Traveling to America - should I be concerned?

EvgeniZyntx
EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I eat a lot of dairy here in Europe and things like:

- unpasturized cheese
- raw milk
- raw eggs
- peanut butter
- Mett - raw minced pork meat
- steak tartare - raw beef
- oysters, sushi, sahimi, crudos, etc...

But from all the threads here, it seems that the food in America is dangerous and I don't think I can travel with two weeks of food. A lot of threads here talk about bad dairy, bad eggs, bad peanut butter. I'm not sure I should eat at places where I don't know the source.

Or should I stick to fast food places where I understand that the food quality is controlled and tested. I know it's strange to focus on that but I'm concerned about the quality of restaurants and I really won't have a car there nor a place to cook.

Thanks for your advise.
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Replies

  • cleotherio
    cleotherio Posts: 712 Member
    Yes, pack two weeks worth of raw dairy and meat. Enjoy your trip!
  • NoxiousNoah
    NoxiousNoah Posts: 107
    Do you mean The United States?
  • sillygoosie
    sillygoosie Posts: 1,109 Member
    Are you being serious?

    If our food was unsafe to eat, why would we have an obesity epidemic? We'd all be skinny and sick.
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    No boyo, its 'merica. We are not all united, just connected
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
    we tend to be a country of over-reactors. don't worry and avoid our fast food if possible.
  • jnh17
    jnh17 Posts: 838 Member
    We're talking about South America, right?
  • lucasriggs
    lucasriggs Posts: 131
    Erm. I don't live in 'merica but as you should know its a first world country with plenty of rules and regulations surrounding the food industry.

    Just treat America as you would Europe regarding food, although portion sizes tend to be bigger.
  • pumalama
    pumalama Posts: 140 Member
    our food cannot be bad over here, it's frozen solid at -40 in perpetuity!
  • shiiallah
    shiiallah Posts: 3
    Troll?
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    I live smack in the center of the U.S. and I haven't had any worries about nor illnesses from bad food since I got food poisoning from egg fu yung at a Chinese restaurant several years ago. Of course, I'm vegetarian, so the raw meat etc. is completely out of the picture for me. But the dairy and peanut butter, I wouldn't worry about.
  • SoontirFel
    SoontirFel Posts: 45 Member
    I eat a lot of dairy here in Europe and things like:

    - unpasturized cheese
    - raw milk
    - raw eggs
    - peanut butter
    - Mett - raw minced pork meat
    - steak tartare - raw beef
    - oysters, sushi, sahimi, crudos, etc...

    But from all the threads here, it seems that the food in America is dangerous and I don't think I can travel with two weeks of food. A lot of threads here talk about bad dairy, bad eggs, bad peanut butter. I'm not sure I should eat at places where I don't know the source.

    Or should I stick to fast food places where I understand that the food quality is controlled and tested. I know it's strange to focus on that but I'm concerned about the quality of restaurants and I really won't have a car there nor a place to cook.

    Thanks for your advise.

    What is this peanut butter that you speak of?
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    Have an awesome trip. I don't eat any of that stuff, so I can't comment. But really? Minced raw pork? If anything, buy organic. Enjoy once again.
  • NoxiousNoah
    NoxiousNoah Posts: 107
    We're talking about South America, right?

    We're talking about Central America.
  • Marie5681
    Marie5681 Posts: 1
    I would think if you are used to a diet so heavy in raw and unpasteurized food, you must have an iron stomach.... nothing some burgers and fries would hurt.
  • healthyKYgirl
    healthyKYgirl Posts: 272 Member
    Since America is a rather large part of the continent, you may want to be more specific about the area/state/city your are traveling to to get better advise on what is there.

    Generally, if it is a large city, there will be stores that cater to organic and internationally imported foods. For example, Whole Foods has raw and unpasteurized cheese and organic, grass fed beef. You may want to Google "health food stores" for the city(ies) you are visiting.

    I would say that finding restaurants that cater to this eating style will be difficult; it would be easier to look up organic/vegetarian restaurants then chain stores to find what you want.

    Good luck.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
    i love how the US has taken over the word "america"

    forget about the other countries in south & north america, we have ALL OF IT.
  • moujie
    moujie Posts: 229
    Yes, pack two weeks worth of raw dairy and meat. Enjoy your trip!

    I really wish MFP had a "like" button!
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    In the United States, the food you purchase at our markets is safe. There's always potential for issues eating raw...but that's anywhere.

    I wouldn't pack the food...enjoy our fresh food from a market. Fast food here isn't any safer than market food...and is much higher in calories, fat, and all things bad for you.

    Enjoy your trip!
  • stephanie_lee16
    stephanie_lee16 Posts: 1 Member
    There are good restaurants, just look for specialty foods (and check reviews first). You definitely won't find tartare, but there is still sushi to get in your raw food cravings. I would not recommend anything faster food than Panera Bread or some of the other "nicer" fast food restaurants, or any of the standard American restaurants. Those would be way too heavy for your European diet.
  • lkplibra
    lkplibra Posts: 147 Member
    Please be more specific as to where you are traveling. The continents of North America and South America are quite large, encompase hundreds of countries and all have different ruling bodies of government controlling food safety. Some do a great job, others not so much.
  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
    Troll?

    My thoughts exactly.
  • Phoenixchichima
    Phoenixchichima Posts: 416
    you can get pasturiezed dairy & eggs that will be healthier than fast food for 2 wks. you can get peanut butter from health stores & even regular grocery stores thats "raw" w/out add'l sugar, fats thats safe
    I wouldnt eat raw meat under duress so I cant help you there. plenty of people eat sushi w/out problems here, the average sushi bar is fine.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    Ya know some folks on here would not see a troll if it hit them with raw pork......
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    Yes.

    You have cause to be concerned.

    Also make sure you bring a gun.
  • olsondre
    olsondre Posts: 198 Member
    Only eat at the Waffle House. You'll be fine
  • dexter4564
    dexter4564 Posts: 86 Member
    Troll or not, this thread is stupid.
  • cleotherio
    cleotherio Posts: 712 Member
    Yes.

    You have cause to be concerned.

    Also make sure you bring a gun.

    Heh heh!
  • BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY
    BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY Posts: 666 Member
    i love how the US has taken over the word "america"

    forget about the other countries in south & north america, we have ALL OF IT.
    In my experience, folks from other countries in North, Central or South America never refer to "America". They might refer to "the Americas" or the individual continents/regions, but never "America". There's no confusion over here. Don't worry about it.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    Are you being serious?

    If our food was unsafe to eat, why would we have an obesity epidemic? We'd all be skinny and sick.

    Actually, I think this is WHY there is an obesity epidemic here.
  • srcardinal10
    srcardinal10 Posts: 387 Member
    Stay away from fast food and processed food!!! Seriously, don't eat fast food if you can help it. Check out the smaller non-chain locations if you'll be eating at restaurants. The quality is much better. There's also grocery stores if you would like to prepare food. I'd suggest Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, & Sprouts. If you're going to the grocery store, just buy organic and buy things in their natural state....read the labels for anything else.

    Enjoy 'Merica! F**K YEAH!

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