Travel Tips: 4 Tips For Surviving A Food Tour

  When people travel for the first time to a place, they don’t want to feel like tourists. They want to blend in and enjoy the city like locals do. That’s because the tourist life can sometimes be overly expensive and other times, they aren’t authentically indigenous. But while taking food advice from the locals, there are a few tips you need to know if you intend to embark on a food tour. They are:

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1. Mind What You Ingest

When visiting a place you’ve never been to before, be careful what you eat. When eating meat and seafood, in particular, make sure it is served hot, ask if it is fresh and thoroughly cooked. With veggies, ask if it was steamed and make sure it was not overcooked. The fresher the better. It’s best to taste food in small quantities rather than in bulk especially if you’ve never tried it before. I once drank fresh milk from a cow in Obudu Mountain Resort and came down with a sore throat and fever. That doesn’t mean I fall sick every time I drink something new. If only I had tasted a negligible quantity rather than the whole, I may have noticed if I would react to it and that would have been less severe.

2. Drink Water From Brands You Trust

If you are conscious of the PH levels in the water you drink, research the brands of water sold in the town you are visiting. That way you can drink from brands you trust. Just because some people drink from the tap and others drink from sachet means the water there is right for you. For instance, in a town like Ajah Lagos where the water from the borehole sometimes comes out brown, decide early if you can use it or not. If you are uncomfortable using such water to bathe or cook, invest in getting water filters or purifiers for the water before you use it. Or rather, drink from a water dispenser if such is available in your accommodation.

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3. Avoid Eating New Foods The Day Before Your Trip

Don’t eat new foods a night before you travel. If it doesn’t agree with you, you will need time to get it out of your system. On the road, or onboard a flight, isn’t the best place to make the porcelain throne (toilet bowl) your best friend. Once I tried a meal, I wasn’t familiar with and ended up with a running tummy while travelling through two northern states with no facilities in sight. It was a horrid experience. On the day before your trip, you need to eat food accustomed to you. Also, mind the volume of your water intake as well to reduce the frequency of taking a break on a long trip.

4. Have A Food Guide Nearby

There is no greater comfort than eating food made with ingredients you know. A food guide can tell you the history of the ingredients/the food, what it is made of and how it is made. This will help reduce your reservations concerning the food or aversion towards eating certain ingredients. I remember when I first ate Massa, it looked like pancakes and it was served with spices like those sprinkled on suya. Knowing that it was made from rice, managed my sugary expectation because it was actually a savoury meal. A food guide can also warn you on which to take based on your food preference if you tell them in advance what you gravitate towards. Now you know these tips, you are free to enjoy your food tour. Featured Image Source: Freepik

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This article was first published on 5th July 2021

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