A Malaysian man’s packed suitcase full of instant food and drinks sparks online debate on packing food for trips abroad or settling for the country’s cuisine.
PACKING instant food for a trip abroad is fairly common, whether due to dietary restrictions or a tight budget.
However, a Malaysian man recently sparked an online debate after sharing that he had packed an entire suitcase full of food for an overseas trip.
A Threads post showed an image of the packed suitcase, with one side filled with what appeared to be instant coffee sachets and instant noodle packets, while the other side contained an assortment of dry ingredients such as anchovies, dried chillies, papadum and curry powder, among others.
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According to the post, the man said the food was intended for his 10-day trip to Japan.
The image quickly drew mixed reactions from netizens.
While some users shared photos of their own similar food hauls and defended the practice as practical and cost-saving, others criticised the decision, arguing that experiencing local cuisine is an essential part of travelling.
“When travelling to another country, eat and enjoy the cuisine there. Exploring the local culinary culture of the country you are visiting is one of the main reasons people travel abroad in the first place,” a user advised.
“If you brought a small amount of food in case of emergencies, that’s fine, but this is like hauling your entire kitchen cabinet,” another quipped.
“Japan is known for its cuisine and fresh seafood. It honestly defeats the purpose of travelling there if you don’t explore the food. You would also be out most of the time, so bringing all of this just wastes money and luggage space,” a commenter remarked.
Meanwhile, other commenters warned the man against packing dried food items such as anchovies and dried chillies, noting that these are not allowed on flights to Japan.
