When I left London in 2015, my lunches/dinner were pad thai, chicken chow mein, chicken tikka masala, chicken korma, green thai curry, red thai curry, chilli con carne, burritos, paella, gyros.
Literally, picked up quickly in supermarket or “hole in the wall” during my lunch break or on way home from sports/classes/work at 9/10pm.
And I’m not talking about the crappy frozen/microwave ones, but rather fresh made in the kitchen that day. Half price often at night as they can’t sell it the next day.
About £4-£8 you’d pay depending on the place, maybe £5-£10 now, so $7-$13.
Here. At best, Rappi or PedidosYa. $15-$25k. Minimum.
Pizza, hamburgers, milanesa, empanadas on repeat,
And anything else is crappy, small portions, doubtful quality or ridiculously expensive .
And that’s not to mention those Chinese comida x peso ?
or those horrendous panchos and pebetes 
I’m lucky as my retired mother-in-law cooks for us.
And literally, she’s from about Midday to 6pm doing the food, with an hour to eat for lunch.
5 hours per day cooking food, chopping vegetables, going to the carnicería to buy the meat, going to one verdulería to buy the tomato, another to buy the rúcula ‘cause it’s better quality, the panadería to get the bread.
Cook it all, wash the plates, and then start all over again for the dinner.
25 hours per week she spends buying food and cooking.
It’s stresses me out thinking about it.
So. Much. Work.
‘Cause if it not, what do you eat? Pizza; hamburgers, milanesas, empanadas, pizza, hamburger, milanesa, empanadas, pizza, hamburguesa, milanesa or empanadas.
For minimum $10 USD for small portion.
Once a week is fine. I actually pizza, hamburguesas, empanadas and milansa on the weekends. Once a week is fine. Just not every f**king day.
It’s also the “machista” culture still present, which it is across LatAm. The idea that the women stays home to cook.
It’s frustrating, but hey ho, there will always be culture shocks and I recognise it’s as much me and my personality.
Literally, picked up quickly in supermarket or “hole in the wall” during my lunch break or on way home from sports/classes/work at 9/10pm.
And I’m not talking about the crappy frozen/microwave ones, but rather fresh made in the kitchen that day. Half price often at night as they can’t sell it the next day.
About £4-£8 you’d pay depending on the place, maybe £5-£10 now, so $7-$13.
Here. At best, Rappi or PedidosYa. $15-$25k. Minimum.
Pizza, hamburgers, milanesa, empanadas on repeat,
And anything else is crappy, small portions, doubtful quality or ridiculously expensive .
And that’s not to mention those Chinese comida x peso ?
or those horrendous panchos and pebetes I’m lucky as my retired mother-in-law cooks for us.
And literally, she’s from about Midday to 6pm doing the food, with an hour to eat for lunch.
5 hours per day cooking food, chopping vegetables, going to the carnicería to buy the meat, going to one verdulería to buy the tomato, another to buy the rúcula ‘cause it’s better quality, the panadería to get the bread.
Cook it all, wash the plates, and then start all over again for the dinner.
25 hours per week she spends buying food and cooking.
It’s stresses me out thinking about it.
So. Much. Work.
‘Cause if it not, what do you eat? Pizza; hamburgers, milanesas, empanadas, pizza, hamburger, milanesa, empanadas, pizza, hamburguesa, milanesa or empanadas.
For minimum $10 USD for small portion.
Once a week is fine. I actually pizza, hamburguesas, empanadas and milansa on the weekends. Once a week is fine. Just not every f**king day.
It’s also the “machista” culture still present, which it is across LatAm. The idea that the women stays home to cook.
It’s frustrating, but hey ho, there will always be culture shocks and I recognise it’s as much me and my personality.
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