13 Incredible Destinations for Families Who Love Food and Culture

Food Is How We Travel. Here’s Where to Start.

For families who let the kids order something they can’t pronounce.

Marty and I have always been food people. Long before we had kids, before the travel, before any of this. We were the couple lingering at farmers markets, attempting recipes we had no business attempting, and choosing holiday destinations based on what we’d get to eat there.

So when we started travelling as a family, food became our compass.

It still is.

There is no faster way into a culture than through its kitchen. Not museums, not guidebooks, not any walking tour with a laminated map. The moment your kids sit down at a street stall and figure out chopsticks, or watch a tagine being lifted from coals, or taste their first proper Neapolitan pizza and go very, very quiet. Something shifts. The world gets smaller and richer at the same time.

These 13 destinations are for families like ours. The ones who wander markets before museums. Who let the kids order something unpronounceable and see what arrives. Who understand that eating together in an unfamiliar place is one of the most quietly connecting things a family can do. 🌍

1. Italy 🍕

Best for: All ages | Budget: Mid-range

My favourite food destination in the world. I’ll just say that upfront. There’s something about Italian cooking that gets to the heart of what great food actually is: exceptional ingredients, treated simply, so the flavour can do all the talking. No fuss, no foam, no unnecessary complexity. A perfect tomato. Good olive oil. Fresh pasta. That’s it, and it’s everything.

What I love most about eating in Italy is the philosophy behind it. They celebrate simplicity in a way that most cuisines don’t, and you taste the difference immediately. The pizza in Naples bears almost no resemblance to what gets called pizza elsewhere in the world. The pasta in Bologna is another thing entirely. Prosecco before dinner, espresso after. The whole rhythm of eating here is something our family has absorbed and tried (imperfectly) to bring home.

One honest tip: don’t eat in the centre of Rome. The tourist trap restaurants around the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain are overpriced and underwhelming. Walk two streets back, find somewhere with a handwritten menu and locals at the tables, and your experience will be completely different.

Vegetarian and plant-based

One of the easiest countries in the world for plant-based families. Margherita pizza, fresh pasta with tomato or pesto, ribollita (Tuscan bean soup), bruschetta, grilled vegetables, and a dizzying array of cheeses mean there’s never a shortage of options. Most restaurants will happily adapt dishes, and markets are full of incredible seasonal produce to self-cater with.

Don’t miss: A family pasta-making class in Bologna (the food capital of Italy), pizza in Naples, a food market in Florence, and gelato everywhere.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to October for pleasant weather and manageable crowds.

Discover more about Italy

2. Japan 🍜

Best for: All ages | Budget: Mid-range

Variety and presentation are what make Japanese food culture work so brilliantly for families. Even kids who consider themselves fussy eaters tend to find their thing: ramen, gyoza, yakitori, sushi, tempura, okonomiyaki. The visual element is also a major drawcard: beautifully arranged bento boxes, conveyor belt sushi restaurants, and the sheer theatre of a teppanyaki grill capture kids’ attention immediately.

Beyond the food, the cultural depth here is extraordinary. The contrast between ancient temples and cutting-edge technology, the precision and politeness of daily life, the quiet ritual of a tea ceremony alongside the noise of a bustling izakaya. All of it gives curious kids endless material to absorb. Cooking classes, food market tours, and ramen-making workshops are all readily available and designed to be fun for children.

Vegetarian and plant-based

A long tradition of Buddhist temple cuisine (shojin ryori) means plant-based eating has deep roots here. Tofu, edamame, miso, rice, and vegetable tempura are staples across the country. The main watch-out is dashi, a fish-based stock used in many broths. Asking for “yasai” (vegetable) dishes and seeking out dedicated vegetarian restaurants in larger cities like Tokyo and Kyoto makes navigation easier.

Don’t miss: A conveyor belt sushi restaurant with the kids, ramen in Tokyo, a food market in Osaka’s Dotonbori, and a hands-on cooking class.

Best time to visit: March to May for cherry blossom season; September to November for mild weather and autumn colour.

Discover more about Japan

3. Mexico 🌮

Best for: All ages | Budget: Budget to mid-range

Eating in Mexico is a completely different experience from anything you’ve had elsewhere. Tacos from a street cart at midnight. Mole that’s been simmering for days. Fresh ceviche on the coast. Churros with thick hot chocolate. Kids take to it with remarkable enthusiasm, and the culture surrounding the food (the markets, the family-style restaurants, the street food scenes) is vivid and welcoming.

