Foods to Avoid When Traveling

One of the perks of traveling abroad is getting to experience a wide variety of food. However, if you aren’t careful you can end up getting sick and ruining your vacation. Not all countries have as high of food safety standards as the ones found in the United States which can get the unsuspecting traveler into a lot of trouble. When you are grabbing something to eat when traveling abroad, make sure you steer clear of these foods.

Foods to Avoid When Traveling

• Raw Fruits And Vegetables There are so many different issues when it comes to raw fruits and vegetables in a foreign country. They have a high risk of contamination or of being grown in soil that isn’t safe. They also might have been rinsed in water that is unsafe. As much as you’d like to eat healthy and have a salad or a nice piece of fruit, be cautious. Only eat fruits and vegetables that are cooked and still hot. If you just can’t resist picking up some produce at a farmers market, opt for something with a peel like an apple and cucumber. When you are ready to consume it, peel it yourself and wash it in water that you know is clean.

If you do want to try fruit, eat something with a tougher skin like bananas and avoid berries. Keep in mind the even if fruit is washed, the water could be contaminated depending on the area you are visiting.

• Meat That Is Undercooked Many people love their meat rare or medium rare. Normally this might be okay, but if you are in a foreign country it just isn’t worth the risk. Order your meat well done. Better yet, skip the meat altogether!  This will keep you from having to endure any tummy troubles because there was bacteria in your meat.  Please trust me on this one!  While on a trip to Dubai last year, I was at a 5 star restaurant and ordered a medium rare steak.  It looked, smelled and tasted great, but within a couple of hours, all of us started having stomach issues.  Where everyone else took pepto and felt better the next day, I have Celiac disease and an already sensitive stomach, so I was not so lucky.  I ran a fever for 24 hours, and it took 5 days to feel better and stop running to the bathroom all day….needless to say it made for a very long and uncomfortable flight home.
• Runny Eggs Over easy or sunny side up eggs are popular in the U.S., but opt for an omelette or scrambled eggs when you are traveling.  Under cooked eggs can be a breeding ground for salmonella.
• Soft Cheeses Like most people, you probably love cheese. Soft cheese however, can pose a danger to you while you are traveling abroad.  This type of cheese includes Brie, cream cheese and feta. The problem with soft cheeses is that they come from raw milk, which may not be safe in a foreign land. If you must have cheese, stick with harder varieties that are safer to eat.
• Prepared Foods That Aren’t Refrigerated While you are out and about there’s a good chance that you want to grab a quick bite to eat. Make sure that whatever you do you stay away from prepared foods that aren’t refrigerated, like sandwiches. They can develop bacteria that can cause you to get sick later on. If there aren’t any options around that seem to be stored properly, opt for something prepackaged like crackers instead.
• Certain Foods Offered By Street Vendors One of the best parts about traveling is getting to sample food from street vendors. Unfortunately, this is also an easy way to get sick. If you do plan on eating at one, make sure that the vendor’s stall looks clean. Also, be sure that your meal is actually prepared in front of you and it isn’t something that’s been prepared in advance and just sitting on a counter.

In general, also try to stay away from buffets. Buffets can build bacteria from sitting a the wrong temperatures, and of course is also easy for someone that is sick that has not washed their hands to contaminate the food. No matter what precautions you take, sometimes you just end up getting sick from the different types of food in another country.  Speak to your doctor prior to traveling and ask from a prescription antibiotic along with taking over the counter medications with you as well.

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Knowing what foods to avoid when traveling can keep you healthy and energized throughout your trip. For a comprehensive guide to staying well in transit and at your destination, see How to Stay Healthy While Traveling.

Knowing which foods to avoid abroad keeps you healthy and helps you budget better. Pair this food wisdom with our guide to saving money on travel for the complete cost-conscious traveler’s toolkit.