When I left LA to head to Virginia for school, I thought I was ready for the culture shock. I had my winter jackets and rain boots ready, but no one told me that food in LA is very very different than food in the South. So to all the LA kids heading to the South for school, here are some food things you need to be ready for:
1. Hushpuppies
My first day at school someone yelled at me for not knowing what a hushpuppy is. If you aren’t from the South, you also probably have no idea what a hushpuppy is.
*Flash forward a few weeks.* I find myself sitting in front of some fast-food chain restaurant called Cook-Out in the middle of the night eating hushpuppies. It was the best thing that I’ve ever eaten. Let me explain this concept to you. A hushpuppy is literally a ball of fried dough, and it is the best thing you could possibly eat at 1 am drunk-eating or not. You must try a hushpuppy ASAP because it will change your life.
2. Fried food is ok to eat.
I know in LA we have all these crazy diets and juice cleanses that make it illegal to eat any carbs, oil, fats, etc. Almost all foods in the South are fried or covered in oil, so you are going to have to give up on your fat-free diet and get over your fears of fried food. It really isn’t all that bad though. Fried food won’t kill your body, and it also happens to taste amazing. #winwin
3. Avocado is not in everything
Every menu at every restaurant won’t have avocado toast. Avocado won’t be in every salad and on every sandwich. You will live. I promise. You can buy avocados at the store, and it gets better. Avocados are so much cheaper here. Who knows if its because they are in way lower demand or its some weather thing. Don’t question the cheaper avocados.
4. Sweet Tea
It’s literally just sweetened ice tea. That’s it!
5. Boba
Apparently, boba is only called “boba” in California. Everywhere else they call it “bubble tea.” Some say trendy others say obnoxious! That being said, don’t panic when you search boba in google maps and nothing comes up. Try searching bubble tea, and you might just find something.
6. Mexican food
Eat all of the Mexican food you can possibly eat before you leave because Mexican food in the south is harder to find and will never compare to the Mexican Food in LA. So shove as many tacos and burritos as you can into your mouth before you board that plane because Chipotle will be welcoming you with open arms!