An adventurous eater (AE) approaches food with a desire to explore the unknown. They actively seek out new and unfamiliar dishes. For them, eating is an experience, a form of discovery that connects them to different cultures and ideas.

Adventurous Eaters | Preferences

Adventurous eaters are eager to experiment with new (to them) flavors, unfamiliar ingredients, and different cooking techniques. “Adventure” is subjective and should not imply that adventurous eaters gravitate towards what they perceive to be “exotic.” Rather, adventurous eaters are open-minded, balancing between the creative and pragmatic. Based on their own experiences with food, they may be more prone to trying dishes cooked differently (blackened instead of baked, for example) or at different temperatures (moving from mild to medium to hot).

An adventurous eater may be attracted to various ways of cooking the same type of fish, for instance. One night can be Tasty Baked Cod in Coconut Lemon Cream Sauce, and the next night can be Pan Seared Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce. Adventurous eaters can also try to get “the most” from ingredients, branching off into different uses for ginger, garlic, and saffron.

Food content that may appeal to AEs include:

• Food subscription boxes that offer a variety of recipes
• Novelty subscriptions like Cheeses of the Month and different pickle brines
• Cookbooks from different states, regions, and countries
• Sample sets for syrups and spices

For adventurous eaters, new tends to be better.

Food Waste Challenges

With a natural drive for learning and self-improvement, AEs thrive on uncharted culinary paths. They often display confidence (sometimes overconfidence) in their ability to tackle unfamiliar recipes. Their excitement can lead to high spending on rare or unfamiliar ingredients, some of which may go unused and spoil.

Their exploratory nature may result in making or ordering multiple dishes at once to sample a variety of cuisines. Storage can also become an issue, as their collection of spices, sauces, and specialty ingredients may outgrow available space or go unused.

Making Change | Adventurous Eaters

Here are some goals for adventurous eaters wanting to reduce their food waste.

• Do a Dinner Swap With Friends: Find other like-minded people to have dinner nights with. You can either each bring a different dish or take turns cooking the rest.
• Try Too Good To Go: This app connects users with restaurants giving away excess food. Try a place you’re unfamiliar with, and make sure to freeze or properly store the leftovers!
• Take a Virtual Cooking Class: Find a cooking class in another country, allowing yourself to try something new. Make sure to keep an eye on your portions, and don’t over-purchase unfamiliar items.
• Take a Foraging Class: Foraging classes are everywhere — sign up for a local group to learn what plants are edible in your area.
• Invest in Sample Sizes: When buying something new, try to get a smaller portion size. A spice passport from Burlap and Barrel, for example, gives customers the chance to try new spices without buying an entire container.

Adventurous eaters frame food as a gateway to new experiences. The key is to limit the amount of perishable ingredients you purchase or, at the least, learn how to compost.