After a stomach ache, the best foods are bland, low-fat, and easy to digest: think bananas, plain rice, brothy soups, boiled potatoes, and toast made with white bread. But you don’t need to limit yourself to just those few items. A wider range of gentle foods will help your stomach recover faster while giving your body the protein and nutrients it needs to bounce back.
Start With Fluids, Not Food
Before you think about eating, focus on replacing lost fluids, especially if your stomach ache came with vomiting or diarrhea. Plain water is fine, but it doesn’t replace the electrolytes your body loses. Store-bought oral rehydration solutions like Pedialyte work well. You can also make a simple version at home: mix 4 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Sip slowly rather than gulping, since large volumes of liquid can trigger more nausea.
Broth is another good early option because it provides both fluid and a small amount of sodium. Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth all work. If you want something slightly more substantial, dissolve a bouillon cube in 4 cups of water with a quarter teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar for a broth-based rehydration drink.
The Best Foods for Recovery
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s a reasonable starting point for the first day or two, but Harvard Health Publishing notes there are no studies comparing it to other approaches, and sticking to just four foods is unnecessarily restrictive. A broader bland diet gives you more variety and better nutrition without irritating your stomach.
Good choices include:
- Fruits: bananas, applesauce, canned fruit, and melons
- Starches: white rice, plain crackers, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, and bread or pasta made with refined white flour
- Soups: brothy soups (not cream-based)
- Hot cereals: cream of wheat or other refined options
Once your stomach feels more settled, typically after a day or two, start adding foods with more nutritional value. Cooked carrots, butternut squash, pumpkin, skinless sweet potatoes, and avocado are all gentle on the stomach while providing vitamins and fiber. For protein, go with skinless chicken or turkey, white fish, eggs, or tofu. These should be steamed, baked, or grilled with no added fat.
What to Avoid Until You Feel Better
Certain foods stimulate acid production or are simply hard to break down when your digestive system is already irritated. Spicy foods top the list: chili peppers, hot sauces, and heavy black pepper can all aggravate a recovering stomach. Fried and greasy foods are similarly problematic because fat slows digestion and can worsen nausea.
Coffee and energy drinks increase stomach acid, so switch to herbal tea or a lower-caffeine option until you’re feeling normal. Chocolate is a double trigger since it contains both caffeine and fat. Alcohol is worth skipping entirely during recovery.
Dairy is a gray area. Some people tolerate low-fat yogurt and mild cheeses just fine, while others find dairy worsens bloating or discomfort. If you’re unsure, leave it out for the first day and reintroduce it gradually. High-fiber raw vegetables, whole grains, and legumes can also be tough on a sensitive stomach, so save those for when you’re fully recovered.
Ginger and Peppermint for Lingering Nausea
If nausea sticks around even after the worst of your stomach ache has passed, ginger and peppermint are two of the most reliable natural options. Ginger tea, made by steeping fresh sliced ginger in hot water, can help settle your stomach. You can also try ginger chews or flat ginger ale, though many commercial ginger ales contain very little actual ginger.
Peppermint oil capsules are another option. The standard dose is one capsule three times a day, taken 30 to 60 minutes before eating. Swallow them whole rather than chewing, and avoid taking them at the same time as any antacid, since the coating needs to stay intact until the capsule reaches your intestines. If you’re buying peppermint oil over the counter, don’t take it for more than two weeks. Peppermint tea is a gentler, less concentrated alternative.
How to Ease Back Into Normal Eating
The biggest mistake people make after a stomach ache is eating too much too soon. Your digestive system needs a gradual ramp-up. Eat small portions every few hours rather than full meals. This keeps your stomach from working too hard while maintaining a steady supply of energy.
A practical timeline looks something like this: spend the first several hours on clear fluids only. When you feel ready, try a few bites of something plain like crackers or a banana. If that stays down without discomfort, move to small portions of bland foods like rice, toast, or brothy soup. After a day or two of tolerating bland food well, start adding lean proteins and cooked vegetables. Most people can return to their normal diet within three to five days.
Pay attention to how your body responds. If a particular food brings the discomfort back, set it aside and try again in another day. Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly also makes a meaningful difference, since it reduces the amount of work your stomach has to do.
Signs Your Stomach Ache Needs Medical Attention
Most stomach aches resolve on their own within a few days. But certain symptoms signal something more serious. Seek immediate medical care if you have severe abdominal pain along with a fever, bloody stools, persistent vomiting that won’t stop, swelling of the abdomen, or severe tenderness when you press on your stomach. If the pain came after an accident or injury, or if you also feel pressure or pain in your chest, call emergency services. Abdominal pain that lingers for more than a few days without improvement also warrants a visit to your doctor, even if it doesn’t feel like an emergency.