Travelling to Thailand brings one big question:
Can we eat street food without getting sick? Luckily, we can! It’s important to be careful and watch out for some things, but below you can read all about it and prepare yourself for an amazing trip without missing great flavours!
Before our first travel to Thailand we read stories from others who got sick after eating street food. But going to Thailand and not being able to try all the amazing street food they have, was a no go for us. We did some research upfront and got ourselves prepared – hope these tips help you as much as it helped us!
So, what should you do to eat street food without getting sick?
- Visit the markets in the morning. By doing this you’ll have the freshest food of the day. The weather can get pretty warm and some of the food stands don’t have a proper cooling system.
- Before you order, take a good look at the area, food and cookery. Check if everything’s okay and if they keep the food cool and fresh, with ice for example. Avoid vendors that don’t use gloves or follow proper hygiene practices.
- Try to eat at the same time as locals. That’s when the food is freshly cooked and that’s when you want to be eating.
- Order at a place where you see more local people waiting in line. This will definitely higher up your chances to enjoy some great food without getting sick!
- Make sure your food is fully cooked – and if you have any doubts, just ask them to cook it a bit more. Properly cooked food is the safest!
- We are absolute sauce lovers, but it’s important to be careful with table condiments. These are kept at room temperature and can be there for several days, creating bacteria that will get you sick.
- Don’t buy fruits which are already cut. You don’t know for how long they are in the open air. Just pick a fruit yourself and ask them to cut it in small pieces for you.
- We always bought bottles of water and never drunk from the tap. Water was super cheap and also easily found everywhere. Make sure that the water bottle is properly sealed to make sure it’s brand new and not just refilled.
- Avoid icy drinks and fruit shakes where the chances of contaminated water are higher.
- We know that for many this can be the first experience in Asia and you are feeling adventurous, but if something doesn’t feel right, just stop eating. You want to enjoy your trip to the fullest so there’s no need to take unnecessary risks.
Pro-Tip: If you have any kind of food allergies, bring your own allergen translation card. Better be safe than sorry!
What if I get sick?
So, after following all the tips you got sick anyway? Don’t panic, it will probably go away in just a few days.
If the food poisoning or stomach illness don’t fade away as expected, then you should consider visiting a local doctor. Many of them are familiar with traveler’s diarrhea and have good knowledge about the local viruses and bacterias. In the meanwhile, keep a steady diet with plain rice and banana, and hydrate as much as possible. If you are on the move or have a long bus ride ahead, then Imodium pills will probably be your best friend! We had these pills with us the entire trip, but eventually didn’t even used it.
