What Food Chinese People DON'T Eat? | That's Mandarin (2024)

Chinese food is famous for its diversity. Foreigners are often surprised by what Chinese people eat. They didn’t even realize the existence of some of the ingredients used to make Chinese dishes. However, there are things that Chinese people would show no interest in including into their daily meals. But they are actually pretty popular in western countries. Let’s have a quick look at some food Chinese people don’t like to eat.

What Food Chinese People DON'T Eat? | That's Mandarin (1)

1. Milk Products

If you are a big fan of milk products, you may feel a bit disappointed if you choose to live in China. One of the main reasons behind this is that milk products don’t play a significant role in Chinese food culture. In addition, Chinese people are not fond of milk products in that they are “incompatible” with Chinese people’s stomachs. Many Chinese complain that they find it difficult to digest milk products and therefore don’t purchase them on a regular basis. However, yogurt has gained popularity among young people in China as it is considered an inalienable part of a healthy diet.

What Food Chinese People DON'T Eat? | That's Mandarin (2)

2. Bread

Unlike people from most western countries, Chinese rarely eat bread for breakfast because its taste is described as “mediocre” by many Chinese people. Steamed buns, deep-fried dough sticks, scallion pancakes, and porridge are the typical choices for a traditional Chinese breakfast. Another reason why bread failed to prevail across China is related to the fact that “bread and butter” have always been considered a type of western food in China. Some Chinese people, especially old people in China are not willing to get themselves exposed to other cultures, which means they wouldn’t really like to try western food.

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3. Hot Dogs

Although sandwiches have penetrated into young Chinese people’s daily lives, hot dogs can hardly be seen in Chinese shops. Some Chinese people don’t even have a clear idea of what a hot dog is. And the first thing that comes to their mind is just a sausage. It is generally agreed that an excessive amount of ketchup is what prevents hot dogs from becoming popular in China. In addition, some Chinese people think hot dogs are quite expensive and can only serve as afternoon snacks.

Alright. Here’s a quick look at some food Chinese people don’t like to eat.

What is your favorite Chinese dish?

Leave a comment with your answer below – or tweet us at@thatsmandarin!

What Food Chinese People DON'T Eat? | That's Mandarin (2024)
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