Key Points
- A Chinese Australian mother prepares hot meals for her children's lunchboxes every day.
- 'Bairenfan' meaning 'white people's food' has been trending on Chinese social media platforms in recent weeks.
- Some Chinese workers and fitness enthusiasts think it is a "healthier and more convenient" eating style.
Stir-fries, steamed rice and warm soup may not be common fare in kids' lunchboxes in Australia.
But for Taylor Bi, a Chinese mother of two, these are regularly part of her daily food preparation for her kids’ lunchboxes.
She says her nine-year-old son, Nuo Lin, and 11-year-old daughter, Nuo Qi, used to refuse to take Chinese cuisine to school because they would be “teased for eating differently” and felt embarrassed.
But as the children age, they have changed their minds and these days, they ask to take only Chinese food, she says.
While some of their classmates jokingly call their lunches a “three-course meal”, there are some children who want to trade their snacks for Chinese food, Ms Bi says.
One kid wants to trade all his snacks for a dumpling, even though he can only eat the skin because he doesn't eat pork.Taylor Bi
Taylor Bi, a mother of two, prepares Chinese-style lunchboxes for her children every day. Credit: Taylor Bi
#Bairenfan ('white people's food') topic trending in China
When her children previously refused to take Chinese food to school, Ms Bi says she tried to copy Australian children's lunchboxes, preparing cheese sandwiches and crackers.
Discussion about these minimalist meals that require little cooking skills and effort referred to as "bairenfan" in Chinese ("white people's food") has been trending on multiple platforms including TikTok in past weeks.
Examples of these cold and comparatively bland lunches include sandwiches on white bread, crackers and cheese, dressing-free salads, and raw carrots or celery with dips.
Many Chinese netizens claim bairenfan to be “unappetising” because it differs greatly from the traditional Chinese diet of eating hot food and drinking hot water.
Traditional Chinese medicine has long held that warm foods and beverages are more beneficial to the human body.
One Chinese user shared a photo of a lunchbox with some carrots and a boiled egg, expressing concern about whether the lunchbox owner could "generate enough energy" with so little food.
Others complain they feel empty and soulless after eating such a meal. "It [bairenfan] robs me of the pleasure of eating," another online commentator writes.
‘White people's food' is still food
However, not all Chinese netizens are against Western lunch styles.
Initially a fad used to ridicule the cuisine, the phenomenon gradually transformed into a favourable outlook.
Another hashtag, #bairenfanyeshifan (or #whitepeoplemealsmatter), has begun popping up on Chinese social media platforms in response to the topic.
Numerous young Chinese office workers, who don't have time to cook, say they now appreciate the ease and practicality of the meals.
“As a 996 worker [referring to the Chinese work culture where people work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week], white people's meals are literally a saviour for people like me,” a user writes on China’s lifestyle-sharing platform, Xiaohongshu.
In addition, some fitness enthusiasts say they believe that “white people's food” is less oily and less seasoned, which is “healthier and conducive to fat loss” compared to overly spicy Chinese cuisine.
“How good Chinese food tastes often correlates with how much oil is used. The oil used to make one Kung Pao Chicken dish is enough to make a lot of white people's dishes,” another user writes.
What does a nutritionist think?
So, how does easy and quick Aussie food stack up nutritionally?
Brisbane nutritionist, Venus Zhang, says she first noticed a post poking fun at "white people's meals" with pictures of raw carrots and crackers wrapped with cheese, which she says is “interesting”, but not nutritious enough for a meal.
“It's only four or five crackers with cheese and ham. But our body needs more calories than that," she says.
On top of that, she points out that processed meat such as ham can cause health problems for human bodies.
"Ham is a cured food and contains nitrites, which can create inflammation in our bodies," Ms Zhang tells SBS Chinese.
In severe cases, eating excess ham can potentially lead to colon cancer.Venus Zhang
Brisbane registered dietitian, Venus Zhang, says she is worried about the nutrition of minimalist meals. Credit: Venus Zhang
Meanwhile, she adds that Chinese food tends to use flavour enhancer, monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is believed by many to cause headaches and other feelings of discomfort.
However, she says she believes that it is inaccurate to say that "white people's food" is healthier than Chinese food in general.
"(That's) because Chinese food contains eight major cuisines (so) comparing 'white people's food' to light Cantonese cuisine or spicy Hunan cuisine for example can be very different," she says.
Ms Bi says she does not mind cold "white people's food" and is not worried about its nutrition, it is just that her “Chinese stomach” had not adjusted to Western cuisine.
She tells SBS Chinese that she is so happy to see her children enjoy taking Chinese food to school.
“Now you [they] know mum was right,” she says.
The views and information expressed in this article are of a general nature and should not be taken as advice. You should always consult your own medical or health professionals.
