Diet
The main staples in the diet include rice, beans, fish, and a variety of tropical fruits. Soups are common. Corn, native to Peru, is the main staple among the Indians. Cebiche (raw fish seasoned with lemon and vinegar) is popular on the coast.
Mealtime
A polite guest eats all the food that is offered. Table manners are important in Peru. The continental style of eating is followed with both hands being kept above the table. A typical family will have three meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some have a kind of pre-dinner at about 6:00 PM with dinner served at about 8 PM. The average family eats at home. Manners are practiced but not strictly. The arms can go on the table but not the elbows. The whole family is supposed to eat at the table, but if one of the members can't stay it is not compulsory.