Eating styles of Vietnamese population

In the past few years, Vietnamese cuisine has become more and more popular all around the world because of its awesome taste and freshness. There are a lot of food lovers who want to know more about not only Vietnamese culinary but also the Vietnamese Culture as eating styles in Vietnam reflect completely our culture as well as lifestyle.

1.    Meal time

Vietnamese meals are divided into separate courses: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In Vietnam you will discover one unmistakable fact: people love noodles! They can eat noodles everyday, especially for breakfast because it’s very tasty and nutritious , that keeps them feel healthy the whole day. Due to the typical working schedule in Vietnam ( we have noon break by 11-12 o’clock), officers usually have lunch by that time, quite earlier compared to Western eating habit. For dinner, people tend to have food from 6 to 8 o’clock with family or even for business-aimed dinners.

Breakfast is typically large and may consist of soup with rice noodles topped with meat or poultry; a boiled egg with meat and veggies on bread; rice gruel with bits of meat and veggies. Lunch and dinner include similar foods such as rice, fish or meat, a vegetable dish, and a big bowl of soup. Fish sauce, fresh and pickled vegetables, snacks and other condiments accompany the meal

2.    A typical meal in Vietnamese family

If you attend a meal with a Vietnamese family, you would realize it reflect clearly the culture. All the food is served at once and shared from common dishes. Unlike other countries, people don’t prefer having individual portion, family would like to pick food from the same large dish, that reflect the Vietnam’s spirit of solidarity.

           Usually, food and rice are to serve the eldest person first like grandparent, wait until everyone else has been served, then asks him or her for permission to start eating. Wives tend to pick up food for husband and refusing food is considered rude. Only small amounts should be taken from each dish. An empty plate or cup indicates that a diner is still hungry or thirsty, so leaving a small amount of food or beverage signals satiety and completion of the meal ( even when people have food outside). Dining is done around a low table with family gathered around sitting on mats. Chopsticks are the most common tool, however, spoons and fingers are considered appropriate for certain foods such as sea food. The use of forks has become more and more common in urban areas.

3.    Drinking style

Green tea is the most common beverage in Vietnam. It is common practice to prepare enough tea for the whole day first thing in the morning because traditional Vietnamese hospitality dictates that one must be able to serve tea immediately if unexpected visitors drop by the house. Tea is served before and after meals.

There is much more interesting facts about Vietnamese cuisine and Vietnamese culture. So you food lovers, why don’t you go out and have elaborate meals prepared by the local restaurants or buy one of the excellent cookbooks on the market and start experimenting at home