I've had several conversations recently with Danish people on my floor concerning food. Of the 14 people on my floor, I am probably the only one that doesn't eat 3 meals. Breakfast has really never been my thing. Usually my breakfast is either a cup of coffee or tea. I've never really understood the old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I'd rather get more sleep then get up 30 min earlier to make something. I still have plenty of energy even when I don't eat breakfast.
Anywho, the conversations with my floormates have basically centered around the fact that I don't eat typical meals and my food selections aren't gourmet. Here in Denmark (and from what I've seen a lot of other places in Europe too) it's the norm for someone my age to make a very respectable breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hearty, good food is almost a necessity for dinner. That being said, none of what I've just described is who I am. One of the conversations started as I was boiling my ramen noodles for dinner. Could ramen fill me up? How do I have enough energy in the day with smaller meals and no breakfast? What are the reasons behind your food choices? Basically all these questions boil down to the fact that good food is important to many Danes, and it isn't to me. I love eating my mom's great cooking, but when I'm on my own I'd rather just eat something cheap and remotely good, something that satisfies my appetite. I'm not very hard to please and so ramen or a frozen pizza does the trick for me. These things, plus mac and cheese and TV dinners are cheap meals that I'm content with. I just don't like spending my money on food: something that seems very foreign to people on my floor (hell, I am foreign). In the future, I will most likely change my cooking habits, but I'm content for now.
Of all the things I've encountered so far in Denmark, food might just be the biggest cultural difference. Excuse me while I go take my Tony's pizza out of the oven (I could only hope for Tony's in Denmark!).
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- Eric Durban
- Recent graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism with a degree in Convergence Journalism. Visit www.ericdurban.com
3 comments:
I'm curious what type of food the other people on your floor eat. Are they heavy? Do they eat a lot of fish and vegetables? I remember you said before they met you they thought you would be fat. Do they think the typical American diet is unhealthy?
You should be quite healthy with all the mackeral and herring that you are eating. I would love to have some of that fresh herring. Hearing about you eating it brings back alot of memories from when my mom would prepare pickled herring.
Happy eating. Love Mom
I am completely the same way about breakfast. Sleep is hands down much more important to me. I have never liked eggs that much, so maybe that has something to do with it. Are you an egg eater?
I have to say though that while my college eating habits were hardly respectable, i have in the past few years began to care and think about my food choices, after all, we are what we eat. If you want to read a good book about food, i would check out Omnivores Dilemma by Michael Pollen. I haven't read it myself, but i have heard good things. He has a follow up book as well that is more concerned with what to eat. The first book mainly talks about how we get our food.
I was once a very picky eater as mom can attest. After learning to try everything a whole world of possibilities opened up. I have also learned your taste buds change, I used to hate mushrooms and asparagas and now I like them both. I think part of it is tied to the fact that Katie likes them both a lot. Uncle John told me a story of when he was in the military he hated black olives, but liked green ones. Going through the mess line everyday he would pass the black olives in disgust, then one day he said "why not?" so he put one on his plate. he did that every day, and now he likes them more than green. He told me that story two years ago as we were raiding his fridge at midnight. It was awesome!!! I have promised myself to follow that simple task, and now I am learning to love black olives.
As for breakfast, I prefer a glass of OJ and a yogurt. I actually love "breakfast" for lunch, dinner, or late night snack. Waffle House!! I agree with you and Brian on the sleep issue, the extra 30 minutes and then a bite on the run works for me. I am more of a snacker, I would rather eat lots of small meals and not a few large ones. That is also dictated by my work when you eat at odd hours and then you grab and go.
As for cheap frozen pizza, I would rather spend an extra $3 and get something that doesnt taste like cardboard.
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