There’s a lot that goes into ensuring that you have a great trip abroad. When you’re preparing to leave, you want to make sure that all facets of your trip are covered, from plane tickets and ground transportation, to tours and your hotel accommodations, and much more. However, something that can easily be overlooked when traveling to a foreign culture is food safety. While food customs may be one way where you’re from, it can often be different in another country. There are few things worse than getting sick on your trip, so to avoid getting sick on your next trip abroad, follow these tips below.
Do your research. Know before you go. Talk to people who have traveled the country you’re visiting, and look up articles and books about the destination to find out destination-specific information. Food safety often varies from country to country. No matter how many tips we give you here, one of the most important things for your trip will be knowing what foods and practices you should and shouldn’t do. So do you research.
Drink bottled water. As a general rule, make plans to drink bottled water when visiting other countries. When you’re dining at a restaurant, consider asking for the actual bottle they’re serving the water with to be on the safe side. Additionally, be careful with ice. Since ice is often from the tap, it can have bacteria in it in some destinations. Drinking bottled water may get more expensive, but your stomach will thank you.
Eat food that is well-done. This is especially important when eating seafood and raw fish. These can sometimes be undercooked or not properly prepared, which can then lead to an upset stomach. To be on the safe side, order your meat at least medium well, if not well-done so that any bacteria is heated off the meat. Describe the color that you like to eat your meat to ensure your food has been properly prepared and cooked.
Use care when eating healthy items like fruits, salads, and other vegetables. It’s easy to eat unhealthy while traveling since you’re on the go so much and aren’t home in your own kitchen. However, while you may want to try to eat healthier, be careful of fruits, salads, and other vegetables. Since these typically aren’t cooked or only cooked lightly, they can be full of bacteria when not appropriately prepared. If you really want fruit, consider buying it at a market and thoroughly cleaning and peeling it yourself.
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