"If it looks good, eat it," works great for TV shows about offbeat foods.  But ordinary travelers should have some standards when it comes to making choices about where and how to sample local cuisine when traveling.  From plucking fresh coffee beans off the bushes in Bolivia, to samping manioc chica in the Amazon rain forest, I highlight the "do's & don'ts" of dining on the roads and paths of South America," and have included a list of my favorite foods and where to find them.
 
How to avoid illnesses that can affect people while traveling:    
  • as in any country, if something doesn’t look, smell or taste right, don’t consume it.
  • sample street food, but as a rule, avoid dairy and meat.  Enjoy corn on the cob from a pot of boiling water, but don't eat the chunk of cheese typically served with it.
  • foods/drinks cooked to boiling temperature are usually OK to eat off the street.  Chicha morada and chicha beer found in Andes mountain & Amazon rain forest indigenous communities are examples.
  • do not eat food that is uncovered or open to insects.  Including fruits and baked goods.
  • if the person handling the food appears unkept by local standards, keep walking. 
  • if traveling with a guide, ask his or her advice.  Licensed guides are trained to identify potential risks to the health of their group members. 
  • deep fried food can fry off any germs or microbes.  
  • ask the street vendor to make fresh batch of whatever he/she is selling. 
  • if the street food you’re eating is served with mayonnaise or home-made picante salsa that is left sitting out all day, skip the sauces.
  • drink only bottled water or bring a purifier that treats tap water for microbes and viruses.
  • if you can’t resist sampling homemade local cuisine open to doubt, carry black charcoal capsules and take them preventively.  Then follow up with chewable acidophilus tablets a few hours later. (charcoal absorbs like a sponge, not a medication)
  • papaya is a natural laxative commonly served for breakfast in South American hotels.  A little can go a long way.  If you find yourself going to the bathroom frequently, but you don’t feel sick, cut back on the papaya and other fresh fruit. 


Examples of the best freshly made foods I have sampled: (this is not meant to be a comprehensive list.  There are many other foods and places to dine that are not listed)

Ecuador:
-Guayaquil airport:  pan de yucca (small mounds of delicous cheesy bread)
-Galapagos, San Cristobal Island:  fried plantains (typically served with chunks of white cheese, found in restaurants) Also served in the rain forest
-Galapagos, Santa Cruz Island:  fresh seafood can be found on "Kioska" street in Puerto Ayora (every evening)
_Amazon river cruise:  fish soup thickened with plantains
-Quito has many restaurants offering fabulous local cuisine.  Try a soup called "Locro de papas" and sample the freshly made "tomato" juice from the fruit of the tomato tree (not the red tomatoes we know)

Peru

  • Cusco and Sacred Valley:  chica morada and (alcoholic) chica beer in 2 flavors - plain or added strawberries.
  • Lima:  Ceviche & Lomo Saltado (choose nice restaurants or small "Mom & Pop" kitchens.  There are many.)
  • Pisco sours:  the signature drink of Peru.  Pisco liquor is blended with sugar, egg whites and lime juice.
  • Potatoes:  many flavorful varieties, including freeze-dried "chuno" (try it in soup to get used to the pungent taste).
  • Quinoa:  high-protein nutty grain that grows well in high altitudes.  Used in side dishes and soups.
  • Soup, soup everywhere.  Many varieties to choose from.
  • Lake Titicaca:  grilled trout in Puno restaurants and expecially from family kitchens on Takile Island.
  • coca leaf:  dried leaves can be found in markets and small shops all over the Andes Mountains.  Chew with llipta to activate the compounds and get the most benefit from the leaves
  • snacks:  habas tostadas (toasted fava beans) are a favorite snack
  • Tunki coffee beans can be found in the highlands on the way from Cusco to Puno
  • Hard-boiled quail eggs.  Found outside the San Pedro market in Cusco.  

Bolivia:

  • potato dishes and corn on the cob are made from fresh ingredients.  (not frozen or processed)
  • coca leaf:  dried leaves can be found in markets and small shops all over the Andes Mountains.  Chew with llipta to activate the compounds and get the benefit from the leaves
  • grilled trout in restaurants in Copacabana on the edge of Lake Titicaca, and in the hotels on the Sun Island
  • peanut soup:  thick, creamy and filling
  • Ispi:  small fish from Lake Titicaca.  Deep-fried and served in small bunches with a chunk of corn and potato.  Add salsa picante.  

Signature dishes change from region to region based on climactic zones and growing conditions.  No matter where you are, with minimal precautions you can enjoy edibles that you've never heard of.  Buen Probecho!