Food Poisoning or Stomach Flu Quiz​

Having stomach problems is second only to toothaches in my opinion. If you've eaten some questionable gas station sushi or snagged an expired snack from a vending machine, you may start experiencing some terrible stomach issues. And, you may be wondering if you've got the stomach bug or food poisoning.

Wonder no longer my fellow foodies, this super simple quiz below can help you easily determine if you've got a bad stomach virus or food poisoning.

IMPORTANT - I am not a doctor! Please follow up with a trusted healthcare provider for medical advice.

1. After eating, when did your symptoms start? Select an answer Within 1 to 6 hours After 12 to 48 hours

2. Are any of the other people you dined with experiencing issues? Select an answer Yes No

3. Do you have muscle aches in addition to stomach problems? Select an answer No Yes

4. Have you recently been in close contact with another person with similar symptoms? Select an answer No Yes

5. Are your stools watery but without blood? Select an answer No Yes

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What is the difference between food poisoning and stomach flu?

Both feel awful, but in my experience food poisoning symptoms are generally felt much quicker than the stomach flu. This sort of makes sense when you think about all the movies and real-life events when people have been poisoned. It acts quickly, sometimes before you even make it home.

The stomach flu's symptoms are also pretty quick but generally appear within 12 to 48 hours after exposure. The tricky part is you typically do not know when you were exposed unless the infected person tells you they have the bug.

How to avoid food poisoning

Food poisoning is much easier to avoid than the stomach flu. If you're concerned about contracting this nasty sickness, try and avoid places like buffets, unclean gas stations, and questionable food trucks. Here are some things you want to avoid or exercise caution with to dodge food poisoning.

1. Metal silverware at restaurants - Many chain restaurants maintain a rigorous cleaning schedule, but some don't. To be on the safe side, request plastic, disposable utensils.

2. Bruised, discolored fruit at gas stations - Fruits don't move as fast as candy in a gas station. As such, they are more likely to rot. Some places don't rotate stock as often as they should, and as a result, you could ingest a dirty, spoiled apple.

3. Unwashed fruit - Always wash any fruit you eat. There were likely dozens of grubby little hands that defiled the fruit before it made its way to your mouth.

4. Food trucks - Only eat food from reputable trucks as they simply do not have the same cleaning standards as restaurants. Driving from location to location can introduce your food to all sorts of pathogens.

5. Buffets - Buffets are great, but they are hotbeds for bacteria given the way the food is laid out. People cough over plates, and food is sometimes dropped and returned to the serving trays.

Stay healthy and avoid stomach bugs with these tips

Getting sick is unavoidable, but you can reduce the number of times you're under the weather by following the tips laid out in this article. And if you're looking for a safer alternative to that tasty gas station pizza, consider making your own with the pizza dough calculator.