At present there is no known consensus or standard of practice when recommending diet modifications for patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). There is large variation between centres in terms of which patients are required to follow a restricted diet, what foods are or are not permitted, and how long patients should follow a modified or restricted diet. Some centres continue to recommend outdated highly restrictive “neutropenic” or “low bacteria” (ND/LBD) diets despite a lack of evidence indicating benefit. Many centres are now moving towards more liberalized diets based on a “food safety” approach which follows guidelines from food and health agencies such as the FDA, CDC, and Health Canada, as well as research that shows that these diets are equally safe and potentially more beneficial than ND/LBD in terms of acceptance, satisfaction, and adherence. This article reviews and discusses the current body of literature relating to diet post-HSCT.Statement of novelty: An up-to-date review of diets recommended post-HSCT and a rationale for moving towards a food-safety based approach over neutropenic or low bacteria diets, which continue to be widely followed.