I’ve many times been asked about some of the best ways to eat healthy while on travel, especially because people do want to experience local cuisine as part of their cultural engagement.
However, there’s no worse damper on your fantastic cultural travel vacation than getting ill, with the exception perhaps of getting into an accident.
Fortunately you can avoid the first by using some common sense and practical advice.
While you do want to be open to having new cultural experiences and trying out new foods (certainly one of the most “cultural” things you can do), you do need to know your limits.
Particularly if you have medical conditions or suffer from upset stomach and you are warned by your doctor to be careful.
There’s also the implication of the high cost of medical service abroad and the annoying resulting paperwork to make a claim to your travel insurance company.
Also take into consideration that locals may have antibodies that protect them from their own foods but that as travelers, we lack, causing us to be sensitive to some ingredients.
So even if you think you are foolproof and nothing can get to you, it would be wise to learn a few tips to be safe while enjoying the local cuisine.
Ways to eat healthy while traveling
Water
1. Only drink bottled water, even if you’re just brushing your teeth. Even if you’re in Europe, where tap water is some of the best quality in the world, when possible, go for bottled water.
2. Avoid ice cubes, tap water and fountains.
Exception: I can attest to the fact that water from the public fountains in Rome (fontanelle) is perfectly safe for consumption.
In fact, a friend of mine who has lived in Rome for the last seven years claims her skin has never felt better since she started drinking Roman water.
The fountains are an intrinsic part of Rome since the times of the emperors and there is a never ending supply of water to fill your plastic bottle. It’s water that comes straight from the mountains.
When in Rome…
Street food
3. Street food stalls can be safe in many parts of the world and offer some of the best treats. But be careful with food that may have been sitting too long.
4. Go for foods that have been thoroughly (and recently) boiled and cooked like bread, rice or soup.
Fruits and vegetables
5. Favor fruits that you can peel yourself, like bananas or mangoes.
6. Avoid fruit that may have been skinned and washed with tap water.
Raw food
7. In general I recommend avoiding raw food. But if you’re in a fancy restaurant abroad, you may be ok.
Just check the cleanliness of the place and how food is treated and served. If it still looks funny to you, don’t eat it.
Packaged food
8. It’s generally safe to eat food that has been properly packaged like sodas, coffee, tea, wine, nuts and canned goods.
Dairy
9. Stay away from dairy products that are not properly packaged, pasteurized or aged. And even if milk is fresh from the cow (or goat) it can be very heavy on your stomach.
Customs
10. Research in advance (as always) about the food customs at your place of destination.
Learn about the social protocol to politely (and appropriately) turn down a (disgusting or even potentially dangerous) meal.
Extras
11. If your hotel or B&B offers breakfast (duh), better yet if it’s buffet breakfast, sometimes you can get a bit extra to go with you for your dinner or snack.
Many times you can take some fruit, yogurt or bread with you.
Break from local gastronomy
12. Large cities have big hotels that offer international cuisine. You can buy a meal there if you get tired of the local delicacies.
Medicine
13. Consult with your doctor before your trip to see which antidiarrheal medication or antibiotics are good to take with you, in case of illness.
So there you go, super easy ways to eat healthy while on your cultural travels. As you can see it’s mostly common sense!
What about you? Do you have any more tips to staying healthy while on your trips?
How about sharing them in the comments field below or join the conversation in Facebook!
Carolina and loyal readers, I found these tips to enjoy street food during our cultural travels, without the fear of suffering from food poisoning http://www.travelandleisureasia.com/toplists/1721929/5_tricks_for_eating_street_food_safely.html
Just the post I need! Thank you Carolina, from now on I will pay more attention at what I eat during my travels.