Sampling new foods is one my favorite parts of traveling. I love everything from hole-in-the-wall cafes to world-renowned restaurants to sketchy street stands. (If you haven’t noticed we have an entire category dedicated to food and restaurants.)

This week we’re going to focus exclusively on food and travel. More specifically, we’ll be looking at anything that would meet the definition of green food — be it local, natural, or vegetarian. To start out I’ve got 3 reasons you should eat locally:

1. Local Food Tastes Better

Local food is fresher than food trucked in from other countries. The worst fresh mango in Belize is going to be better than the best grocery store mango in the U.S. 99% of the time. Even if it’s a food that you may not normally eat (like grasshoppers) it’s probably going to be better tasting than the hamburger from the McDonald’s up the road.

3. Local Food is Cheaper

Because locals need to be able to afford the food, regional specialties will also be affordable for the tourist. Also, when the food doesn’t have to be transported from a far away place, it will cost less.

3. Local Food Improves Your Travel Experience

photo credit: Rainer Zenz

Have you ever eaten head cheese? We ordered it in a small town in the Czech Republic, thinking it was some sort of cheese and not coagulated meat parts. It made for an unforgettable travel experience.

Sampling local dishes will give you insight into the culture and history of the area. Do they eat a lot of seafood? Spices? Beef? Even if you don’t read the history section of the guidebook, you can learn a lot just by trying local foods.

What unique food experiences have you had while traveling?