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In California every place you buy prepared food has to include the nutritional information. Everyone posts the calorie count for meal or item that you are choosing. It is funny to watch people order from somewhere else. I can tell many of them don't want to know how many calories that they are consuming. I remember standing in line at a McDonalds across the street from Disneyland. Visitors from all over were wondering why they post the calories for each item. Told them that is how we do things here. My brother was visiting a place in Las Vegas and he was so used to the calorie count that he asked what the counts were for each item. The wait staff had no idea. He wanted to know why they don't post it. I had to remind him that it is a California thing.
Since I am married to a Mexican I can tell you that my pallet has grown. We have a lot of cactus growing around here and that is part of a meal here. We eat that stuff. Tacos are not made with a hard shell. When you go to a party and they have a taquero serving tacos it is best to dive in and tell them how many taco's and which of the three meats you want. They will heat up some corn tortillas and load you up with meat. You will add the cilantro, onions, and pico or some other kind of salsa. That is a taco. Anything else is not a taco. It is always funny to invite non Hispanics to a party and watch them talk to the Taco guy. He is there to serve food as fast as he can. You don't need to talk to him and ask about how many calories are in each Taco. You don't need to ask permission or how many you are allowed to have. Just a smile on your face, an, its good to see you, let me have one of each. Chances are he is only there for an hour or two anyway. It is also good, if you like the food, to ask for a business card.
Food trucks are big here as well. All kinds of different food trucks. Many cities have days where the food trucks come and people jump from one truck to another getting what they want. In Oxnard where we live it is first Thursdays of the month at Plaza Park. The trucks surround two or three sides of the down town park. It is a small park. Many times 15 to 30 food trucks all focusing on a different type of food. There are people that have built food truck business's just to take part in these food truck parties. In Ventura where I work they have one on one Friday a month.
When I am visiting some place else though, it is always try to find a place that I can not go to where I live. If it does not exist where I live I will try it out. I would never go to your city and try out a fast food place that I could get here. McDonald's will never see a dime of my money anywhere else in the world. We were visiting my parents in Surprise Arizona and the kids wanted to go to Sonic because our cable service shows Sonic commercials. We don't have Sonics anywhere in the area. I had never been to one. I went to that one and will never go back. Was not impressed with anything at a Sonic. We did go to a Wattaburger because they used to have them in our area back in the mid 1970's. I remember going to one when I was a kid and we still have a burger place, called A-Burger that used to be a Wataburger. The food is still the same at the location here in town that used to be a Wattaburger. I also liked the food at the location in Arizona.
Where I live, it's "entertainment." Eating out in restaurants (not particularly good ones; chains, mostly) is what people do to get out of the house and/or socialize. I have other hobbies, personally, and am astounded at how much they spend on this, but it's what they look forward to and enjoy, apparently. Different strokes!
Southern MN here. Attitudes toward food have changed to the point where it's difficult to have a mixed group of friends for a meal anymore. One won't eat meat, another wants gluten free, or sugar free or fat free and so forth. And a lot of them make a big deal out of it.
Some of it may be related to the increase in sensitivity we've seen over the last thirty years ago. But I think a lot of it is trendy behavior and attention-seeking. If it weren't, why the need to go on about it while others are enjoying the food?
I was raised to find whatever you want/can eat at the table and keep quiet about what you don't want/can't eat. And heaven forbid that you'd let the hostess know ahead of time what you wouldn't be eating. The meal was a gift so be grateful.
I love to set my best at the table and enjoy people eating it. Now I nearly have to plan for all kinds of dietary problems. Makes me feel like a hospital chef.
Southern MN here. Attitudes toward food have changed to the point where it's difficult to have a mixed group of friends for a meal anymore. One won't eat meat, another wants gluten free, or sugar free or fat free and so forth. And a lot of them make a big deal out of it.
Some of it may be related to the increase in sensitivity we've seen over the last thirty years ago. But I think a lot of it is trendy behavior and attention-seeking. If it weren't, why the need to go on about it while others are enjoying the food?
I was raised to find whatever you want/can eat at the table and keep quiet about what you don't want/can't eat. And heaven forbid that you'd let the hostess know ahead of time what you wouldn't be eating. The meal was a gift so be grateful.
I love to set my best at the table and enjoy people eating it. Now I nearly have to plan for all kinds of dietary problems. Makes me feel like a hospital chef.
I didn't catch that typo. I meant to say be so bizarre. Damn iPad.
There is lots of attention seeking with food I think. Everyone has an allergy these days (yes, I know some people do so don't crucify me for saying this). Personally, I would never make a request if I didn't eat something. For example, I don't like onions but I don't broadcast that, except on City Data.
I grew up in Montana and lived in Wyoming for several years. People in those states could beso bizarre (and extremely annoying). It seemed like eating was so shameful to do. At potlucks people would circle the table like vultures and seemed so reluctant to just get their food and eat. Then when they got it they would go,on and on about the nutritional content and provide a running commentary on it. Sports announcers put less effort into calling games than I've seen there. It also seemed like everyone was on some sort of diet.
In North Dakota, where I live now, and in Iowa where I have family, the attitude seems to be eat what you want and in a social setting just choose your food, sit down and eat. Take all you want, eat what you take, but don't be a pig. Of course basic etiquette applies there.
How about where you live?
Both of those places sound like they have healthy attitudes toward food. Eat to live, not live to eat. That may mean they are healthier in those states than others, or at least fewer are obese.
