Adjusting to New Cuisine in Your Home Country
As you are probably aware from watching television or dining out, every country has their own unique cuisine, based on the ingredients that are available in the country that it is from. In America, you can go to any major city and have a variety of restaurants that serve food from a number of different countries, so you can have a lot of variety in your day to day menu. However, if you move overseas, you may not have all the variety to choose from. You might have to immerse yourself in the new culture, and enjoy the cuisine that your new area has to offer. Adjusting to new cuisine after an International move can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help you adapt to your country’s cuisine.
To start with, you will not have to just dive head first into trying to get used to the food in your area. Many different restaurants, mostly fast food places, have locations all around the world, so you will have a chance to get a little taste of home if you need it. Even though you are starting slow, make sure that you stick to it and try new things here and there. Talk to your coworkers and neighbors about recipes that they enjoy, or restaurants that they like to frequent. This will help you figure out the things that you like and things that you do not. Be mindful of any food allergies that you may have though. For example, if you are allergic to shellfish, and have moved to a town near a coastline, be extremely mindful of exactly what you are eating, so you do not have an emergency situation on your hands.
Work your way into trying something new every day. This is by far the easiest way to get accustomed to the food your new land. Maybe find a local spot for lunch to go with your coworkers, or look online for popular food items in the area. It could be that you have moved to a place that is known for a particular food item, much like Maine is known for lobster, and you will want to make sure to try it out and see how you like it, because if you live in one of these towns, a lot of their food will be based on that item. Once you have found a local dish that you like, try to make it yourself if you are a good cook, and figure out tweaks that make it better for you. Before you know it, you will be completely immersed in your new area’s cuisine.
Changing your Palette
Another thing to keep in mind that your body naturally gets used to certain ingredients and you may have a physical reaction if your body is not getting those ingredients. For example, a lot of foods in America rely heavily on salt, which might not be the case in your new area. You should not panic if you feel uncomfortable, unless it persists over a long period of time. Your body will adjust to the new ingredients that you will be taking in on a daily basis, and the feeling of uncomfortableness will soon subside.
Just remember that you will probably not become acclimated overnight. Getting your body used to any new routine takes time, and this is also true for your diet. You may develop a new taste palette after a while. Think back when you were young, chances are you liked things then that you do not know, and vice versa. Your body will change its personal preferences when it comes to its palette, so do not be afraid to try things that you did not like in the past. But if you remain patient, and keep an open mind, there is no reason why adjusting to a new cuisine should be difficult.
