Important draws to travel include exploring new landscapes/places and having new experiences. While these experiences are necessary, I have found that travel by taste is both an enjoyable and immersive part of the trip. My husband and I frequently recall some of our best meals on our travels. Food has the power to create lasting memories in the same way that sightseeing might. Seeking out a destination’s food allows us to understand and explore new cultures with our sense of taste. Food is a unifier for people. If you can taste the flavors of a place, you can better understand the people who live there. 

How to Get out of Your Dietary Comfort Zone as you Travel by Taste

• Just as you might plan a traditional trip, researching and planning are helpful to prepare you to travel by taste. Start by selecting a destination or cuisine of interest. As a non-rev traveler, the options are truly endless! Food varies vastly even in different regions of the US. There is an overwhelming amount of flavors to explore in the world. Do not make the mistake of avoiding the local cuisine in favor of the comforts of home. It is not the time to pursue a burger!

• Read cookbooks and food blogs to familiarize yourself with the local ingredients, cooking techniques, and the cultural/historical significance of the cuisine. Try to find recipes written by locals of your destination of choice. Recipes can help introduce you to new foods or assist you in enjoying newly discovered foods you cannot find at your local restaurants upon your return. As a standby traveler, sometimes the destination is up in the air. If you cannot lock in your destination, narrow it down to your top three locations on the best bets list (see my blog post “What is Best Bets“) and research all three. In doing so, you can avoid missing out on foods you would have liked to try on your trip.

• Make a list of foods you want to try in your potential destinations. Even if some foods are beyond your scope of adventure, try at least a couple of dishes that are new to you. You might find on each subsequent trip that you will get more adventurous! Baby steps are crucial to the development of your pallet. 

Explore New Foods from Home

• Depending on where you live, dining out in your own community can allow you to experience the flavors and ambiance of many cultures. Remember that while local restaurants can be a great introduction to new foods, they might not accurately represent the food at your destination. As small businesses operating in the US, many restaurants cater to our tastes, which results in a slightly altered dish. In addition, not all restaurants are created equal. With that said it can be a comfort to expand the pallet from the comforts of home before you venture into the unknown. It is also enjoyable to reminisce about a place where you formerly traveled by enjoying a meal reminiscent of the flavors from your trip. 

Connecting with Locals:

• Food has a unique ability to bring people together. It can act as a universal language and a unifier. Meet people through food. Take a paella-making class in Spain, go to a Greek food festival, or sign up for a food tour. In all of these experiences, you will meet locals passionate about their food culture. We have enjoyed many experiences through food on our travels. In France, we sipped wine in Burgundy and enjoyed the company of the sommelier. While in Hawaii, we took a tour of a chocolate farm and learned the process from cacao pod to bar with a lovely local guide. These are just two memorable experiences out of many from our travels.

Capture your Journey as you Travel by Taste

• Just like any memorable journey, a culinary exploration is worth documenting. Take photos of your creations or foods you enjoy on your travels. If the restaurant is atmospheric, capture a quick video of the space to use in a reel. Share your experiences and meals with friends and family over social media. Recreate your favorite meal with a dinner party. The food you share can spark interesting conversations, especially among your airline friends!

A Culinary Journey Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank

• While a Michelin-star restaurant is arguably a pinnacle culinary experience, it is not the only way to taste the local flavors. Sometimes, the most authentic experiences are in unexpected places. Many fancy restaurants, while delicious, cater to tourists and their increased threshold for impulsive spending. Find where the locals are eating. Just like Guy Feiri in “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”, you too can find an excellent bite that suits your budget. Consider saving on breakfast by utilizing hotels’ included breakfast. Eat your fancy meal for lunch instead of dinner when the prices are lower. Get some groceries at a local market and experience the cuisine from the first-hand point of view of cooking it yourself. Occasional cooking can allow more in the budget to splurge later on a once-in-a-lifetime meal. 

Travel by taste offers a unique and immersive way to explore the world. By delving into flavors, new ingredients, and traditions of different cuisines, we can broaden our pallets, deepen our appreciation for diverse cultures, and create lasting memories. Smell and taste are both linked to memory, so you will constantly recall the flavorful meals you enjoyed on your trips. So next time you yearn for adventure, consider embarking on a culinary one – your taste buds will thank you. Bon appétit!

Some food for thought:

Avoid using the phrase “ethnic foods” to refer to the foods of minorities. If you do not use the term to describe European food for example, why would you use it to describe other varieties? I believe more specific and and descriptive language better represents the wonderful flavors that can be found all around the world.

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