Cultural beliefs regarding key foods

The most important attributes of food recognized by the people of Doumen are as follows: tasty (like or dislike), price (expensive or cheap), nutritious and healthful, prestigious, filling, seasonality, can be cooked or eaten together, etc.

TABLE 6.3
Foods from Least to Most Expensive

When buying or growling food the people in Doumen generally consider the type of food. All the interviewees recognized noodles, rice, or steamed bread as staple foods used mainly for filling the stomach. The two attributes most often mentioned for vegetables, beans, bean products, and animal foods are taste and price. The preference of the head of the household (husband or wife) is crucial in selecting food for the family. For example, Mr. Ban Ke Jian, who is the head and the decision-maker of the household, does not like bean curd, so he does not buy bean curd often for family consumption. His wife also does not buy the bean curd because she and other family members respect him, and do not want to do something unfavorable towards him. This practice may influence food habits of their children in the future. However, such practices may weaken with economic growth and cultural modernization.

Most animal food, processed food, and canned fruits are expensive, except for eggs which are produced locally. Eggs are also considered prestigious foods. Prestigious foods are generally consumed when there are guests or relatives, or during special festivals or holidays. Families generally buy and bring canned fruit and processed food such as biscuits, fast noodles, pastry, milk powder, and formulas when they visit relatives or someone who is sick. The actual price of eggs is not low, but since they are mostly home-produced, they are considered cheap.

Generally, the people in Doumen do not know the term vitamin. Two key-informants replied that they have heard and seen the word vitamin. One said that the village doctor gave him a small bottle of vitamin C when he was sick. The other saw the word vitamin in an advertisement on television. The informant who studied in the professional school in Doumen knows that a vitamin is a nutrient that can be used as medicine, but does not know how it functions. The young respondents seemed to know a little bit more about vitamins than the older ones. They obtained most of their knowledge from television.

Parents feed their babies according to the availability of food in the household. Generally they do not force children to eat what they do not like. If they think a child is not hungry or is sick, they will change to other available food that the he likes. The parents do not pay more attention to children who eat the adult diet, they let them eat what they like from what is on the table.

Hot pepper is generally considered not suitable for the very young child, because it is hot and children may suffer from the "red eye" if they eat it. Chives are considered undigestible for children. Some families do not let the children eat rabbit meat. They have the superstitious concept that if a child eats rabbit meat, his or her mouth and lips might grow to be like those of the rabbit.