This is a diet which contains little or no fibre/roughage. The aim of this diet is to reduce the amount of undigested food that passes into the large bowel. A low residue diet may help prevent blockages in your bowel by reducing foods that are poorly or partially digested. Very fatty foods, such as fried foods can also be difficult to digest and may cause discomfort if eaten in large quantities. This diet may be required for a number of different conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, a high output stoma, bowel blockages or to rest the bowel after surgery.

Please note underlined foods may be suitable in some cases. If you have any concerns or queries regarding this diet please discuss this with your dietitian or request referral to a dietitian.

Foods Allowed

Foods to Avoid

Breads and Cereals

  • Any White bread, cakes, scones, pitta, chapattis, naan, etc.
  • Breakfast cereals made from rice or corn e.g. Cornflakes, Rice Krispies, Frosties.
  • Rich Tea biscuits, shortcake, custard creams, wafers, cream crackers, water biscuits.
  • Potatoes without skins, instant mash, potato waffles, chips.
  • White rice, pasta, macaroni, noodles.

Breads and Cereals

  • Any Wholemeal/brown/granary/fibreenriched bread, cakes, malt loaf, scones, pitta, chapattis, tortilla wraps, etc.
  • Whole-wheat/oat based cereals e.g. All Bran, Weetabix, muesli, porridge.
  • Breakfast cereals containing fruit or nuts.
  • Digestive/ oatcake, biscuits containing oats, flap jacks, wholemeal/ wholegrain crackers, crackers with seeds, Ryvita.
  • Potato skins.
  • Brown rice, pasta, macaroni, noodles.

Vegetables and Fruit

  • Sieved tomato sauces (no skin or seeds), tomato purée.
  • Well cooked vegetables with no skin, seeds, stalks, e.g. Swede/ turnip/ carrot (boiled), mash or creamed potatoes (no skin), softly cooked cauliflower or broccoli (floret only).
  • Melon (no seeds/skin), stewed apple, plums, tinned pears/peaches, ripe banana.
  • Smooth fruit juices ( with no bits).

Vegetables and Fruit

  • Raw vegetables, salad.
  • Sweet corn, celery.
  • Potato skins.
  • Dried fruit.
  • Citrus fruit and berries.
  • Fruit juice with pith/bits, smoothies.
  • Fruit/nut scones, fruit cakes, coconut cake, carrot cake, other cakes containing fruit or nuts.

Meat, Fish, Dairy and Alternatives

  • All fresh meat, sausage, bacon, meat pies (avoid tough or fatty meat).
  • All fresh, tinned, smoked fish and fish in white breadcrumbs/batter.
  • Eggs, soya, Quorn, tofu.
  • All milk, smooth yoghurts and cheese.

Meat, Fish, Dairy and Alternatives

  • Meat casseroles, pies, pasties containing vegetables, sausages with onions.
  • Fish in wholemeal breadcrumbs.
  • All varieties of nuts.
  • All peas, beans, pulses e.g. kidney, baked, lentils.
  • Hummus.
  • Yoghurts with bits.

Fats and Sugary Foods

  • Fat is ok in moderation.
  • Ice-cream, jelly, custard, plain biscuits.
  • Jelly type jams, marmalade (no peel), lemon curd.
  • Chocolate and sweets.

Fats and Sugary Foods

  • Jam and marmalade containing fruit, seeds or peel.
  • Peanut butter.
  • Cake, scone, or chocolate containing dried fruit.

Miscellaneous

  • Tomato sauce, brown sauce, Worcester sauce, smooth mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, salad cream, mayonnaise.
  • Marmite, gravy, white sauce, cheese sauce, garlic.
  • Clear soups, creamed, e.g. tomato, chicken.
  • Tea, coffee, squash, fizzy drinks, milkshakes.

Miscellaneous

  • Pickles, canned sauces containing vegetables/ fruit.
  • Packet soups or tinned soup with vegetables added.
  • Herbs and spices.
  • Milkshake syrups with real fruit and seeds.
  • Popcorn.
  • All seeds.

 

Sample Menu

Breakfast
  • Smooth fruit juice (without bits/pith).
  • Corn Flakes/Rice Krispies with milk/sugar.
  • White bread or toast with butter/seedless jam/no peel marmalade/syrup/honey/marmite.
  • Egg/bacon
Lunch/Dinner
  • Meat (no visible fat/gristle/skin)/fish (no bones) /egg/cheese.
  • Mashed/boiled/no skin jacket potato or white pasta/rice.
  • Well cooked vegetables e.g. carrots/swede, broccoli/cauliflower florets.
  • Sandwiches made with white bread/pitta and suitable filling, plain sponge and custard/milk pudding/mousse/stewed apple and custard/jelly/ice-cream (all with no dried fruit or nuts)
Snacks
  • White toast/bread or white crackers or jacket potato (no skin) with butter/tuna/mayonnaise/cheese/egg.
  • Plain scone with butter/seedless jam.
  • Plain sponge cake.
  • Crackers and cheese.
  • Smooth yoghurt.
  • Tinned/stewed fruit without seeds, skin, pith.
  • Plain/chocolate biscuit e.g. Rich Tea, custard cream, wafer.
  • Mousse/milk pudding/ice-cream/meringue and cream.
  • Tea/coffee/hot chocolate/Horlicks/Ovaltine.
The information within this page is intended for the use of the patient for whom it was provided as part of a consultation. The information contained on this page does not replace the advice of trained health care professionals.