Tag: Cultural awareness

According to linguists, there are over 40,000 kanji characters in the Japanese writing system, none of which are edible. Yet, a surprisingly common search query asks, “Can I have kanji for dinner?”. This widespread and understandable confusion comes from a cross-cultural homonym, contrasting Japanese script with a comforting South Indian rice porridge dish that shares the same name.

According to the Food Culture Alliance, what we call “food culture” deeply influences our eating habits and can affect physical and mental health. Understanding why it is important to eat foods from different cultures goes beyond taste—it’s a pathway to better nutrition, broadened perspectives, and deeper social connections.