Whether you’re new to the SCD Diet, or you’re an old time pro looking for fresh options to try, this 30-day SCD Diet meal plan is for you! While the intro phase of the SCD Diet is very restrictive, and it takes time to re-introduce foods into your diet and evaluate how they make you feel, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And it’s a pretty delicious one!
There are TONS of yummy SCD legal breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes you can try, and we’ve curated 90 of our favorites below. From delicious breakfast cookies, pancakes, and waffles, to oven baked chicken nuggets and a delicious shaved Brussels sprouts Caesar salad, to family-friendly cauliflower pizza and pulled pork short ribs, we hope you love this SCD Diet meal plan as much as we do!
What Is the SCD Diet?
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet was developed by Elaine Gottschall – whose own daughter was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis at the age of 4 – and has helped people all over the world manage the symptoms of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, celiac, diverticulitis, autism, cystic fibrosis, and other ailments rooted in the digestive tract.
The SCD Diet allows specific foods based on their chemical structure. It limits the use of complex carbohydrates (disaccharides and polysaccharides) and focuses primarily on monosaccharides. Foods that are not properly digested, such as grains, sugars, starches, and processed foods, are banned on the SCD Diet as they cause bacterial and yeast overgrowth, irritation of the small intestine, and challenges with food absorption. The SCD Diet is designed to restore gut flora and stop the vicious cycle of bacteria and yeast overgrowth by eliminating the foods they feed on, thereby allowing the intestinal tract to repair and heal.
You can find an extensive list of the foods that are and are not allowed on the SCD Diet HERE, and I urge you to read Elaine’s book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle, in its entirety as she does such a great job of describing the role diet plays in the treatment of the disorders listed above.
We’ve written an entire post about the SCD Diet, including tips for beginners, strategies to stay motivated, and some of the things my husband and I learned through trial and error, which you can read HERE.
Oh! And if you’re looking for more recipes, there are heaps of great SCD-friendly cookbooks you can purchase. Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Erica Kerwien and Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Raman Prasad are two of our favorites!
30-Day SCD Diet Meal Plan for Beginners
When you first start the SCD Diet, it can be extremely overwhelming, and it can also feel pretty restrictive and limiting. It’s a big adjustment, but if you suffer from Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, celiac, diverticulitis, autism, cystic fibrosis, and other ailments rooted in the digestive tract, it can completely transform your life. Thankfully, there are tons of people who have graciously shared their experiences and recipes online, and I took great pleasure in curating 30-days worth of yummy SCD approved recipes for this post!
These recipes are designed for people who have already completed the introductory diet, have their symptoms under control, and have successfully re-introduced multiple foods back into their diet. While many of these recipes only include a few ingredients, do not attempt any of them until you have introduced each ingredient back into your diet and know that you can tolerate them.
SCD Diet Breakfast Recipes
1. Delicious SCD Banana Bread/Muffins | Lila Ruth Grain-Free
2. Coconut Blueberry Pudding | Real Food Forager
3. Chunky Monkey Muffins | Every Last Bite
4. Avocado Bacon and Eggs | Lil Luna
5. Strawberry Coconut Breakfast Cookies | Specific Health
6. SCD Pumpkin Pinwheels | Lila Ruth Grain-Free
7. Pumpkin Mug Cake | Every Last Bite
8. Grain Free Breakfast Oatmeal | Real Food Forager
9. Grain Free Pumpkin Pancakes | Wellness Mama
10. Lemon Blueberry Pancakes | Every Last Bite
11. Pina Colada Smoothie | Specific Health
12. Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Cookies | Every Last Bite
13. Paleo Pumpkin Scones | Plenty & Well
14. Coconut Banana Protein Bars | Real Food Forager
15. Chicken and Apple Breakfast Sausages | Gutsy By Nature