By contrast, I'm in Louisiana, a FAT state. It's eat eat eat. People talk about it a lot. What they ate for lunch, what they want to eat for "supper." What they like to eat. What places don't have the best food and which do. People here are proud of their cooking skills. There are gumbo cook-offs, chili cook-offs, barbeque contests. If you ain't eatin' chitlins and crawfish and fried catfish, you ain't eatin. People here have just eaten, and are about to eat again. Rarely a mention of health content of food, or weight control. The people in Louisiana eat high-fat, high-calorie food a lot. La has a lot of obese people and has health ins. premiums that are a lot higher than a lot of other states. Eating arugula is considered sissy. Eating healthy is eating pizza once a week instead of three times a week. Get the picture?
I would be more comfortable in Montana or Wyoming, regarding food.
Both of those places sound like they have healthy attitudes toward food. Eat to live, not live to eat. That may mean they are healthier in those states than others, or at least fewer are obese.
By contrast, I'm in Louisiana, a FAT state. It's eat eat eat. People talk about it a lot. What they ate for lunch, what they want to eat for "supper." What they like to eat. What places don't have the best food and which do. People here are proud of their cooking skills. There are gumbo cook-offs, chili cook-offs, barbeque contests. If you ain't eatin' chitlins and crawfish and fried catfish, you ain't eatin. People here have just eaten, and are about to eat again. Rarely a mention of health content of food, or weight control. The people in Louisiana eat high-fat, high-calorie food a lot. La has a lot of obese people and has health ins. premiums that are a lot higher than a lot of other states. Eating arugula is considered sissy. Eating healthy is eating pizza once a week instead of three times a week. Get the picture?
I would be more comfortable in Montana or Wyoming, regarding food.
Sorry, I disagree.
Food is one of life's great pleasures, and even more so when it's linked to the pleasure of socializing with people you're fond of. Traditionally, in France, it was a clear example that you could truly enjoy food without inevitably sliding into obesity.
If you happen to live in a region with unhealthy cuisine, or with a lack of awareness or self-control in the population, that doesn't condemn people to denigrating food.
As I re-read the opening post, I can't help but wonder, also, if the attitude is tied to something broader, like the general midwest tendency toward being low-key.
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Originally Posted by NDak15
I grew up in Montana and lived in Wyoming for several years. People in those states could beso bizarre (and extremely annoying). It seemed like eating was so shameful to do. At potlucks people would circle the table like vultures and seemed so reluctant to just get their food and eat. Then when they got it they would go,on and on about the nutritional content and provide a running commentary on it. Sports announcers put less effort into calling games than I've seen there. It also seemed like everyone was on some sort of diet.
In North Dakota, where I live now, and in Iowa where I have family, the attitude seems to be eat what you want and in a social setting just choose your food, sit down and eat. Take all you want, eat what you take, but don't be a pig. Of course basic etiquette applies there.
How about where you live?
Haha, I actually googled "beso bizarre". And yes, you can find it! It took me a moment to realize everyone was meaning to type be so bizarre.
I think it was maybe the crowd you were running around with that did that at pot lucks. My friends do that too - it's HARD to get the line started because no one wants to be first. Like it would make them look like a pig or something.
I was eating with a group of friends and we put all the food up on the buffet table and one of them told me later she really wanted to go get a second helping of the chicken - it was so good - but no one else was getting seconds. She waited and waited for someone to get seconds and then she finally just had to give up on it.
???? I don't notice who gets seconds, and wouldn't have thought a thing of it if others had before I got seconds myself if I wanted them.
Both of those places sound like they have healthy attitudes toward food. Eat to live, not live to eat. That may mean they are healthier in those states than others, or at least fewer are obese.
By contrast, I'm in Louisiana, a FAT state. It's eat eat eat. People talk about it a lot. What they ate for lunch, what they want to eat for "supper." What they like to eat. What places don't have the best food and which do. People here are proud of their cooking skills. There are gumbo cook-offs, chili cook-offs, barbeque contests. If you ain't eatin' chitlins and crawfish and fried catfish, you ain't eatin. People here have just eaten, and are about to eat again. Rarely a mention of health content of food, or weight control. The people in Louisiana eat high-fat, high-calorie food a lot. La has a lot of obese people and has health ins. premiums that are a lot higher than a lot of other states. Eating arugula is considered sissy. Eating healthy is eating pizza once a week instead of three times a week. Get the picture?
I would be more comfortable in Montana or Wyoming, regarding food.
It's called moderation. That doesn't seem to exist in this country. There is a happy medium between being obese and acting almost like you have an eating disorder. Both if these scenarios annoy the hell out of me. Just eat your damn food and don't be a pig. Or if you don't want something don't eat it.
We are living in Central Mexico and travel by car extensively around the country. We continue to be amazed at roadside and street-side food stands and how often people in their cars, stop for a snack. In our village on the main road into town, food stands are set up every 10 yards or so. At night, many residents in the village, including on our street, set up food stands at around 8PM, on the sidewalk outside their homes.
Driving in Mexico, you get used to cars in front of you swerving over to a food stand at the last minute. Now we find ourselves doing the same thing when a handwritten menu sign catches our eye.
Some are healthy: fresh squeezed juices, fresh peeled and sliced fruits, horchata (almond/rice milk. But most are sold for their taste not their nutritional values. Chicharrones (fried pork rinds) are the most prevalent...huge bubbling cauldrons of them; their smell is intoxicating. Tacos we learned are for breakfast! Tacos include a Middle Eastern variety, taco Arabe, our current favorite.
Street food is scary to some visitors, it was to us at first. But after eating it for a few years without any repercussions, it has opened up our minds and taste buds.
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