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Firstly, why should you even try to eat like a local when travelling? Can’t you just eat your favourite dishes and enjoy the beautiful tourist places?
I know you already have an answer for this.
You want to experience the place to its fullest. This means you want to understand the culture, the history, and the people. And the food is an integral part of a place’s culture. But we know that most of the time, the food you get at a local restaurant is not local at all. Hence, you need to take the extra step to learn about the local foods of the place and try them out.
So, if you are willing to take that extra step, then here are the best travelling tips to help you actually eat like a local while travelling.
Here are some easy steps you can follow and have the best foodie experiences when visiting tourist places in India or anywhere in the world.
Before you set out for your adventure, plan your destinations well in advance. You’ll easily find ample information online. Use multiple sources like Google, magazines, YouTube videos, blogs, podcasts, news articles, and travelogues to collect information. And once you have all the information, create a list of places you want to visit and eat at.
Even if you’re short on time and can’t research extensively, I suggest that you at least do some amount of digging and planning before you go. Trust me. You’ll thank yourself later.
If you want to eat like a local, then you gotta walk the talk. You have to get on your feet and get to the streets. Explore local shops and small outlets, and try street foods. Street foods are a great way to experience the local way of eating because tourists and locals alike, everyone loves street foods.
Many places have famous street food joints that you can try. Street foods are an inexpensive way for you to get to know the local dishes of the place and food culture. However, street foods are also notorious for causing food-borne illnesses. Hence, keep your senses open and visit those street foods that are famous and have a crowd of people flocking in.
What is a better way to eat like a local than actually asking a local what and where to eat? Ask them where they normally go out for lunch or dining with friends & family. You can also ask them about their favourite places for Friday and Saturday nights. Remember, though, don’t ask for recommendations. Rather, ask them where THEY generally visit.
Ask your hotel manager, hotel staff, bar staff, and other people you come across. Don’t be vague in your questions, and ask specific questions that’ll help you get the most helpful answer.
If you like to observe the daily hustle and bustle & the lifestyle of the tourist places you’re visiting, then you can’t miss out on the local markets.
Visit the local farmers’ market and explore the vegetables, fruits, and all the local produce of the place. You’ll understand what type of food is generally consumed and if you visit during the busy hours, you’ll get a feel of how the locals shop. You don’t have to shop. All you have to do is find a good spot and observe. But yes, don’t just keep watching; it might look creepy.
Walk around, buy something, and if you’re interested in cooking, look up the recipe of a local dish and buy the ingredients needed for that dish. You’ll not only enjoy eating a local dish; you’ll learn to cook one as well.
Almost everyone goes to famous tourist places, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, if you really want to have an authentic travel experience, then you have to go to places that aren’t very touristy. You gotta visit the places often visited by the locals.
Plan your visits to locations that aren’t mainstream but have the best food experience and enjoy the local cuisine they offer. A little bit of research and asking around will easily help you find those destinations, and you can enjoy the taste of authentic local food.
The best way to travel is slow travel. I know you’ll have time constraints when travelling but try not to rush too much. Savour a place and savour the food you’re eating. Travel slowly, understand the culture and the community and make your travel an experience worth remembering.
If your work offers the flexibility of working from home, then you can use that option to travel slowly while also balancing your work on the side.
We all love the comfort of things familiar to us, and one of the greatest senses of comfort is food. It’s no wonder then that you’ll want to eat your favourite dishes or try your favourite chains when travelling. But, avoid that. Avoid the sense of familiarity and prepare yourself to try new foods that are unique to the place you’re visiting. Only then will you be able to eat like a local without giving in to your comfort zone.
Nowadays, guided food tours are a great way to explore local cuisine. The best thing is, you won’t have to do all the hard work yourself. Take guided food tours and enjoy the experience of local cuisine without having to constantly plan your next meal and rather immerse yourself in the experience that you’re getting.
Because, despite our detailed plans and preparations, travelling does wear us down. Amid those tired days, guided food tours with recommendations from experts will help you carve the way towards enjoying local food without the stress of having to figure out everything yourself.
Travelling, at its core, is about experiences and the best experiences are those that not just help you explore places but also the people and the culture that make those places. Food is an integral part of a place’s culture. However, sometimes, we fail to enjoy the authentic food experience of a place due to our own negligence or lack of information.
So, if you want to enjoy the authentic food experience, then you gotta eat as the locals do. By following some simple steps like planning in advance, asking the locals, exploring the tourist places you’re visiting, and being mindful of your travel, you can enjoy the bliss of a wonderful foodie travel experience.
At ClearTrip, we help you create those experiences through customised travel plans and itinerary that suits your schedule. You can plan your travels with your friends and family or even solo and get curated travel packages that meet your needs.
So, when are you taking your next travel break?
Ans: Follow these simple steps to eat like a local when travelling:
1. Research
2. Walk the streets
3. Visit the local markets
4. Ask the locals
5. Visit offbeat places
6. Take it slow
7. Do not visit popular chains and outlets
8. Take a guided food tour
Ans: Yes, you should definitely try local food when travelling. Local food is fresher, cheaper, and helps you understand the culture of the place better.
Ans: Local taste is fresher, seasonal, and natural. What good is travelling if you don’t eat what the locals eat? Your experience will be incomplete without the local taste.
Ans: No, local food isn’t expensive, but it also depends on where you eat. So, do your research before visiting a restaurant or food outlet.
Ans: When you eat local, you not only understand the culture of the place but also save money. After all, local foods are grown from local products. Hence, they’ll be cheaper and friendly to your pockets as well.
