Nutrition: Different Kinds of Foods and The Cultures

The Taste of Time

Growing up in a traditional Belarusian family I experienced a wide variety of foods, although I didn’t think of it that way at the time. You ate what your mom or grandmother prepared for the family, no questions, no if’s, and’s or but’s. Every day, you’d have a filling breakfast consisting of buckwheat, oatmeal, eggs, or cottage cheese with a cup of hot herbal tea. Lunch would always be a bowl of hot homemade soup, such as the traditional borscht, chicken noodle soup, rice soup, and so on. Dinner, would be another home made dish, which could range from chicken cutlets to meatballs, sausage, potatoes, fish, and other things I don’t know the English names for. Each household had the same meals rotating around from week to week. You could always catch delicious aromas of all the fresh ingredients used, and that was the norm. Women of every age knew how to cook; girls had mandatory culinary classes in school while moms created their own recipes. You want to go to a restaurant or a cafe just to eat food? Don’t be ridiculous. Why would you ever do that when there’s plenty of food in the kitchen? You’re hungry? Then come home and eat some soup!

Every woman had her own culinary secrets. Spending hours in the kitchen was always expected. Most parties and holidays were celebrated at home with a huge variety of delicious entrees prepared and beautifully decorated for the guests. How could it ever be otherwise? Apparently, it can, and I learned that once I moved to the United States. I was disgusted when I went to kindergarten and was expected to eat the school food. What do you mean they don’t prepare fresh homemade dishes? I had no idea what pizza was; my first bite out of the frozen cafeteria- served slice did not give me the best impression. I didn’t know how to approach mozzarella sticks the first time I saw them, and I was sure clueless as to what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was. The foods that were mundane to most of my peers were a whole new world to me that I had yet to explore.

My slow process of assimilation to American nutrition first showed itself when I fell in love with McDonald's. Then came pizza, chips, french fries, Nutella and all the other unhealthy, but delicious foods. Although my mom still made food at home, the second I tasted junk food was a point of no return- the desire to have more was inevitable. I would choose a Happy Meal over my mom’s meals any day. Luckily, I had limited access to unhealthy foods and was mostly eating meals at home, which I believe is why my arteries are not over-clogged by now. In 6th grade, I tried cup noodle for the first time, in 7th- Hot Pockets, and in 8th- cheese fries. However, I was raised knowing that those foods were bad for my health. Junk food was a treat that I could only have occasionally, but never as a part of my daily diet.

As time went on, I started learning more about the different kinds of foods and the cultures they originated from. I tried Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Turkish, Mexican, Indian, Ukrainian, Polish and Thai cuisines. All of a sudden, going out to eat with my friends once a week became a tradition. The question “What food are you in the mood for?” was asked very often. Sushi, noodles, Pad Thai, pasta, chicken teriyaki and guacamole were no longer mysterious to me. Studying a menu from a particular region of the world is the best way to learn about it, and I was able to do that without ever leaving the boundaries of New York.

At some point, taking pictures of food and posting them on social media became the new trend, and although I never understood it, I got used to it. Suddenly, I started viewing food not only as a necessity for my body, but also as a form of art. I developed a habit of trying out new dishes and paying attention to how they were served. In school, I acquired an idea of how digestion works and became interested in the effects of various foods on my body. I learned about nutrition information, calories, and the food pyramid. The new trend was getting into health fitness and nutrition, so I began watching over what I was eating, or at least being conscious of what was going into my body. All these experiences allow me to make judgements about food on my own and often pick healthier alternatives without my parents telling me to do so.

In my own family, we became slightly spoiled too. My mom was now occupied with her job and didn’t have the time, or necessity, to make so many dishes from scratch anymore. Instead, we would buy prepared homemade Russian food, which is easy when you live in a Russian neighborhood. I now appreciate every dish that my mom prepares because I know how much effort it takes. I also realized how amazing and knowledgable a cook she is. Suddenly, the food that I was so willing to trade for McDonald’s became priceless and the best tasting to me out of all. I guess taste buds and maturity have a positive correlation between them. Indeed, why go to a cafe or restaurant when you have plenty to eat at home, right.