In Vietnam, most foods eaten throughout the day are served hot. People in Vietnam eat most dishes with chopsticks more than forks, knives and spoons. (Do you know how to use chopsticks?) Rice is eaten during almost every meal, and meals often include more than one dish. Another important part of meals in Vietnam is the different kinds of dipping sauces that are used to make every bite of a dish taste even better! Aside from soy sauce, many dishes in Vietnam are made and eaten with fish sauce. People often dip mouthfuls of food into this salty liquid or pour it onto whatever they are eating. Fish sauce, or nước mắm, is loved by many.
Sharing meals with family is really important in Vietnam too. Around the middle of the day every day, many people throughout the country will leave work and school to return home for lunch. At this time, tables will be set with rice bowls and chopsticks for each person, and plates and larger bowls will be filled with the day’s dishes. This usually will happen again for dinner. People in Vietnam also often talk about food a lot in daily conversations. In fact, one of the most common questions in Vietnamese is ăn cơm chưa? (have you eaten yet?). People ask this to their friends, their families and even strangers. If you are around anyone when it is time to eat, you will probably hear this question.
