What Foods Are Safe to Eat When Traveling?

Finding foods that are safe to eat when traveling can be a challenge. One of the safest foods to eat when traveling overseas or even domestically is pizza. This is because the dish is usually cooked at a very high temperature, minimizing the potential for food poisoning. Nuts and other types of foods served directly from the shell also are likely to be safe options. When it comes to beverages, hot coffee and tea usually are safe, as long as they are served without any type of non-pasteurized dairy products.

More facts about finding safe foods:

• Freshly cooked foods generally are safer than foods that have been cooked and reheated, because the latter are more likely to have been exposed to airborne contaminants. Boiled foods are good options. Cuts of meat should always be prepared well done instead of medium or rare.


• Fruits that must be peeled are better choices than fruit desserts that were cooked several hours before being served. The fruit is peeled just before consumption, so the possibility of contamination is kept to a minimum.


• When eating in a restaurant, ordering a dish that does not have to be handled by the server just before consumption is considered to be a safer option. The safest option is choosing something that goes directly from the pot to the plate to the table. Less handling means a lower risk of contamination by bacteria and other contaminants.