Dig a little deeper and the country just keeps giving. Oaxaca is widely considered the gastronomic heart of the country, with extraordinary markets, chocolate making, and a thriving arts scene. Mexico City is one of the great food cities of the world. The Yucatan layers Maya heritage over everything, making it uniquely rich for worldschooling families who want food and history in the same trip.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Surprisingly strong for plant-based families. Bean and cheese tacos, quesadillas, guacamole, vegetable soups, tamales, and the extraordinary variety of chilli-based sauces are all naturally meat-free. Oaxaca in particular has a rich tradition of vegetable-forward cooking. The main thing to check is whether lard has been used in beans or tortillas, which varies by region and restaurant.

Don’t miss: A cooking class in Oaxaca, the markets of Mexico City, street tacos anywhere, and a chocolate-making workshop in the Yucatan.

Best time to visit: November to April for dry season across most regions.

Discover more about Mexico

4. Vietnam 🍜

Best for: All ages | Budget: Budget

Nowhere else will your family eat this well for this little. Pho for breakfast. Bánh mì from a street cart for lunch. Fresh spring rolls, grilled lemongrass chicken, fragrant curries, and extraordinary regional variation that means the food in Hanoi tastes completely different from the food in Hoi An or Ho Chi Minh City.

Walking into the vegetarian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City was one of those genuinely surprising travel moments for me. I wasn’t expecting much. What I found stopped me in my tracks. Full, abundant, incredibly flavourful menus with dish after dish I wanted to try. Some of the best plant-based eating I’ve experienced anywhere in the world, at prices that felt almost unreal. If you’re a plant-based family, Ho Chi Minh City specifically deserves a place on your list for this alone.

Hoi An is exceptional for food-loving families too, with one of the best cooking school scenes in Southeast Asia. Classes take you to the morning market first, then teach you to cook three or four dishes from scratch. Kids who cook what they eat are almost always more willing to try new things.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Rooted in Buddhist tradition, the “com chay” (vegetarian) restaurant scene here is one of the best in Southeast Asia, with full, flavourful menus at very low prices in most cities. Fresh spring rolls, tofu pho, rice dishes, and vegetable stir-fries are widely available. Fish sauce is the main ingredient to watch for: it’s used extensively, so asking specifically for dishes without it is important for strict vegetarians.

Don’t miss: A family cooking class in Hoi An, pho in Hanoi, bánh mì from a street cart, and the vegetarian restaurants of Ho Chi Minh City.

Best time to visit: February to April for the most pleasant weather across the country.

Discover more about Vietnam

5. Morocco 🫖

Best for: All ages | Budget: Budget to mid-range

Nowhere prepares you for the sensory experience of arriving in Morocco, and food is right at the centre of it. The spice markets of Marrakech and Fes are an education in themselves. Tagines slow-cooked with preserved lemon and olives. Fluffy msemen flatbread with honey and argan oil for breakfast. Fresh orange juice squeezed at street stalls for coins. Bastilla, the extraordinary sweet-savoury pastry pie, that makes kids pull a face at the description and then ask for more after the first bite.

We ate a lot of tagine in Morocco, and I mean a lot, and somehow never got tired of it. The Moroccan salads served before the main event are something I still think about: five or six small dishes of spiced vegetables, each one completely different, each one extraordinary. It’s the kind of food that makes you want to learn how to cook it properly when you get home. Rich and layered, the culture here has Berber, Arab, and French influences woven through the food, the architecture, the music, and the daily rhythms of life.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Naturally generous to plant-based families, Moroccan cooking is built around vegetables, legumes, and spices. Vegetable tagines, harira soup, couscous with seven vegetables, zaalouk (aubergine salad), and the extraordinary array of fresh salads served at the start of every meal mean there’s always plenty to eat. Most restaurants will make a vegetable tagine on request, and the markets are a treasure trove of fresh produce, olives, and legumes for self-caterers.

Don’t miss: A cooking class in a Marrakech riad, the spice souks of Fes, a tagine lunch in the Atlas Mountains, and fresh msemen for breakfast.

Best time to visit: March to May and September to November.

Discover more about Morocco

6. Spain 🥘

Best for: All ages | Budget: Mid-range

Built around sharing, Spanish food culture is naturally suited to family travel. Tapas, small dishes passed around the table, turn every meal into a tasting adventure. Kids who might resist a full plate of something unfamiliar are often happy to try a bite of everything. Patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo, croquetas, pan con tomate: most tapas are accessible and appealing to children, and the social ritual of eating together for hours is something families absorb quickly and come to love.

