Do you ‘do’ street food when you travel?
Get in with the locals and eat cheaply
It would be hard to travel – and here I mean backpacker-style adventure travel– without discovering ‘street food’. Food carts, stalls, road-side cafes and restaurants are where you’ll find some of the best local food. Fresh produce is combined with local herbs and spices to produce authentic traditional dishes. Street food culture can be as good a reason as any to choose a travel destination!
If you don’t think it’s for you…I beg you to reconsider!
There’s no quicker way to immerse yourself into the local culture. I’m not suggesting that you eat anything and everything or from just anywhere. You need to be a choosy. Eat like a local. Look out for where (and what) they’re eating, and then follow their lead. Popular dishes will have a much quicker turn around and more likely to use the freshest ingredients.
Did you know there are more than 20,000 street food vendors in Bangkok alone (thanks FoodPeople for a great infographic) but Mexico City tops this with more than 560,000 !
If you’re playing it safe, it’s time to ditch the health foods – choose fried and baked dishes, and other foods that are served hot. Those cooked in front of you are even better. You can’t go too far wrong with fried noodles – and they taste great!
What should you stay away from? As with anywhere it’s a good idea to avoid raw vegetables and salad. Basically, anything that’s come into contact with water without being cooked. I read that you should avoid anything that includes peanuts or coconut milk – but that would mean no satay – so I would personally disregard that advice! I LOVE satay!
Street food doesn’t just mean food you can buy on the street – it includes small cafes and restaurants. The best places will be busy at meal times, so be prepared to wait a while until the lunchtime rush is over. You won’t believe the prices and it’s the best way to have authentic, traditional, fresh food. And think of it this way – you’re supporting the local market gardens and farms probably farmed by the vendor’s family.
Thirsty? Skip the fresh juices – it’s not worth the risk – they’ve most likely been watered down. Also skip the ice cubes in your drink. Playing it safe (or is it playing it sensible?) this is where bottled or canned drinks come into their own. Coconut water, when the coconut is opened in front of you, is always a good option. I did some research online and found out that if you really want to try a local juice, drinks vendors that stay in one place are statistically better (in terms of hygiene) than drinks carts that are on the move!
The small print
I won’t lie. Horror stories do exist. Street vendors often aren’t regulated so they don’t have to meet hygiene standards. Some foods have tested positive for lead contamination, some had pesticide residues (mostly in vegetables), and 17 percent of street foods containing peanuts were contaminated with aflatoxins (Street Food Project Report No. 2, 1990).
But don’t let that put you off!
I actually love the street food in India! i know many people have had horror stories to tell about their ‘Delhi Belly’ for instance, but street food , particularly Puchka and Jhaal Muri (in Kolkata) is what I look forward to each and every time!