Acid reflux-friendly winter recipes will give you easy breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas that are filling, reasonably healthy, and don’t trigger GERD symptoms.
When you receive a new diet-related medical diagnosis, it’s easy to get stuck on all of the foods that you’re not supposed to eat. Adapting to a new diet is rough, even when you know that it’s for the best. Having new comfort recipes in your regular rotation, such as soups and baked chicken, will make it easier to adhere to the new diet.
You’ll find lots of soups, chicken dishes, roasted vegetables, salads, egg recipes, and more. There are a wealth of lunch and dinner ideas here as well as a few breakfast recipes that are delicious for lunch and dinner, too.
Disclaimer: I am not a physician. I’m a lifelong acid reflux sufferer. For my entire adult life, I’ve been treating it actively through diet, medication, and lifestyle changes. I cite a few medical resources in this post. The additional acid reflux-related information that I share here is based on my own experience. If you have any questions about your diet or any other components of your GERD treatment, please consult a physician.
The best and worst foods for acid reflux
As I collected acid reflux-friendly winter recipes, I focused on the best foods for GERD symptoms, taking care to steer clear of the common triggers as much as possible.
The best foods for soothing acid reflux symptoms include whole grains, green vegetables, root vegetables, healthy fats, eggs, meat and seafood, non-citrus fruits, ginger, fennel, and herbal tea.
The most common triggers for acid reflux include chocolate, tomatoes, spicy foods, greasy foods, citrus fruits, caffeine, alcohol, mint, and carbonated beverages.
I’ve put together a free printable reference sheet with the best and worst foods for acid reflux. Keep it handy in the kitchen to help you plan meals and combat reflux flares.
[Download your FREE printable acid reflux foods reference sheet!]
Eating-related tips to further reduce symptoms
Creating an acid reflux-friendly diet will decrease your GERD symptoms significantly. Typically, you’ll have the most success with wiping out your symptoms when you pair an acid reflux-friendly diet with a few basic eating tips.
- Eat smaller meals
- Eat slowly
- Wait at least two hours to lie down after eating
- Avoid eating the final two or three hours before you go to bed
- Steer clear of alcohol and caffeine, especially in the evening
Additional lifestyle tips to eliminate symptoms
The following lifestyle advice will help you minimize acid reflux symptoms even further.
- Steer clear of tight clothing and high-waisted pants, skirts, and dresses
- Sleep with an extra pillow
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Avoid mint- and peppermint-flavored gum
- Take an antacid
- Quit smoking
The importance of identifying triggers
Most acid reflux sufferers find that there are a few critical foods and lifestyle changes that make the biggest difference for their overall gut health. When you’re able to identify and eliminate these triggers, most likely, you won’t have to use other acid reflux management strategies. For example, if your biggest food triggers are chocolate and greasy foods, you don’t need to worry as much about steering clear of tomatoes and mint.
Keep a food diary for at least one full week, noting the following information:
- Food you eat
- Time of day you eat
- Symptoms you experience
This information will help you make key adaptations to your diet and eating schedule for optimal acid reflux management.
Acid reflux-friendly winter recipes
1. Chicken and wild rice soup
Rachel Pauls Food’s chicken and wild rice soup is dairy-free and gluten-free and packed with nutrition. While a little time-intensive, the soup freezes very well. Make a couple of large batches early in the winter season, and you’ll have lots of easy lunches and dinners for the cold months ahead.
2. Pumpkin chicken chili
The Roasted Root’s pumpkin chicken chili is such a comforting, filling winter dish. There are no beans in the chili to keep it lower in carbohydrates. The only change you need to make for the chili to be acid-reflux friendly is to omit the tomatoes. Feel free to swap in the veggies of your choosing.
3. Quinoa and vegetable bake
She Can’t Eat What’s quinoa and vegetable bake is a cozy, versatile dish that will take you straight through the entire fall and winter seasons. It’s packed with herbs for lots of flavor. You can easily swap in just a few dairy-free and gluten-free ingredients as needed. You can also add chicken or another meat or protein if you like.
4. Creamy carrot zucchini soup
Calm Eat’s creamy carrot zucchini soup is rich in vegetables, dairy-free, and ready in just 30 minutes. The only omission you’ll need to make is the lime juice. Dairy-free plain or Greek yogurt and mango juice are good alternatives for lime juice.
5. Beef Ramen
If you love Ramen, most likely, you know how hard it is to find a Ramen recipe without garlic. You won’t miss the garlic at all in Karlijn’s Kitchen’s beef Ramen, which has soy sauce, cumin, paprika, and pepper. The only ingredient you’ll need to omit is the spring onion.
6. Mushroom risotto
You can’t go wrong with risotto for a comforting winter dish, especially because people will always be impressed with the effort that they think went into it. FODMAP Formula’s mushroom risotto requires just a few tweaks for acid reflux suffers. I recommend using more chicken broth instead of wine (there is already chicken broth in the recipe, just add an extra half a cup) and subbing in dairy-free ingredients as needed.
7. Curried parsnip and coconut soup
Cook Low FODMAP’s curried parsnip and coconut soup is so warming and easy to make. The flavor from the spices and creamed coconut make a nice alternative to the broth you’d often find in this type of recipe. The soup requires zero substitutions for acid reflux sufferers.
