This week I talked to Tamara (my ten-year-old tico sister) and Tomás (my 15 year-old tico brother) about when it is typical for Costa Ricans to eat out in restaurants and the foreign influence. It is most typical for families to eat out at a restaurant for holidays and special occasions. Some of these include a graduation, anniversary, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. Even though some families have created new traditions by going out to eat, it is still most popular to eat at home. It is generally the older generations that are against going out to eat. It is more popular and commonly desired among the younger generations to go out to eat. This is true in my family; Tomás’ favorite food is chop suey, which is from a take out Chinese restaurant, not made at home. Overall though, the favorite foreign restaurants are McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and Applebee’s. According to Tomás, these have been around for almost thirty years and have only grown in popularity. It’s a complicated type of popularity though because eating fast food comes with a stigma of unhealthiness. Tamara said that even though McDonalds is bad for your body because there is so much fat, it tastes wonderful and you really enjoy it. My tico mom agreed with a hint of the guilty pleasure we use so much in the United States. It’s also interesting that these foreign restaurants cost significantly more than in the United States, and most people cannot afford these prices. Yet, the demand continues and people continue paying.
The pictures I have are from various restaurants in Son José. One is from McDonalds. It was very similar in the colors, advertizing techniques, and even the equivalent of the “Ronald McDonald House” for supporting children with cancer. Some of the differences were the constant cleaning of the floors, bathrooms, and trashcans. There was also corn and French fries as a side option, orange juice or soda, and more flavors in the “apple” pies such as pineapple. The next picture is a typical tican plate from a local restaurant. This contains gallo pinto, tortilla and cheese, chicken, plantains, and a salad. There was also the non-pictured experience with Chinese food, chop suey, which was absolutely delicious.
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| McDonald's Menu |
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| Anthony and Wesley enjoying McDonalds, YUM!!! Note, the portion sizes are almost exactly the same... |
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| Typical plate in Costa Rica from a local restaraunt |
Although there were a lot of similarities in the McDonalds here and in the US, I was impressed with the cleaner standards, smaller portion sizes of McFlurries, and a slight glimpse of healthier options with corn and orange juice instead of soda and fries. Though, there were similarities in the same spongy equivalent of chicken nuggets and grease on the fries and burgers. I feel guilty for being a part of the culture that brought McDonalds to Costa Rica. It seems so against their culture and it just doesn’t fit here, as much as they try. I enjoy homemade tican foods, though I could see how once other options are introduced, it’s hard to eat gallo pinto every meal every day. It makes sense that only on special occasions, it is common to go out to eat. I’m really starting to process how often I eat out at Elon and in high school. It was a social time after swim practice, meets, and banquets. It was a time to meet up with people and share lives, that’s usually what I do at Elon. It’s a cultural excuse for social time, but we’ve moved outside of the house. It’s really interesting to me that Tomás’ favorite food is chop suey. Especially for all of the times that the family makes jokes about “los chinos,” it seems to be a negative connotation. My tico mom’s ringtone had an oriental sound and they all teased her for it, I smiled along, but it’s definitely more commonly accepted here.
In class we have talked about the foreign influence on food trade and the globalization and interconnectedness of the world. This can be seen in the foreign restaurants and changing traditions and perceptions about eating outside of the house. Although it’s not culturally accepted yet, there are definitely some signs that it is moving in that direction. We have also discussed Costa Rica’s unique role in globalization and that it’s taken longer than other Latin American countries to be affected be external forces. When a country flourishes, it can invest in a new desired market of goods that may or may not actually be necessary for survival. The effects of having more popularity and investment in foreign restaurants are deepening Costa Rica’s international involvement.
In both the United States and Costa Rica, there is a mixed perception of fast food. In the United States, currently, there is a “healthy food” movement. This has encouraged McDonalds to incorporate grilled chicken and salads into their menus. Regardless, people still choose the unhealthy foods. Costa Rica is now moving outside of the fresh, balanced, home-cooked meals and moving towards a more United States-ian society dependent on fast food with rising obesity rates, eating disorders, and a massive market for dieting. This makes me question a lot of my encouraged eating habits growing up and the responsibility that I have to know what I am putting in my body. I feel uncomfortable with this responsibility because of that “guilty pleasure” concept that food is associated with so often in the US. I feel guilty when I eat unhealthy food, but it’s also a pleasurable experience. I also tend to fall into the category of people who blindly eat things that I enjoy without considering the consequences. This happens more in restaurants because you don’t see where the food comes from, it’s all prepared for you. This is a tension that is occurring with the newer movement of popularity of fast food chains and restaurants in general in Costa Rica.
It is really interesting to begin to find the routine of eating a mixture of native foods to Costa Rica, and imported favorites commonly eaten in the US. With the balance of what I grew up with and what I am growing accustomed to, I continuing the process of appreciating the food that I eat and the value of knowing where it comes from. Although I have been to WalMart and Más Por Menos a few times, I am trying to support the AM/PM and more localized economies in Costa Rica. It’s been really neat (and delicious) going to Cosechas, a smoothie place, and the bakery, which specializes in Cinnamon Rolls. The fresh, direct investment into the local economies makes me really want to support only local markets. WalMart (which owns Mas Por Menos) and the bigger companies are still supporting people in Costa Rica, but there’s something special about small local businesses. I admire the lack of pure greed and monetary driven “success” in Costa Rica. The community and common value of the majority seems to be a genuine priority, even how overweight people are perceived. The blame is given to fast foods, not an individual’s genetics and habits.
I have enjoyed continuing to learn about lots of Costa Rican food and how to support local economies. I subconsciously reach for the processed, mystery foods of the US that I am accustomed to over the natural fruits sometimes. It is great to know that since health is really valued, it’s not impossible to make unhealthy choices here! I am striving to re-learn the value of food and hopefully incorporate this appreciation into my everyday life. Having restaurants available as well as a home cooked meal twice a day is an interesting phenomenon and truly holding my accountable to being aware of what I’m eating. I am planning on changing my habits and cravings of eating unhealthy processed foods, one decision at a time.
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