What to Eat with a Stomach Bug for Fast Recovery

December 30, 2025 •

4 min read

Did you know that dehydration is the most common and dangerous side effect of a stomach bug? Understanding what to eat with a stomach bug is critical to replenishing lost fluids and nutrients, while also soothing your irritated digestive system to aid a faster, more comfortable recovery.

Quick Summary

Learn the best strategies for eating with a stomach virus, starting with vital rehydration and progressing to bland, easy-to-digest foods. This guide outlines foods to consume, items to avoid, and the right pace for a gentle return to your normal diet, focusing on calming the gastrointestinal system.

Key Points

Start with clear fluids: The first priority is rehydrating with water, broth, or electrolyte drinks to replace fluids and salts lost from vomiting or diarrhea.
Rest your stomach initially: Avoid solid foods for the first several hours, or until vomiting subsides, and take small, frequent sips of liquids to avoid overwhelming your system.
Follow a bland diet: Ease back into eating with simple, low-fiber foods like bananas, white rice, applesauce, and toast to avoid further irritation.
Avoid irritants: Steer clear of fatty, greasy, spicy, acidic, and high-fiber foods, as well as alcohol and caffeine, which can worsen symptoms.
Consider probiotics: Introducing probiotic-rich foods like yogurt with live cultures may help restore beneficial gut bacteria, but always check for individual tolerance.
Integrate ginger for nausea: Ginger tea or ginger chews are a natural remedy that can help calm nausea associated with a stomach bug.
Return to a normal diet slowly: Reintroduce a wider variety of foods gradually over several days to a week, paying close attention to your body's response.

Phase 1: Prioritizing Rehydration

When a stomach bug, or viral gastroenteritis, first hits, your body loses significant fluids and electrolytes through vomiting and diarrhea. The most critical first step is to focus exclusively on rehydration for the first few hours, or until vomiting has stopped. Trying to eat solid food too soon can trigger another episode of sickness, so it's best to let your digestive system rest. During this initial phase, stick to clear liquids and take small, frequent sips to avoid overwhelming your stomach. For severe cases, especially in young children or older adults, proper rehydration with electrolytes is crucial to prevent dangerous dehydration.

Best Fluids for Rehydration

Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS): Electrolyte-rich solutions like Pedialyte are highly effective at replacing lost minerals. You can also make a homemade version using water, sugar, and salt.
Broth: Clear, non-greasy chicken or vegetable broth is easy on the stomach and provides sodium.
Weak Tea: Plain, weak tea (decaffeinated) can be soothing. Ginger or peppermint tea is particularly helpful for nausea.
Ice Chips and Popsicles: Sucking on these can be an easier way to get fluids down if you are struggling with nausea.
Plain Water: Drink small, regular sips of water, but recognize it doesn't replace lost electrolytes on its own.
Coconut Water: A natural source of electrolytes that can be helpful for hydration.

Phase 2: Gradually Reintroducing Bland Foods

After you can tolerate clear liquids for a period without symptoms, you can begin introducing bland, low-fiber foods. The traditional BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is a starting point, but modern recommendations suggest a more inclusive bland diet that is less restrictive and more nutritious. The goal is to provide nutrients gently without irritating your healing gut.

Soothing Foods to Introduce

Bananas: Easy to digest and rich in potassium, an electrolyte often lost during sickness.
White Rice: A low-fiber starch that is easy on the digestive system.
Applesauce: Contains pectin, which can help firm up stools, and is easily digestible.
White Toast or Crackers: The low-fiber, refined carbohydrates are simple for your stomach to process.
Oatmeal and Cream of Wheat: Cooked cereals are gentle and easy to swallow.
Plain Baked Chicken or Turkey: Skinless, unseasoned poultry can be a good source of protein once you're ready for it.
Cooked Carrots and Potatoes: Soft, boiled vegetables are easily digestible and provide essential nutrients.
Scrambled Eggs: A simple way to get protein once your appetite returns.
Yogurt and Kefir: Products with "live and active cultures" can help re-establish beneficial gut bacteria, but only if you tolerate dairy again.

What to Avoid While Sick

Just as important as knowing what to eat is knowing what to avoid. These foods and drinks can further irritate your gastrointestinal tract, worsen diarrhea, or cause discomfort.