8. Omelet with avocado and greens
I love Calm Eat’s omelet with avocado and greens because it’s a great recipe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The omelet is just three ingredients, and the avocado and greens fill out the flavor and nutrition nicely. You don’t need to make any acid reflux adjustments to this timeless recipe.
9. Maple mustard baked chicken
Delicious as It Look’s maple mustard baked chicken is made with a mustard, maple syrup, and herbs mixture and baked in the oven. You don’t have to mess up a lot of dishes or get food splatters all over your stove. You also don’t need to make any acid reflux adjustments to this simple, satisfying recipe.
10. Creamy ham and potato soup
There’s nothing quite like a creamy soup on a cold day. A Little Bit Yummy’s creamy ham and potato soup is the perfect way to use up leftover ham and can easily be made gluten-free and dairy-free as needed. Simply omit the leek if it’s a trigger for you.
11. German pancake with berries
Kate Scarlata’s German pancake with berries is another versatile breakfast dish that also makes a great lunch or dinner. The recipe already includes ingredient suggestions for making it gluten-free and dairy-free. German pancakes taste great on their own. The toppings take it up another notch.
12. Sheet pan sausage and vegetables
Good Noms, Honey!’s sheet pan sausage and vegetables is an easy gluten-free, dairy-free meal that requires no substitutions for acid reflux sufferers. Once you get comfortable with the sheet pan dinner concept, you can switch up the vegetables as you like. The sausage and vegetables are great on their own or served with pasta or rice.
13. Baked creamy Parmesan chicken
Creamy Parmesan chicken is another simple baked chicken recipe from Delicious As It Looks that doesn’t mess up a lot of dishes or get food splatters all over your stove. Swap in dairy-free Parmesan if you’re avoiding dairy. Baked chicken is great alongside just about any vegetable and/or potato side dish or simple green salad.
14. Beef stew
Delicious As It Look’s beef stew is a slow cooker recipe with tender beef, carrots, celery, and herbs cooked in a savory broth. If you’re not following a FODMAP diet, any type of vegetable or chicken broth works well. Simply add more broth in place of the wine.
15. Miso cod Ramen
FODMAP Everyday’s miso cod Ramen features marinated cod, bok choi, and soba noodles in a flavorful broth. It’s full of umami and unlike any other Ramen you’ve had before. Simply omit the green onion from the toppings.
16. Creamy rosemary chicken soup with rice
The Roasted Root’s creamy rosemary chicken soup with rice is a comforting one-pot meal that’s ready in an hour, most of which is unattended time. The recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Simply omit the lemon zest if it’s a trigger for you.
17. Vegetable frittata
FODMAP Everyday’s winter vegetable frittata is a great recipe for cleaning out whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. It makes an easy, nutritious breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The recipe suggests goat cheese for the cheese, which is a great option if cow’s milk cheese is a trigger for you.
18. Chicken dijon
Chicken dijon is another simple acid reflux-friendly chicken recipe from Delicious As It Looks that will quickly become part of your regular recipe rotation. You lightly saute your chicken breasts and then top them with a Dijon pan sauce. Use chicken broth instead of white wine in the sauce.
19. Roasted root vegetables
Fun Without FODMAP’s roasted root vegetables consists of carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, and potatoes seasoned with garlic-infused olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then you slow-roast the veggies for maximum flavor and crispiness. Serve the vegetables alongside chicken, pork, tilapia, or salmon.
20. Sesame chicken
Fun Without FODMAP’s sesame chicken is a 30-minute, take-out-inspired meal featuring tender chicken in a savory sesame-soy sauce. It’s the perfect dish to serve alongside rice and steamed or roasted vegetables. You don’t need to make any changes to the recipe ingredients for an acid reflux-friendly diet.
21. Winter salad
When you’re in a vegetable rut in the winter, make Wholesome Yum’s winter salad. It features a colorful mix of roasted and raw veggies, including butternut squash, apples, beets, and pomegranate, finished with a maple dijon dressing. For quick meal prep, roasted the vegetables ahead of time. Simply omit the lemon juice from the dressing if it’s a trigger for you.
22. Crispy pork schnitzel
Rachel Pauls Food’s gluten-free, dairy-free crispy pork schnitzel is tender, succulent, and so delicious. The recipe also works well with chicken. There are just six ingredients in this easy dish. Skip the lemon garnish if it’s a trigger for you.
23. Chicken curry
Mama Knows Gluten-Free’s turmeric coconut chicken curry lets you enjoy the exotic flavors of curry without the heat. The recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free and features a fragrant curry sauce made with unsweetened coconut milk, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, honey, and raisins. You don’t need to make any ingredient substitutions or omissions.
24. Kale, potato, and sausage soup
Fun Without FODMAP’s kale, potato, and sausage soup is just 10 ingredients and features savory homemade sausage crumbles, buttery baby potatoes, and leafy kale. It’s a little bit of work to make your own sausage crumbles. But the rest of the recipe comes together so quickly. You don’t need to make any changes to the ingredients.
25. Roasted vegetable winter salad
Tara Rochford Nutrition’s roasted vegetable winter salad is the ideal base for a grain or rice bowl. The salad is gluten-free and dairy-free with so much flavor and texture. Coconut water and dairy-free milk are good alternatives to the lemon juice in the dressing.
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