When it comes to a migraine diet, there are so many choices out there. Finding the right migraine diet for you can make a huge improvement in your symptoms and decrease attack days. But a lot of the complaints I see are focused on how difficult a migraine diet can be after you see the list of foods not allowed.
Foods Allowed on a Migraine Diet
Because I know it's very easy to get caught up in focusing on the foods to eliminate on a migraine diet like Johns Hopkins or Heal Your Headache, I spent a long time putting together this list of foods to embrace that you can eat freely during the elimination period. I began this diet because I wasn't complacent with just feeling 60-80% on my meds and supplements. I knew there had to be more, but wanted to approach things from a more holistic standpoint. You could have probably told me to walk around on my two hands to feel better and I would have tried it!
Focus On What You Can Have vs. What You Can't
Beginning a migraine diet can be completely overwhelming. I remember standing in the middle of the supermarket (which was already a challenge), looking at my book of things to eliminate and tearing up. It was like literally everything I picked off the shelves was on the "no" list. But I promise the shift gets a lot easier. This diet, although temporary, gives you the tools you need to make better decisions about food going forward. And even now that I've reintroduced foods, I try to cook more at home or check the ingredients on pre-made meals more often.
Because you now know foods to avoid temporarily, we will focus on the many things you can have. You might be surprised that you find new foods or spices that you actually enjoy more than you did before! Plus it can make you a better cook too.
Is Coconut a Migraine Trigger?
Coconut is controversial. Although HYH says to eliminate it, I don't see it affect people enough to that you should leave it in unless you don't see an improvement in your migraines, but that call is up to you. Perhaps eliminate it if you're not dairy free, but keep it in if your diet requires you to be dairy free.
I created two lists of basics that you can print out or save to your phone and carry with you to the grocery store. Hopefully it makes your life a little easier. If I missed something, it might not be on the "no" list. I just wanted to give you an idea of how many things you can actually have!
Heal Your Headache & Johns Hopkins Migraine Diet Foods to Enjoy
For pdf print outs:
Fruits Veggies and Spices Allowed on HYH
Meat, Cheese, Drinks, Beans, Grains, and Condiments Allowed on HYH
For more information on how to start a migraine elimination diet.
Pre-made Foods Allowed on a Migraine Diet
And for migraine diet pantry recommendations - check out these pre-made migraine-friendly foods and snacks.Don't forget these tips for eating out on a migraine diet.
William Locke says
Hi! Thanks for all the incredible resources you provide here! I’m trying to figure out if there’s store bought salad dressings you recommended?
Thanks! William
Alicia says
Hey William, Unfortunately there are no safe salad dressings on the market that I can find. That being said, it's really easy to make your own. I have a 123 dressing in my cookbook and most of the dressings on this site are easy to make as well.
Bill Goodykoontz says
Hi. Some sites say feta is aged and therefore may contain tyramine while some say feta is not and therefore is fine for many of us with migraines. Does it come down to trial and error? There must be a way to know whether or not it is aged, right? Thanks!
Alicia says
Feta is kind of on the edge, and its age ranges pretty drastically. Usually the fresh cheeses that are recommended for migraine diets are around 2 months, and feta is aged between 2-12 months. So it really comes down to you. It's something I would eliminate at first and then perhaps be one of the first things you reintroduce.
Lindsay says
I believe many items on this list are on here for additives, if you were doing a clean eating concept of organic foods: would some of these no's be ok? For example: stock or broth if it was an organic brand?
Alicia says
I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you just saying you want to eat clean without following a migraine diet? If so, this list won't really matter for you, you'll find more helpful info within the recipes as to why things are eliminated. Like my recipe for stock explains how MSG is typically added to most packaged stocks and broths. So it kinda depends on what your idea of eating clean is.
Maria says
Thank you so much for this list. However, I'd like to say that truffle oil is a HUGE trigger for me. It has triggered some of my worst migraines. My dad travels to Italy regularly for work and liked to bring me some back as a treat. I can't even have a taste anymore. The stuff usually available in the US has many unlisted additives as well. I say eliminate truffle oil. Actual truffles might be okay, but not oils.
Alicia says
Wow so sorry to hear that, but glad you were able to figure out it's a huge trigger for you!
Lynn says
Hi Alicia,
I read your story and my boyfriend has migraines non stop on a daily basis and I am definitely going to look into getting your book. I am so glad to see that there may be help for him for the migraines. We have tried everything and it's funny because we were just talking about how we were going to try new foods or vegetables to get his migraines under control. I hope this helps.
Alicia says
I hope so too, Lynn! Please let me know how he does with it.