Items to Avoid

Fatty, Greasy, or Fried Foods: Difficult to digest and can make symptoms worse.
Spicy Foods: Can irritate your stomach lining further.
Dairy Products (excluding tolerated yogurt/kefir): Lactose can be hard to digest when your gut is inflamed.
High-Fiber Foods: Raw vegetables and tough whole grains are difficult to process during recovery.
Citrus Fruits and Acidic Foods: The high acid content can aggravate an upset stomach.
Caffeine: A gut stimulant that can worsen symptoms and cause dehydration.
Alcohol: An irritant that can dehydrate you and slow recovery.
High-Sugar Drinks: Can pull water into your intestines and worsen diarrhea.

Comparison Table: Recommended vs. Avoided Foods


Recommended Foods	Foods to Avoid
Oral Rehydration Solutions	Sugary Sodas & Juices
Clear Broth	Fried & Greasy Foods
Bananas & Applesauce	Spicy & Acidic Foods
White Rice & Toast	Alcohol & Caffeine
Plain Baked Chicken	Raw Vegetables & High-Fiber Foods
Scrambled Eggs	Most Dairy Products

Supporting Recovery with Probiotics and Ginger

Beyond basic bland foods, certain supplements can help aid your recovery. Ginger has been used for centuries to soothe an upset stomach and combat nausea. Ginger tea or ginger chews (low-sugar) can provide relief. Research suggests that certain probiotic strains, like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, can shorten the duration of infectious diarrhea and help restore healthy gut bacteria. However, it is always recommended to consult a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement. You can find these helpful bacteria in fermented foods like yogurt or kefir containing "live and active cultures".

Gradual Return to Normal Eating

Returning to your normal diet should be a gradual process, not a sudden switch. The timeline varies depending on the severity of your illness and individual recovery, often taking several days to a week or more. As your appetite and energy levels return, you can begin to introduce a wider variety of foods, starting with soft, simple dishes and monitoring your body's reaction. Don't rush it; your digestive system needs time to fully heal and re-establish its functions. If you experience a resurgence of symptoms, simply return to the bland diet for a little longer before trying again.

Conclusion

Navigating what to eat with a stomach bug can make a significant difference in your comfort and recovery speed. By prioritizing rehydration with electrolytes and gradually introducing bland, easy-to-digest foods, you can minimize irritation and help your body heal. Remember to avoid fatty, spicy, and high-sugar items, and consider incorporating ginger or probiotics to aid the process. A slow, mindful approach to reintroducing a normal diet will ensure a smoother recovery. Listen to your body, and don't hesitate to seek medical advice if your symptoms persist or worsen. A thoughtful diet is your ally in getting back on your feet after a stomach bug. You can find more information about treating stomach viruses and their symptoms on the Cleveland Clinic website. What To Eat, Drink, and Avoid When You Have the Stomach Flu.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best drinks are oral rehydration solutions (ORS) that contain both fluids and electrolytes, such as Pedialyte or a homemade mixture. Clear broth, coconut water, and weak decaffeinated tea are also good options. Avoid sugary drinks, caffeine, and alcohol.

The classic BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is still considered a good starting point due to its blandness, but it is very restrictive. Many experts now recommend a broader 'bland diet' that also includes other easy-to-digest foods like crackers, boiled chicken, and potatoes for better nutrition.

You should continue with bland foods until your symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea, have subsided. This often takes two to three days, but can be longer depending on the severity of the illness. Listen to your body and reintroduce normal foods gradually.

Smooth yogurt or kefir that contains live and active cultures may be beneficial, as the probiotics can help restore healthy gut bacteria. However, it's best to wait until your stomach has settled and start with a small amount to ensure you can tolerate it, as other dairy can be difficult to digest.

While sports drinks contain some electrolytes, they often contain too much sugar and not enough of the specific minerals lost during illness. Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) are more effective, but a flat, diluted sports drink is better than water alone if no ORS is available.

Avoid fatty, greasy, fried, and spicy foods, as well as raw vegetables and acidic fruits like oranges. You should also stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and high-sugar drinks, which can irritate your gut further.

Signs of dehydration include extreme thirst, dark-colored urine, dry mouth, dizziness, and feeling lightheaded. In infants and children, look for sunken eyes, no tears when crying, and unusual fussiness or sleepiness.

Despite popular belief, most commercial ginger ale contains very little real ginger and a lot of sugar, which can actually worsen symptoms. A weak, flat, non-caffeinated soda might help, but ginger tea is a far more effective way to use ginger to soothe nausea.