The food in East Timor has two categories: vegetarian and non-vegetarian.

Agriculture is the main

occupation in East Timor, so the primary food is rice, which is cultivated widely in this country. Aside from
rice, other staple food items that are cultivated in East Timor include sweet potatoes, maize, cassava, and
taro. These primary staples are supplemented with beans, cabbage, spinach, onions and cowpeas.
The second category of East Timor’s food consists of poultry, pigs, and goats. Families in East Timor
raise their own food animals for meat. Fish is also a source of animal protein in this country and fishing is
their important occupation after agriculture.
Availability of the crops, livestock and weather condition as well as financial and socio-political life affects
food of each nation. Like in East Timor, their crops rely on the rains that come following the annual dry
season. This leads to a period of poor food security coined the “Hungry Season” from November to
February due to the unpredictable climate. Many families depend on their own production of food because
of the erratic climate conditions, such as droughts. In Indonesia, with its enormous geographic and
cultural diversity, it is evident that Indonesian cuisine is rich in variety and taste. That’s why they are
known for the best spices.
When it comes to financial instability and crops shortage in East Timor, many families subsist on  akar,
which is a widely available food source for the poor. It is dried palm tree bark, beaten into a powder,
mixed with water to form a jelly and then cooked over fire. This leads to cases where nearly 58% of
children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition.
East Timor and Indonesia have the common staple diet, but there are difficulty in obtaining food outside
the city due to unstable political situation, the financial situation of many of the people and internal
logistical difficulties. Indonesia has been involved in trade due to its location and natural resources.
Indonesia's indigenous techniques and ingredients were influenced by India, the Middle East, China,
and finally Europe. Hile in East Timor, they are influenced because of the colonization of
Portuguese, and fron the South East.

In addition, I can say that people often value the sociability function of food and meals more than the
quality of the food. Food is a gateway for visitors to learn about another culture by experiencing new food
in a destination that differs from what they have at home in terms of ways of cooking, presenting, and
eating.