Food

Breakfast: rice and beans, avocado, coffee
Lunch: rice and beans, cooked plantain, fruit juice
Dinner: rice and beans, tomato, fruit juice

Repeat for 11 months.

My diet is that of a typical Costa Rican living in the countryside. Rice and beans are the main event at each meal and they are generally accompanied by a third item, which varies. Usually all the food gets mixed together in the same bowl. Some of the more interesting combos include: rice beans and spaghetti, rice and beans and mashed potatoes, rice and beans and milk soup. Another cultural side note: there is a belief in the Costa Rican country side that spices are bad for your health and are therefore are rarely used.
I try my best to integrate into my community and live and eat as they live and eat. But, sometimes, I get bored of rice and beans. This is incomprehensible in Costa Rica, but I’m sure my US citizen readership will appreciate the sentiment. When I explain to my Costa Rican friends that most people in the US don’t eat rice and beans everyday, they get very confused. But what do you eat???? What fills you up? How do you make sure you are getting a nutritious meal? These are the typical questions that follow the state of disbelief that a person can sustain themselves without constantly eating rice and beans. A meal is not a meal unless it includes rice and beans. I made a pizza for my host family- and for dinner we had rice and beans and pizza.
The elementary school once decided to vary what they served in the cafeteria and cut back on the rice and beans. They wanted to try serving more fresh fruits and vegetables and give the children a more varied diet. The experiment didn’t last for very long. When the children came home for school and the parents asked them what they ate at school, they would respond: nothing. In their minds they hadn’t eaten because they hadn’t been served rice and beans. Parents got upset that their children “weren’t eating” and everyone went back on the rice and beans diet.

In a world of culinary monotony and limited access to ingredients, I have been pushed to become very creative in how I supplement my diet to include flavor and variety. Here are some of the things I’ve learned to make from scratch while in Costa Rica:

Bagels
Yogurt
Greek yogurt
Peanut butter
Granola bars
Salt water taffy
Lemon Bars
Cinnamon Buns
Brownies
Creamy garlic salad dressing
Black bean burgers
No-bake cheesecake

Among others

I usually make snack foods and deserts because I want to eat my meals with my host family. But I’m on the rice and beans breaking point. I don’t know how much longer I can do it. Soon, I’m sure, I will crack.
I friend suggested I start a recipes tab on my blog to add different Costa Rican and US recipes that I’ve tried and enjoyed. It’s not a bad idea and I’m going to try and figure it out. Keep your eyes peeled