Summary of Daily Eating Habits#

Here’s how a typical food day often goes in Nanjing:

Breakfast (Zǎocān): This is often quick and usually eaten outside or grabbed on the way to work/school. Think of bustling street stalls or small shops. People might have noodles (like xiaowan mian - small bowl noodles), various types of pancakes (bing), steamed buns (baozi), or fried dough sticks (youtiao) with soy milk (doujiang). Some prefer rice porridge (zhou) with pickles. It’s fast, tasty, and fuels the morning.

Lunch (Wǔcān): Lunch for many is also a bit rushed, especially on weekdays. Office workers often eat at company canteens, order delivery, or grab something simple from nearby small eateries – maybe a plate of fried rice or noodles, or a quick meal with rice and a couple of simple dishes. Students eat at school canteens. If people are at home, it’s usually a quick stir-fry or leftovers.

Dinner (Wǎncān): This is the main meal of the day, when families often gather. Dinner is usually eaten at home and is more relaxed and substantial than lunch. It typically involves rice, a soup, and several shared dishes placed in the center of the table – usually meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. This is where home cooking really shines.

Common Home-Cooked Meals vs. Street Food#

Home Cooking: Nanjing home cooking is part of Jiangsu cuisine (specifically Jinling cuisine), known for being slightly sweet, using lots of freshwater ingredients, and often focusing on braising and stewing. A typical home dinner might include steamed rice, a simple clear soup (like egg drop soup or tomato soup), and two or three dishes. Common dishes include stir-fried greens (like qingcai - bok choy), stir-fried meat with vegetables (like pork with green peppers), braised eggplant, or steamed fish. Dishes are usually lighter and less oily than street food.

Street Food: Street food in Nanjing is all about speed, convenience, and variety. You’ll find everything from savory pancakes (jianbing) for breakfast, to different kinds of noodles and dumplings (jiaozi, huntun) for lunch, to skewers (chuan’er) and various fried snacks in the evening. Nanjing is especially famous for its duck blood and vermicelli soup (Yā Xiě Fěnsī Tāng) which you can easily grab from street vendors or small shops any time of day. Street food is perfect for a quick bite or exploring different flavors.

Local Ingredients or Spices People Use#

Rice and noodles are staples. Vegetables are abundant, especially seasonal ones like various greens, gourds, and roots. Freshwater fish and shrimp from the nearby Yangtze River and lakes are popular. Pork is the most common meat, but duck holds a special place in Nanjing’s heart (more on that!).

Key flavors come from using soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and spring onions. Sugar is often used in savory dishes to balance the saltiness and add a touch of sweetness, typical of Jiangsu cuisine. While not as spicy as Sichuan, people here do use chili oil or dried chilies sometimes, but it’s not the dominant flavor profile.

Traditional Dishes Eaten During Festivals or Weekends#

Weekends and festivals are times for more elaborate meals, often shared with family.

Nanjing Salted Duck (Yā Yán Shuǐ Yā): This is the iconic Nanjing dish. While you can buy it anytime, a whole salted duck is often served at family gatherings, especially on weekends or for special occasions. It’s cured and cooked in brine, resulting in tender, flavorful meat with crispy skin.

Other Weekend/Festival Dishes: Steamed whole fish (representing abundance), braised pork belly, or more complex stir-fries are common. During specific festivals, certain foods are traditional:

• Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu): Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, with various fillings).
• Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiu): Mooncakes (rich pastries, usually with sweet fillings).
• Chinese New Year (Chunjie): A huge feast with many symbolic dishes, including fish, dumplings (especially in northern China, but eaten here too), spring rolls, and various elaborate meat and vegetable dishes.

Popular Snacks or Drinks#

Snacks are everywhere! You can find sweet potato or chestnut vendors in autumn and winter. Tanghulu (candied fruit skewers) are popular, especially with kids. Small pastries, dried tofu snacks, and various nuts and seeds are also common.

For drinks, tea is always popular. Soy milk is a common breakfast drink. Besides water, people drink various bottled teas, fruit juices, and sodas. Beer is common with dinner, and baijiu (Chinese liquor) is often drunk during formal meals or celebrations.

Cultural Food Taboos or Unique Rituals#

Most food “rules” in Nanjing are part of general Chinese dining etiquette. It’s less about taboos and more about politeness and tradition:

• Sharing is caring: Dishes are usually shared family-style from the center of the table. You take food from the shared dishes into your own bowl.
• Chopstick etiquette: Don’t stick your chopsticks straight up in a bowl of rice (it looks like incense at a funeral). Don’t tap your bowl with chopsticks (seen as begging). Use the serving chopsticks or the wider end of your own chopsticks to pick up food from shared dishes, if available.
• Elders first: It’s polite to let the elders start eating first, or offer them food from shared dishes.
• Finish your rice: Try to finish the rice in your bowl; wasting food isn’t good.
• Tea pouring: When someone pours tea for you, tap your fingers lightly on the table as a thank you (this is a subtle gesture). If you pour for others, make sure their cups are filled before yours.

There aren’t many unique, strict taboos specific only to Nanjing beyond typical Chinese customs. It’s a welcoming food culture focused on enjoying meals together.