Food Etiquette & Taboos

[shazzbaa]

oh man, when others are chill about it, it's always fun to learn what food traditions are less universal than you thought they were!

A few months ago I was talking about tv dinners in a discord server and two of our international members -- one from the netherlands, one from australia -- asked what on earth I was talking about. "Oh!" I said, "that's probably a US phrase -- it's those little frozen dinners you put in the microwave"

".....What?" they asked. So I googled a picture of what I was talking about, assuming I just didn't know what they were called outside the US, and posted in the chat.

And neither of them had ever seen anything like that.

The next day I went grocery shopping and took photos of the frozen food aisle to show them just how pervasive frozen dinners are here. They were flabbergasted. They'd never heard of these before. How can you eat something like that???

The discovery that Frozen TV Dinners is not a universal food was a fascinatingly weird experience for all involved xD

--

anyway I don't like ketchup or hotdogs so I can't really contribute on that front, but putting ketchup and mustard on a hotdog is pretty standard in my neck of the woods!

[DasIstWunderblyat]

From my taste (as a foreigner) ketchup is disgusting on its own, I prefer it to be mixed with chili sauce
Most of the people who exclusively use ketchup as condiment are children who can't hold their chili sauce yet (and some adult who can't eat spicy)

But yeah, as it's more available and cheaper condiment than mustard, we frequently use it on "Western food" (hot dog, burger, grilled sausage, etc.) along with mayo and chili sauce.

I think your people obsession to ketchup is comparable to our obsession of chili sauce. I even heard my friend eating in expensive sushi restaurant, then whipped out sachets of chili sauce to eat the sushi with. Blasphemous.

[Kann]

I'm not a big fan of ketchup in general, but if you think a hotdog tastes better with ketchup, then put on it as much ketchup as you'd like. People really like to make a big deal out of food to the point where you're being called a monster because you pour milk first, when you make cereal.

Food is food and it's meant to be tasty, not eaten in a very specific way.

By the way, I've never heard about strawberries on pizza, but I've been to a place that had pizza with peaches and raisins in their menu though I'm not brave enough to try that. xD

[indagold]

I'll eat anything as long as its edible and considered food. I bought a cactus and ate it with eggs, I ate jellyfish, organ meats and pineapple on pizza. Planning on making rabbit stew soon and I wanna try cooked bugs next since I heard they were tasty and full of protein. People look at me gross but I don't give two damns, I eat what I want as long as its healthy I don't care :b

[kytri]

Personally I'm not a big fan of ketchup, it's too sweet for most things imho. I like it on omurice and that's about it.

I try not to police other people's food choices, but I can understand arguments for leaving condiments off foods that are very high quality (e.g. if it's really fresh produce or a better cut of meat) if the condiment will cover the subtleties that make the high quality food different from a lower quality version of the same thing. I used to work at a coffee shop and often had to warn customers to taste the coffee before adding sugar because our coffee wasn't as bitter as what you'd normally get at starbucks. I had people ignore me, add like 8 sugars, and then complain that it was too sweet. I guess for me it's more about wanting people to be able to appreciate when something is special. So it's not 'don't use sugar' it's 'be sure you actually want that much sugar'

I don't really know how fancy you can get with a hot dog though? Hot dogs are supposed to be trash food.

[Shanny8]

When I was a kid, yeah I'd eat ketchup on hot dogs...now that I'm an...adult-ish(lol) I only eat mustard on my hot dog(and/or chili or cheese; sweet relish is ok- be truthful I dont eat regular hot dogs unless I stop off at the local Quik Trip gas station or at a sporting event or function. I prefer turkey dogs). And then- only baked hot dogs; NO boiled in water hot dogs.

I am PICKY and finicky af when it comes to certain foods.

@racarter nah...cant f**k with pork n beans- diff flavored baked beans, yeah.

Like just having pepporoni pizza instead of a supreme with everything. Or going to a fast food place and ordering chicken nuggets instead of a burger.

Or eating a plain cheese pizza instead of a pizza with toppings...and yeah, the "chicken nuggets" analogy- that's all that kids eat/want to eat...

