Gastroparesis Foods to Eat and Avoid

Eating well with gastroparesis means choosing foods that move easily through a stomach that empties slowly. The right gastroparesis foods are low in fat, low in fiber, and soft enough to digest without strain. This page lists what to eat, what to limit, and what to do when solid food is hard to keep down.

What are the best gastroparesis foods to eat?

The best gastroparesis foods are gentle on a stomach that empties slowly. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, foods low in fat and fiber leave the stomach fastest, and soft, well-cooked foods are easier to handle than firm or raw ones. Eating five or six small meals a day, rather than two or three large ones, also helps. Our gastroparesis diet guide shows how to build these meals across a day.

Which foods are easiest to digest?

Several everyday foods are easy for a slow stomach to handle. For grains and starches, white bread, white rice, rice cakes, Cream of Wheat, and low-fiber cereals with two grams of fiber or less per serving are good choices. For protein, eggs, egg whites, skinless chicken or turkey, and lean fish such as cod, sole, flounder, or halibut digest well. Fat-free and low-fat dairy, including yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese, fits the low-fat rule. For fruit, choose canned options without skins, such as applesauce, canned peaches, pears, and mandarin oranges, along with ripe bananas. Vegetables are best well cooked and without skins, such as carrots, beets, potatoes, spinach, summer squash, acorn squash, and yams.

Which foods should you avoid with gastroparesis?

Some foods sit in the stomach too long and make symptoms worse.

• High-fat foods such as bacon, sausage, and fried dishes slow emptying, and so do high-fiber foods such as whole grains, bran cereals, and steel-cut or rolled oats.
• Raw vegetables are hard to digest, especially brussels sprouts, mushrooms, corn, and celery, and raw fruit, berries, and kiwi are best avoided as well.
• Dried beans, nuts, and fibrous meats such as steak, roasts, and chops are also difficult.
• Full-fat or two-percent dairy and anything made with whipping cream carry too much fat.
• Alcohol and carbonated drinks are best left out.

High-fiber foods matter for one more reason: they can form a hard mass in the stomach called a bezoar, which a doctor may need to treat.

What if solid food is too hard to keep down?

On harder days, liquids and blended foods can supply nutrition when solids will not stay down. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases suggests low-fat broths and clear soups, low-fiber fruit and vegetable juices, sports drinks, and oral rehydration solutions. Solid foods can also be pureed in a blender into small pieces or a smooth paste, which empties more easily. Our gastroparesis recipes show how to turn safe foods into soft, blended meals. Drinking liquids that contain glucose and electrolytes helps maintain hydration and energy. If you cannot keep down even liquids, contact your doctor, because steady nausea and vomiting can lead to dehydration.

Tips for eating with gastroparesis

A few habits make meals easier. Chew food thoroughly, because smaller pieces leave the stomach faster. Eat slowly and stop when comfortably full rather than overly full. Mayo Clinic suggests staying upright during and after a meal and taking a gentle walk to help the stomach empty. Spread food across five or six small meals so the stomach is never overloaded. Keep water and other fluids flowing through the day to support digestion and prevent dehydration.

Sources

Reviewed by Owen Hastings. NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases), Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Gastroparesis (niddk.nih.gov), last reviewed January 2018, for the low-fat and low-fiber guidance, small frequent meals, blended foods, and recommended liquids. Cleveland Clinic, Gastroparesis Diet: What To Eat and Avoid (health.clevelandclinic.org), for the specific foods to eat and avoid and the note on bezoars. Mayo Clinic, Gastroparesis (mayoclinic.org), for the guidance on staying upright and walking after meals. This page is general health information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about your own care. Last reviewed June 2026.