Migraine Safe Foods
This list only contains a few of the items that are migraine safe foods (based on my migraine trigger list). Migraine Safe Foods ( it is very important to read the ingredients labels) Fresh is Best and Homemade is always better ♥
Bread – Any white, wheat, rye or pumpernickel store-bought bread, plain or sesame seed bagels, English muffins, quick breads, pumpernickel or zucchini breads. All yeast bread must be at least one day old, yeast free rising agent breads, flour tortillas, wheat, homemade breads without yeast, soda breads, biscuits, scones, pancakes.
- Cereal – Many cereals are fine. Oatmeal, and these popular brands; Cheerios, Life, Honey Bunches of Oats, Frosted Flakes, Frosted Shredded Wheat, just check the ingredients.
- Condiments-vegetable oils, small amounts of, ketchup, mayo, mustard ( read the ingredients) tabasco ,home made without triggers, organic often is trigger free.
- Crackers – Any unflavored cracker such as these popular brands; Saltines, Ritz, Wheat thins, Carr’s Table Crackers and Club crackers.
- Dairy– Deli American cheese, American cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese and cream cheese, milk, cream ,butter.
- Drinks– Naturally decaffeinated coffee or tea, herbal teas (caffeine-free ) pear juice, apple juice, grape juice, cranberry juice, apricot nectar, caffeine-free sodas ( without trigger fruits)diet soda using sucralose , stevia or agave, ginger ale, mineral water, root beer and white milk.
- Fruits – Fresh strawberries, apples, pears, grapes, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, kiwi, apricots, blackberries, cherries, cantaloupes, mangoes, honeydew melon and watermelon. Fresh, frozen and canned (without triggers), citric acid, apple, applesauce , apple butter and melons.
- Meats– Fresh or frozen meat and seafood (without broths or flavor added) fresh chicken, beef, veal, lamb, fish, turkey or pork, sausage (without MSG, onion, or injected with a meat tenderizer) canned tuna in water.
- Pretzels, Chips– All plain pretzels and plain potato chips and 100% corn chips.
- Pies, Cakes, Cookies, Candy- Blueberry and apple store bought pies if made without lemon juice, vanilla, shortbread cookies, vanilla wafers, strawberry wafers, oatmeal cookies (without the raisins), rice pudding (without raisins), homemade pies and cakes (without nuts, dried fruits, lemon, chocolate, nuts or other trigger foods).
- Salad Dressing– Any oil and distilled white vinegar. Homemade gravies and broths made without MSG or trigger ingredients)
- Seeds, Popcorn – Unflavored popcorn, popcorn made at home from kernels, pumpkins seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds and coconut (it is a seed).
- Soy –since soy can be-you may have avoided it completely. Then introduce it back into your diet starting with soy milk, soy flour, plain tofu and soy oil after you have established your headache diary.
- Spices, Herbs– all spices and herbs (except those premade without triggers in them, like lemon pepper)
- Vegetables– fresh lettuce, bagged lettuce(preservative-free), peppers, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, leeks, green onions, spring onions, shallots, potatoes broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, Brussels’ sprouts, carrots, corn, chick peas, mushrooms, canned or frozen peas, yams, string beans, artichokes, red beets, some beans, okra, plain rice, turnips, squash, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, leafy vegetables( spinach lettuce, bokchoy, etc),broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, asparagus, celery, cucumber, pumpkins, mushrooms, peas, green beans, okra, artichoke, sprouts, bell peppers, hot peppers, olives, fennel and corn .
- Vinegar-white distilled
Remember it is very important to read the ingredient labels. You will be surprised at what you find. Please consult your health car provider, and know your triggers.
Now you can eat migraine safe foods ♥
Are eggs considered safe or trigger? I don’t see them listed.
Hello again Lisa, although every one has different triggers I am not aware of eggs being on the list. There is a possibility of course for anything to be a trigger. If the eggs are in an omelet which has onions and peppers and your trigger is onions, you won’t know for certain if eggs are a trigger for you. I suggest you use a food diary for a while and basically eat something and if it isn’t a trigger after 48 hours. You can most likely rule that one out. Of course my information is in no way a substitute for you seeing your physician or neurologist. But I do hope it helps a little.
sincerely, Katherine
Good morning Lisa, thank you for being a Katherines Corner subscriber. Everyone’s triggers can be a little, or a lot, different. It’s important to know what your triggers are.
Avocado’s, the tyramine in avocados has been linked to migraines
Bananas and citrus fruits, the combination of tyramine and histamine are thought to be the reason citrus fruits can be migraine triggers
Yogurt is on the list, but is not one of the most potent triggers. Modified food starches and other thickeners are the culprits here.
Please discuss your triggers with your health care provider.
Hugs! Katherine
Intresting List, I will try some of the recipes. Thanks for sharing
Some of the things on your list are triggers for me. Onions, any kind of red fruit or vegetable, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.Pork of any kind even cooked by me with no seasoning. I find that Gatorade, potatoes chips no salt, white milk and white potatoes all help my pain but have a detrimental effect on my body I have chronic daily headache for 11 years now I am always in pain esp. from May-October but when I am more diligent with my diet its not as bad. I have been told by at least 6 doctors there is nothing they can do for me because the meds they give me make me unable to work so I am left on my own. One cup of coffee a day with Motrin as needed.
Kim I am truly sorry to learn that you suffer with migraines. Onions are one of my top 10 triggers (and it make it a bit challenging for creating recipes. Most of the recipes I share can be adapted to a migraine free recipe. I look forward to your visits. Hugs
I never knew that the foods that you eat had anything to do with the migraines, but it all make so much sense now. Thanks for the enlightenment on this important subject.
Hello Jerry, It was a real eye opener for me too. So happy to know you found this information useful. I hope you will enjoy making some of my migraine safe recipes. I look forward to your comments and participation . Hugs
Interesting list. Wheat and sugar are triggers for me. When I gave those up my migraines disappeared. In some ways it’s very hard because wheat and sugar are in everything but in some ways it’s easier because I know it’s those 2 things and I don’t have to read every label for a lot of things because it’s obvious from what the product is that it would have wheat or sugar.
Hello Garm, please accept my apologies for the delay in responding I just now found your comment. I am so happy to know that you have identified your trigger foods. I hope you will enjoy some of the migraine safe recipes I share. Hugs
It’s funny that pretzels are on here. Right when I know a migraine is coming, I always crave pretzel sticks. I guess the crunching alleviates the oncoming ache? Not sure. Thank you for the list though!
I’m not sure either but I was happy to know pretzels weren’t a trigger. I am so sorry that you suffer from migraines. xo