Is it rude to leave food on your plate in El Salvador?

Question

I've read that in El Salvador, it's regarded as rather impolite to leave food that you don't want to eat on your plate. Is this true? And are there any other countries, in Latin America or elsewhere, where this is the case? In some places (Egypt, for example) it's polite to do the opposite, ie leave food on your plate.

Answer 1

I agree with most of the others, it depends on who you're eating with.  I lived at a children's home in El Salvador and the rule of the home, plus the extreme poverty that most of the children came from, made it clear that you took only what you wanted, finished it, or passed it off to someone else who would.  I never saw food going wasted at the school I worked in either.  And this is from children, who are supposed to be notorious for wasting food!  I can still remember being amazed when I first got there at the sight of a table of 4,5, & 6 year old boys polishing off giant chunks of beets, whether they liked it or not, but all obligingly.

On the other hand, when I went to the malls and other upper class downtown areas of San Salvador the idea of food seemed to be that it was okay to leave food on your plate.

Answer 2

my family is from el salvador and the reason why most people from there would consider it impolite is because 80% of the population are poor and have little for to eat. hence, food is never wasted or thrown away. it's a habit/state of mind my mom and dad haven't gotten rid of even though they are far from poor.

Answer 3

In El Salvador or any other Latin American country, etiquette norms as just the same as you would in the States. If you are full, or if you dont like the food, just leave it on the plate! There isnt a cultural issue here of offending someone because you leave food on the plate. Just be polite and say you're either full or that you dont find the food tasty and that's it! And I just laughed at the answers that because these countries are so poor they dont leave food on their plates!!! Come to Latin America and you will see the quality of food that it's eaten in the provinces! So no, there isnt a cultural thing with food in latin American countries as there are with other countries or cultures such as the arab nations.

Answer 4

well if its inedible thats understandable.

Answer 5

no it isnt. and el salvador isnt 80% poor its only 35% look in the cia world fact book

Answer 6

The people there are poor so even if the "food" were to be disgusting they would down it all.