16. Upside Down Banana Break in a Skillet | Every Last Bite
17. Paleo and Nut Free Cinnamon Roll Bread | Plenty & Well
18. Raspberry Coconut Pudding | Real Food Forager
19. Hazelnut Coffee Cake | Every Last Bite
20. Flourless Banana Zucchini Loaf | Haute & Healthy Living [replace maple syrup with honey in this recipe]
21. Full English Breakfast Traybake | Every Last Bite
22. Tigernut Flour Banana Bread Skillet | Plenty & Well
23. Pecan Waffles with Pumpkin Almond Butter | Specific Health
24. Hasselback Baked Apples | Every Last Bite
25. Grain Free Coconut Raisin Granola | Real Food Forager
26. Loaded Paleo Breakfast Cookies | Plenty & Well
27. Ginger Spiced Banana Bread | Every Last Bite
28. Banana Pancakes | Specific Health
29. Vegan & Paleo Apple Pie Smoothie Bowl | Plenty & Well
30. Spicy Freezer Sausage Patties | Real Food Forager
SCD Diet Lunch Recipes
1. Asian Meatballs | Real Food Forager
2. Honey Mustard Glazed Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts | Every Last Bite
3. SCD Sandwich Rolls | Lila Ruth Grain-Free
4. Mexican Chicken Burger | Every Last Bite
5. Paleo Creamy Avocado Tahini Noodles & Shrimp | Plenty & Well
6. Tuna Casserole | Every Last Bite
7. Simple Baked Chicken | Real Food Forager
8. Golden Beet Cinnamon Salad | Plenty & Well
9. Spice Rubbed Chicken Drumsticks | Every Last Bite
10. Vegan Spiced Cauliflower Cakes & Avocado Cilantro Sauce | Plenty & Well
11. Cauliflower Faux-Tato Summer Salad | Every Last Bite
12. Quick & Easy Avocado Tuna Egg Salad | Plenty & Well
13. Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets | Every Last Bite
14. Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Chicken Zoodle Soup | Wholefully
15. Mexican Meatballs | Every Last Bite
16. Carrot Mint Bisque | Eat Beautiful
17. Balsamic Steak Mason Jar Salad | Gutsy By Nature
18. Creamy Cauliflower ‘Faux’-Tato Salad | Every Last Bite
19. Grilled Apple Sandwiches | Happy Gut For Life
20. Cauliflower Mac and Cheese | Every Last Bite
21. Broccoli and Butternut Squash Soup | Gutsy By Nature
22. Vegetable Frittata | Happy Gut For Life
23. Cheesy Cauliflower Pizza | Specific Health
24. Green Bean and Roasted Fennel Salad | Every Last Bite
25. Cucumber and Radish Salad | Gutsy By Nature
26. Chicken Zucchini Poppers | One Lovely Life
27. Chipotle Chicken Wings with Avocado Crema | Every Last Bite
28. Turmeric Meatloaf Cupcakes | A Life of Happenstance
29. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad | Every Last Bite
30. Easy Tuna Cakes | Every Last Bite
SCD Diet Dinner Recipes
1. Easy SCD Pasta Bake | Lila Ruth Grain-Free
2. Grain-Free Dairy-Free Zucchini Lasagna | Real Food Forager
3. Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna | Every Last Bite
4. Paleo Thai Curry Soup | Plenty & Well
5. Pumpkin Curry | Specific Health
6. Eggplant Cannelloni | Every Last Bite
7. Brisket in the Oven | Real Food Forager
8. Creamy Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Chicken | Every Last Bite
9. Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie | Thirty Something Supermom
10. Mexican Beef Stew | Every Last Bite
11. Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry | Irena Macri
12. Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta | Every Last Bite
13. SCD/Keto Chicken Parmesan | Lila Ruth Grain-Free
14. Greek Chicken Traybake | Every Last Bite
15. Chicken Piccata | My Big Fat Grain Free Life
16. Pork Chop and Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner | Gutsy By Nature
17. Seared Scallops with Mint Pea Puree | Every Last Bite
18. Roasted Duck Breast with Mango Relish | Real Food Forager
19. Spanakopita Fritters | Every Last Bite
20. Pork Spare Ribs with Peach Cherry BBQ Sauce | Gutsy By Nature
21. Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Peppers | Happy Gut For Life
22. Pulled Pork Short Ribs | Real Food Forager
23. Herbed Flatbread with Roasted Veggies and Pesto | Every Last Bite
24. Lamb and Butternut Squash Stew | Gutsy By Nature
25. Quick & Easy Salmon Burgers | Happy Gut For Life
26. Brisket Chili | Every Last Bite
27. Turkey Filled Acorn Squash | A Life of Happenstance
28. Greek Style Roast Chicken | Irena Macri
29. Crustless Zucchini Quiche | A Life of Happenstance
30. Broccoli and Chicken Casserole | Every Last Bite
I hope you find several recipes in this SCD Diet Meal Plan that appeal to your appetite, and that they help you find joy in food again!