{"id":1517,"date":"2017-10-29T12:09:24","date_gmt":"2017-10-29T12:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/family-world-travel.com\/english\/?p=1517"},"modified":"2019-01-20T07:30:24","modified_gmt":"2019-01-20T07:30:24","slug":"india-vacation-with-kids-recommended-route-for-food-loving-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/family-world-travel.com\/english\/india-vacation-with-kids-recommended-route-for-food-loving-families\/","title":{"rendered":"India vacation with kids- recommended route for food-loving families"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vast, beguiling and hard to define, India – and it\u2019s food – can be both intriguing and intimidating. Foodie families may be put off traveling in India because of fears of tummy troubles (the infamous <\/span>Delhi Belly<\/span><\/i>) and the enormous nation can seem a little too much to tackle with kids in tow. But in fact this richly diverse nation has an awful lot to offer foodie families, with a few caveats: Don\u2019t try to do too much, too quickly. Allow for delays and don\u2019t let them derail your plans, and take time to get kids\u2019 tummies used to the local dishes. Research places to eat in advance if you are very concerned, but grownups shouldn\u2019t be afraid to get stuck into the excellent street food scene — not to try the <\/span>chaat <\/span><\/i>during a culinary trip around India would a be crying shame. Use hand sanitizer<\/a> on little hands, only drink bottled water<\/strong> (and check it\u2019s sealed), but don\u2019t be put off visiting India because of food fears. For all the best reasons, the delicious scents, sounds and, of course, taste of India\u2019s cooking will stay with you forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Day 1-10: Mumbai<\/h4>\n

Brace yourselves for a sensory overload, and don\u2019t make too many plans for your first couple of days in India. Landing in Mumbai – the country\u2019s most populous city, visitors with kids should take a little while to settle into the hectic pace of life in the city. Once you\u2019ve got your bearings and the culture shock has calmed a little, there\u2019s a lot of foodie fun to be had in this most colorful and chaotic of cities. It\u2019s perhaps wise to let delicate stomachs get used to new flavors and textures gradually, and to eat at slightly pricier than average restaurants in the first few days rather than diving straight into the admittedly impressive street food scene. The Bandra neighborhood<\/strong> in particular has lots of good juice spots, bakeries and organic cafes, including the super-cute <\/span>Birdsong Organic Cafe<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those with stronger stomachs can find some of the best <\/span>chaat <\/span><\/i>(street food) in the country – in fact, it\u2019s probably some of the best street food in the world. Crawford Market<\/strong>, with its huge collection of street vendors and restaurants, is a hotspot, but \u00a0food hygiene can be an issue at some of the stands, so choose carefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

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? Box out: Mumbai\u2019s most popular street snack is the ubiquitous vada pav, <\/i>a delicious (meat-free) burger. This go-to snack for hungry locals is a crisp fried potato patty served inside a pav <\/i>bread bun that\u2019s spread thick with spicy, garlicky chutney. Like most street snacks in Mumbai, it\u2019s incredibly cheap – any more than the equivalent of $1 would be considered extortionate. There are lots of places to try it without risking Delhi Belly — try Ashok Vada Pav Stall on Cadel Road, Kirti College Lane, Prabhadevi. Ask for it sans <\/i>chutney for kids, while parents can spice it up with whole green chillies on the side. Attractions for kids abound here, including butterfly gardens, aquariums, a zoo, and the caves of nearby Elephanta Island all make it worth spending at least 10 days in and around this enormous Metropolis.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Day 11-25 Goa to Kerala<\/h4>\n

Ain\u2019t going to Goa? Oh yes you are! After all that big city chaos, it\u2019s time for some chilling on the beaches. This former Portuguese colony has a different vibe to much of the rest of India, and while some of its beach towns are too full of partying gap-year types to be appealing to families, visitors to Goa with kids will find blissfully quiet white sand beaches and swaying palm trees in the south of the coastal state. The food here tends to be a highpoint for families with kids, as it\u2019s a lot more child-friendly than some parts of India. There\u2019s plenty of international fare to be found, but adults and kids alike might get a taste for the local dishes. A couple of good spots to try are a well-cooked Goan dishes are are Mum\u2019s Kitchen, in Panjim<\/strong>, northern Goa, and the atmospheric Britto\u2019s, in Baga, where Goan seafood<\/strong> is served alongside easy eats such as pizza and fried chicken – and kids can play in the sand right in front of the restaurant. <\/span><\/p>\n

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?\u00a0<\/strong>Boxout: Goan food has a strong Portuguese sotaque – <\/i>with the legacy of colonisation evident in many of the herbs and spices that are combined with local fish, seafood, fruits and vegetables to delicious effect. The Portuguese taste for all things sweet and creamy has made an impact too – families in Goa can tuck into such Portuguese treats as pasteis de nata <\/i>(custard tarts), and in fact every variation on the theme of pastry, eggs and sugar that one could imagine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Take your time to savour the scenery and the food, traveling slowly south (trains are a good way to take in sights en-route) with stops at the beaches en-route to Karnataka<\/strong>, making the a stop at the rich historical city of Mysore<\/strong> (which will likely have particular significance for any yogis on this foodie trip around India), checking out thoroughly modern Bangalore and sailing on houseboats along the rivers of Kerala, past tea plantations and tropical jungle where elephant roam<\/strong>. Wildlife reserves and some very pleasant guest houses make this off-the-beaten track region fun to explore with kids. <\/span><\/p>\n

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? Box out: In Bangalore, do not under any circumstances miss the famous dosa–<\/i>pancakes made with rice or lentil flour (and therefore naturally gluten free) and filled with chutneys and anything from vegetarian spiced potato to chicken.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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