, turkey
• Whitefish and shellfish, but prepare by steaming, baking, or grilling. Small amounts of butter are permitted, but don’t use oil, as oil will irritate the stomach.
• Eggs (but not fried)

Other

• Creamy peanut butter
• Pudding and custard
• Tofu
• Broth soup
• Weak black tea
• Salt
• Sugar
• Onion powder
• Olives
• Vinegar
• Herbs
• Butter, in small amounts

Foods to Avoid on a Bland Diet

Dairy

• High-fat dairy products
• Strong, fermented cheeses
• Whipped cream
• High-fat ice cream

Vegetables

• All raw vegetables
• In particular, avoid these vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, green peppers, legumes, lima beans, kohlrabi, onions, parsnips, radishes, raw tomatoes, rutabagas, turnips, and turnip greens.

Fruit

• Dried fruit
• Fresh fruit

Grains

• Anything that is high in fiber: breads, cereals, crackers, etc.

Meat/Poultry/Fish

• Seasoned, cured, or smoked meats and fish
• Fried meats

Other

• Caffeine
• Strong black teas
• Chocolate and cocoa
• Pickled foods
• Spicy foods
• Popcorn
• Potato chips

The foods listed above also count as bland diet foods for diarrhea, so when suffering from bouts of this gastrointestinal issue, try implementing this diet for a few days until your stomach settles.

Source: Bland Diet Foods