Before kids, Marty and I used to spend hours in the cava bars of Barcelona: cold sparkling wine, good company, small plates arriving one after another. That version of Spain still exists, and it’s still brilliant. Now we do a slightly earlier, slightly louder version of the same thing with Louie and Leo in tow, and honestly it’s just as good. Louie, for the record, is obsessed with gazpacho. Won’t stop ordering it. There are worse things.

San Sebastián in the Basque Country is widely regarded as one of the greatest food cities in the world, with more Michelin stars per capita than almost anywhere on earth. But the best experiences here rarely require fine dining.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Honest answer: one of the more challenging destinations for strict plant-based families, as meat and fish feature heavily across most regional cuisines. That said, patatas bravas, pan con tomate, gazpacho, pimientos de padrón, and tortilla española are all vegetarian staples. Barcelona and Madrid have well-developed vegetarian and vegan restaurant scenes, and larger cities generally make navigation easier.

Don’t miss: Tapas hopping in San Sebastián, La Boqueria market in Barcelona, paella in Valencia, and churros con chocolate anywhere.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to October.

Discover more about Spain

7. Thailand 🥭

Best for: All ages | Budget: Budget

Fragrant, flavourful, and varied enough that even reluctant eaters find something to love, Thai food is one of the most kid-friendly cuisines in the world. Pad thai, mango sticky rice, fresh spring rolls, satay skewers, coconut curries, and the extraordinary variety of tropical fruit available at every market make eating here a constant pleasure.

The street food markets of Bangkok are something else entirely. I ate my way through stir fry after stir fry, and the tropical fruit (so fresh, so sweet, nothing like what you find back home) became a daily obsession. Marty, characteristically, went further. He tried the scorpion. I watched from a safe distance. He says it tasted like crunchy nothing. I’ll take his word for it.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Very manageable, particularly in tourist areas where “jay” (vegan/vegetarian) restaurants are common. Tofu pad thai, vegetable curries with coconut milk, papaya salad, sticky rice, and fresh fruit are all easy to find. The main watch-outs are fish sauce and shrimp paste, which appear in many dishes. Asking for “mai sai nam pla” (no fish sauce) helps significantly.

Don’t miss: A Thai cooking class in Chiang Mai, the Sunday Walking Street market, mango sticky rice everywhere, and a visit to a floating market near Bangkok.

Best time to visit: November to February for cooler, drier weather across most of the country.

Discover more about Thailand

8. Greece 🫒

Best for: All ages | Budget: Mid-range

Honest, generous, and almost universally liked by children, Greek food is one of travel’s great gifts to families. Fresh bread, olives, feta, grilled fish, spanakopita, souvlaki, and the extraordinarily good Greek yogurt with honey that becomes a daily ritual within about 48 hours of arriving. The portions are enormous and the ingredients are exceptional: produce grown in volcanic soil, olive oil pressed from trees centuries old, seafood pulled from clear Aegean water.

We happened to be in Athens over Greek Easter, which turned out to be one of the most memorable food experiences of our travels. At midnight on Holy Saturday, the city comes alive: fireworks, candlelit processions, and then the traditional Easter meal. Marty, never one to shy away, ordered the mayiritsa. I watched his face as he processed what was in it. Lamb offal soup, for the uninitiated: made from all the parts of the animal you’d rather not think about too hard. He finished it. He was very proud of himself. I had the bread.

Eating here is always a long, leisurely, social affair. Family-run tavernas are the heart of Greek food culture and the best places to eat.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Orthodox Christian fasting practices have given Greek cuisine a rich tradition of plant-based eating, which means many dishes are naturally meat-free. Spanakopita, gigantes (baked giant beans), fasolada (bean soup), stuffed vegetables, lentil dishes, and the mezze spreads of dips and salads are all excellent options. On the islands, fresh vegetables, legumes, and olive oil are the backbone of home cooking and easy to find in tavernas.

Don’t miss: A family taverna lunch on any island, fresh loukoumades (Greek doughnuts) at a street stall, a food tour of Athens’ central market, and a cooking class in Crete.

Best time to visit: May to June and September to October for the best balance of weather, crowd levels, and price.

