China News Service Yinchuan, February 1st Title: From "eating full" to "eating well" the happiness of the tongue during the Spring Festival

China News Service reporter Li Peishan

The New Year of the Snake, the New Year atmosphere in the rural areas of China is strong, and changes are quietly taking place on the dinner tables of villagers. From the past "just eat enough" to today's "eat healthy and eat quality", a refined and healthy diet reflects the happiness of the people's tongues.

From "simple rice" to "sourcing food"

In the past few days, Wang Dawei, a villager in Wenbao Village, Wenbao Township, Longde County, Guyuan City, Ningxia, at the foot of Liupan Mountain, has been extremely lively at home. The daughter and son-in-law who return to his parents' home and the old and young people who visit relatives make the home full of joy.

Different from previous years, Wang Dawei's home has many "new faces" on the dining table this year: fresh deep-sea fish, imported steaks, organic vegetables, durian cherries and other imported fruits... "In the past, it was good to eat meat during the Chinese New Year, but now the food that can be eaten is becoming more and more abundant." Wang Dawei said that with the development of online shopping and logistics, his way of buying New Year's goods has also shifted from offline to online, which has added many new ingredients at home.

The changes in Wang Dawei's family are not an isolated case. In recent years, with the development of rural economy and the increase in farmers' income, the dietary structure of villagers has undergone significant changes. In the past, simple rice, which was mainly composed of staple food, was gradually replaced by a variety of meat and vegetables combinations. Especially during the Spring Festival, many families' dining tables are filled with high-quality ingredients such as seafood, beef, mutton, fresh fruits and vegetables, and the richness of the New Year's Eve dinner is no less than that of urban families.

From "self-sufficiency" to "online shopping globally"

During the Spring Festival, Hu Haixia, a villager in Binhejiayuan, Yueyahu Township, Xingqing District, Yinchuan City, was very busy, and the express delivery delivered on the same day was never interrupted. "I no longer have to stock up before the New Year. I buy whatever I need at any time. I used to go to town to buy things during the New Year. Now I can buy good things from all over the country and even the world with just a finger. It's so convenient," said Hu Haixia.

Now, with the rapid development of rural e-commerce, the way villagers shop has undergone earth-shaking changes. In the past, most villagers relied on local markets to buy New Year’s goods, and their choices were limited. Nowadays, through e-commerce platforms, villagers can easily purchase specialty products from all over the country and even the world. From black fungus in the northeast to matsutake in Yunnan, from red wine in France to lobster in Australia, these once out of reach ingredients have now become "frequently guests" at the dinner tables of many villagers.

From "big fish and big meat" to "health and health care"

At the home of Ma Shulian in Guoyuan Village, Xinghai Town, Dawukou District, Shizuishan City, the meals during this year's Spring Festival have also changed significantly, and low oil and low salt have become a consensus among the family. "The living conditions are better now, but health is more important. We elderly people should pay more attention to their diet and should not just eat big fish and meat." Ma Shulian said.

As the health awareness increases, the villagers' dietary concepts are also quietly changing. In the past, New Year’s Eve dinners were often mainly “big fish and big meat”, and they paid attention to “sourcing” and “popularity”. Nowadays, more and more villagers are beginning to pay attention to balanced and healthy diets, and dishes with low oil, low salt, and low sugar and fat are gradually becoming the mainstream on the dining table. Some families will also specially prepare coarse grains, miscellaneous grains and green organic food to make the New Year’s Eve dinner delicious and healthy.

Not only that, Ma Shulian also has several special guests at her home. "We invited several widowed elderly people from the village to celebrate the New Year together, and everyone had the New Year's Eve dinner together, which was lively and heartwarming." She said that in the past, most New Year's Eve dinners were dinners between family members. Nowadays, more and more villagers have begun to advocate "sharing reunion", inviting neighbors and widowed elderly people to celebrate the New Year together, conveying warmth and care.