Superstitions — we’ve all heard some far-fetched mythical story about why we shouldn’t walk under ladders or eat while standing.
From Friday the 13th, to not taking the last biscuit because you won’t get married, superstitions are usually meant to scare us into not doing something.
Nothing is off limits when it comes to these unfounded beliefs, yet one sometimes can’t help but wonder if these things are ever true. Although, I’m yet to meet anyone who's grown horns on their head because they ate while lying on their back. Who does that anyway?
Celebrity chef and author, Siba Mtongana recently asked her Instagram followers to share their food superstitions and some of the replies were hilarious.
Siba started the conversation with her own story: “Growing up we were told not to eat or taste from the pot (ukutyel' embizeni) otherwise it would rain on your wedding day and yoooh!”
What followed was over 100 funny and and some very strange replies.
@sithabilentshele wrote: “We were told women are not to eat bone marrow...otherwise our kids would have runny noses 😅the lies! Lapho it was sooo nice and we had to give them to our dad if ever it landed on your plate"
@leeduru wrote: “Grew up with the superstition that dreaming that I eating meant that I someone was bewitching me (ndiyadliswa) and that I should stop myself in the dream and not swallow the food.”
@zoe.sebole wrote: “My mom told my sister to not eat a lot of sweet things during her pregnancy otherwise her baby would drool a lot (funny part is he did😂)....also we were told to not move salt out of the house after dark because it was bad luck."
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A post shared by Siba Mtongana(@sibamtongana) on Jun 21, 2019 at 12:36pm PDT
The IOL Food and Drinks team joined the fun and shared some of their stories:
Buhle Mbonambi
If you tie a chicken bone on your neck, you will wake-up with a big piece of chicken..." it ended up being ants instead of chicken.
You must never eat standing up, because people will always talk about you and likely spread lies
If you stir your food with a knife, then everyone who eats your food will have bad cramps.
I tried all of this out when I was younger. None of it was true
Lebohang Mosia
If you make idombolo (steamed bread/dumpling) when you're menstruating, it won't rise.
Unmarried women can't cleanse uncooked tripe because they won't find love.
Girl children aren't supposed to eat eggs or they will grow up to be promiscuous and infertile.
If you eat standing you'll get hiccups.
Megan Baadjies
When I was about seven-years-old a family friend told me not to eat bananas after 8pm or my eyes will squint. I'm 31-years-old and I still don't eat bananas, or any fruit, after 8pm.
I tell people I don't eat fruit after 8pm because I have trouble sleeping afterwards, but deep down I just don't want to be cross-eyed.