Shopping for food in a foreign country is a pleasure and a learning experience. It enables you to see and understand so many cultural differences and, perhaps, to understand the different way of life.

In cold countries, food is often heavy and full of carbohydrates, as the people who live there need to burn extra calories to keep themselves warm. They choose foods that will fill their stomachs and warm them from the inside, and which may take a long time to cook. They are happy to have an oven on, or a fire burning, for hours if necessary, to cook their food thoroughly. It is an additional source of heat in a cold climate. Often, the supermarkets only contain food which looks a little boring. It has little colour as it’s grown underground or in the dark, and sees little sun. It can therefore seem unappetizing or uninteresting. It certainly looks less tempting to eat, but will still be tasty.

In warmer countries, on the other hand, people often prefer not to cook very much at all. They do not want the heat from an oven or fire to make their home even warmer, and they do not want to put hot food inside their body. They may choose simple food that is best eaten raw, so fresh fruit and vegetables, and salads, are often what is seen, as well as foods that, if cooked, take little time to cook through.

In the markets and supermarkets in a warm country, you will see an array of colourful fruit and vegetables to tempt your palette, as well as a big range of herbs. The sun brings colour to the foods available. There will often be foods you have never seen or heard of before. These will very often be seen alongside a variety of fish, some of which are only found in the local waters.

When you travel, make an effort to eat and enjoy the local foods and to embrace the culture you are experiencing.