When your children are younger, it’s a little easier to plan a fun family outing that you know they will enjoy. Playgrounds, amusement parks, mini-golf are some quick daytime outings that come to mind. Once your children become teenagers and older, it can be a bit more challenging. I remember signing us up to an event at a nearby farm to learn about maple sugaring. While I enjoyed it, my husband and daughter, well let’s just say, not so much!
Over Memorial Day weekend, I saw an ad for the Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival being held at Monmouth Park Racetrack. I remember always watching Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race” with my daughter when she was only 8 years old! Our family enjoys the sport of horse racing, the weather was nice, and we all like to eat so visiting a food truck festival seemed like a great idea.
In recent years, food trucks have become very popular. Whatever your taste, there is a food truck that caters to it. You can find from simple to gourmet, from vegan to barbecue, from breakfast to dessert, and everything between. You also get the opportunity to sample dishes from around the world. We decided to try pierogis at Pompier Food Truck. We stopped at another truck for some freshly-squeezed lemonade; and, for dessert, we shared coconut snowball cupcakes from the House of Cupcakes (winners of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars).
It was a beautiful day to walk around the racetrack, bet on a few races, and enjoy great food. But, most importantly, it was a fun family outing where we spent quality time together. Whatever the age of your children, going to a food truck festival is a great way to spend the day. And for a college-aged daughter, it provided many Instagram-worthy moments!
Visit FestivalNet or everfest to find a food truck festival near you. And, if you are ever visiting the Jersey Shore, I highly recommend a visit to Monmouth Park Racetrack, a Shore tradition since 1870!
