 Lunch is the main meal in Bolivia.  Bolivians eat a good breakfast, massive lunch and small dinner.  Lunch is often eaten with family and friends and will contain a soup, main dish and dessert.  Potatoes are served at almost every meal, often with rice and noodles.  Bolivians don’t eat a lot of spicy foods.  If you want to add spice to your meals ask for the sauce “la llajwa” which is made of tomatoes and chilis.

 Salteña: A salteña is a pastry enjoyed for breakfast. According to legend, they were introduced to Bolivia by the wife of one of the early presidents of Bolivia, who was from the Argentine city of Salta (hence the name). They look a little like a medium-sized, baked turnover, and they are usually filled with any combination of meat and potatoes. They are extremely popular: you can’t miss them for sale on the streets of any Bolivian city.

 Humitas: Humitas consist of damp, sweetened corn meal wrapped inside a corn husk or banana leaf and then boiled or steamed. Often, onion, tomatoes and/or green peppers can be added. Humitas are also common in Ecuador, Chile and Peru: Bolivians tend to like theirs a little sweeter than their Andean neighbors.

 Fritanga: Unlike Colombian fritanga, which is a mixed plate of various fried pieces of meat, Bolivian fritanga is a thick pork stew. For a Bolivian dish, it is rather spicy and tasty, and often contains any combination of oregano, parsley, cilantro, cumin, garlic, hot peppers and more. It usually is made with onions and tomatoes in addition to the pork

 Charque de llama: In the United States, there are many who think beef jerky is its own food group. In Bolivia, of course, you have...llama jerky. Charque isn’t exactly jerky, and you wouldn’t want to eat it straight, but it’s fairly close. If you see charque de llama on the menu, it’s dried llama meat, fried, and served with corn and cheese.

 Chicharrón: Chicharrón consists of fried bits of pork, pork skin and gristle. It’s tasty, as it’s often cooked with peppers and garlic and spiced with cumin and pepper. It’s usually served with chuño, a sort of highland potato, and corn. Not really a meal, chicharrón is more of a snack.

 Meeting and Greeting:  The handshake is the most common greeting.  Direct eye contact is common.  Use the appropriate greeting for the time of day.  Women will kiss on the cheek when meeting.

 Gift giving etiquette:  The general rule is good quality but price doesn’t matter.  Take flowers, spirits, pastries, sweets/chocolates if invited to a house. Do not give yellow or purple flowers as they have negative connotations.  Gifts are not generally opened when received.

 Dining:  Punctuality is not expected…arrive minutes late.  Do not discuss business at social functions.  At a table the guest is served first.  Keep elbows off the table.  Always use utensils for everything you eat.  Never leave straight after a meal…you should wait half and hour before leaving the table.