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15 Food Taboos From Around The World

This document outlines various food taboos from different cultures around the world. Some cultures prohibit eating certain meats like eggs in Papua New Guinea or small birds for pregnant women in Malaysia. Other taboos include only allowing certain groups to eat wild animals in Australia, not serving children eggs or meat in Nigeria, avoiding predatory fish in Brazil, rules around sharing food and paying in Japan and Russia, starting meals after elders in Korea, prohibitions on eating with hands in Chile or dropping bread in Muslim countries, expectations to clean plates in France, and restrictions on requesting extra cheese in Italy.

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1K views2 pages

15 Food Taboos From Around The World

This document outlines various food taboos from different cultures around the world. Some cultures prohibit eating certain meats like eggs in Papua New Guinea or small birds for pregnant women in Malaysia. Other taboos include only allowing certain groups to eat wild animals in Australia, not serving children eggs or meat in Nigeria, avoiding predatory fish in Brazil, rules around sharing food and paying in Japan and Russia, starting meals after elders in Korea, prohibitions on eating with hands in Chile or dropping bread in Muslim countries, expectations to clean plates in France, and restrictions on requesting extra cheese in Italy.

Uploaded by

Adinda Tiara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

15 food taboos from around the world!

Eggs
Eating meat and eggs is a major taboo in Papua New Guinea. Citizens believe that feeding their
children meat and eggs can turn them into future thieves.

Small birds
A specific tribe, called ‘Orang Asli’, in Malaysia is famous for various food taboos. Pregnant women
have a restricted diet of rats, smaller birds, frogs, squirrels and fishes because they are thought to
possess weak spirits.

Wild animals
The socially excluded inhabitants of the village of Boitalu are the only people on the Kiriwina Islands
that can eat wild pig and wallaby.

Duck
In mid west Nigeria, children are not served eggs and meat but they can enjoy having the lower leg
(or sometimes the head) of the duck. The thighs and gizzards are eaten by the elderly people.

Fish
Some fish are taboo in Brazilian culture. Seafood being the staple food, they stay away from
predatory fishes as they assume it causes illness. If someone is ill, they are recommended to eat
omnivorous fish.

Sharing food
Japanese don’t believe in sharing food. If at all you want to share, you should not pass food using
chopsticks as passing chopstick to chopstick is usually practiced at the death of a family member. You
can transfer your meal in a plate and then pass it on.

Coconut milk
Nigerians also believe in not serving eggs to children. Drinking coconut milk too is a taboo here, as
Nigerians believe that children who drink too much milk will grow unintelligent.

Chicken
Chinese taboos make them keep children away from eating chicken. It is believed that children who
eat chicken will not be able to write well in exams and would also get into fights like roasters.

Italian food
Despite the fact that Italians will feed you till you actually burp or fart, accepting food for the first
time is considered rude. So, on a general note you must decline politely for the first time and accept
happily for the second time.

Russian food culture


Russian food culture makes women happy. Generally, a woman is not allowed to carry her purse
when a man has invited her for a meal. It is mandatory for the man to pay the bill.
Senior members
You are not expected to start your meal unless the senior most member in the family has started eating
his food in Korea. This is generally considered a sign of respect.

Eating hands
In Chile, you are not allowed to eat with your hands. Eating with hands is strictly prohibited and
considered rude.

Dropping food
In various Muslim countries, if you drop a piece of bread on the ground, than you need to pick it up.
Pick it, kiss it, raise it to your forehead and then put it back on the plate. This generally shows respect
for the food.

Empty plate
In French culture, you should never rush your order or hurry while eating. Also, you are not expected
to leave anything on a plate – that has an implication that you did not enjoy the meal.

Cheese
You are not supposed to ask for extra cheese in Italian culture unless it is offered to you by own.

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