A Typical Day’s Meals#

People in Qingdao, like most places in China, usually eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast is often quick and eaten on the go or at small shops. Think things like steamed buns (baozi), Chinese doughnuts (youtiao) with soy milk, congee (rice porridge), or noodles. It’s fuel to start the day.

Lunch is usually a bigger meal than breakfast. Many people eat at company or school canteens, which offer various dishes with rice or noodles. If eating out, it might be a simple set meal (一份套餐 - yī fèn tàocān) or a shared meal with colleagues.

Dinner is the main family meal. It’s when families gather, and it’s usually the most relaxed and substantial meal of the day. It almost always involves several dishes shared by everyone, plus rice or sometimes noodles.

Common Home-Cooked Meals vs. Street Food#

Home cooking is the heart of eating in Qingdao. A typical home dinner will have 3-5 dishes for a family. This usually includes a meat dish (like stir-fried pork or chicken), a seafood dish (this is Qingdao after all!), one or two vegetable dishes, maybe a soup, and of course, a big bowl of rice for everyone. Dishes are often simple stir-fries, steamed, or braised, focusing on fresh ingredients.

Street food is very popular, especially for breakfast or snacks. Besides the breakfast items mentioned, you’ll find things like:

• Jianbing (savory crepe)
• Roujiamo (Chinese meat sandwich)
• Skewers (lamb, chicken, vegetables) cooked over charcoal
• Various noodles and soups
• Sometimes, vendors selling steamed or boiled seafood right there on the street.

While street food is convenient and tasty, home cooking is considered healthier and more traditional for main meals.

Local Ingredients and Spices#

Being on the coast, seafood is the most important ingredient in Qingdao. Fresh fish (like croaker), prawns, crabs, shellfish (clams, oysters, scallops), and even sea cucumber are staples. People often buy them live from markets.

Besides seafood, typical vegetables include Chinese cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, and various leafy greens. Corn and peanuts are also common local produce.

Basic seasonings used daily are soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, green onions, salt, and cooking wine. Shandong cuisine (which Qingdao is part of) can lean towards being slightly saltier and uses more garlic compared to some other Chinese regions, but it’s not overly spicy for typical home cooking.

Traditional Dishes for Festivals or Weekends#

Weekends often mean more time for cooking or eating out, so people might prepare more elaborate meals, often featuring more types of seafood.

During festivals, specific dishes are eaten:

• Spring Festival (Chinese New Year): Dumplings (Jiaozi) are a must-eat in Northern China, symbolizing wealth and family reunion. Families spend hours making them together. A big fish dish is also common, as “fish” (鱼 - yú) sounds like “surplus” (余 - yú), wishing for abundance.
• Lantern Festival: Tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls) are eaten.
• Dragon Boat Festival: Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves) are traditional.
• Mid-Autumn Festival: Mooncakes are eaten, though these are bought rather than homemade by most people now.

Special family occasions often mean a big seafood feast.

Popular Snacks or Drinks#

For snacks, dried seafood is very popular – dried fish, dried squid, etc. Roasted peanuts are also a local favorite. There are also various Chinese pastries and steamed buns that can be eaten as snacks.

When it comes to drinks, there’s one that stands out: Qingdao Beer! The city is famous for its brewery. People drink it chilled, especially during hot summers, and it’s common to see locals buying draft beer in plastic bags (‘袋装啤酒’ - dài zhuāng píjiǔ) from small shops to take home. Tea is also widely consumed, as in all of China. Soft drinks and juices are available everywhere.

Cultural Food Taboos or Unique Rituals#

There aren’t many strict food taboos for most people in Qingdao, beyond personal dietary restrictions or allergies. However, general Chinese dining etiquette is followed:

• Don’t stick your chopsticks upright in your rice bowl; it looks like incense at a funeral.
• Use the communal chopsticks or serving spoons if available, especially in more formal settings.
• When eating with elders, let them start eating first.
• When toasting, it’s common to say “Gan Bei!” (干杯), meaning “dry the cup.” It’s polite to clink glasses with everyone, especially elders or hosts.
• At home, it’s common to serve guests the best parts of the dishes first.

While not a taboo, some people believe it’s good to leave a small amount of food on your plate at the end of a meal when dining as a guest, to show that the host provided more than enough (though younger generations often finish everything).

So, that’s a peek into what people in Qingdao eat daily – lots of fresh seafood, hearty home-cooked meals, convenient street eats, and plenty of famous local beer!