Exploring food choices is exciting when traveling. It’s one of my favorite enjoyments when abroad. Partly because I don’t have to cook, unless staying at a rental home, but also because there are wonderful culinary options in every country.
Details
The following are bits of information I have discovered about food, restaurants, and eating in Europe.
The European diet is healthier than Americans. They have smaller portion sizes, bake their bread daily, use less sweetener, and less preservatives.
Some restaurants close mid-day and reopen for dinner or close on specific days.
In Bath, breakfast didn’t begin until 7:30 or 8:00 am. Which created an issue with joining an excursion and taking the train.
Tipping in Europe is not as generous as in the US. I check the gratuity guidelines for the country and doublecheck the bill before paying. Sometimes gratuity is added.
Europeans enjoy their mealtime; they aren’t in a rush. The servers don’t hover which means flagging a server is commonplace. It’s simply the European way.
I research food specific to where I am traveling. A protein, vegetable, or fruit may be unique, abundant, or unusually prepared and I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to savor a delicious meal. Especially if I’m staying near the ocean or near a lake where fish is caught daily.
Menus may be written in English. But the understanding of the local language can yield a different outcome when ordering. Therefore, I’m not shy to ask a server questions regarding food preparation; or food sensitivities, such as gluten-free or allergies.
Reservations
I don’t like hunting for a restaurant when I’m traveling, it’s a waste of time. So, I research restaurants prior to leaving home, taking into consideration location, price, hours of operation, and food type. If there is a specific restaurant I would like to try and it’s popular, I make reservations ahead of time. I recently encountered two situations when traveling. A popular restaurant was booked for several weeks during the evening meal. So I made lunch reservations instead. Another situation was the lack of restaurants in a small town, pushing our dinner to a late hour. I should have made prior reservations, but didn’t. Knowing a few restaurant choices for meals in advance has also been beneficial.
Being a diabetic, I’m cautious about what I eat and when I eat. But I still enjoy the local cuisine. Afterall, it’s part of my traveling experience.