Discover more about Greece

9. Portugal 🥐

Best for: All ages | Budget: Budget to mid-range

Worth the trip for the pastéis de nata alone. Warm from the oven at the original Pastéis de Belém bakery in Lisbon, they’re one of those food experiences that becomes a family reference point forever. Beyond the custard tarts, the food here is hearty, fresh, and approachable for kids: grilled fish, piri piri chicken, bifanas (pork sandwiches), fresh seafood, and excellent bread at every table.

Porto was where the wine really got our attention. We spent time there before kids, and the Douro Valley wine culture is extraordinary: port tastings in historic cellars, long lunches overlooking the river, wine that costs almost nothing and tastes extraordinary. With kids in tow the rhythm changes, but Porto remains one of our favourite European cities: walkable, beautiful, genuinely characterful, and very good value compared to most Western European alternatives.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Not the easiest, given how heavily the cuisine leans on seafood and meat. That said, Lisbon and Porto both have growing plant-based restaurant scenes, and the abundance of fresh vegetables, legumes, soups, and cheeses means self-caterers do very well. In smaller towns, options narrow considerably, so planning ahead is worthwhile.

Don’t miss: Pastéis de nata at Pastéis de Belém, a seafood lunch in Cascais, the Mercado da Ribeira food hall in Lisbon, and a wine tasting in the Douro Valley.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to October.

Discover more about Portugal

10. India 🍛

Best for: Ages 8+ | Budget: Budget

For families with kids who are genuinely curious eaters, this one is transformative. The regional variation alone is staggering: the food in Kerala is nothing like the food in Rajasthan, which is nothing like the food in West Bengal. Spices, textures, colours, and cooking techniques with no equivalent anywhere else in the world.

More cautious eaters are well catered for too: dhal, rice, fresh naan, paneer-based curries, and the extraordinary variety of Indian sweets are all accessible entry points. Cooking classes in most major cities are excellent, and visiting a spice market or a street food bazaar hits all the senses simultaneously in the most vivid way. The cultural depth surrounding the food (festivals, rituals, regional traditions) makes every meal a lesson.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Arguably the best country in the world for plant-based families. A huge proportion of the population doesn’t eat meat, which means plant-based options are not an afterthought. They’re the main event. Dhal, chana masala, palak paneer, aloo gobi, samosas, dosas, idli, uttapam, and hundreds of regional vegetable dishes make eating here a genuine joy. Many restaurants are entirely vegetarian.

Don’t miss: A cooking class in Delhi or Jaipur, a street food walk in Mumbai, chai at a roadside stall, and a visit to a spice market in Kerala.

Best time to visit: October to March across most of the country.

Discover more about India

11. Peru 🫙

Best for: Ages 6+ | Budget: Budget to mid-range

Quietly one of the great food cities of the world, Lima is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Several of its restaurants regularly appear on the World’s 50 Best list, but the food that matters most for families isn’t in fine dining restaurants. It’s in the markets, the cevicherías, the anticucho stalls, and the neighbourhood restaurants serving roast chicken (pollo a la brasa) that Peruvian kids grow up eating. Ceviche, made with the freshest fish marinated in lime and chilli, is Peru’s national dish and a brilliant entry point for adventurous young eaters.

Head up into the Sacred Valley and the food experiences change completely, rooted now in Andean tradition. Markets at Pisac and Chinchero sell produce your kids have never seen before. Cooking classes in Cusco focus on Andean ingredients and techniques that connect directly to the Inca heritage surrounding you. Food and history intertwine in Peru in ways that make it uniquely rich for worldschooling families.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Getting better every year, particularly in Lima and Cusco where dedicated vegetarian restaurants have multiplied in recent years. Quinoa (native to the Andes) features extensively across the country, and potato dishes, vegetable soups, and fresh ceviche made with mushroom or hearts of palm are increasingly common. Markets are excellent for fresh produce and self-catering.

Don’t miss: Ceviche in Lima, a cooking class in Cusco, the Pisac market in the Sacred Valley, and pollo a la brasa with the kids.

Best time to visit: May to September for dry season.

Discover more about Peru

12. Lebanon 🧆

Best for: All ages | Budget: Budget to mid-range

⚠️ Please check travel advice first. As of September 2026, Australia’s Smartraveller advises Australians not to travel to Lebanon, and the US State Department also rates it “Do not travel”. Travel insurance is usually void if you go against your government’s advice. For now, Lebanon is one for the someday list, and a cuisine you can enjoy at Lebanese restaurants and bakeries wherever you are. Always check your own government’s current advice before planning.

