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Nutrition and daily life

Eating out: a comfortable, safe choice

Eating out is a normal part of life and can lift your mood during treatment. But you cannot see how food is prepared, so extra care is needed. This section explains when and how to choose safely.

Last updated: ~1 min read
A freshly served steaming dish.
Figure 1.A hot restaurant dish.

01Short answer

During severe neutropenia agree eating out with your team. Choose clean, busy places that cook food fresh, and go at quiet times. Order hot, freshly cooked dishes and ask for meat and eggs well done. Avoid buffets, salad bars, sushi, raw and undercooked dishes, sauces and "homemade" desserts. Avoid iced drinks and drink sealed bottled water. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat until steaming the next day.

02Simple explanation

Agree it with your team.

Hot, fresh food.

No buffets or salad bars.

No ice.

03Scientific explanation

WHO: most foodborne illness in catering is linked to poor temperature control and cross-contamination; hot, freshly cooked food lowers the risk.

WHO: foodborne illness is more severe in people with weakened immunity; the five keys are keep clean, separate, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, and use safe water and raw materials.

04What happens in the body?

Infections

Avoiding busy hours also protects you from respiratory infections.

A buffet and salad bar in shadow.
Figure 2.Buffet aside — Eating out: a comfortable, safe choice

Ordering

Do not hesitate to ask the waiter how a dish is cooked.

Hot food in a sealed box.
Figure 3.Hot delivery — Eating out: a comfortable, safe choice

Neutropenia

When neutrophils are low, even ordinary germs can cause serious infection, which is why the rules are stricter.

General rules

This section is part of the general food-safety rules in “Handwashing: the simplest protection” and “Eggs and dairy: safe choices” and “Food safety: four simple rules”.

05Safety: four steps

Check, swap the risky, prepare properly, use in time.

Check — Date and condition.1CheckDate and condition.
Swap — A safe choice.2SwapA safe choice.
Prepare — Clean and thorough.3PrepareClean and thorough.
In time — No delay.4In timeNo delay.
CleanHands and surfaces.
CookGerms die.
ColdGrowth slows.

06Key points at a glance

TopicIn brief
InfectionsAvoiding busy hours also protects you from respiratory infections.
OrderingDo not hesitate to ask the waiter how a dish is cooked.
NeutropeniaWhen neutrophils are low, even ordinary germs can cause serious infection, which is why the rules are stricter.
General rulesThis section is part of the general food-safety rules in “Handwashing: the simplest protection” and “Eggs and dairy: safe choices” and “Food safety: four simple rules”.

07Key terms

Buffet
Dishes kept for a long time in open trays.
Cross-contamination
Germs passing from raw to ready-to-eat food.
Foodborne infection
An infection spread through food or water.
Neutropenia
Low neutrophils.

08Key points

  • Fresh and hot.
  • Avoid buffets.
  • Chill leftovers quickly.
  • When in doubt, throw it out.
  • Call if you have a fever.

09Frequently asked questions

Is fast food OK?

Freshly cooked hot food is often fine; avoid salads and sauces.

What about delivery?

From a reliable place, if it arrives hot and is eaten at once, usually yes.

Are these rules for ever?

No. They are usually relaxed as blood counts recover; your team will say.

10Questions for your doctor

Take these questions to your appointment. The ones you save are collected on the “My questions” page and stay on this device only.

  1. Is fast food OK?

  2. What about delivery?

  3. Are these rules for ever?

My questions

12Sources

  1. World Health Organization. Five Keys to Safer Food manual
  2. World Health Organization. Food safety fact sheet
  3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Safe Food Handling
  4. National Cancer Institute. Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment
  5. American Cancer Society. Benefits of Good Nutrition During Cancer Treatment
  6. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Eating Well During Your Cancer Treatment
  7. Macmillan Cancer Support. Eating problems and cancer
  8. Clinical Nutrition, 2017. ESPEN guidelines on nutrition in cancer patients
  9. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2020. Management of Cancer Cachexia: ASCO Guideline
  10. FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). 4 Steps to Food Safety
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
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