While I occasionally get a little too into the “treat yo’self” mode when I’m traveling (and my budget suffers), my travel guilty pleasures, a.k.a.the one thing I can never say no to is FOOD and DRINK. Especially in the form of…SNACKS!
With the budget in mind, since I do need to stick to one on most trips, I tend to eat small meals or snacks everywhere, rather than just one big meal. I like to try crepes and macaroons and more crepes and a baguette and wine rather than have one big meal. I’ll eat a slice of pizza followed by gelato followed by an espresso, rather than spend it all in one restaurant.
I think it’s so much more fun to try small bites at a variety of places (although there is something to be said for a giant meal!). Here are some of my favorite small bites/drinks/snacks I’ve tried from all over the world.
ITALY
I could rave on and on about the food in Italy. It really has earned it’s reputation for eating, I can attest to that! However, it is also ideal for snacking (keep your eye out for this idea I have, because everywhere is ideal for snacking) because the food is not cheap. We found a pizza place with incredible 4euro pizza and went every day. We found a place that served free potato chips with our wine and I could barely contain my excitement. And, let me say that I skipped at least one meal in favor of gelato. I mean, it’s Italy. One of my favorite things about Italy, though, was that a giant and delicious breakfast was included in our hotel stay. I still dream about that breakfast.
THAILAND
The wonderful thing about Thailand in regards to food is, not only is it delicious, but it’s so inexpensive. So even when I had a “big” meal it was about the price of a snack. My favorite dessert was from a cart, called “roti,” kind of like a crispy crepe. I’m a total Thai food snob after going to the country–the pad Thai just isn’t the same as it is in the actual country!
SCOTLAND
I mostly remember hearty meals from Scotland, but I did sample many things: cider, haggis, whisky, cheese. It’s a great country for sampling!
CANADA
My favorite Canadian snack we tried in Victoria, British Columbia was hands-down poutine. Poutine is essentially fries with gravy and cheese curds. I know. I was a bit skeptical because I don’t love gravy all that much, except at Thanksgiving, but I looooved poutine. Even gravy can’t ruin the combination of fries and cheese curds.
CZECH REPUBLIC
My current host country is not known for its snacking culture, but rather it is known for having one of the most rib-sticking cuisines in Europe. Never fear, however: I’ve put my genius snack-finding abilities on the case and I’ve managed to find a variety of snacks and small plates all over the country! One that has eluded me photographically wise that I have to tell you about is topinky: fried bread with garlic cloves. Yes, that’s right–you rub the clove right into the toasty bread, and it’s so simple yet so amazing.
^^Jan’s is a fantastic place for snacks, as they are famous for their inexpensive open-faced sandwiches–cheap enough for you to try at least two! 
^^sampling mead in Český Krumlov. 
CALIFORNIA
A quick weekend in Northern California a few years ago involved wine, sourdough bread bowls, clam chowder, Ghiradelli’s shakes, and more wine. When in Napa, right?
GERMANY
Germany’s Christmas markets are a paradise for someone like me, who loves to try a variety of small tastes and many drinks. We had fantastic food at the markets–but of course what I loved the most was, you guessed it, the mulled wine and hot eggnog.
CHINA
My favorite thing about the Chinese culture has to be their habit of communal eating. I can’t even name or number the many dishes I tried, just because someone ordered them and they were on the table. One of my favorite dishes from the Sichuan province is called hotpot, where everyone has a giant pot of soup, and then they can choose what to cook in it, from veggies to meat to spices. After enough time, everyone digs into the broth for the cooked food. Again, I can only name about half the things we actually ate in the hotpot, but they were so good!
^^you have to try dumplings while in China, of course! 
^^this rice porridge was one of my favorite foods in Beijing.
FRANCE
France, and Paris especially, is a great place for snacks, not only because it’s the land of crepes. It’s also because it might be the most expensive city, food-wise (and in many other respects) that I’ve ever been too. Luckily Paris is full of crepe stands and bakeries and cafés to help you taste a variety of small foods and attempt to keep your budget in check.
