Like a local
If you’d like to share a meal with the locals, it’s a good idea to brush up on country-specific table manners. For instance, in Korea, it’s a no-no to leave the table before the oldest person has done so.
If you’d like to share a meal with the locals, it’s a good idea to brush up on country-specific table manners. For instance, in Korea, it’s a no-no to leave the table before the oldest person has done so.
Finding pasta in Rome or rice and beans in Costa Rica are natural meal choices, but when traveling the globe, delight in palatable adventures too. Take a hint from current hit shows like No Reservations or Weird Foods, where daredevil hosts explore the world in search of wild experiences and exotic foods. Fried spider or roasted goose eggs, anyone? And, while you don’t have to eat everything from the local fare … be open to try something new. No need to go into unchartered delicacies blind-sighted. Here are a few tips for safe taste-bud delight:
Prep your palate
Maybe you didn’t know that prime staples in an Egyptian’s diet are pigeon, camel or buffalo meat. Or that fried grasshoppers and cicadas are common in some of the finest restaurants in Tokyo.
Maybe you didn’t know that prime staples in an Egyptian’s diet are pigeon, camel or buffalo meat. Or that fried grasshoppers and cicadas are common in some of the finest restaurants in Tokyo.
Before you take that trip around the world, take a trip to the Web for some cold hard research. Plenty of sites, like www.zagat.com, provide detailed information on what locals are getting and where to dine. Through AGB, you have access to the Zagat Healthy Dining guide to help you balance your exotic diet. Sometimes, just thinking about that broiled octopus or clam curry in advance could be the push you need to try something new.
Take baby steps
You don’t have to go for the pig’s brains immediately. Start with a lighter staple and work your way to the big time. Another word to the wise: take baby bites. Sampling small portions before eating the whole platter can help you prepare your stomach.
You don’t have to go for the pig’s brains immediately. Start with a lighter staple and work your way to the big time. Another word to the wise: take baby bites. Sampling small portions before eating the whole platter can help you prepare your stomach.
Follow the leader
A long line for a restaurant usually means one thing: the food is good. Customer turnover can indicate that the food is probably safe and fresh, too, because it isn’t being given a chance to sit idle for long. Another good way to figure out where to eat is from the locals: taxi drivers, shop-owners, policemen and other town residents can be your best source for the tasty gems in the area.
A long line for a restaurant usually means one thing: the food is good. Customer turnover can indicate that the food is probably safe and fresh, too, because it isn’t being given a chance to sit idle for long. Another good way to figure out where to eat is from the locals: taxi drivers, shop-owners, policemen and other town residents can be your best source for the tasty gems in the area.
Be inquisitive
Don’t be afraid to get plenty of information about the food you’ll be eating, including how it will be cooked as well as a list of ingredients. Knowing in advance exactly what you’re about to eat can help you avoid digestive troubles, allergic reactions or paying for a meal that doesn’t meet your expectations. However, don’t forget that the foods you eat at home are not necessarily safer than the foods served in other countries. Your body has just become accustomed to the meals served in your home country. The safest foods are those that are cooked fresh to eliminate bacteria or microscopic bugs.
Don’t be afraid to get plenty of information about the food you’ll be eating, including how it will be cooked as well as a list of ingredients. Knowing in advance exactly what you’re about to eat can help you avoid digestive troubles, allergic reactions or paying for a meal that doesn’t meet your expectations. However, don’t forget that the foods you eat at home are not necessarily safer than the foods served in other countries. Your body has just become accustomed to the meals served in your home country. The safest foods are those that are cooked fresh to eliminate bacteria or microscopic bugs.
Be proactive
Make sure to wash your hands frequently, particularly before you eat, to keep the germs out of your food. Since it’s always better to be safe than sorry, don’t forget to keep these traveler essentials handy:
Make sure to wash your hands frequently, particularly before you eat, to keep the germs out of your food. Since it’s always better to be safe than sorry, don’t forget to keep these traveler essentials handy:
- Antibiotics
- Preventive medicine, like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol
- Aspirin
- Mosquito-repellant
- Bottled water
- Bacterial wipes
- Bottled water
