Countries where visitors are not offered food to eat

One of the best things about visiting someone is the food and drinks we are served. A common joke is how uninterested some guests seem while food is being brought to them, only to end up eating it ferociously.

However, in some cultures, especially Scandinavian cultures, guests are not served any food.

Countries where visitors are not offered food to eat

1. The Netherlands

The Dutch in the Netherlands are often called stingy, but it all stems from their ancient beliefs.

They believe serving someone food is a symbol of supremacy; in other words, if you're being offered food, you're indebted to the one who serves you.

Debt used to lead to violence and force, which the Protestant church disliked.

So, to make society a bit more equitable, individualistic, less debt- and status-driven, and less violent, they reportedly ceased serving food to visitors.

2. Sweden

Swedish people do not offer their guest food [gettyimages] Pulse Nigeria

Don’t expect to be offered food in a Swedish family home. Netizens on Reddit and Twitter have shared how they were not offered food in Swedish homes. A writer for the Independent explained that when it comes to children visiting, “The Swedish thinking goes like this: the other child (or the other family) may have plans for another kind of dinner, and you wouldn’t want to ruin the routine or preparations.

3. Norway

Scandinavian countries, like Norway, are not big on uninvited guests. In Norway, if you drop in on your friend, don’t expect to eat anything, even if they are eating. If you want food, you have to tell them so they can plan for you. That seems like basic decency. In some Reddit posts, many people complain that Norwegians are not big on giving their guests drinks and water, though some Norwegians said they are not all like this.

Interestingly, in Nigeria, we were trained not to eat at our friend’s place. Sometimes when we go out with our mothers, she will give us the stink eye to refuse food that’s being offered, so we don’t eat charm or juju.

Also, we’ve seen people mixing food in the toilet. There is a plus to not eating at a guest's place because you don’t know how hygienically prepared their meals are.