I was never really into food before I was married. Consistently throughout my life, I have been made fun of for my pickiness. I’ll even admit that I have the palate of a fifth grader. In my wife’s family, food is love. She opened a whole new world to me. We want to instill that love in our kids. We watch the Food Network and every time we travel we find one of the restaurants profiled.
The adventures into new restaurants and conversations about food have fed our relationship as well as satisfied our taste buds. Combine the love for food with competitiveness with your family by becoming food critics this summer. Here are fun ways to do it.
Best Food Type
Form a list of the best single food of a particular type in your town, such as “Best Pizza.” Possibilities include:
• Main dishes: Chili, Fried Chicken, FishnChips, Hamburger, Hot Dog, Pizza, Ribs, Sandwich, Taco, Cheesesteak/Hoagie/Grinder/Sub
• Appetizers/Sides/Snacks: French Fries, Guacamole, Meatballs, Pretzel, Wings
• Desserts/Sweets: Cookie, Cupcake, Frozen Yogurt or Ice Cream, Fudge
• Breakfast: Donut, French Toast, Hash Browns, Omelet, Pancake or Waffle, Scone
• Drinks: Hot Chocolate, Shake, Smoothie
Best Restaurant in Genre
Rank restaurants in your town in a particular class, such as “Best Italian” or “Best Fast Food.” Genres include:
• Styles: Asian, Barbecue, Italian, Mexican, Seafood, Steakhouse
• Economic: High End, Mid-Range, Fast Food
Best Restaurant Overall
Rank the best restaurants in your town. Possible ways to judge: Food quality, food taste, food originality, décor, and service.
Eat for free by becoming a Mystery Guest
My in-laws have done this for years and receive gift cards in return to a lot of great restaurants. You will need to fill out and submit a detailed form of your experience afterwards. It takes some time, but it is a great way to get paid for going out to eat.
Huddle up with your family tonight and choose a restaurant or food to try first.