When preparing for a BBYO Passport trip, many teens have concerns about the food. I recently returned from the Western Europe and Mediterranean Discovery and paid close attention to the quality of meals during the trip in preparation for this article. Here are my notes on meal quality in these destinations, a list of fun food experiences we had as part of the itinerary, and a few tips and tricks for pickier eaters when planning a Passport trip.

First, Passport trips include action-packed days that typically start early in the morning. Due to these early start times, staff often choose to make attending breakfast optional, giving us teens the option to sleep in. As someone who normally eats breakfast and likes to sleep in, I sometimes had trouble deciding between getting up early to eat or sleeping late and holding out until lunchtime. For busy European days like these, it is in everyone's best interest to eat breakfast. This tip is for later risers: There are often stops at gas stations during long travel days. European gas stations and rest stops are very different from American ones. They sell many more snack options and even have nice cafes and restaurants inside them. Something that helped me get the sleep I needed while still properly fueling myself was stocking up on protein bars and snacks from these stops. Having other breakfast options in my room allowed me to wake up almost an hour later than I would have for the buffet, and I was still able to properly fuel myself for the fun days ahead.

I also highly recommend trying the staple cuisines and items from the countries or towns you are visiting. If you skip some of these dishes, you will miss out. One of my favorite examples of this is Belgian waffles. My favorite waffle was in Brussels and was called a banana split waffle. It was a regular Belgian waffle topped with bananas, almonds, and the best whipped cream I've ever had. When in Belgium, do not skip the whipped cream on any of your desserts. Trust me, you will regret it. On this waffle, I also chose to pay the extra euro for the addition of Nutella because banana and Nutella is one of my favorite food combos. If you are a fan of Nutella like me and your Passport trip goes to Belgium, you should definitely take the opportunity to try it on a waffle! Belgian hot chocolate also deserves a huge shoutout!

And of course, when in Italy, it’s a no-brainer that you must try their famous dishes. My personal favorite was all the gelato, with my usual order being a scoop of hazelnut and a scoop of dark chocolate. The texture and quality of the dark chocolate gelato in Venice are unmatched anywhere else. The pizza in Italy also lives up to its reputation. I never met a margherita pizza I didn't find delicious during our time in Italy. And of course, for fans of cheese, try the carbonara pasta in Rome. They use the best ingredients I have ever tasted, and the bacon they use to finish the dish is cooked and seasoned to perfection. Something my peers pointed out was that in Italy you can get good quality pizza for cheap prices.

A really cool food experience we had on the trip was visiting the Henri Willig cheese farm in Amsterdam. We got to see fresh cheese being made and were offered free samples of all the different types and flavors of cheese. My personal favorite was the truffle goat cheese, but there were many delicious flavor options like pepper jack, herb and garlic, and even pesto!

Two other cool food experiences we had were visiting the chocolate and French fries museums in Brugge, Belgium. These are both immersive museums dedicated to a specific food. We were, of course, offered free samples at both places. As an American, I will admit I'm biased about other countries' fries, but Belgian fries definitely gave American fries a run for their money! As for the chocolate, all the samples were delicious. I am a chocolate lover with a massive sweet tooth, so I did not stop there. It was so delicious that I bought myself a chocolate bar at the gift shop! I opted for dark chocolate, but they sold nearly every type of chocolate in existence. There is even a fun game where you can take a quiz, and the results tell you which kind of chocolate you will enjoy the most!

After the trip, I would definitely say exploring the different food options at all our stops was a highlight! It was so interesting to taste such different cuisines from around Western Europe and the Mediterranean! I hope I gave you a good idea of what food options look like with BBYO Passport. Have a great trip!