An Open Mind and an Empty Stomach
Traveling lets you try foods that just aren’t available back home, and while that’s fun for most people, some find it to be a nightmare. With so many countries building everyday meals around fermented ingredients and unfamiliar cuts of meat, picky eaters need to learn which spots are safest for their stomachs. Don’t worry—we’re here to name the most adventurous countries and a few of the best reserved for picky eaters.
1. Ethiopia
Ethiopian dining can be difficult when you dislike sour flavors, mixed foods, or eating with your hands. Meals often arrive on injera, a spongy fermented flatbread topped with spicy doro wat, lentil misir wat, and collard greens. Usually, everyone eats from the same platter by tearing off pieces of injera, too! It’s all part of the culture, but if you’re used to plain rice, this is a culture shock for you and your tummy.
Richard from kansas city, united states on Wikimedia
2. Laos
Fresh herbs, fermented fish, and powerful seasonings appear throughout Laotian cooking, so bland-food loyalists will almost definitely struggle. Larb combines minced meat with lime, chilies, toasted rice powder, and herbs, while padaek gives many sauces a distinct flavor. Even a seemingly simple salad can arrive fiery, salty, and maybe even a little sour.
3. Nigeria
If you can’t handle spice, you may find Nigerian menus especially challenging. Egusi soup, for example, has ground melon seeds and leafy vegetables, while dishes such as pepper soup deliver exactly what its name suggests. There’s no real way to ease yourself into it, either!
4. Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cooks don’t hold back when it comes to chilies, aromatics, or coconut. A typical rice-and-curry meal will likely include several vegetable curries, pickles, and coconut sambol, and even breakfast can involve string hoppers with curry. If you aren’t very adventurous, you likely won’t have a good time with these traditional plates.
5. Indonesia
With thousands of islands and an enormous range of regional cuisines, Indonesia has plenty of variety—which isn’t always a good thing when you only like one or two dishes. Sambal accompanies countless dishes. Shrimp paste, fermented soy products, and strong spices bring distinctive flavors. Don’t be surprised to see visible bones or less familiar cuts, either.
Zul Rosle from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wikimedia
6. Cambodia
Cambodian food often balances sweetness and acidity with fermented ingredients, so it’s worth asking what your system can handle. Prahok, a fermented fish paste, adds depth to dips, soups, and sauces, but its aroma’s tough for anyone already wary of seafood. Popular choices also combine coconut, herbs, spices, and a custard-like texture, all of which can test a selective eater.
7. Georgia
Georgia is generous with bread and cheese, but don’t let that fool you. Its cuisine is way more demanding once you move past khachapuri. Ground walnuts, cilantro, tarragon, garlic, sour plum sauce, pomegranate—you name it. They regularly appear in savory dishes, sometimes in combinations picky diners won’t expect.
8. Bolivia
Bolivian cooking reflects the country’s varied climates, so visitors will definitely encounter new ingredients. Chuño is a traditionally freeze-dried potato with a noticeably different taste and texture, while anticuchos are commonly made with beef heart rather than an ordinary cut. If that alone made you question your palate, you might want to keep away.
9. Senegal
Fish, rice, vegetables, and concentrated seasonings are basically the foundation of many Senegalese meals! Thieboudienne, a national favorite, combines fish and rice with tomato, tamarind, vegetables, and fermented seasoning, creating more complexity than its appearance suggests. Meals may also be shared from a communal bowl, which won’t suit travelers who separate every bite.
10. Armenia
Armenian cuisine has plenty of grilled meats and fresh bread, but it also embraces the wilder side of things with sour dairy, organ meats, and preserved ingredients. Khash, for example, is a traditional soup made from cow’s feet and served with garlic. Tolma, spas yogurt soup, basturma, and pickled vegetables also boast strong seasonings that won’t always reassure a picky eater.
Trying local food can be one of the best parts of traveling, but you don’t need an adventurous palate to enjoy every destination. With some of the biggest changes out of the way, let’s dive into 10 countries that just about anyone can enjoy.
1. Austria
Austria’s a pretty reassuring destination when breaded meat, potatoes, and pastries appear on every menu. Wiener schnitzel is typically a thin veal or pork cutlet coated in breadcrumbs, and käsespätzle is simply noodles covered with melted cheese. Bakeries also have plenty of croissants, apple strudel, and other pastries for anyone who wants a simple breakfast.
2. Germany
Germany has its own traditional dishes, but picky eaters can still enjoy straightforward meat-and-potato meals. You can order bratwurst with a bread roll, schnitzel with fries, or roast chicken for basic meals. Bakeries, sandwich shops, and international chains provide even more options when sauerkraut doesn’t speak to you.
3. Portugal
Although Portugal is known for seafood, its restaurants serve plenty of uncomplicated grilled meats, sandwiches, rice dishes, and baked goods. Frango assado is grilled chicken that can often be ordered with fries or plain rice. Bifana is just sliced pork inside a bread roll. If you want something sweet, don’t shy away from pastéis de nata: custard and flaky dough.
Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata on Wikimedia
4. Belgium
Belgium makes it surprisingly easy for picky eaters to build a meal. Fries are sold with sauces you can order on the side, and waffles can be ordered plain or topped with chocolate, fruit, or whipped cream. Even restaurants with mussels and regional stews also offer burgers, steak, or simple sandwiches.
5. Poland
Many Polish staples rely on dough, potatoes, cheese, and gently seasoned meat rather than intense heat. There’s no going wrong with pierogis filled with potato and cheese. You can also munch on kotlet schabowy, which resembles a breaded pork cutlet served with mashed potatoes. Picky eaters can also find bakeries that don’t veer away from what they know.
6. The Czech Republic
Traditional Czech food is hearty, filling, and built around recognizable ingredients, so picky eaters are in the clear. Take Smažený sýr—it’s fried cheese commonly served with fries! You can also easily nab roasted chicken, schnitzel, and plain dumplings on menus throughout the country.
Dan Gold danielcgold on Wikimedia
7. Hungary
Hungarian cuisine has a reputation for paprika, but if that’s too spicy, you can still find several comfortable choices. Chicken paprikash is usually rich rather than painfully spicy, and lángos can be ordered as fried dough topped only with cheese or sour cream. Restaurants also commonly list grilled chicken, pork cutlets, potatoes, and noodles, too.
8. Ireland
You enjoy Irish beer, so why not wash down a Guinness with pub fare? Menus regularly include fish and chips, roast chicken, burgers, toasted sandwiches, and mashed potatoes alongside traditional stews. Breakfast is just as manageable; cafés serve eggs, toast, cereal, pancakes, and pastries in addition to the full Irish breakfast.
9. Canada
Canada’s diverse restaurant scene gives picky eaters far more choices than they’d expect! You’ll obviously find pizza, burgers, grilled cheese, chicken fingers, and breakfast plates, but poutine is a delicious staple made with nothing more than fries, cheese curds, and gravy. Larger cities also make substitutions and dietary requests fairly routine.
10. Argentina
Meat-loving picky eaters will feel right at home in Argentina, where grilling lets the main ingredient speak for itself. Parrillas serve straightforward cuts of beef, chicken, or sausage, usually served with potatoes or bread. Empanadas are filled with mild beef or chicken for another recognizable option that’s available everywhere you look.
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