Maria: Rory, you know, they have a saying that you are what you eat. So can you actually say that if you are what you eat, you are fast, cheap and easy?

Rory: Well, I’m not fast, cheap and easy. I’m expensive and high in protein, probably.

Maria: And slow?

Rory: And slow, yes.

Maria: Are you a foodie?

Rory: No, I’m not a foodie. I can eat just about anything. So it’s not a big deal for me what I eat.

Maria: Is food important to you?

Rory: Yes. If you don’t eat, then you die! It’s not so important in terms of the quality because I can eat just about anything. But it’s definitely important just because eating, well, you need to eat to live, basically.

Maria: What kinds of food do you particularly like to eat?

Rory: I quite like to eat things which are moderately healthy. I suppose if anything stands out in particular about my diet is probably the fact that a lot of things are high in protein. Just because I’m lifting a lot of weights right now and it helps you
manage your appetite better.

Maria: What kinds of foods are most popular in your country?

Rory: I’m not really sure. I think a lot of people like things which are high in fat and carbohydrates. I think this is kind of like a leftover from when people had more active lifestyles. But now, especially in Western countries like Scotland, for example, people have more sedentary lifestyles. So they’re not moving around as much. And that’s probably not so healthy, but it is what they like to eat.

Maria: How different is food in your country today from when you were younger?

Rory: I think there seem to be two opinions regarding this. I am of the opinion that it’s not actually changed that much. I think people are still eating the same things, but it’s the fact that they’re not moving around as much, that makes it so unhealthy. But I think the other more popular opinion is that people are eating more fast food, for example, more junk food, more processed food. And that is contributing to very unhealthy diets. So that’s a big change that’s been highlighted by that opinion.

Maria: Yeah, and in your country, do people have to finish all the foods on their plates? You know, like even if you don’t like it, you kind of feel you have to finish everything.

Rory: I don’t think it’s one of these things which is socially enforced. But I think a lot of people don’t eat the right kind of food and therefore they’re always hungry. So they just finish everything because they’re so hungry and they don’t know when to stop or how to regulate how hungry they are.

Maria: What about you? Do you always finish everything?

Rory: I always finish what I eat. But then that’s because what I eat is always quite tasty. And I know I’m working towards certain weight goals and things like this.

Maria: But if you don’t like the food, will you finish it anyway?

Rory: Well, like I say, I can eat just about anything. So there are very few foods that I can’t eat.

Maria: No, can you eat a cockroach or some fried bug or a butterfly. Can you eat a butterfly?

Rory: I’ve eaten bugs before. I’ve not eaten a butterfly before. I don’t think you’d get a lot over eating a butterfly.

Maria: Yeah, but you can say “I can eat anything” so can you eat a bird?

Rory: Yeah, I eat chicken.

Maria: Oh yeah, chicken is a bird, right Maria? Yes? Now I know. Okay. Which foods do you dislike?

Rory: There’s only two kinds of food I really dislike and that is raisins and bananas. I absolutely cannot stand either of them.

Maria: Are you joking? Bananas?

Rory: No, I’m not. I absolutely hate bananas, which is weird because I know a lot of people like bananas. But the reason that I don’t like raisins or bananas, to be honest with you, is because of the texture. It’s like the way they feel when I’m eating them. I don’t know what it is, but it’s just something that makes. It gives me the heave. I don’t like it at all.

Maria: So avocados are fine. Bananas are not fine?

Rory: Avocados are fine, bananas are not for me.

Maria: Okay, what about banana bread or banana ice cream, gelato?

Rory: That’s just about OK for me. But I honestly really struggle with it, still. It’s also the smell actually now that I come to think about it. You just got this aroma that puts me off eating them. I don’t know what it is.

Maria: What foods do people in your country buy at the market?

Rory: I think you can buy just about anything at the market these days, no? I suppose if you’re lucky enough to live in a place that’s got a farmer’s market, then seasonal foods or seasonal produce, I should say. So like strawberries in the summer, but then more hearty vegetables and fruits in the winter months, for example. But you also get more exotic fruits at markets now, just because of things like refrigeration and improvements to food transportation.

Maria: How many meals a day do you have?

Rory: Right now I have three main ones. So I have breakfast, lunch and dinner. But when I’m alone, I probably only have two. One of them is brunch and one of them is dinner. It’s not terribly exciting, unfortunately, but I definitely get my three square meals a day just now.

Maria: Rory, they say that you should eat to live, not live to eat. What about you?

Rory: Oh, it’s a very philosophical question.

Maria: I live to eat, basically.

Rory: No, I suppose, since I’m on a bit of a health kick right now, I probably eat to live and I’m not getting very fat, so I don’t live to eat.

Maria: We are so different… What about junk food?

Rory: Oh, very rarely. I don’t eat junk food very often at all. I can eat burgers, but usually that will be at restaurant and I don’t know if that counts as junk food, if that’s at a high quality restaurant, for example.