Naturally, one of our favourite things to do on holiday is eat. While restaurants plate up the best the location has to offer, you are limited to what’s on the menu and you’re not getting a true taste of what locals are cooking and snacking on day-to-day. For a true indication of what the local palate is like head to the supermarket, a truly unsung tourist attraction for food lovers. From people watching to sampling flavours you’ve never tasted, we love aimlessly wandering supermarket aisles when in a foreign country. 

The deli section and fridge aisle are perfect for sourcing a picnic lunch, especially in Europe. From cold cuts like salami, prosciutto and mortadella to local cheeses, paired with some fresh bread, there’s no better place to put together an improvised lunch that you can take with you to a park or beach. 

When it comes to fresh food, there’s nothing we enjoy more than taking a bite into a piece of fruit and judging whether it tastes sweeter or better back home. If you’re staying in a serviced apartment or Airbnb, cooking at least one meal with in season produce also gives you an indication of how the flavours of fresh ingredients measure up to those at home. 

The chip and confectionary aisles never disappoint. Sampling flavours that you can’t get in Australia, like fried crab or dill pickle, makes for a fun taste test. The flavours available are a good indicator of what the palate of locals is like. In Asia, you often see seafood flavours, while in the United States smoky BBQ and cheese flavours are more prominent. 

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In countries or cities that specialise in a certain type of food, it can often be quite pricey to try the best the place has on offer. Supermarkets are perfect for trying local delicacies without blowing the budget. Take Switzerland, the specialists of chocolate. Handmade chocolates from artisanal chocolatiers don’t come cheap, but if you head to a grocery store you can try entry level chocolate bars from Swiss companies not available back home at an affordable price point. 

Don’t skip the drinks aisle. Simple things like the taste of Coca-Cola tastes different depending on which country you’re in. There’s also different flavours of soft drinks you know, like lime Pepsi Max and watermelon Fanta. Plus, there’s brands of drinks you didn’t know existed. In Europe, juices are more mainstream with pear, peach and apricot nectar drinks featuring on most shelves in countries like Italy. 

Packaged non-perishable foods also make for great (and affordable) souvenirs for food lovers back home. Skip the tacky tourist t-shirt and surprise your loved one with a packet of cheddar jalapeño Cheetos, instead. 

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