Avoid Food Poisoning on Vacation with These 11 Tips

Exotic street food, fresh fruit, and aromatic scents-traveling often includes indulging in culinary delights. But sometimes our stomachs can't handle it. Here are eleven tips to prevent food poisoning.

Exploring the streets by night, letting the scent of exotic dishes guide you, and sampling various street vendors. For many travelers, street food is a must when visiting places like Thailand and Vietnam. However, these unfamiliar meals can sometimes lead to an upset stomach, nausea, or food poisoning. Often, it's just because our Western digestive systems aren't familiar with the foreign spices, flavors, food, and harmless bacteria.

But it can also lead to something more serious if you eat spoiled food. With a bit of caution and a few tricks, you can reduce the risk of a severe stomach illness. Here are eleven tips you should consider.

This saying is known to most travelers: 'Peel it, boil it, cook it - or forget it.' It primarily refers to consuming vegetables, fruits, and other raw foods.

The main risks are bacteria and contamination on treated fruits and vegetables. Therefore, fruits should generally be peeled, and vegetables should be cooked or boiled. Sadly, salads are mostly off-limits-exceptions are larger restaurants with strict hygiene regulations.

Not all street food is created equal. You won't know how long the food has been sitting before being served. Cooked or fried items like sausages or eggs don't last forever, especially in the Southeast Asian heat.

Therefore, it's wise to choose meals and meats that are freshly prepared right before your eyes. Soups that are still boiling can also usually be consumed safely.

Additionally, you should observe the hygiene conditions. Are the cooks' hands clean, and is the dishware sanitary?

In the United States, drinking tap water is common and safe. You can even fill up a bottle from a tap at the airport. Not so in Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, and other countries, including many parts of South America and Africa.

Even though it's not eco-friendly, you should only drink water from sealed bottles in Southeast Asian countries. Even in tourist hotspots like Pattaya and Phuket, where water quality has improved, caution is advised. It's recommended to buy carbonated water, as previously opened bottles can be easier to identify.

In some larger hotels and restaurants, you can refill your water bottle with clean water, reducing plastic waste.

In high temperatures, a cold drink is incredibly refreshing. But beware: Ice cubes are often made from tap water-refer back to tip three!

If you're not sure whether the ice was made from clean drinking water (usually safe in hotels and restaurants), order your drink without ice. A lukewarm drink is better than a hospital stay.

Hidden tap water can also be found in ice cream, fruit juices, fruit, and salads. Fruits and salads are almost always washed with tap water, which can have serious consequences if pathogens are present. It's wiser to eat only peeled fruits and salads made from cooked ingredients such as potatoes.

Reheating yesterday's pizza or those delicious Thai noodles the next day? While common in the U.S., it can be risky in some countries.

The tropical climate shortens the shelf life of food significantly. Moreover, travelers often lack the means to store leftovers properly or ensure they remain edible until consumed.

This point ties back to tip three: Avoid tap water not only when drinking but also for activities like brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Otherwise, contaminants and bacteria can enter your mouth.

Dishes should also be washed with clean drinking water to minimize infection risk. Pay attention to how dirty dishes are handled at food stalls and with street food.

Drinking plenty of fluids can help flush out bacteria. A brochure (PDF) from the German Foreign Office suggests that travelers in tropical regions should drink enough to keep their urine pale yellow and to ensure they need to use the restroom several times a day.

Although frequent handwashing might draw a chuckle, it can actually prevent illness when traveling. You're exposed to more pathogens due to frequent human contact in bustling areas. Washing hands after using the restroom and before meals should be automatic.

Otherwise, germs can easily transfer from hands to mouth. Carrying a small bottle of sanitizer can be invaluable. However, avoid overuse to maintain your skin's natural protective barrier.

It's crucial to trust both your intuition and your observations while traveling. Before deciding where to eat, survey the scene and consider these questions:

Is the restaurant or street stand clean? Does the food seem fresh? Do many locals eat here? Is the food prepared hygienically? Answering these questions will quickly give you a sense of whether it's safe to eat. When in doubt, if you're uncertain, choose another place.

On trips, there are usually more safe food options than dangerous ones. However, one key concern can be a broken cold chain. You won't always know how things were stored, but you can avoid risky ingredients.

Cold buffets can be problematic if dishes like egg-based meals, pâtés, ground meat, or anything with mayonnaise weren't kept cold enough. These types of dishes can easily transfer pathogens like typhoid, paratyphoid, and amoebae. It's wise to skip these and choose something else.

Eating meat abroad is tricky. You might have the best steak of your life or spend days in the bathroom because a street vendor's meat skewer was bad. Use common sense to decide when to eat meat. Street stalls are popular because the food is tasty and cheap, but hygiene isn't always guaranteed.

Trust your instincts and inspect the street food kitchens closely. Does it look clean? Does it smell good? Do locals eat there often? Then it's likely safe. If unsure, it's safer to avoid meat on your travels. You can meet your protein needs with beans, peas, lentils, and nuts.

Despite all precautions, stomach issues can still arise. This may not always be due to spoiled food or contaminated drinking water; it could simply be a case of your stomach adjusting.

If experiencing diarrhea or nausea, stay calm. Drink lots of water, rest, and adjust your diet: eat rice, bananas, boiled potatoes, and bread, which are gentle on the stomach.

Usually, diarrhea resolves after a few days. If it persists or if you develop other symptoms such as a fever, see a doctor immediately.

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