America’s food multi-tasking

Now that I have been back in America a few days, I feel that I have become more observant about how Americans view meal times. In Japan and Korea, people do not eat while walking or doing other tasks—instead, time eating is spent with family and friends and viewed with reverence. This is very different from the hustle and bustle of American life, where most families do not sit down and share meals with each other due to various family members and their busy schedules. Even at school, I am guilty of grabbing a protein bar and running out the door to class, instead of taking time to have a full breakfast. I believe that a part of this has to do with how Americans and those from Asian countries view and prioritize their time. The Asian cultures we were around view food with a sacred perspective because they think with intention about how it is food and nutrition for their bodies, giving them the fuel necessary to continue working. I have tried to bring this mindset back to the states and to be more intentional about the food that I am eating.