If you are someone who goes to a foreign country and looks for a Mcdonalds or KFC for every single meal, then you are truly missing out on one of the most wonderful and enjoyable aspects of traveling. For me, it is the most important and best part of the traveling experience. In this post, we’ll cover some reasons why you must try local food on your travels.
One of the main reasons people travel is to experience a new culture – its weather, its sites, its people and yes… its food! What would be the point of visiting Spain, Morocco or India if all you are going to do is spend all of your time in the 5 star hotel of yours. So, there is no doubt that experiencing the local culture and as a result its food is a huge part of traveling. Food and how it is cooked is so unique and fascinating that not only countries differ, but also you will find many different variations from one city to another in the same country!
To truly indulge into a local culture you have to try their cuisine. Now, no one is saying you have to become super adventurous and try sheep head in Morocco or chicken feet in China (unless you want to of course), but at least try their popular cuisines. Visitors to Morocco want to try a good tajine, Sushi would be something sought after in Japan, and the full English breakfast or fish and chips here in England.
Traditional dishes are part of a country’s history and heritage. The foods are strongly rooted within the memories and lifestyle of the local people. Sampling some of this will be sampling some of their heritage, memories and culture.
There is no guarantee that you will like the food and if you are not the adventurous type, it is more likely that you will not like the food. But trying out the dishes is an experience in and of itself. It is an activity. When I plan my activities for my holidays, I get the most excited when planning what to eat. It is an exciting prospect. You can have that Big Mac wherever you go, but trying the world’s stinkiest fruit – Durian – in Malaysia, is only going to be done there, trying hotpot in China is not going to be like trying it in Chinatown.
For the really adventurous, I would urge you do try out the more unique foods because again it is an experience. The thrill hikers get from hiking a mountain, I get that same thrill trying out something I know would make for a good story (that just sounded really fat).
Another way of really connecting with a culture is through its people. And where do you find these people? They will be at the local markets and the street food areas. Countries like Malaysia and Singapore are known for their street food – there are designated places in the city where you will find an endless stream of the street food (or hawker centre) vendors serving local, fresh, delicious and cheap food. What more can you ask for? This will of course be less common in other parts of the world.
Trying unusual sounding foreign foods takes courage and it is most definitely something that is outside of our comfort zones. If you are able to truly push yourself and try the local traditional food, you will see that getting out of the comfort zone in other affairs become easier too. This will allow you to expand your taste buds to a more sophisticated, cultural and well rounded one. As your taste buds grow, you will also.
The foods are strongly rooted within the memories and lifestyle of the local people. Sampling some of this will be sampling some of their heritage, memories and culture.
Food is something that is so trivial because it is part of our daily life, yet so powerful at the same time as it can have an impact on our experience. A good food experience can make your day and likewise a bad one can destroy it. But without it, there is no authentic travel experience.
