Eat local: how to embrace local cuisine and dine responsibly

Trying local food isn’t a mere bonus to travel any more. For some it’s the raison d’être, with culinary experiences often seen as the driving force behind an entire trip. However, as food and culinary activities now draw such huge tourist interest, along with them come the risk of contributing to food tourism in a way that doesn’t benefit the environment, communities, or local businesses in a destination. Sustainable food tourism is a relatively new concept, but one everyone can get on board with when eating and dining on a trip. We’re expected to eat at least three times a day, so making responsible choices around food this often may seem overwhelming – but it needn’t be difficult, even when on the road or in an unfamiliar place. Here’s our guide to embracing local cuisine, finding ways to dine responsibly, and making choices that contribute to food sustainability in the communities we visit.

What is sustainable food tourism?

Sustainable food tourism refers to when tourists and travellers make choices around food and dining that honour the environment, local communities, local economies, and the cultural traditions and heritage of the place they’re visiting.

As we all have to eat, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute positively to the destination you’re in; including which foods you choose to eat and buy, asking where they’re sourced and whether they’ve been sustainably cultivated, what culinary experiences or cooking classes you take part in, and which food businesses and dining establishments you invest your money into. 

Embracing local cuisine: why it’s important

We believe in ‘going local’ whenever possible while travelling, and this definitely applies to what and where to eat. We’re sure you’ll agree, eating locally-sourced food and opting for local food establishments (such as markets, cafes, small businesses, restaurants, etc) is nearly always a better option – in sustainability terms, and just for the experience – than hitting a global fast food chain or big name supermarket. 

For instance, grabbing your week’s groceries from a local market, picking out sustainably-sourced meat from a local butcher, or eating dinner at a locally-owned street vendor, are all ways to dine responsibly. All of these choices create positive impacts: they support ethical farming practices, bring money into the local economy, and build positive relationships between locals and tourists. It’s also a more vibrant and authentic way of experiencing a place just as a local would – via its food and dining culture.

You’re also supporting local food heritage. Certain cuisines, snacks and traditional delicacies are the result of hundreds of years of honed culinary skills – such as the perfectly balanced miso ramen in Sapporo, Japan; the artfulness of handmade pastries in Paris, France; or the multi-levelled flavours of mole sauces in Oaxaca, Mexico. Some might argue that by visiting these destinations and not sampling authentic local cuisine from skilled artisans, you’re missing out on a huge part of what makes that destination special.

How to dine responsibly as a tourist

So, let’s say you’ve stopped in a small town during your tour of a destination and you want to get some good eats. How can you do this with responsible food tourism in mind? When aiming to dine responsibly as a tourist, having a handful of questions in your back pocket will make these choices easier, until it soon becomes second nature to put sustainability first. 

Questions to ask yourself before going out to eat:

• What are some of the traditional foods eaten here? Are there any trademark dishes or delicacies the destination is known for? 
• Where can I eat that uses locally-sourced ingredients and is owned by locals and/or employs staff from the local community?
• Are there any local food tours or cooking classes I could join?
• What is the custom way to eat here, the traditional dining etiquette? 
• Does this restaurant or store have green credentials, such as plant-based food options and reusable or recyclable cutlery? How do they handle waste?
• What are peak tourist times and is there a way I can visit around those times to avoid overcrowding?
• Where do the locals recommend? Where do they eat, themselves?

These kinds of questions asked in advance will allow you to choose food vendors and restaurants that will positively impact the local environment, culture and community, and chances are, you’ll get in on some delicious local food at the same time. 

An introduction to slow food travel

Travelling slowly lends itself to ethical food tourism, because more thoughtful choices are made when there’s time to spare. 

Sometimes, picking the most sustainable food option might mean sitting at a one-man restaurant that takes a long time to prepare the meal. It might mean travelling a short distance to reach the farm-to-table restaurant, rather than picking the easy fast food chain on the corner. It may mean going to a local market to buy ingredients, and taking the time to prepare your own lunches before a day trip.

It’s also part of slow food travel to engage with the food vendors and people that make or farm the food, and learn more about the origins of what you’re eating. Though it takes longer, the benefits are huge to slowing down travel in this way. 

Food and drink activities to support local communities

When you’re travelling from place to place, there are so many ways to eat, dine, and buy food with sustainability in mind:

Visit farmers’ markets: it’s not only a fun and wholesome experience to visit farmers’ markets on vacation; this does so much to support local farmers and artisans while you get to eat fresh, local produce and handmade artisanal products. 

Join cooking classes: why just eat the food when you can take the skills home? By joining a cooking class, you’re supporting food tourism and giving reason for generations-old culinary techniques to thrive for years to come. 

Go on  food tours: food tours are really common in tourist destinations. Seasoned guides can offer you dynamic, knowledge-backed experience of the food on offer, while also bringing much-needed customers such as yourself to local businesses and vendors. 

Pick locally-owned restaurants: one of the more obvious actions is to go out to eat at places owned by locals. Contributing to family-run businesses and food venues that may have existed for years is a really enjoyable way of getting to know integral places in the community, and helps maintain their existence long into the future.

Shop for handmade products: opt for local bakeries, cafes, food shops and stalls that stock handmade, artisanal products made from locally-sourced ingredients, and that champion traditional cooking techniques.

How to dine responsibly abroad: tips for planning a sustainable food trip

If you’re planning to go on a sustainable food tour, here are some tips to get you started:

• Consider the destination: though it pays to consider sustainability wherever you’re travelling, some destinations lend themselves more readily to responsible food tourism. Certain activities like farm-to-table experiences, vineyard tours and artisanal markets may be more common in some destinations than others. Local food markets and locally-owned restaurants, however, tend to be available everywhere. 
• Pick eco-friendly transport: opt for an environmentally-minded airline and consider hiking, cycling and public transport over driving. 
• Research sustainable dining experiences in advance: to save yourself the effort of trying to find sustainable restaurants when on the ground, try researching options before you leave – not necessarily planning every meal, but to benchmark places to try. 
• Ask locals for recommendations: locals often have the best insights into sustainable dining options. Don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations on where to find the freshest local produce, the best farmers’ markets, and restaurants that prioritise sustainability.
• Bring reusable cutlery and containers: it’s always handy to have your own cutlery, carrier bags and water bottles in your bag – this means you’ll avoid having to use any single-use plastics that may come your way during your trip. 
• Champion slow travel: taking it slower between locations allows you time to seek out underrated local dining spots and support those places you may have missed by sticking to the well-trodden tourist trail. This slowed-down approach often leads to more meaningful food experiences, such as cooking classes, dinners made by your local hosts, and long, leisurely meals that highlight local hospitality and culinary delights. 

Make it happen

At TravelLocal, we’re committed to making better choices to reimagine travel, and that includes learning how to dine responsibly as travellers. Read our manifesto to learn more about traveling to protect local communities, cultures, the environment and the planet.