My eating experience in America

Pursuing academic life overseas is a tough mission. I’ve noticed that at the first day when I arrived at the airport. I cannot understand what the Americans were talking. This was frustrated because I thought my English was not that bad. But the unclear and quickly America accent just reminded me that, ‘’ well, preparing for challenges, dude.” And there did come many challenges. For example, the terrible public transportation. Although I admit Americans are so rich that they do not need bus because they drive their own car, for a new international student like me, it is so inconvenient. The one shift an hour bus at weekend did limit my life area. But comparing with my diet challenge, all these are far away easy to solve.

My "weird" pizza order

Although I heard a lot about America diet customs in my hometown, I was still surprised about Americans’ daily eating. The first impression of America food to me is greasy. Actually, this depends on people’s own taste. I know many my people who are so fascinated about these oily foods. But unfortunately, I’m a guy who wants his foods can be no fat at all. I remember that when I eating my first pizza from MarketPlace I had to pick out the thick cheese so that my stomach can finally take it. After that lesson I noted “less cheese” on my pizza order. But it didn’t work very well. So I write “less less cheese” on my order now.

I know American food is not that limited. This blog is only based on my own experience. And after a year spending in America, I do have a lot to say about diet here and in my hometown.

Various sauces
(Image from Google Image search)

One of the most amazing diet customs in America is the use of sauces. I was pretty shocked when I first saw so many different sauces cans in the canteens. Ketchup, peanut butter, mayonnaise, chili sauce, A1 steak sauce, black pepper sauce… Not to mention other home-made secret sauces. I think sauces have become one of the necessaries here. This situation is reasonable. Sauces are easy to make and even chips can be a dinner dish with special sauce. But in terms of my own taste, I prefer more natural taste. I think the tastes of sauces are so heavy that they always cover the foods own taste. Also, most of sauces contain too much fat. So, I believe sauces are great on saving cooking time and making cooking easy. But people who have a light taste won’t prefer the use of America sauces.

Healthy Salads
(Image from Google Image search)

I always tell my friends in China that no foreigners can image how strictly and carefully that part of Americans treat their food. This is great. And actually, it accelerates the appearances of many advanced diet theories, thinking and foods. For example, it is amazing that how popular vegetarian is here. Although vegetarianism has appeared in my hometown it is far away less than America. Even the campus canteens here have separate bars for vegetarians. In my opinion, vegetarianism is one of the mainstream diet customs. Also, there are a lot of incredible diet foods here. These low calories, low fat and high fiber foods not only healthy but also tasted good. Although the obesity rate in America increases continuously I take an optimistic position about America’s future on the obesity problems.

If to make an analogy about taste of Chinese and Americans, I would say American taste is like Children’s taste and Chinese taste is more like an adult’s taste. This is not about the advanced or disadvanced levels. It is about the materials of foods that are accepted in these two countries. Basically, Americans prefer to eat the meats of the materials, no matter chicken,

beef and fish. But in China, we eat animals’ viscera. To be more specific, pigs’ large intestine, cattle’s stomach, and for chickens, we almost eat all the parts of chickens, hearts, stomachs, livers and claws. Well, I admit that is weird but actually, pigs’ large intestine is one of my favorite Chinese foods. This strange diet customs appears may because in the ancient time Chinese people have to use the materials in a max limitation because of the scarce foods materials. But I need to tell you, if you get used about these materials, you will find another beautiful taste experience.

I like sample any different foods. I believe eating beautiful foods is the easiest way to make people feel happiness. Although my eating experiences in America are one-sided I want to share them. Also, I hope more and more people can get familiar with Chinese foods, not only from the favor changed American-Chinese foods.