MEXICO
It’s probably a sad state of affairs that while I loved the food in Mexico, I hardly remember what we ate–but I do remember the drinks!
BELGIUM
Belgium is the land of snacks. The first time we were in Belgium, besides a few pasta dishes, all I wanted to eat were snacks, mainly fries, waffles and chocolate. Oh, and beer. Does beer count as a snack? Maybe it does when you drink little samples of it?
ENGLAND
By far, my favorite “snack” to have in England was afternoon tea. There are so many options–and I loved all of the tea services we had. The Orangery at Kensington Palace is amazing if you want something fancy, but I also loved the simple ones that just had tea and scones and, most importantly, clotted cream!
^^and you can’t forget fish’n’chips with mushy peas!
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What’s your travel guilty pleasure?!
Linking up with Emma, Kelly and Rebecca for their monthly Travel Link-Up.
I’ve always been curious about poutine. Looks a bit strange, but everyone seems to love it. Reading this post has made me hungry. Off to fix a snack now 🙂
Writing this post made me so hungry…for all sorts of food I don’t have access to, haha ;). I was skeptical of poutine but it was fun to try, at least!
Great post, I have the exact same approach towards food! I snack the whole day away and love it. Seoul SK is a wonderful snack food destination. Some streets are lined with vendors selling all sorts of snacks. One of my favorites is hoddeok, a sweet but not too sweet brown sugar filled pancake. They’re sold for less than a buck and piping hot. If you go, you must try it! Cheers! 😀
Oooh I will make a note of this! We are considering teaching in South Korea next, probably in Seoul. Those sound delish!!!
I’d rather have a lot of snacks than a real meal too! When we went to Pharos, we lived off of crepes, baguette sandwiches, and street gyros, which was completely fine with me! Those little open faces sandwiches remind me of a shop I found in Budapest. They had about 20 different kinds of those and we went in there all the time to snack on a few!
I am going to Budapest at the beginning of May! Do you happen to remember the name of the shop? it sounds right up my alley :). They are probably similar to the ones here in Praha–delicious!!
How exciting!! I LOVED Budapest! The place is called Duran Sandwiches on the popular October 6 street. You won’t miss the storefront with all the sandwiches! Here’s my post about Hungarian food, and mentioning that place if you’re interested: http://www.slightlyastray.com/foodie-friday-traditional-hungarian-cuisine/ 🙂
Thanks! I bookmarked your post for future use :). It looks like you had some great food, I’m looking forward to trying it out!!!
Oh my gosh, an amazing list of great food places! I totally agree about wanting to try everything, I feel like that about sweet foods. There always seems to be amazing cakes, ice cream, a delicious hot chocolate etc and I want to try it all! It’s a shame there aren’t enough hours in the day for allll of it 🙂
Yes! This list was so fun to make but now I’m so sad about all of the food I don’t have access to right at this second ;). That’s what I love about snacking–even though there are NEVER enough hours in the day, snacking helps you try lots of new things in those limited hours 😉
Girl, you’ve been everywhere, wow! And it seems like you’ve definitely done your homework because everything I’ve seen or heard of that has been the best from a certain country, it seems you’ve tried it. Way to go! I had NO idea that the fried bread with garlic was called topinky…. I’ve been calling it “Sumava Toast” because that is what it was called on a menu when I went to Sumava last year…. hahaha.
(btw, if you’re in town tomorrow, hollerrrr because we’ll unexpectedly be there for a night. You’re probably off enjoying your long Easter weekend, but just on the off chance….)
Haha well I’m PRETTY sure it’s called topinky…that’s what the pub downstairs calls it, at least ;). I love that stuff!!
Also, we are heading out (for one night!) in Karlovy Vary so we’ll miss you! Bummer!!!!! What are the chances? Did your plans at that cute little cottage get canceled?? Hopefully one of these days I will actually BE in Prague when you come through :).
Hah, no worries! When you have this long weekend, you gotta take it! It will happen sometime. I hope you enjoyed KV!
I’m the same way. I’d rather walk 3 miles than pay for a cab. But food… that’s just non-negotiable!
