7 ms·

I assume you live in the US? The difference in what's on offer in supermarkets, restaurants or convenience stores, compared to northern Europe or even South Ame

I assume you live in the US? The difference in what's on offer in supermarkets, restaurants or convenience stores, compared to northern Europe or even South America (halfway in between I'd say) is astounding.

mijamo 8y ago
Why pointing "Northern" Europe rather than Europe in general ? From my experience, I would say you find more and better vegetables in Southern Europe. And Eastern Europe is quite similar to Northern Europe in terms of accessibility and choice (probably still better in quality though). And South America in my opinion is rather poor in vegetables (but fantastic in fruits!). They can grow perfectly there but people just don't seem to eat them much, apart from a few specific ones. But they do cook at least. One final factor is also the price of restaurants. In South America and Asia many people just eat at restaurants/cafeteria/whatever local street food you find all the time because it is not expensive at all. And not super healthy. Doing that in Sweden or Norway would lead you to ruin very very fast (and also street food is obviously less popular when it's freezing outside so it doesn't help developing a street food culture).
- adwww 8y ago
  > Why pointing "Northern" Europe rather than Europe in general ? I assumed because it's suprising how much worse the American diet is, even compared to countries with similar Western diets, incomes and lifestyles (UK, IE, DE, NL etc).
  - beaconstudios 8y ago
    all of those countries are in Western Europe though. Northern Europe is primarily Scandinavia.
    - Symbiote 8y ago
      Britain and Ireland are Northern Europe by various definitions, e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_geoscheme_for_Europe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_geoscheme_for_E...
      - beaconstudios 8y ago
        that seems like a weird decision given Britain & Ireland are more culturally tied with Western Europe. It looks like the UN made that grouping for "statistical convenience" rather than cultural identity though, whatever that means.
        Symbiote 8y ago
        That's debatable. Especially in Northern England and Scotland, its not difficult to see things that are culturally closer to Scandinavia.
        beaconstudios 8y ago
        I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that one - I live in Northern England and half my family are Scottish, and I can't really see the cultural similarities with Scandinavia.
        Symbiote 8y ago
        I live in Denmark, but I'm from the English Midlands, with family from the North and South. Food: roast meats with gravy and (if pork) crackling, pickled herring and other preserved fish, cranachan / rød grød med fløde or rice pudding / risalamande. The strong flavours of whisky are closer to aquavit than a cognac or brandy. Beer, especially in excess. Traditions: maypole dancing, woollen clothes. Guising is similar to some fastelavn activities. Poor weather including long nights for many months; leads to a more indoor, cosy culture and excitement at summer. More feeling of equality between people, not being better than other people. Long history of trade and cultural links across the North Sea, from the Viking age to the present.
- ricardobeat 8y ago
  Meant to say Western Europe, still haven't internalized these divisions... in fact I have the impression Sweden, Norway and the UK have a somewhat stronger fast-food presence than other parts of europe, but the bit on food variety still applies. In Brazil at least, the variety of vegetables, and especially fruit, is surprisingly limited for a place so sunny and rich in nature; but you do get a lot of stuff you won't find anywhere else, and it's very easy, and relatively cheap to have a healthy meal if you know where to look. The most common type of street restaurant is an all-you-can-eat buffet, which offer a ton of fresh food of all kinds. I miss this a lot, the rest of the world seems content with pre-assembled dishes everywhere.
toomanybeersies 8y ago
I was living in New Zealand at the time. It's not as bad as the USA in terms of being a food desert, but it's not amazing either. Fresh meat and vegetables aren't cheap. Being an isolated, mostly self-sufficient country means that vegetable prices are at the whim of the season and the harvest. If there's a bad growing season, vegetables can be up to twice the normal price.

mijamo 8y ago

Why pointing "Northern" Europe rather than Europe in general ? From my experience, I would say you find more and better vegetables in Southern Europe. And Eastern Europe is quite similar to Northern Europe in terms of accessibility and choice (probably still better in quality though). And South America in my opinion is rather poor in vegetables (but fantastic in fruits!). They can grow perfectly there but people just don't seem to eat them much, apart from a few specific ones. But they do cook at least. One final factor is also the price of restaurants. In South America and Asia many people just eat at restaurants/cafeteria/whatever local street food you find all the time because it is not expensive at all. And not super healthy. Doing that in Sweden or Norway would lead you to ruin very very fast (and also street food is obviously less popular when it's freezing outside so it doesn't help developing a street food culture).

adwww 8y ago
> Why pointing "Northern" Europe rather than Europe in general ? I assumed because it's suprising how much worse the American diet is, even compared to countries with similar Western diets, incomes and lifestyles (UK, IE, DE, NL etc).
- beaconstudios 8y ago
  all of those countries are in Western Europe though. Northern Europe is primarily Scandinavia.
  - Symbiote 8y ago
    Britain and Ireland are Northern Europe by various definitions, e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_geoscheme_for_Europe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_geoscheme_for_E...
    - beaconstudios 8y ago
      that seems like a weird decision given Britain & Ireland are more culturally tied with Western Europe. It looks like the UN made that grouping for "statistical convenience" rather than cultural identity though, whatever that means.
      - Symbiote 8y ago
        That's debatable. Especially in Northern England and Scotland, its not difficult to see things that are culturally closer to Scandinavia.
        beaconstudios 8y ago
        I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that one - I live in Northern England and half my family are Scottish, and I can't really see the cultural similarities with Scandinavia.
        Symbiote 8y ago
        I live in Denmark, but I'm from the English Midlands, with family from the North and South. Food: roast meats with gravy and (if pork) crackling, pickled herring and other preserved fish, cranachan / rød grød med fløde or rice pudding / risalamande. The strong flavours of whisky are closer to aquavit than a cognac or brandy. Beer, especially in excess. Traditions: maypole dancing, woollen clothes. Guising is similar to some fastelavn activities. Poor weather including long nights for many months; leads to a more indoor, cosy culture and excitement at summer. More feeling of equality between people, not being better than other people. Long history of trade and cultural links across the North Sea, from the Viking age to the present.
ricardobeat 8y ago
Meant to say Western Europe, still haven't internalized these divisions... in fact I have the impression Sweden, Norway and the UK have a somewhat stronger fast-food presence than other parts of europe, but the bit on food variety still applies. In Brazil at least, the variety of vegetables, and especially fruit, is surprisingly limited for a place so sunny and rich in nature; but you do get a lot of stuff you won't find anywhere else, and it's very easy, and relatively cheap to have a healthy meal if you know where to look. The most common type of street restaurant is an all-you-can-eat buffet, which offer a ton of fresh food of all kinds. I miss this a lot, the rest of the world seems content with pre-assembled dishes everywhere.

toomanybeersies 8y ago

I was living in New Zealand at the time. It's not as bad as the USA in terms of being a food desert, but it's not amazing either. Fresh meat and vegetables aren't cheap. Being an isolated, mostly self-sufficient country means that vegetable prices are at the whim of the season and the harvest. If there's a bad growing season, vegetables can be up to twice the normal price.