You might find that you can eat bland, easy-to-digest foods at first, such as soda crackers, soup, oats, noodles, bananas and rice. Stop eating if your nausea returns. Avoid certain foods and substances until you feel better. These include caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly seasoned foods.

When recovering from a stomach virus in 2026, the gold standard remains the BRAT diet: Bananas, Rice (white), Applesauce, and Toast (white). These foods are low in fiber and easy to digest, helping to firm up stools and provide energy without irritating the stomach lining. For the first few hours after vomiting, it is a peer-to-peer essential to "rest" your stomach and only sip small amounts of clear liquids to prevent dehydration. Once you can tolerate liquids, move to electrolyte-rich drinks like Pedialyte or diluted sports drinks rather than just plain water. As you begin to feel better, you can incorporate other "bland" foods like saltine crackers, plain oatmeal, or boiled potatoes. You should strictly avoid dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and spicy or greasy foods for at least 72 hours, as these can trigger a relapse of symptoms. The high-value strategy is "slow and steady"—reintroducing soft proteins like plain chicken or eggs only after your appetite has fully returned and your digestion has stabilized.