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What’s with stereotypes and food? Like many people think Mexicans are addicted to hot Cheetos, black people are addicted to ribs and white people love

Hotdogs and a coke?
Who think Mexicans are addicted to Hot Cheetos?

I'm Mexican & 85% of the people I know in my life are Mexican. Hot Cheetos are definitely not a Mexican thing
SW-User
@ChiefWalksWith40oz I've never even heard of Hot Cheetos!😜
DearAmbellina2113 · 41-45, F
@ChiefWalksWith40oz one of my Mexican coworkers lives on Hot Cheetos and Starbucks. Then she complains about her stomach hurting all the time. 🤣
@DearAmbellina2113 she's one of those hot Cheeto girls? Eewww lol 😂
ArishMell · 70-79, M
If a stereotyped national or regional dish is mistakenly thought the main food in its home nation, it is only because those thinking so do not know much about the country.

There are national staples - rice in the Middle East and Asia, fish in Scandinavia, potatoes in much of Europe, and so on - and many regional specialities, despite the American big-name fast-food chains trying to spread their dreary uniformity internationally; but [i]if possible[/i] most people eat quite varied diets well beyond the stereotypes.

I stress "if possible" because of course there are huge numbers who have little or no choice or even very little quantity of any food at all.

I don't know what Cheetos are - but if as the capital C suggests, it is a trade-name of a snack I cannot imagine those being anyone's national dish even in stereotype.


The French all love [i]biftek et frites[/i] (steak and chips)... but only if you believed the French text-book we used in the First Year of my upper school! Presumably, washed down with[i] vin ordinaire[/i] and followed with a 'Gitaine' or 'Camel', though the book would have omitted the cigarettes. (Those are popular French makes of them.)

Mind you, some French supermarkets sell what might politely be called [i]vin tres ordinaire[/i], in bulk! I would not have believed it had I not see it personally, but they dispense the stuff from big tanks into 5-litre plastic bottles like those used for retailing bleach or wood-preservative. So [i]ordinaire[/i] it tastes rough even to a non-wine-buff like me; but it's probably used in cooking, not primarily for drinking as it is.
REMsleep · 41-45, F
@ArishMell In the USA certain foods are rudely and negatively associated with certain races which is what OP is referring to.
Cheetos are a very global snack and available in most countries. What country are you from?
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@REMsleep Ah, I see! I'd read the question perfectly innocently as such stereotypes are probably world-wide in their own ways, and usually innocent.

I am a Briton both by nativity and residence, and here we enthusiastically adopt foods from all around the world as well as our own regional specialities. Part of that is historical, dating back to our Empire days and even before then, with centuries of traces via various links with European countries, even as far back as the Romans. In more recent times, it is a result of many Britons holidaying in many different countries; and at home, sampling the culinary skills of our many and diverse immigrant communities and cultures.

They are not always "authentic" in that the recipes have evolved somewhat to nearer NW European tastes, but certainly are in their original spirit.

Near me for example, are a fish-and-chip shop (British tradition), two Chinese and an Indian take-away food shops, and a branch of the Dominos pizza chain... though I buy my pizzas in the ordinary shops and finish-cook them myself. How "italian" they are, I don't know but the concept is there.

I think we can buy Cheetos here but I have not really noticed them, because I very rarely buy savoury snack foods anyway, not even potato crisps (I think called "chips" in America).


A woman who had once run a Cajun-based restaurant in Australia told me the local newspaper's food critic there was a bit dismissive about her products being noticeably different from those of her rivals. What he didn't know was that[i] her[/i] recipes were real Deep South ones, sent to her by contacts in those States! He was used to recipes originating in America but modified to be more "Australian".
I guess I need to catch up on my stereotypes.
@TwiddlerofThumbs apparently I do too 😂 I've never heard any of these before lmao
smiler2012 · 56-60
🤫 preference may vary from country to country [junejames2003]
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@smiler2012 Alone (as we don't know the quote's context), that sentence is a glorious understatement! :-)

And long may preferences vary!
DeluxedEdition · 26-30, F
Only bad two year olds are addicted to hot Cheetos
@DeluxedEdition right? As a Mexican myself, I'm kinda offended by the hot Cheeto generalization
TinyViolins · 31-35, M
The funny thing is that I usually the see the exact opposite happening. Mexicans seem to love coke, white people love ribs, black people buy Hot Cheetos, and hot dogs are for children.

Maybe the stereotypes aren't actually real and just a weird form of confirmation bias we all come up with
DearAmbellina2113 · 41-45, F
White people are stereotyped as hating spice... which in my family isn't true at all. We season tf out of our food!! I have several family members who are chefs as well.
ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M
Next thing you know people will claim Italians like pasta! And, speaking as white, I can say that we really like mayonnaise on white bread a LOT!
Spica · 31-35, F
Moroccans love tajines & couscous which is very true
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@Spica These are also dishes that have rightly become popular far from their origins!
Spica · 31-35, F
@ArishMell True
Fluffybull · F
Just lack of information, I guess. Some people think all Scots live on haggis and wear a kilt every day 🙄
FreeLilly · 18-21, F
i am german and i do like sausages and sauerkraut
SW-User
I'm White and I can't stand Coke
DrSunnyTheSkeptic · 26-30, M
Who the hell doesn't like ribs?
REMsleep · 41-45, F
Im black and I love hot cheetos and ribs are not a sterotypically black associated food.
For Black people the derogatory sterotype is fried chicken and watermelon.
For white people the sterotype is just unseasoned food and mayonnaise.
SW-User
I hate coke, not much of a hotdog fan either

 
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