I recently read another article about how much food is wasted world wide: this one stating almost half of all food produced! The article brings up many good points but one that stuck with me is the common cultural practice of serving guests more food than they can possibly eat. This is a practice that can be observed the world over, from Thanksgiving dinners in North America to every dinner party I've attended here in Vietnam, everyone wants you to overeat - and then some!
But where does this custom come from? In North America obesity is already a huge health concern, as it is becoming in many other parts of the world as well but more interestingly to me is the fact that when you state "I'm not hungry" (especially in Vietnam, but I'm sure you, dear reader, have observed this throughout your travels) suddenly your judgement is no good and your word holds no value.
Everyone's been put in those uncomfortable social situations where they have to eat when they really don't want to and are not hungry so why does this practice continue? Why can't we, the advanced people we are, accept that sometimes someone just isn't hungry and it isn't because there's anything wrong with the food or the person offering it but they just don't feel like eating at at moment? I understand that in many cases people do not have much to give other than food and it is a common ground that all humans share - we all must eat, but we have the biological ability to become full as well!
But where does this custom come from? In North America obesity is already a huge health concern, as it is becoming in many other parts of the world as well but more interestingly to me is the fact that when you state "I'm not hungry" (especially in Vietnam, but I'm sure you, dear reader, have observed this throughout your travels) suddenly your judgement is no good and your word holds no value.
Everyone's been put in those uncomfortable social situations where they have to eat when they really don't want to and are not hungry so why does this practice continue? Why can't we, the advanced people we are, accept that sometimes someone just isn't hungry and it isn't because there's anything wrong with the food or the person offering it but they just don't feel like eating at at moment? I understand that in many cases people do not have much to give other than food and it is a common ground that all humans share - we all must eat, but we have the biological ability to become full as well!
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