Traveling to America - should I be concerned?

Options
1…89111314…20

Replies

  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Options
    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.

    Eat nothing but peanut butter, bacon and whey - they are all clean and paleo.
  • mdyorston
    mdyorston Posts: 158
    Options
    oops wrong thread. :wink:

    where's the thread you meant to post to? looks waaaay more interesting! LOL
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Options
    I could write a book in response to this.
  • ashleyhacker
    ashleyhacker Posts: 48
    Options
    haha.
    Avoid fast food and shop at health food stores or in the organic sections of supermarkets. Our food is terrible for you ;)
  • ashleyhacker
    ashleyhacker Posts: 48
    Options
    Don't forget to try these:

    jimmydean.jpg

    What is this madness.

    Its heaven on a stick. Its like a breakfast corn dog.
  • mapnerd2005
    mapnerd2005 Posts: 363
    Options
    Yes, pack two weeks worth of raw dairy and meat. Enjoy your trip!

    ahhhhh....sarcasm.

    You cannot bring any form of meats, soft cheeses, or dairy through customs. The food here is safe and clean, though more processed and in larger portions that what you will be used to purchasing at your home markets. You can go to the grocery store or farmers market and buy any kind of produce or raw products you want, but you will have a hard time finding un-pasturized diary unless you go to a specialty store.
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,179 Member
    Options
    meanwhile-in-america-meme-12.jpg
  • algebravoodoo
    algebravoodoo Posts: 776 Member
    Options
    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?

    Seriously. The only PEANUT BUTTER I've ever seen in Europe is (wait for it...) American (yes, that is the brand name and it has a huge USA flag on the label and it tasted like really old government peanut butter.)
    Now almond butter, cashew butter, other nut butters are easy to find and they are delish!
  • DarthH8
    DarthH8 Posts: 298 Member
    Options
    What kind of question is that? America has all the best things in the world of course the food is better than yours.
  • ErrataCorrige
    ErrataCorrige Posts: 649 Member
    Options
    Only eat at the Waffle House. You'll be fine


    this whole thread was worth it if only for this post.
  • KristysLosing
    KristysLosing Posts: 683
    Options
    Seriously, the people in the USA eat food from the USA every day. WTH

    My thoughts exactly. This ranks pretty high on the list of stupidest threads. We're not all dying from the foods here. Sure...there have been bad things out there. And it sucks that the bad stuff gets through. But generally...we're all surviving, even eating food in America.
  • PaleoNewbi
    PaleoNewbi Posts: 8
    Options
    Mmmm If you meant United States then I can give you a few tips. Our food is probably one of the worst in the world, genetically modified, processed and full of pesticides, artificial ingredients and dyes. Our meats are injected with antibiotics and hormones, our milk is so processed they have to dye it back to white because it usually turns blue. I live in TX and you can find raw dairy here. I would stick to organic foods and there is a grocery store called Whole Foods where you can find better quality food. Also if you're planning on cooking, find where the nearest farmers market is and shop local.

    This person has it right! Also, you cannot find raw dairy in every state. Where I live, Maryland, raw dairy is illegal for crying out loud!! Raw pork, no way! you take your life in your own hands. I love beef tartar, but you better have a trusting source, like your local farmer. I'm just saying!
  • ErrataCorrige
    ErrataCorrige Posts: 649 Member
    Options
    Yes, eat fast food for every meal and then come back and tell us why you feel like death and you've gained 40 lbs on a 2 week trip.

    What part of the country are you travelling to? Some parts of the country have MUCH better options and availability than others. It's a pretty big country.

    :indifferent:

    Northern CA. I'll be calorie counting, it should be ok. Maybe I can buy one of those cleanses or GNC products we can't get here?

    Oh, you're coming HERE? NorCal? Oh, then you're fine. Seriously, it's RIDICULOUSLY easy to find healthy food in Northern California. Granted, it's pretty easy to find crap food too, but just find a New Leaf market or Whole Foods, or the like. They're everywhere. The coastal areas are even more likely to have what you're looking for. (although you may want to avoid Fresno, just on general principle)

    Avoid Fresno?!?

    But that would mean no cowboy-hookers! Blasphemy!
  • PaleoNewbi
    PaleoNewbi Posts: 8
    Options
    Hey pal what have you been reading? You are so misinformed . You need to do some real research Trust me you will not be eating unpasteurized cheese and raw minced pork here. The USDA will not like that.

    LOL. You are so right! We need to educate some on this board. They may not like what they find out. Ignorance is not bliss in the case of raw pork, though.

    Best
  • Wickedbookworm1977
    Wickedbookworm1977 Posts: 162
    Options
    It depends on where you go, but most large cities have stores like Whole Foods where you can obtain the foods you are accustomed to. Google where you're going to find them....or eat fast food. If its a vacation, why not splurge a bit?
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    Options
    It's news to me that our food is unsafe.
  • Midnight_Sunshine
    Midnight_Sunshine Posts: 369 Member
    Options
    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.

    Oh good lord will you people get over it!!!

    The rest of the world calls you America. Just like you are Americans.

    Deal with it!!!

    Goddamn nitpickers on this site... it's unbelievable!
  • coffee_rocks
    coffee_rocks Posts: 275 Member
    Options
    Screw the Americans. Change your trip and come up to Canada. Better food, no guns and we'll be polite to you.
  • TXtstorm
    TXtstorm Posts: 163 Member
    Options
    The irony is that I played an uneducated Yahoo (a la Gulliver's Travels) ...

    All the junk collected by this thread aside, sounds like one could know all that is necessary about it by reading the first post, the OP's profile, and the OP's last post. Mostly, the first few responders called it... trolling (see quote above). So, garbage in, garbage out. Next, OP has been to the US before... rode in a couple of RAGBRAI, which is a multiday biking event in which one bikes across Iowa. Food here is not a mystery for him, soooooo....

    Got a giggle from 2 things. First that raw beef would be on the list of supposed concerns... try donating blood in the US after traveling to (at least parts of) Europe. Blood banks are concerned about exposure to BSE when you tell them about your travels. A co-worker has been permanently deferred as a blood donor because she was born in Germany, from whence OP says he's coming. Second, the tongue-in-cheek reference to eating at Waffle House. I've only been to one a very few times, but I guarantee I got sick VERY soon after each time. Needless to say, I learned and adjusted my behavior.

    ETA: Oops, dropped the sentence about BSE.
  • daybehavior
    daybehavior Posts: 1,319 Member
    Options
    This thread can be summarized by three posts:
    Yes, pack two weeks worth of raw dairy and meat. Enjoy your trip!
    Yes.

    You have cause to be concerned.

    Also make sure you bring a gun.
    Only eat at the Waffle House. You'll be fine

    trolololo lalala
    /thread

Categories