[MK_Wizard]

I understand many food taboos like not talking with your mouth full, slowing down when you eat and not making sounds, but when it comes to toppings, that's all up to you. It isn't rude or wrong. It's kind of like folding a pizza or cutting it. Technically, they fold it up in Italy, but some people prefer not to dirty their hands.

[lunaartemisasama]

In my country we like to eat french fries with mayonnaise and when some Americans (from USA) , see that are like WTF?? But we love it lol.

Mayonnaise with hamburgers, with hot dog, with... pizza! (Only in some parts but I have seen that lol).

[Shanny8]

@lunaartemisasama mayonaisse is an abomination...lol

[Heliox14]

From the Philippines here.
Down here, we put mayonnaise and ketchup together on hotdogs.
It's either a new culinary experience or a complete disrespect to haute cuisine...

[OliviaMerteli]

The only rule you have to follow for food is you own tastes.

In France, mayonnaise and ketchup together is frequently used too. On hamburger it's delicious

[imiogri]

In Sweden we put pickle relish, dried onions and mashed potatoes on our hot dogs... Also we don't put them in buns all the time, we also wrap them in flatbread. (a special type of swedish flatbread) Still a hot dog.
I only eat it like that super rarely (and never with pickle relish). I always only use mustard. Ketchup is super common too, never heard anyone hate on ketchup over here. I think we're the masters of "ruining the experience", and screw that because it's good and that's what matters.

[KRWright]

Salt and vinegar on chips (fries). I've heard Americans find it weird to put vinegar on?

[Shanny8]

@KRWilliams most people in America eat salt & vinegar potato chips. Some even put salt & vinegar on their fries at seafood restaurants...

[spadesart]

that whole thing about how you're supposed to work up to drinking tea with no milk or sugar.

i cant imagine not sweetening my tea. it tastes like liquified envelope adhesive otherwise.

[maelstrom51210]

No ketchup on a hotdog is mostly a Chicago thing from what I gather. It's one of those regional food things that people take pride in.

As for me, I can't eat hot dogs. Most of the times I've eaten them have ended in...disaster.

[LittleMissDevil]

German here. Everyone I know puts ketchup on their hotdogs. Ketchup and mustard. =D We also do the fries with mayonnaise thing, lol

When it comes to food I had a lot of Americans and Canadians tell me how weird it is, that we don't put our eggs in the fridge. Even in the store, they are not cooled. It's totally normal here, but it seems that it blew a lot of tourist minds.

I also had a french guy telling me that I drank my Absinthe wrong. Totally bonkers. He said you're not supposed to set a sugar cube on fire for that. But ... that's the fun part!

[Hodge]

Not really a fan of ketchup in general, but can see why some would discourage putting it on your hotdog (though haven't had one in forever). I love cooking and believe that you should try to maximize the enjoyment you get from food (aka super weak to pleasure). My friends like to tease me by preparing food the quick and easy way when they know I'd make it all "fancy". Its only a couple extra steps usually to make a meal better, and if I'm the one preparing it then hell yeah I want you to enjoy it as much as possible (guess it is a pride thing lol).

So if someone told me to eat x in a particular way I'd give it a shot, its fun to expand your appreciation of food.

[skicoak]

Hot dogs are supposed to be trash food.

You're TRASH food! Leave my beloved hot dogs alone! They never hurt nobody!

mayonaisse is an abomination...lol

See above... Shanny8... if that's your real name,... see above!

When it comes to food I had a lot of Americans and Canadians tell me how weird it is, that we don't put our eggs in the fridge. Even in the store, they are not cooled. It's totally normal here, but it seems that it blew a lot of tourist minds

How processed are your eggs there? They scrub a protective coating off eggs before sending them off to the store refrigerated. But on my Uncle's ranch the took them straight from the coop and left them in a basket on the kitchen counter.

[TheFireDragon]

I think making fun of other people's tastes is more of a joke than anything. Nobody really means any harm by it, so it's best not to take it cereal-y...

Heh he...get it...?
'Cause cereal is a food...
And...we were talking......about food...
......
Okay I'll leave...