Discovering new foods and tastes is one of the highlights of travelling overseas, and bringing local produce or authentic cooking equipment and utensils back home with you is a great way to help the holiday memories last and spill over into everyday life.

Whether you plan to Enjoy Surfing holidays with Explora Morocco or skiing in Austria, take some time to watch where the locals buy their produce. Follow (discreetly!) the local people to the market stalls, and food shops, take note of what they buy and so avoid purchasing any overpriced items aimed at tourists. It might be a good time to stock up your wine cellar too with cheaper spirits and fortified wines. For example, a Muscat dessert wine is around half the cost in Turkey, compared with in Britain. If you don’t have time or inclination to visit a vineyard when on holiday, even just a trip to the wine section supermarket is likely to yield bargains.

To Click here for Surfing with Explora Morocco is just the start of your holiday experience. Visiting North Africa and the Middle East will ensure you bring home many wonderful memories, but why not bring home some authentic food too? Before leaving your destination, check out the local markets for whole and ground spices, herbal, floral and fruit teas, honey, olives and dried fruits. Also make room in your luggage for tagine dishes and Greek or Turkish coffee pots. This will make your memories last longer.

When in Asia, you’ll notice that even the most ordinary Indian or Chinese tea will taste far fresher than anything bought in a supermarket back home. It’s also a good opportunity to stock up on fish sauce, chilli paste, oyster sauce and any other bottled condiments as these will be cheaper, readily available and better quality. You can also find decorative serving bowls made of wood or china, and kitchen utensils like wooden steamers and strainers, which will bring a taste of the Orient back to your kitchen.

As any seasoned traveller will tell you, being able to whip up a few tasty recipes is essential when you’re on the move. Some of your trips may take you to four star hotels and restaurants, but if you are travelling light and cheap, you may often have to cater for yourself, and there is only so long man or woman can live on noodles alone!

So before you head off on your travels, as well as making sure you have all the right injections, currency and local know-how, make sure you have a few quick and easy recipes up your sleeve. Depending on where you are, the types of food you will be able to get hold of will vary, and it may not always be the same as back home, so do your homework into the local cuisine before you begin your travels.

Most countries will have a staple ingredient that is used as the basis for lots of dishes. In many countries, rice forms the basis of a large range of dishes, so know how to cook your rice and you won’t go far wrong. Wheat, barley, rye and potatoes are also readily available staple foods in many countries around the world and cassava is another popular base ingredient, particularly in developing countries.

A few basic cooking utensils are essential for any serious traveller, especially if you are going to be camping or backpacking in places where facilities may not always be available. You may want to invest in a small camping stove so you can heat and cook food, and a tin opener is vital for most travellers. A Swiss army knife is also very useful in lots of situations but you will probably not be able to carry one in your hand luggage as you travel from place to place.

If you’re not sure of the best cooking implements to invest in for travelling, a good idea is to read product ratings and reviews online first.