What is the staple food which is found in nearly every meal (bread, rice, maniac, potato, etc.?)
How are meals cooked (open fire, gas or electric stove, oven, etc.)? Is there a way to preserve meat, vegetables, or fruit for future use? Describe hearths or stoves and how they are constructed and used.
How many meals a day do people ordinarily eat? What is considered the main meal of the day? When is it served? Is breakfast served in most homes? What kind of food is served?
Is the main meal served at noon or in the evening? Do men and women eat together? Who is served first? When do the children eat?
Is any kind of ritual observed before or after eating? Learn a simple table grace (prayer before the meal).
How is the food served (buffet-style, family-style, pre-served portions)? What utensils and dishes are used at meal times? for various types of food? How many dishes are served at a typical meal? for guests?
What is served for the main meal? How many times a week is meat eaten? Is the food spicy or bland? What seasonings are used for taste? How does the food taste to you?
How much of it is gathered, grown in family gardens, or bought at the market? Who does the gathering or buying?
How are people called to come to eat? Do people converse while they eat? Note the sounds which accompany eating (smacking of lips, belching, etc.). Do people drink during a meal or after?
Are there breaks in the day for drinking tea or coffee or snacking? What types of things are eaten for snacks? Are they salty or sweet? Should there be a mix of the two?