One of the most universally loved cuisines in the world, and for good reason. Hummus, falafel, fresh flatbread, tabbouleh, kibbeh, grilled meats, fresh vegetables, and an extraordinary variety of mezze dishes that turn every meal into a shared feast. Almost all of it is accessible to children, and the culture of generous, abundant, communal eating is one that families settle into immediately.

Extraordinary resilience and creativity define Beirut, with a food scene that has rebuilt itself again and again. The markets, the bakeries, the street food, and the family restaurants have long been a highlight of the Middle East for food-loving travellers. Beyond the city, the Bekaa Valley wine country, the ancient ruins of Baalbek, and the cedar forests of the north add cultural and natural depth.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Outstanding for plant-based families, and genuinely one of the easiest cuisines in the world to navigate without meat. Hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, fattoush, mujaddara (lentils and rice), ful medames, and the extraordinary variety of vegetable-based mezze dishes mean you can eat magnificently without touching meat. Many Lebanese dishes are naturally vegan too, making it one of the most effortless cuisines for families with dietary requirements.

Don’t miss (when travel advice allows): Mezze breakfast in Beirut, fresh falafel from a street stall, the Souk el Tayeb farmers market, and a day trip to the Bekaa Valley.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to November.

13. Turkey 🥙

Best for: All ages | Budget: Budget to mid-range

Abundant, flavourful, and one of the most approachable cuisines in the world for children. Fresh bread at every meal. Grilled meats, köfte, gözleme (stuffed flatbread cooked on a griddle), fresh mezze, yogurt with everything, and the extraordinary Turkish breakfast spread (a wide table of cheese, olives, tomatoes, eggs, honey, and pastries) that sets the tone for the day beautifully. Turkish ice cream (dondurma), thick and stretchy and sold with theatrical flair by vendors who tease you before handing it over, is an immediate hit with kids everywhere.

What struck us most in Istanbul was the sheer variety. Around every corner was another market, another smell, another thing to try. We ate a lot of falafel: proper, freshly made, stuffed into warm bread with salad and tahini. It was excellent, though if I’m honest, the best falafel of my life was in Jordan. The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market alone are worth a half day each, even before you sit down to eat. Straddling two continents and thousands of years of history, Istanbul is one of the great food cities of the world and one of the most family-friendly major cities anywhere.

Vegetarian and plant-based

Surprisingly good, and often underestimated on this front. Mercimek çorbası (red lentil soup), gözleme filled with spinach and cheese, stuffed peppers and aubergines, börek pastries, fresh salads, and the incredible Turkish breakfast spread (largely vegetarian by nature) all make eating well without meat very achievable. Istanbul in particular has a strong and growing vegetarian restaurant scene.

Don’t miss: A Turkish breakfast spread at a local cafe, gözleme at the Spice Market, Turkish ice cream from a street vendor, and a cooking class in Istanbul.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to November.

Discover more about Turkey

How to Travel as a Food-Loving Family

A few things that make the difference between a good food trip and a great one.

Say yes first, ask questions later.

The best food memories come from the things your kids weren’t sure about. Give them the rule: try one bite of everything. No drama, no pressure, just one bite. You’ll be amazed how often that one bite becomes a favourite.

Eat where the locals eat.

The restaurants closest to the tourist attractions are almost never the best ones. Walk one or two streets back, look for places with handwritten menus, local families at the tables, and no photographs of the food on the wall. That’s usually where the good stuff is.

Do at least one cooking class per destination.

Family cooking classes are one of the highest-value experiences in food travel. They teach skills, create shared memories, connect kids to the culture behind the dish, and almost always include a market visit. Book ahead: the good ones fill up fast.

Visit a market before you visit a museum.

Markets show you how people actually live. The produce, the prices, the daily rhythms, the smells. For kids, a morning market is often more memorable than an afternoon of sightseeing.

Let kids lead one meal per day.

Give them a budget and let them choose. Street stall, restaurant, bakery: whatever they find. The ownership makes them more adventurous, and you’ll often end up somewhere you’d never have found on your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which destination on this list is best for really fussy eaters?

Italy, hands down. Pizza, pasta, and gelato are almost universally loved by kids, portions are generous, and restaurants are used to accommodating children without fuss. Japan is a close second. The visual presentation alone tends to get reluctant eaters curious, and the variety is enormous. Both are safe starting points before you work up to more adventurous food destinations.

Which destinations are easiest for plant-based and vegetarian families?

