Facts about Indonesian Eating Habits

Indonesian staple food is rice.

Since rice has been the main staple food for Indonesian, many Indonesian thinks they haven’t really had meal before they eat rice

Indonesian loves hot and spicy foods. Their standard for ‘hot and spicy’ is higher than most people in the world.

Indonesian loves food, and talking. Although talking while eating considered impolite, but bringing the ‘food’ topics in every conversation is always welcome.

Indonesian can celebrate everything with food. Even in the fasting month, they celebrate it with “buka puasa bersama” (breaking the fast together).

Indonesian eats warm meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In the morning, Indonesian only consume hot or warm food and beverage. Cold drinks and fruit are not to be consumed in the morning because it is believed can cause stomach-ache.

Rice, the Heart of the Indonesian Life

Indonesians are absolutely obsessed with rice. If we haven’t eaten rice, we simply HAVE NOT EATEN.  Yes, we love rice and we cannot live without it. Some of us even eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Many Indonesians feel that sandwich, burger, noodles, pizza, potatoes and other non-rice entities are snacks. That’s why it is common to see a person eating a plate of rice just 10 short minutes after eating a bowl of noodles.

“I haven’t had my lunch yet. Chicken Noodles? That wasn’t lunch, that was a snack!” Or, “I am still hungry, the burger and pizza just won’t cut it, I need rice.” And the ever popular, “I get sick if I don’t eat rice three times a day. These are common answers you hear when you ask us why we eat rice after we have just eaten a Big Mac and fries.

Eating is a National Pastime

If there’s one thing that Indonesians love to do – it’s eat.

Eating is a national pastime here.

A typical Indonesian meal can be described as simple mound of rice accompanied by several savory side dishes of veggie, fish or meat or chicken dish with a chili-hot condiment (sambal) on the side and crispy wafers (kerupuk) and fried shallots sprinkled on top to provide a crunchy contrast.