What to Eat With a Stomach Bug: Best Foods, Drinks and What to Avoid

Written by Cherlie Joseph, MSN, FNP-BC · Medically reviewed by Naurah Gaspard, DNP, FNP-C, FNP-BC · Updated November 2026

With a stomach bug, focus on fluids first: small, frequent sips of an oral rehydration solution, broth or water. Once vomiting slows, add easy foods like crackers, toast, rice, bananas, eggs or yogurt, and return to your normal diet as soon as you feel able. Skip alcohol, greasy food and very sugary drinks until you recover.

Fluids come first

A stomach bug (viral gastroenteritis, often called the "stomach flu") makes you lose water and salts through vomiting and diarrhea. Replacing them matters more than eating in the first day. Most healthy adults recover in 1 to 3 days, and dehydration is the main thing that turns a miserable bug into a dangerous one.

• Start small. If you are vomiting, wait about 15 to 30 minutes after the last episode, then take a sip or two every few minutes. Big gulps on an upset stomach tend to come right back up.
• Choose drinks with salt and some sugar. Oral rehydration solutions (such as Pedialyte, DripDrop, Liquid I.V. or store brands) are designed to replace what you lose. Clear broth also works.
• Water is fine, but not alone for long. If you are losing a lot of fluid, plain water does not replace sodium and potassium.
• Ice chips or frozen electrolyte pops are a good option when even sips are hard to keep down.

Sports drinks are okay in a pinch for adults, but they have less sodium and more sugar than rehydration solutions. Watering them down can make them easier on the stomach.

A simple day-by-day eating plan

You no longer need to follow a strict "BRAT" diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast). The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) advises adults to go back to a normal diet as soon as they can, because a too-limited diet can slow recovery. Bland foods are simply a gentle place to start.

Stage	What to try
Still vomiting	Sips of rehydration solution, broth, ice chips. No solid food yet.
Vomiting has slowed (first 6 to 24 hours)	Saltine crackers, dry toast, plain rice, bananas, applesauce, plain noodles
Keeping food down (day 2)	Oatmeal, potatoes, scrambled eggs, baked chicken or turkey, cooked carrots, plain yogurt
Feeling close to normal (day 2 to 3+)	Your usual balanced meals, with lighter portions at first

Let your appetite guide you. Not wanting to eat for a day is normal; not being able to drink is the bigger concern.

Foods and drinks to avoid for now

Some foods are harder on an irritated gut and can make diarrhea or nausea worse for a few days:

• Greasy, fried or very fatty foods (fast food, fries, rich sauces)
• Very sugary drinks like full-strength juice and regular soda, which can pull water into the gut and worsen diarrhea
• Alcohol, which adds to dehydration
• Large amounts of caffeine
• Spicy foods
• Lots of milk or ice cream if dairy seems to make things worse. Some people have short-term trouble digesting lactose after a stomach bug. Yogurt is often better tolerated.

What about over-the-counter medicine?

For most stomach bugs, rest and fluids do the heavy lifting. A few points if you are considering medicine:

• Loperamide (Imodium) can ease watery diarrhea in adults, but skip it if you have a fever or bloody stool, since those can be signs of a bacterial infection where slowing the gut is not helpful.
• Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate) may help with diarrhea and upset stomach. It contains a salicylate, so avoid it if you are allergic to aspirin or take a blood thinner, and check with a provider if you are pregnant. It can temporarily turn your tongue or stool black, which is harmless.
• Prescription anti-nausea medicine such as ondansetron may be an option if vomiting keeps you from drinking. A provider can review whether it is safe for you.

Antibiotics do not treat viral stomach bugs.

When it is more than a stomach bug

Call a provider if you cannot keep fluids down for more than a day, if diarrhea lasts longer than a few days, or if you are getting dizzy or urinating much less than usual. An online visit can help you sort out whether this looks like a typical virus, food poisoning or something else, and whether anti-nausea medicine makes sense. If symptoms are severe, in-person care is the safer choice.

Frequently asked questions

Should I eat or starve a stomach bug?

Neither extreme. Focus on fluids while you are vomiting, then eat small amounts of easy foods once you can keep liquids down. NIDDK recommends returning to a normal diet as soon as possible.

Is the BRAT diet still recommended?

Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast are fine starter foods, but eating only those for days is no longer advised. Adding eggs, lean meat, yogurt and cooked vegetables gives you more nutrients to recover.

Is Gatorade or Pedialyte better for a stomach bug?

For adults losing a lot of fluid, an oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte has more sodium and less sugar, so it replaces losses better. Sports drinks can work for mild cases.

Sources

• NIDDK: Eating, Diet and Nutrition for Viral Gastroenteritis
• CDC: About Norovirus

Keep reading

• Food poisoning vs stomach flu: how to tell the difference
• Signs of dehydration in adults
• Norovirus: symptoms, how long it lasts and how to stop the spread
• GERD diet: foods that help and foods to avoid
• Browse all conditions and treatments A to Z

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for medical advice. Treatment, including any prescription, is decided by a licensed provider after reviewing your health history. OurTopClinic is not for emergencies; if you have a medical emergency, call 911. OurTopClinic serves adults located in Florida, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington. Learn more at ourtopclinic.com.