Your meals are a central part of your cultural immersion and are included in your program fee.
Food Provided:
You will receive two traditional and hearty meals per day—Breakfast and Dinner. Lunch is usually taken at the project site or packed for you, depending on the day's schedule.
Staple Meal: The core of Nepali cuisine is Dal Bhat (steamed white rice served with a mild lentil soup, accompanied by seasonal vegetable curry and spicy achar or pickle). This is a highly nutritious meal that you will enjoy most evenings.
Variety: To introduce variety, we also serve dishes like momos (dumplings, usually vegetable or chicken), chowmein (stir-fried noodles), curries, and occasional bread-based breakfasts.
Breakfast: Typically lighter, consisting of tea (chiya), bread (toast or roti), and sometimes eggs or oatmeal.
Dietary Requirements:
Vegetarians: Nepali cuisine is naturally very vegetarian-friendly due to the large Hindu and Buddhist populations. We can easily and happily accommodate vegetarian volunteers.
Vegans and Allergies: If you are strictly vegan, or have any serious allergies (e.g., gluten-free, nut allergies), please inform us on your application. We will take every reasonable step to ensure your meals are safe and suitable, but please note that kitchens are often small and cross-contamination, while rare, is a possibility.
Drinks:
Tea (Chiya): Sweet, milky spiced tea is a staple of Nepali hospitality and will be served often.
Drinking Water: We provide a filtered water dispenser at the Volunteer House. Volunteers must bring their own reusable bottle and refill it from this source to ensure they are drinking safe water and to help us reduce plastic waste. We strongly advise against drinking tap water.
