Food, culture, and resources

I really enjoyed going through the book and seeing the different food cultures from different countries. It’s interesting how the foods are so representative of the culture, economic conditions, geographical conditions, etc. It is important to note, however, that countries with a higher level of resources, such as the US and France, are able to enjoy foods that are not necessarily originally from their culture. For example, the French family enjoyed Asian food and American fast-food.

Although it is sad for families to be struggling to make ends meet, it is impressive with how people can adapt to tight circumstances. For example, the Philippine family rented out rooms in their house and the rooms the three rooms they left for themselves were each shared by several family members. When it came to food, the mother of the Philippine household was an expert in getting the freshest food while saving as much as possible. One of the ways she saved big was by engaging in a commercial practice common in the Philippines called “suki”. This practice consists of forming a relationship with a food vender in which one’s loyalty is rewarded with big discounts. This way the buyer saves and the vendor assures a regular customer. In spite of the fact that this family struggled financially, it seemed to me that healthy food was far more accessible to someone in a difficult economical situation over there than in the US.