Kristy Guevara-Flanagan says
Hi, I am new to this. The House Clinic gave out this site as a valuable resource when I went in for tinnitus and dizziness! I have been hunting around it and enjoying it. What are other FB groups or support groups you recommend? Also, is edamame and tofu a no go?
best, Kristy
Alicia says
Hey Kristy - I recommend a few! Migraine Strong is a great one that I am also a part of. There's also a Dizzy Cook Recipe Chat if you're looking for support with the diet. If you want something more focused on vestibular issues, I know VEDA has a lot of options on their website vestibular.org. Also I have a lot more on my resources page!
Both edamame and tofu are meant to be eliminated at first, however many people do find they can reintroduce them eventually. It seems soy protein and soy sauce is the worst out of all the "soys".
Lindsay says
Are "liquid aminos or coconut aminos" ok?
Alicia says
Coconut aminos are ok, liquid aminos are not.
Aelia says
Are almonds nuts?
Alicia says
While there may be some debate on the classification of almonds as seeds or nuts, they are considered nuts on this diet.
Kathy says
Hi Alicia,
Thank you! I agree and I will stick with the HYH list and your lists and see how it goes. You could go crazy with the variations! I notice some difference in the two months and hope for more improvement. The diet feels pretty hard sometimes, but your website and recipes have made it easier.
Alicia says
Yes, you could go crazy! I'm so glad you've found it helpful though. I always just stuck with this list and avoided the rest and I did just fine. It's possible to get better without following them all haha!
Kathy says
Hi Alicia,
I am 2 months into the HYH diet and have a couple of questions. My Doctor gave me the Johns Hopkins handout and recommended the HYH book. There’s are discrepancies between the handout: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/_docs/Migraine%20patient%20handout.pdf and the book that I hope you can help with.
1. Seeds - the handout lists them in the Avoid column but the book says they are OK and you use them a lot. Pretty safe for most people?
2. Beans - list says to avoid garbanzo and doesn’t clarify others such as black beans. I would really like to include them in my diet as they are a good source of protein for me. Thoughts?
Thank you so much for your website and recipes! They have been a life saver for me.
Alicia says
I believe seeds are under the "limit, reduce or avoid category"...which isn't super clear on the handout. HYH totally allows seeds. Seeds can be higher in tyramine, so it's something to watch for. However, I find very few people have issues. In fact, most nuts are a huge trigger for me, but I can easily tolerate seeds. Seeds are eliminated on another more strict migraine diet called The Charleston diet. It's totally up to you on what you think you can manage. Perhaps include them for now and then you can think about eliminating them if you're not making progress.
As for beans, I think you'll be ok with following the beans on the allowed list. There are small discrepancies between the two diets, so I would just pick the one that works best for you. Garbanzos are allowed on HYH.
Again just remember these lists are just a jumping off point to give you an idea of common triggers and eliminating them all can help calm your brain down, yet it doesn't mean everything on this list will end up being your triggers. It helps to just pick one to try to follow rather than trying to do them all! Johns Hopkins made this list based on their experience with what patients tell them. Dr Buchholz did the same. And I even do that for Dizzy Cook! 🙂
Anonymous says
Are canned vegetables and fruit no good? The ingredients on them seem fine. Or should you avoid most things in a can?
Alicia says
They're ok! Some say they do better with frozen than canned, but overall it's fine.
Cindy says
I was just diagnosed with VM 3 days ago. This all started 1 year and 2 months ago. Im dizzy 24/7. Seeing your blog and your personal story helps me cope. Thank you for that. I work but struggle everyday. My neurologist put me on the B2 and Magnesium for migraines but upset my stomach. I use magnesium oil now and eat seeds. But it was my ENT at UCSF that diagnosed me. Ive just started Nortripilyn and have been on low dose Ativan for a year. And now ordered the book mentioned for recipes. Hope this helps me. I was also eating yogurt every morning and lots of avocados. So we’ll see what cutting that out does. I love a cup of coffee in morning and that actually helps my morning dizziness but will eventually cut that out too. Thanks again for your blog
Maria says
Hi Dizzy Cook,
I have had migraines since I was 13 get them at least 2 times a month and they are completely debilitating. I just brought the book thanks to you, I will start the diet next week and hopefully will see some good results. I have one question, maybe you can help me out. I have been lactose intolerant since i was very young ( I reintroduced some lactose like cheese and yogurt) but I cannot drink milk, I have replaced it with Almond milk. But this diet is nut free.. do you have any alternatives to milk that are not nut based? Thank you!
Alicia says
Hey Maria - I hope this diet will help in combination with some of the other treatments you're doing! There are thankfully lots of good substitutes. Rice milk, hemp milk, and oat milk are the 3 most popular. Tempt original unsweetened hemp milk is the cleanest brand I've found, and Oatly oat milk is probably my favorite. You can also make your own if you're up for that!
