How long could you go without food from home?

[SSJup81]

It took me a while, but I finally thought of what my "comfort food" is, which I'm actually missing right now (and I haven't left yet. lol). Sandwiches. I love sandwiches, as for the most part, they're convenient and all that. My favorite type of regular sandwich is PB&J, but I also like sandwiches that include bad types of meats. The ones that aren't particularly good for you (sodium, cholesterol, etc.), like meats made from pork (Genoa Salami and Pepperoni being two of my most favorites of them). I just absolutely love hoagies and sandwiches. It's a guilty pleasure...but, slowly been weaning myself off of the hoagies. Every once in a while I do get a craving, though, like this past Sunday, where I almost gave-in and wanted to go to our local sandwich making place to get one since I had a little extra money on hand.

So yeah, I would miss sandwiches...like I am now. lol

Originally Posted by Columbine

Then we're pretty much in agreement, although I do think that it then depends on how much you -need- the security blanket of home foods because of other things going on.

Or either the "home foods" aren't too different from the foreign country in question. There are just some foods that are international anyway, the only thing that differs, probably, is the preparatory style.

Anyway, thinking about it, I probably would get sick of just Japanese food after a few weeks, since I'm used of changing up in general so that I don't get bored with meals, unless it just happens to be something I really love (usually pasta-based dishes, regardless of the origin: Italian, Asian, Mediterranean, etc.). The only way I would stick with the same meals everyday is to save money and to not over-spend.

As long as I can have a variety and a mix and match type thing, I probably could go years without stereotypical "American food".

I may not have the experience of living abroad, but I have been introduced to different types of cuisine, which I like more so than "American", whatever that is, given that the US, anyway, is a hodgepodge of cultures and backgrounds.

[MeIsKevin]

I could go for years, as long I got candy :3

[PockyMePink]

Originally Posted by MMM

I find it very interesting that more than 50% of JF thinks they could go for years without eating food from their own culture.

I find it interesting that you feel the need to comment on that. I'm guessing you figured people would freak out by your question because you think our comfort food is nothing but pizza, pasta, hamburgers, etc, and we coudln't live on something else. Or maybe because you yourself have had trouble adapting to Japanese food, and expect everyone else to have the same complications and struggles.

You've already stated several times that people are reading too far in to your question, so if you wish for me to read it as it is, then I shall. As such, you did not ask for us to take comfort in to mind, or to eat foods we enjoyed or recognized. I'm surprised 100% of JF didn't vote years, because if any individual is thrown in to a culture and has to live off of their meals, they would. They wouldn't die from lack-of-cheeseburger, or lack-of-pizza. Comfortable or not, they would survive.

I'm sure the bigger problem here would be finding and/or fixing the food, rather than the food itself

[RobinMask]

I've found when abroad I can usually last a week or so before I start really craving food from home, however I do have wheat allergies which makes eating at the best of times quite difficult, more so when I'm in a culture foriegn to the one I'm used to.

In England I could easily get allergy friendly foods, but if I had to live on just Japanese food it'd obviously be a lot more difficult to find things I'm able to eat. I think I'll survive mind, after all there is food I can eat in Japan such as fruits, veg and meats, even if it means a lot of home cooking, lol. Although really it'll be a week before I start wishing I could eat something I was more familiar with :P

Edit: Like 'PockyMePink' said, I think the biggest problem most people would have is finding the food and/or preparing it, rather than the actual food itself.

[AsianAtHeart]

I could probably go a couple of years, once I get past my picky eater anxiety (which doesn't take too long). I would miss eating some real meat, though >< Ugh, I hate my genes.

When abroad the only thing I really start to miss after awhile is my mom's homemade fried chicken.

[Gorotsuki]

The staple foods for me aren't from home. I probably would feel like goat curry or Indian dishes after a few months. I could cook it myself I guess.

[meggintosh]

if this question is in regards to strcitly japanese style food, and not what's available in Japan, I highly doubt I could last more than a week >.< I've always had that question myself. I think by after seven days of highly spiced foods, my tummy would be screaming for mashed potatoes, biscuits, and meatloaf. lmao. It saddens me, but I guess you slowly get used to it.