International Travelers Reveal the First Thing They Eat After Coming Back Home

After long-haul flights and unfamiliar meals, many international travelers crave one thing: a taste of home. That first meal back is a small act of reentry. It resets the senses and often reflects the comfort we missed most. Here's what travelers across the world reach for first when their passport is back in the drawer.

Prepping a Freezer Meal Before Leaving

Some travelers think ahead. One Reddit user shares that before heading abroad, they stash a fully cooked meal in the freezer that’s ready to microwave the minute they walk in the door. Jet-lagged and barely able to sort luggage, they count on that pre-travel pasta or stew like a lifeline.

Defaulting to Pizza Delivery

Several travelers said they always just order pizza. It’s hot, shareable, and doesn’t demand any emotional commitment. In places like New Jersey or Philly, pizza delivery is borderline ceremonial, with local pride that comes with every thin slice and crust bubble.

Heating Up a Frozen Pizza

Frozen pizza isn’t exciting, and that’s precisely why it works. One user said they pull it from the freezer without much thought because it’s fast and it tastes vaguely like a plan. At that moment, after juggling security checks and time zones, “edible and warm” is the culinary bar they’re willing to clear.

Stopping at Taco Bell Because It’s Open

Sometimes, logistics decide dinner. One user noted that after arriving home from abroad, they usually grab Taco Bell because it’s the only place open nearby. After long-haul travel, hunger plus exhaustion trumps culinary integrity. Even a fast-food taco tastes like victory over jet lag.

Making a Vegetable-Heavy Meal

After a week or more of rich restaurant meals and limited fiber, some travelers just want vegetables. Several Redditors said their first meal home is something clean and green. Not a sad side salad, but a real, home-cooked dish with roasted vegetables or a big grain bowl that their vacation diet sorely lacked.

Going Straight to the Local Burrito Spot

For Californians coming home, the first stop is the neighborhood taqueria. After weeks of travel, nothing hits like a burrito wrapped just right, stuffed with rice, beans, and salsa that actually has heat.

Grabbing In-N-Out Before Going Home

Landing in California often comes with one ritual: a stop at In-N-Out. A Double-Double and fries aren’t about indulgence so much as reentry. After weeks abroad where burgers tasted different and fries felt unfamiliar, that first bite is the signal—you’re home again.

Pouring Tea and Toasting Bread

Irish travelers showed loyalty to tea and hot buttered toast. This combo is all about the comfort of being at home. After travel, people crave routines, and nothing feels more grounding than the sequence of kettle on, butter knife out, and bread into the toaster. The flavors are simple, and that’s the point.

Eating Kimchi and Ramyeon

One commenter described their go-to as muscle memory of ramen noodles in a bubbling pot. Another favorite is kimchi scooped straight from the jar. For Korean travelers, this combo does more than satisfy hunger as it resets the palate. Instant noodles may not be a very exciting meal, but with spicy, fermented cabbage on the side, it scratches a very specific itch.

Choosing Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

Some meals feel like a soft landing. One traveler swears by tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich because it demands almost nothing to prepare or eat. It’s the food equivalent of sweatpants. It’s low-pressure, warm, and exactly right when you want to feel normal again after a chaotic trip.

Ordering Cheesesteaks After Flying into Philly

Cheesesteaks came up more than once for those landing in Philadelphia. With shops conveniently located on routes home, it’s an easy decision. After encountering sad attempts abroad (overcooked meat, wrong cheese, questionable bread), people want the real thing.

Digging Into a Big Aussie Meat and Veg Plate

Australians coming home often crave the meal they once rolled their eyes at: meat with a side of vegetables. After months away, plain beef, potatoes, and carrots feel right again. No garnish and no story, just the basics served the way they remember from the table growing up.

Hitting a Bakery for German Bread

For one traveler, the destination determines the craving. Returning to Germany means making a beeline for the local bakery. Bread abroad often lacks the crust, density, or sourness of German loaves. The smell of a local bakery can say “home” louder than anything else.

Sipping a Giant Iced Tea First

For some, food can wait. What matters is a tall cup packed with ice and filled with strong tea. After long flights and uneven hydration abroad, that cold rush of caffeine is the reset. The comfort comes from the familiar taste, done the way it rarely is overseas.

Craving Hand-Pulled Noodles in Shanghai

For one returnee landing in Shanghai, they walk straight to a specific noodle shop they haven’t visited in years. They remember the route by instinct. The chewy noodles, the broth, and the noise are a part of the experience that restores a version of home that travel only made sharper.