I hear that! 🙂 Food is all a part of the experience and the culture…an ESSENTIAL part, I think! Taking a cab is not haha!
You and me both! I am exactly the same way! I’m always worried if I spend a giant amount on one meal I’ll be eyeballing everything I see sadly later!!!! I live to sample local treats, desserts and latte flavors!!!
Yes for local treats and latte flavors! I love discovering new little cafes :).
I do love in Italy how they just give you snacks when you order drinks, isn’t it the best? I love all of these pictures, shows just how much fun you have on your travels x
Yes I kind of want to Italy JUST BECAUSE of that amazing cultural phenomenon, lol :).
Travelling + Food = a happy traveller! Chocolate Eclairs in Paris are the best! xx
Oooh yes eclairs in Paris! Elcair Genie has SO MANY flavors, it was a tough, tough decision.
Snacking my way through a country is my favorite! I love sampling all the different foods!
Yes! So glad I’m not the only one! I’m not sure it’s E’s favorite thing haha, but he indulges me ;). He’s more of a one-big-meal three-times-a-day type of fella! Hope you are enjoying Berlin! xo
I am itching to travel to Italy so bad now! 🙂
It really is amazing! I loved the food, the people, the energy, the beautiful cities 🙂
Snacking is definitely a winner! I love trying new foods like that, but I do also enjoy a nice meal too, a chance to sit down and talk about the day over food. Nom nom.
True! I love lingering over a meal, too (and Italy was amazing for that). I also tend to linger over snacks, too!!
Yummm at all these foods and snacks from all over the world!!! I can’t wait to eat crepes in France, and legit Pad Thai in Thailand… someday! 🙂
It’s the best! 🙂 I know you will enjoy them! Eating the “national dish” is so fun when traveling ;).
I am glad I read this after eating dinner…. yum. I too like to not have so many big meals but rather just eat or snack my way through a city. It’s the best way to try out multiple things and keep your energy going all day long!
Haha I know. I was so hungry during and after this post! I get hungry every time I read it :). It’s also a good excuse to take small breaks, because exploring a new city is tiring!
Oh.My. gosh. I’m literally going to eat my kindle. I pretty much only move out of my house because I know delicious food awaits!
hahaha don’t eat your kindle, please ;). I totally hear you–food is often my main motivation for doing ANYTHING, lol!
This all looks so good! I have to agree that it is hard not to treat yo self when you travel!
Yes! It all feels like a vacation and there’s always so many new things to try/do/taste, so it’s hard to deprive yourself 🙂
Utterly, utterly delicious!
Ps. Gelato totally counts as a meal choice in Italy!
Haha, thanks Emma! I’m glad you agree that gelato is a meal choice, because I had it instead of at least one meal a day, lol 😉
Your post was just glorious. No other word for it. GLORIOUS.
hahaha THANKS! It was so much fun to write but now it’s kind of torture to read…I want access to ALL of these foods right now!
That is a lot of food in one post! Glad that poutine is represented!! I love gelato and Italian pizza – your photo of the pizza made me want to reach through the screen and grab a piece!
It is a lot of food in one post, haha! It was too hard to narrow it down even further once I got started. I didn’t even mention any from in the USA!!!
Wow – there’s a lot of food in there! But little and often and how could you turn down a treat on holiday!
Haha well to be fair this has happened in my travels over my whole life…so I didn’t eat all of it at once ;).
OMG I just ate but this is making me hungry! Looks delicious – and I’m definitely the same with the ‘treat yo self/ yolo’ mood during travelling haha ALSO, while you tasted poutine in BC, you should try to taste it in Quebec! It’s much better there 😉
I was so hungry after I wrote this–but unfortunately only for food I cannot get right now, lol. So poutine is better in Quebec, huh? Why is that? 🙂
haha because it was invented in the southern part of Quebec 🙂 and the right cheese is a specialty of the region! I swear I’m not that biased 😉
Love this! Snacking around is such a great way to try lots of cuisines 🙂 I’m with you on wanting to try as much as possible while I’m visiting somewhere new… it’s just good research 😉
So true! You’re there to learn about the culture, anyway, right? 😉