India is the clear winner. A huge proportion of the population is vegetarian and the options are extraordinary. Morocco is also excellent, with a naturally plant-forward cuisine that doesn’t treat vegetables as an afterthought. Vietnam is strong too, particularly with its dedicated “com chay” restaurant culture. Spain and Portugal are the most challenging on this list for strict plant-based families.

How do we get kids to try new foods on the road?

The cooking class approach works better than almost anything else. When kids make a dish themselves, they’re far more likely to eat it. Beyond that: eat at markets where they can see food being prepared in front of them, let them choose their own dishes at least once a day, and drop all pressure at the table. Curiosity works better than obligation every time.

Is street food safe for kids?

Generally yes, with some sensible precautions. Look for stalls with high turnover (the food is fresher), cooked-to-order dishes rather than things sitting in the heat, and popular spots with queues of locals. Avoid raw vegetables washed in tap water in destinations where water quality is a concern. Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico, and Morocco all have thriving street food cultures that families navigate every day. It’s also worth checking which travel vaccinations are recommended, such as hepatitis A.

Which destination offers the best value for food-loving families?

Vietnam is the standout. You can eat extraordinarily well (multiple dishes, fresh ingredients, enormous variety) for very little. Morocco and India are close behind. At the other end, Japan and Greece can add up quickly if you’re not careful, though both have affordable options if you eat where locals eat and self-cater occasionally.

Do we need to speak the local language to navigate food markets and restaurants?

Not in most cases. A few key phrases go a long way: “vegetarian,” “no fish sauce,” “no meat” in the local language are worth learning before you arrive. In most tourist areas across these destinations, English is spoken well enough to communicate dietary needs. Google Translate’s camera function is genuinely useful for menus in Japan, Morocco, and Vietnam where scripts are unfamiliar.

What’s the best way to find good local restaurants rather than tourist traps?

Walk away from the main tourist sights before you sit down. Look for handwritten menus, tables full of local families, and no photographs of the food on the wall. Ask your accommodation host where they actually eat. Apps like Google Maps reviews filtered to recent local reviews, and food-specific communities on Facebook for each destination, are both reliable. Word of mouth from other travelling families is still the best source of all.

Which destination is best for combining food travel with worldschooling?

Peru and Japan are standouts for worldschooling families. In Peru, food connects directly to Inca heritage, Andean ecology, and indigenous culture. Every market visit is a lesson. In Japan, the discipline, craft, and cultural meaning behind food preparation opens conversations about tradition, precision, and respect that are genuinely rich for curious kids. Morocco and Vietnam are close behind for the same reasons.

How much should we budget for food per day as a family?

It varies enormously by destination, and by how often you eat out. As a real example, our family of four spent around €900 a month on eating out in Da Nang, roughly €30 a day, and we ate out a lot. You can read the full breakdown in our Da Nang family guide. Southeast Asia, Morocco and India are generally the cheapest places on this list to eat well. Italy, Greece, Spain and Japan cost noticeably more if you eat out for most meals, though markets and self-catering bring that down. Prices change quickly, so check current costs on Numbeo or with families on the ground before you budget.

Should we do cooking classes in every destination?

Not necessarily every destination, but at least one per country is worth it. The sweet spot is one class per destination where the cuisine is genuinely distinctive: Vietnam and Thailand in Southeast Asia, Morocco in North Africa, Peru in South America. Beyond the skills you take home, the market visits that precede most classes are often the highlight of the experience for kids.

The Meals We Remember Most Aren’t in the Nicest Restaurants

Eat Well, Eat Together, Taste the World

Food is how cultures say: this is who we are, this is what we value, this is how we celebrate being alive.

For Marty and me, food has always been the thread that connects our travels. The meals we remember most aren’t in the nicest restaurants. They’re the tagine eaten on a rooftop in Morocco with the call to prayer in the background. The falafel in Jordan that I still compare every other falafel to. The vegetarian feast in Ho Chi Minh City that stopped me in my tracks. Marty bravely finishing his mayiritsa at midnight in Athens. And Louie, ordering gazpacho yet again, as if there were nothing else on the menu.

That’s the gift of food travel. It doesn’t just feed you. It gives you the stories. Eat well, eat together, and let your kids taste the world. 🍽

Which food destination is calling your family first?

Discover more about how we travel as a family in our Ultimate Guide to Worldschooling for Families or explore the 15 Best Affordable Family Holiday Destinations in the World