For example, butter in Colombia is often salted, which helps preserve it. Unlike in the U.S., eggs here are not washed before sale, so they have a natural coating that protects them from bacteria. And milk here is often briefly heated to high temperatures that kill bacteria, helping the milk last longer. For these reasons, the U.S. is the odd one out when it comes to refrigerating these foods!
Let’s do another one. Say you don’t have a water filter at home, or the tap water isn’t potable, or drinkable (this is up for debate in Bogotá), so you need to get water from the store. How is it packaged? Maybe a big gallon jug or a 24-pack of water bottles is what you’re used to. Here, they sell it in bags! I was really surprised to find a lot of liquids are sold in bags, including water, milk, juice and even yogurt. They, of course, also have bottles and regular cartons and containers, too, but bags are common and popular. I’ve only resorted to bagged yogurt when they are out of the plastic containers I’m used to, which is actually quite often. Another difference I’ve noticed between groceries and restaurants here versus in the U.S. is that there is little to no guarantee that what you need will be in stock. This was a big issue all over the world during the pandemic due to obvious supply-chain issues, but it seems to be just a regular aspect of life here. Every time I go to the grocery store, I leave still needing one or two things and just have to check back the next day or week.
Finally, I’ll leave you with a note on beverages! I'm a total fun-beverage girl, and a little latte or fruity juice can be quite the pick-me-up.
