Should I eat differently during a flare than in remission?
Yes, and this is one of the few times diet advice in IBD splits clearly. During a flare, many people do better on plainer, easy-to-digest foods and cut back on rough, high-fibre foods for a short while. In remission the goal flips: a broad, balanced diet with as much variety as you tolerate, and no need to limit fibre unless you have a narrowing (stricture). Neither phase calls for cutting food groups long-term, and a dietitian can tailor both.
This answer differs during a flare and in remission.
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Most diet advice in IBD is "it depends," but this is one question with a clearer answer. How you eat sensibly shifts between an active flare and remission. The important thing is that the flare changes are short-term, not a permanent way of eating.
During a flare
When your gut is inflamed and symptoms are high, plainer, easy-to-digest food is usually kinder. Crohn's & Colitis UK suggests options such as well-cooked, peeled vegetables, and soups or smoothies if solid meals are hard going (Crohn's & Colitis UK). Many people also find that rough, high-fibre foods, and very spicy or fatty meals, are harder to tolerate for a while (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation). Treat this as a temporary adjustment to get through the flare, not a long-term rule.
In remission
Once things settle, the goal flips toward variety. Crohn's & Colitis UK advises getting back to a healthy, balanced diet, and notes you do not need to limit how much fibre you eat unless you have a narrowing, or stricture, in your bowel (Crohn's & Colitis UK). Eating well in remission also helps you regain any weight lost during a flare and lowers the risk of nutrient deficiencies.
The common thread
Neither phase is about cutting out whole food groups for good. A registered dietitian can help you pull fibre and variety back in safely as a flare settles (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation).