Why Beef Was So Special in My Vietnamese Childhood | $8 Family Meal

Today, I’m cooking a Vietnamese beef stew with potatoes and carrots for under $10 — and sharing why beef felt like a luxury when I was growing up. In the Vietnamese countryside, my family ate pork, chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, and vegetables much more often than beef. Beef was expensive, so it was usually saved for family gatherings, special guests, or the days when my father returned home after working away for one or two months. My family also raised a female cow for about six years. I helped take care of her by taking her out to graze, watching her, and cutting grass to bring home. Those mornings taught me how much time, food, land, and daily effort it takes to raise a cow. Whenever my father came home, my mother would sometimes buy a small amount of affordable beef and cook it slowly with potatoes and carrots. There was always more potato and carrot than meat, but to us, that small pot of beef stew felt like a feast. My mother rarely ate the beef herself. She always said she preferred the vegetables. I believed her when I was young. It was only after becoming a mother myself that I began to understand what she may really have meant. This is another episode of Under $10 Vietnamese Meals — real home cooking, family memories, and everyday life in Vietnam. Thank you for spending this quiet day with me and my family. What was a food that felt special or expensive in your childhood? I would love to hear your story in the comments. #VietnameseFood #VietnameseHomeCooking #BeefStew