Making sure food and beverages are served at the appropriate temperature and washing your hands before eating are two of the most important guidelines. There are a few other items experts say are safest to consume.
“I’m going to trust [packaged foods, like muffins or individual yogurts] more just because there’s a lot of processes that are involved to make sure that [they] are kept safe,” Le said. “[And] no one’s touching them or handling them.”
Deutsch said whole fruits that haven’t been cut (like bananas or oranges), cooked-to-order options like omelets, and cereal in a dispenser (wash your hands after touching the handle) are also usually safe bets, particularly if you’re immunocompromised.
For people who are at a higher risk of food poisoning (weakened immune system, pregnant, aged 65 and older, or younger than 5), they should especially be aware of options that are safer to eat and what to avoid. While anyone can get food poisoning, individuals in these groups could get severely sick from it, according to the CDC.
Do your research — and follow your gut.
Besides the above safety guidelines, you can also check out inspection reports for restaurants and hotels. (They are usually publicly available in the United States and many other countries, according to Deutsch.)
And when you’re eating out at a restaurant or hotel, “don’t be afraid to ask questions regarding how food has been handled,” Deutsch said. “And follow your gut — if you see something that’s questionable or if you have a health condition that makes you particularly vulnerable, pack some protein bars.”
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
