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Q: Chinese fixation with eating
Can anyone explain to me the strange [to me] food fixation of most Chinese people?
It seems they always are eating something. I find it annoying to be constantly asked if I want to
eat something even though we had just eaten a short time before. The Chinese also cannot
stop asking if I want some food and seem to forget that they had just asked me minutes before.
Also, any of my polite 'thank you, no!' statements seem to be forgotten as soon as my answer
was received. I do like food but simply do not care to eat every few minutes.
You know that saying what does not kill you makes you stronger? Well in China they have a saying if you cook it they will come
and the other one when it comes to paying the bill......If I pay the bill you will be indebted to me (I own your ass)
Eat when you can, use the WC when you can. It's a cultural thing borne of lack of food and WCs. According to Hannibal Lecter, you eat a Chinese person and you're hungry for another one an hour later.I've yet to see a Chinese person manage a whole family bag of Doritos in one sitting though!
It is a cultural thing. But the in between meals eating is mostly just fruits.
Scandinavian:
yup, one of these would be a snack bar in China http://www.birdfeeder.com/
I notice too they freak out if they can't eat when they expect to, such as if it becomes necessary to have a meeting around lunchtime, they can't eat an hour earlier or later to fit in other obligations.
When I visit the in-laws, the whole time there revolves around the next meal. Preparing, cooking and eating. It seems like we are constantly around food. I don't mind so much though, apart from the fact the MIL is a great cook, it makes the visits seem a lot shorter!
Yeah, they eat because there isn't much else to do. Always snacking on something whether it be Chicken feet, duck neck or those little bags of spicy tofu.
I often ask my wife why she is still hungry after a big meal and I get the reply "not hungry, just want something spicy" or "not hungry, just a snack".
It still amazes me though how they can eat so much and not get fat! Damn Asian metabolism!
I work a language school for children. I was shocked to find out that parents did not want to sign their children up for certain class time slots because they had to feed them lunch. I've also noticed how my Chinese co-workers always seem to be taking breaks to eat. I too get the "when are you going to eat?" or "is that your dinner?". I just want to tell them to mind their freaking business!
How come when ever you are in the bathroom they always ask "Have you eaten"?
on the subway here, i always see girls filling themselves with some sort of processed meat products. Their boy-friends seem to carry a bag of food with them all the time. I have no idea what it is they are eating, but it must be addictive. 
It is a culture difference. They ask this at times even when they know you have probably eaten. It is sometimes like saying,''how are you''. In western culture we talk about the weather, in China, they ask about food.
