Why Food Is More Than Just Food in My Culture

Food is a big part of Indian culture. It is not just something people eat when they are hungry. It can also be connected to family, religion, and traditions that people grow up with. When I interviewed my mom, she told me that even though she does not follow every religious rule, some food traditions have still stayed with her. 

This made me think about how food traditions can stay with someone even as their beliefs change. One example is beef. In Hinduism, cows are considered sacred by many Hindus, so beef is often avoided. Another example is “prasad.” When I was 7 years old, I really wanted to avoid a dish they provide in temples called “prasad,” but my family strictly insisted that it is disrespectful to not consume the prasad before you leave the temple. The prasad is viewed as a blessing from gods in the form of food so ignoring it can be considered as a bad omen and a sign of disrespect towards the blessing. Before the interview, I mostly thought of these as religious rules, but talking to my mom showed me that it can be more than that. In the example of prasad, although avoiding prasad is not mentioned in the main Hindu religious text the Veda, it’s something that people have always done so it’s part of our tradition even if it’s not a rule. Food can be connected to your family and the way you were raised, even if you do not follow every religious tradition.  

Food is closely connected to respect and gratitude in Indian culture. Growing up, I was taught not to waste food and to be thankful for what I had. 

“My parents always taught me not to waste food and to be thankful for what we have,” my mom told me. 

I heard similar things from my own parents, especially when I left food on my plate or complained about what was being served. At home, finishing what I took and appreciating the food was treated as a normal part of eating. Those lessons also come up when I am offered food that I cannot eat. Instead of simply saying no, I can explain why I am not able to have it. What I learned at home made these things feel less like rules and more like normal habits. 

Religion can also become part of these food habits. Hindu families do not all eat the same way, and people follow religious practices differently. 

“I don’t follow every religious rule, but there are some things that have just stayed with me,” my mom said. 

She still avoids beef and often prefers vegetarian food because that is what she grew up eating. Even though she is less religious than she used to be, these food choices have stayed with her because they became a normal part of her life. 

For my mom, this connection between food and family is especially clear when it comes to beef.  

“I was raised not to eat beef because cows are respected in Hinduism,” she said. Everyone in her family followed this practice when she was growing up, so avoiding beef became normal for her.  

She also said that people today have more choices and practice religion differently. Some Hindus eat meat while others do not. For her, avoiding beef is now more about respecting her family’s traditions than feeling forced by religion. If she accidentally ate beef, she said she would feel bad, but it would not be the end of the world. “I think intentions matter,” she said. 

For some Hindus, food choices are connected to a specific tradition within Hinduism. Vaishnavism is a tradition centered on Vishnu, a major Hindu deity. Some Vaishnava followers choose a strict vegetarian diet and avoid foods such as meat, fish, and eggs. These choices are connected to their religious beliefs and the way they practice their faith. This does not mean that every Hindu follows the same diet, since Vaishnavism is only one of the many traditions within Hinduism. For someone who mainly knows about Hindus avoiding beef, this is another part of Hindu food culture that can be easy to miss. 

Following these traditions does not always make eating difficult. There can be some challenges, especially when traveling or eating out.  

“Sometimes, especially when traveling or eating out, there aren’t many options or people don’t understand why I don’t eat beef,” my mom explained. 

Usually, she just explains why she avoids it, and she said it has “never been a big problem.” For her, the main challenge is sometimes finding an option that fits her beliefs, rather than being unable to eat at all. 

After interviewing my mom, I realized that food traditions are more than just religious rules. A lot of the things I grew up doing, like not eating beef, respecting prasad, and not wasting food, became normal to me because my family taught me these things. 

I also learned that people can follow the same traditions for different reasons. My mom avoids beef because of her Hindu background, but also because it is something she has been doing since she was young. Before the interview, I mostly thought of these things as rules, but now I see that they can also be a way of keeping family traditions and showing respect.  

Food might seem like a simple part of everyday life, but in my family, it connects us to our traditions and where we came from. 

 

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Neil was a fellow in the 2026 Story Gathering Workshop, a program that gives young writers the opportunity to publish an article for our news outlet, Voices.