This paper examines dietary practices in pastoral areas of Mongolia. In particular, the paper addresses how livestock foods support people’s perception of health and safety.
When the author visited Mongolia after the border deregulation, the people she met reported that the pandemic had little effect on their dietary practices. Specifically, they attributed this to the belief that consuming meat and dairy products is sufficiently healthy. The daily diet of people in pastoral areas of Mongolia is simple; it consists of several dishes comprising livestock meat, wheat, and rice but not many vegetables. Additionally, milk teas and various dairy products made from fermented milk are consumed daily along with meat and constitute another category of foods that improve people’s intestinal health.
Previous studies have shown that while variations or diversity in food culture, traditional food still has appeal in Mongolia. Meat and milk are fundamental to the pastoral culture. Thay are used as a medium or offering to achieve communion with supernatural beings. Furthermore, livestock foods bring security to families and communities through sharing not only during feasts but also in everyday dietary practices. Ideas about food are shared throughout both rural and urban areas, and the accumulation of various ritual acts related to people’s daily diet fosters their familiarity with traditional foods.
There also exists the method of adjusting the cut of meat, type of livestock, and cooking methods according to the situation at hand, such as when someone is sick or in need of a nourishing tonic. However, even without such tweaks, consuming livestock foods seems to make people feel healthy and safe. This paper reports on people's food experiences during and after the pandemic and discusses how familiarity with and trust in meat and milk have been felt, strengthened, or reduced.
