What not to eat after food poisoning

Do not force solid food while you are vomiting. Take frequent small sips of water or an oral rehydration drink, then restart food with small, plain portions as your appetite returns.

The stomach and bowel can remain irritated after the infection begins to settle. Fatty food empties from the stomach slowly, spicy food may intensify cramping, and caffeine or alcohol can aggravate fluid loss. Very sweet drinks can also make loose stools worse for some people.

Temporary difficulty digesting milk can follow a bowel infection. You do not need to exclude dairy routinely, but pause it if milk clearly triggers bloating, cramps or looser stools, and try it again after recovery.

Prioritise fluids. Sip slowly if nausea is present; large drinks taken quickly can trigger more vomiting. An oral rehydration solution replaces water and salts more appropriately than energy drinks or undiluted juice.

When liquids stay down, choose manageable foods such as toast, rice, potatoes, soup, bananas or plain crackers. Add ordinary foods gradually rather than staying on a highly restricted diet. Wash hands carefully and avoid preparing food for other people while vomiting or diarrhoea continues.

Seek prompt medical advice if you cannot keep fluids down, pass very little urine, have blood in vomit or stool, develop severe or worsening abdominal pain, or remain unwell instead of gradually improving. Babies, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with reduced immunity can become dehydrated more readily.

Call emergency services for confusion, collapse, marked drowsiness, breathing difficulty or other signs of severe illness. These symptoms matter because they may reflect dangerous dehydration or another cause that needs urgent assessment.

Ask whether your medicines could worsen diarrhoea or dehydration, whether an oral rehydration product suits you, and when to restart any medicine you could not keep down. Mention recent travel, shared meals, blood in the stool and the pattern of your symptoms.