Rachel says
What about coconut milk? Or is coconut considered a nut?
Alicia says
Dr Buchholz classifies them as a nut, but really they can be considered a drupe or a fruit. Coconut milk is technically not allowed, but many find they do tolerate it well. Unless you're dairy free, I recommend eliminating it in the beginning as the diet says, but it could be one of the first things you test out.
Deborah Kilmer says
Hi Alicia, Are Collard greens okay? My son is on a low fodmap diet for IBS. Finding things that are gluten free (I'm celiac), HYH allowed, and low fodmap gets challenging! This list is super helpful.
Alicia says
Yes, most definitely!
Kelsey says
This is wonderful!!
It's really interesting to read all the "allowed" foods because a) there's way more than you would expect and b) some of these "yes" options are huge triggers for me, example: agave and cream cheese. Don't know why but they send me into a killer migraine almost instantly!
I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to starting a diet for the first time in my life
Thank you!
Alicia says
You're welcome!! I'm also not a fan of agave either, but it could have something to do with a spike in blood sugar. As for the cream cheese, have you ever checked the ingredients? Some brands contain a lot of gums or additives like carrageenan so it would make sense that you could be reacting to those. 🙂
Brooke says
Sorry for all the comments, but I am glad I found this. When the dizziness started, I noticed it would get significantly worse when eating (to the point i've lost 10 pounds because I was only getting halfway through a meal). My family thought I was crazy! Like how would food (when I was eating semi-healthy, but again.... nuts, yogurt, salad but with regular dressings...) make her dizzy?
Question- I see you say fresh as possible... without going to the store daily-- are frozen fruits okay? Thinking smoothies might be a good breakfast option for me with allowed ingredients.
Alicia says
Hey Brooke - so sorry to hear that. You may want to keep calling and checking for cancellations. I was able to get into see my Dr earlier that way. You also may want to ask about them giving you a low dose of valium or ativan instead of meclizine, which isn't very effective for VM. If your doctor questions it, you can print and show him this article from Dr. Hain.
As for the diet, the posts below may help you get started. You can definitely still eat out - chipotle and even mcdonalds plain burgers are options. You can just tell your waiter you have certain allergies and ask for things to be grilled with just salt and pepper. Or bring your own homemade dressing to restaurants and customize a salad. I replaced nuts with seeds and yogurt with cottage cheese. I would say since you're chronic, it's worth it just to jump into it. I see people try to eliminate one thing at a time and then they say the diet doesn't work... My opinion is it's better to go all in and screw up for a day or two than try to do it half-heartedly. You'll mess up a lot your first month and that's ok. It's a learning experience that gets much easier with time. 🙂
Maybe you can get your daughter involved a little bit with the cooking. My girlfriend got her little guy a chefs hat and lets him add blueberries to the muffins or things like that. It can be a really fun moment for you both to learn while spending a little time together.
Frozen fruits are definitely ok!
How to Get Started
Pantry Staples
Some really easy recipes to start with
Honey Garlic Chicken (I get rave reviews on this one)
Sheet pan sausage, arugula, and potato salad
Egg roll bowl
Mediterranean Halibut
Fish tostadas (or just tacos)
Basic Dressing
For lunch - best sandwich ever
Breakfast - Chia Pudding and overnight oats with fruit are so easy to make ahead and have in the fridge ready to go. If you have a little more time these pancakes are awesome and here's the blueberry muffins.
Also check out the 5 day meal plan. THere's a lot of meals in there that are easy to prep and make ahead, then you can freeze them.
Brooke says
I have recently been told the reason I feel so cruddy and my head is always spinning is I have vestibular migraines. I am starting vestibular therapy and waiting for my neurology appointment (not until Sept) but I am trying to find things I can do to help myself now. My work has been amazing and is accommodating my work area with non-florescent lighting and I will get some glasses to wear as well (I work on a computer all day). I have started magnesium supplements, in addition to the b-complex and multi i've been taking for years. My doctor has told me to take meclizine when absolutely needed. But the diet... its overwhelming. I'll admit as a full-time working mom with an almost 3 year old we eat A LOT of processed food. I have realized I am not going to be able to swallow ALL of this at once, so do you have any recommendations to slowly ease into better eating or is it going to be a huge trigger if I don't just cut everything at once? Even the things I snack on healthy (nuts, yogurt) are no-no's so i'm like okay..... what do I eat? Can I eat out? I am not great in the kitchen (nor do I have an abundance of time with my daughter and working) so how can I make foods that aren't going to bore me (and make my cheat), that are easy, filling and tasteful? This is all so overwhelming but these awful headaches I have to function with!!! Any advice on this transition for someone who doesn't know how to cook and is kind of picky too?