It feels like I’m more and more attracted to the countries and travels, where I can find good food. I am not sure if that’s because of my age or is it because I love to eat well. No matter what the reason is, the fact is, that each travel is so much easier if we can eat there well. I don’t know anyone, who would enjoy exploring new places with an empty stomach.
Whenever I travel, I mostly eat street food, as this is always the cheapest option ad if I choose well, one of the best as well. I like street food also because I can see it before deciding what will I have – choosing becomes so much easier this way. More colorful the dish is, more convinced I am to try it.
On the other side, street food is probably also one of the main concerns for travelers. No one wants to get stomach problems on the road or even worst, some kind of infection, which could lead to a very unpleasant travel.
I must say, that so far I hardly had any problems with the street food (touch wood). I always choose the local eatery or food stall according to some rules.
Table of Contents
My six basic rules eating street food while traveling and staying safe:
1. Eat local food
The best food is always typical food of the visited country. If you think you will be eating T-bone steaks in the middle of China, where rice and noodles are home, you are (mildly say) wrong. Well, you could, but you will need to visit luxury restaurants for this (meaning more expensive) and you will pay much more for the same food as at home, where this kind of food is more popular.
Eat local food (Food and travel – basic rules)
2. Choose a place where local people eat
The safest options are always places, which are packed with local people. Crowds tell you the food is good and fresh.
Many local people show you the food is good and fresh (Food and travel – basic rules)
3. Avoid eating ice-cream or salad
The easiest way to get some kind infection is by ice-cream eating. Salad does not represent panic, but most of the restaurant use tap water, which is often problematic. I cannot go without salad though and so far I have not got any problems and hoping the luck will long be on my side. Not very good ideas are different sauces like mayonnaise, so to be safe, it’s better to avoid them too.
Avoid ice-cream and creamy sauces (Food and travel – basic rules)
4. Spicy food is good
Strange that this sounds it is true. Spicy food is not perfect for our mouth, but it kills all the germs in our stomach. But please note that whenever you eat spicy food, never ever drink water over it, as all will get worse. The best thing is to drink yoghurt or milk.
Don’t say NO to spicy food (Food and travel – basic rules)
5. Meat; yes or no
Undoubtedly a tricky question and is hard to be smart here, but I normally don’t eat meat while traveling. Not so much because of hygiene, but more because I love veggies and all my travelled countries were full of them. They are rich in taste and honestly told, I don’t miss meat – I never was a big meat eater. The fact is most countries from the so called third world don’t use fridge to stock the meat in and under a hot, burning sun, lots of flies… and I can say you, that the sight is not particularly nice as well… If you cannot say no to the meat, just make sure it is cooked or grilled well and you should be fine!
Meat should be well cooked, grilled (Food and travel -basic rules)
6. Being paranoid (just for fun)
If you feel a bit paranoid for the food on your travels, you still have a wide selection of fruit, you can peel off. To put this joke aside… you will probably eat the best fruit while traveling…as it is picked up fresh and at exactly right time when it is ripe. Definitely a reason you can eat it as many as you want… or maybe not to many as if your body is not use to eat it in large quantities, even this can caused a diarrhea.
Fruit to peeled off is the safest option (Food and travel – basic rules)
The basic rules of food and travel will definitely help you to decide where to eat and how to eat, but the best advice I can give it, is to use your common sense and if your feelings say no, obey them… Just don’t be over paranoid and relax…lots of things happen because we have them in our mind.
