Eating well while traveling abroad

I’m not going to lie: I was scared to death of eating while abroad on my recent Europe trip. Haggis, black pudding, strange sausages, snails, rabbit, frog legs…oh my! I definitely wanted to be a little adventurous, but knowing my propensity for tummy troubles, I knew I couldn’t be too risky. Plus, I am a very picky eater, and I try to eat healthy whenever I possible. I knew it was going to be tricky.

A delicious and healthy salad I had in Hamburg

The best way I found to eat well was to stay somewhere with a kitchen. In Edinburgh, Scotland, instead of staying in a hotel, my mom and I stayed in a cute little serviced apartment. When we did choose to eat out, I stayed with safe things — potatoes, sandwiches, Italian food, and Chinese food. But there was a great grocery store around the corner, so we bought healthy snacks and meals to have around the house. Not only did that save us loads of money (the exchange rate with the pound is wretched), but it allowed my tummy to enjoy some familiar and low-fat foods. In Germany, I stayed at a friend’s apartment for a few nights, and we did the same thing — went grocery shopping and made most of our meals and ate most of our snacks at his house. It saved a lot of money. It was especially helpful for me because German food can be heavy, and this way I was able to buy things I knew would agree with me and allowed me to eat healthier.

A cheeseburger I had in France -- surprise, no bun!

Fortunately, in the U.K., I could just ask if I had any questions about food since they all speak English (thank God I asked what black pudding was — it’s congealed blood!). I knew I’d be with a local in Germany who could translate food labels for me. But I was really nervous about France, where I didn’t know the language and wouldn’t have anyone there to help me (or stop me from accidentally ordering something horrendous).

To solve this problem, before I left the country I found a great site that listed every food term in French — basically a French/English dictionary for food — and printed it up and put it in my messenger bag. I can’t find the exact one I took with me, but here is an example of one. Funny thing is, I never ended up needing it — every French restaurant I went to had English subtitles on the menu or had a separate English menu. Every waiter I encountered spoke English. Then again, I was in a tourist-heavy part of Paris. I’m sure had I been in less-touristy parts of the city or in other regions of France, that dictionary would have REALLY come in handy. I’m glad I brought it just in case.

One of my few indulgences on the trip: An insanely delicious French pastry filled with vanilla creme

When I did decide to be daring and try something rich (such as a gorgeous French pastry) I made sure it was at the end of the day when I’d finished my sightseeing and was somewhat near home. My stomach is so touchy, I didn’t want to risk ruining the rest of the day to a stomach ache. That pastry was SO worth it though, and if you are a healthy eater or can only certain foods, I do recommend trying to eat outside of the box eeeevery once in a while, just to get a taste of that culture. Though I know I would have been absolutely miserable had I eaten quiches, pastries, and other rich foods every day!

Eating in a foreign country is scary and exciting, and is some peoples’ favorite part of travel. For picky, healthy, sensitive eaters such as myself, it incites fear and anxiety. I was just, fine though — utilizing grocery stores, asking questions, doing research, and sticking to comfort foods most of the time worked well. And I have no regrets about eating that pastry!

Have you had any interesting or troubling culinary experiences while traveling abroad?