For picky eaters, travelling can be an unpleasant experience because they are faced with so many new things to eat they probably don’t like. However, it doesn’t mean you cannot experience a meaningful travel experience just because you are a picky eater. In fact, you can use it as an opportunity to broaden your taste buds and fix your picky eating habit. It may open your mind to be willing to try new foods that you may end up your favorite.
How to travel comfortable for picky eater travelers
When you are a picky eater and travel with a group of people, you might stand out like a sore thumb. It sounds horrible for you to completely and suddenly change your palate to fit in with the local cuisines. What you can do is trying new foods and staying respectful to the locals while enjoying your trip. And here are the tips for you to consider:
Familiarize yourself with the local grocery store
When you visit a country for the first time, ordering food in a restaurant can be a little bit too much and intimidating but you need to eat to survive. You can find a local grocery store or convenience store near your lodging accommodations. You can stock up essential items such as breads, snacks, pasta, or grain, and fresh produce you can fall back on during the time of adjustment.
Explore street foods
Street foods have become trademark of every country. It is such a great opportunity to try street foods when travelling. As picky eater traveler, you can try street foods since they are less intimidating than the dishes you order in local restaurants. Most street foods are less weird. Also, street foods are inexpensive and tasty. Even if you don’t like it, at least you won’t feel like wasting your money. To be safe while exploring street foods, find vendors with the largest line.
Sample foods in small quantity
If you are afraid of trying new foods or dislike most of them, do not beat yourself because it is normal. You can still try new foods by sampling in small quantity. For example, order foods you like in a local restaurant with your group. Then, you may ask your friend a sample of their order. Taking a bite of it and see how your taste buds response to it. Even if you don’t like it, you don’t have to waste nay food.
Do a plenty of research
Instead of blindly ordering something new in a local restaurant or just follow someone’s recommendations, it is safer to do a research on your own in advance. You can find out and learn more about the local cuisines, what ingredients they use, what cooking method they implement, etc. This way, you know exactly what you are going to eat. At least, you already know what to refuse politely when someone give recommendations of local dishes you may not like.