Eating at the seaside — how to enjoy holiday food without getting sick

«What happens at sea, stays at sea» — but not when it comes to food poisoning. The most common ruined-holiday story on the Russian coast starts with the wrong seafood or unwashed greens. The good news: 90% of it is preventable.

Where to eat

Safe bets — cafés that are full at lunchtime (high turnover = fresh food), restaurants with their own kitchen and a working A/C in the dining room. Bad signs — empty room at noon, smell of stale fat in the air, dishes left in the sink behind a curtain.

What to eat

• Local fish. Mullet, mackerel, anchovy — straight from the sea, cooked on the spot. Just check it was caught today.
• Khachapuri, lavash, fresh vegetables. Hard to poison if the kitchen is clean.
• Soups, stews, kebabs. Cooked at high heat — relatively safe.

What to avoid

• Salads with mayo at room temperature.
• Beach kebabs and ready-cooked chicken sold on the boardwalk on a hot day.
• Cream cakes from open trays in the sun.
• Tap water — drink bottled.

If you’re cooking yourself

Wash all fruit and vegetables in bottled water (not the tap). Keep cooked food in the fridge — at 30 °C bacteria multiply within hours. Don’t buy fish from random hands on the boardwalk.

If something goes wrong

First symptoms (nausea, soft stomach) — small sips of water, activated charcoal (1 tablet per 10 kg), rest. Fever above 38 °C, blood in stool or severe pain → see a doctor immediately.

Pro tip

Stay somewhere with your own kitchen, like the apartments at Valeo. A fridge of your own removes most risks: leftovers can be safely kept, breakfast is your own, you only eat out when you want to.