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One of the best things about travelling through exciting countries is getting to sample their equally as exciting culinary delights. Finding your favourite restaurant or market stall is a brilliant way of discovering the culture and customs when you first arrive in your new home.
Be brave; try something you've never eaten before, something you've never heard of before or something you didn't even knew existed before! Food is engrained in all cultures around the world so if you went travelling to experience different ways of living- it's time to open up and swallow it down!
Eating Local
By buying and eating local produce you contribute to the country's economy. While your bowels might not be your friend for the first few days, eating local is actually an exciting way to immerse yourself in your host country and to try some new things at the same time. Find out what the local speciality is. You might even be able to get someone to teach you how to make it then you can bring your new favourite dish home.
Training your palate
This is particularly relevant if you are staying with a host family. While the food probably won't be Michelin starred, they will have worked hard to prepare the finest food available for their guest. Be respectful- if rice and beans is good enough for them, rice and beans is good enough for you. The purpose of cultural exchanges is to see how other cultures live and experience every aspect and this includes food. It's selfish to expect them to tailor their culinary talents to whipping up your favourite dish. Steak and chips might be quite a challenge on a wood stove in Gambia. One thing you can guarantee is that they will use fresh, locally grown produce and herbs and spices- and you never know, you might develop a taste for something new.
At the market
Visiting the local market is a must for anyone travelling through a new country. It's the place where the whole town gathers to buy and sell their wares, catch up with friends and even, in some countries, be entertained by live music! Markets are a very social affair and as such are often incredibly busy but if you keep your wits about you, a trip to the market can be the highlight of any visit to a country. Locals pride themselves on their produce whether it be the ripest mangoes or the strongest cattle, they will have travelled, sometimes for miles, to bring it to the market and will be more than happy to tell you all about it. If you can, befriend a local and get them to take you- they'll know the best stalls that offer the best prices on fruit and vegetables. Learn the tricks of the trade and haggle to get a good price- but remember what might be a few soles to you will make a lot of difference to the seller- this is how they make their living.
Street Vendors
You will probably have heard various explosive stories from backpackers about their experiences with street vendors whether it be tainted takari's in India or questionable quesadillas in Mexico. As long as you remember that delicate Western stomachs are unfortunately not as strong as the locals, there is no reason you can't sample the multitude of dishes on sale while you are out and about. Snacking on the go is part of the culture of lots of countries and so by always eating in restaurants not only will your purse take a hammering but you might miss out on some great experiences.
Food for Thought
You might be surprised to learn that by eating local cuisine you are actually helping the environment. Food prepared locally is likely to be cooked using natural resources and so eating the same food as everyone else, at the same time as everyone else, will save fuel and if we look at the wider picture, could reduce deforestation. Eating locally sourced food also cuts down fuel consumption since it doesn't need to be transported from elsewhere since the farm is probably just down the street!
Vegetarians
It would be a lie to say that vegetarians will find eating out easy when backpacking but if you know where to go you can still enjoy some delicious food. A big tip would be to learn the word for 'vegetarian' or 'without meat'. Also, some country's definitions of vegetarian are different to ours and may still presume you eat fish or chicken. Check what their word for 'vegetarian' encompasses. For example, in Spanish, asking for your meal sin carne (without meat) only refers to red meats, you'll probably need to specify you want a meal sin pollo y pescado (without chicken or fish).
Look at it a great opportunity to learn more of the language and if anything, it will force you to improve your vocabulary. You'll often find that people are excited by this alien concept of vegetarianism and want to hear more about it and so can even be an entrance into more cultural exchanging!