Countryside mobile food stalls

In rural areas, it's not uncommon to see food and drink carts, which locals call mobile food stalls, weaving through the neighborhoods.

A food cart selling pastries in the countryside. Photo: THANH THANH

Pushing carts to sell goods daily is a popular choice for rural women as a primary source of income to support their families. While the initial investment is minimal, the profit is mainly from labor. Those with capital invest in sturdy, welded iron carts, which are both durable and convenient, while those with less capital build wooden carts. Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyen, residing in An Phu commune, invested in a wooden cart to sell tea, agar jelly, and rice noodles along rural roads. Whenever Ms. Tuyen calls out her wares, villagers come out to buy. Ms. Tuyen said: “The hamlets are deep in the rice paddies, and the roads are difficult to travel, making it inconvenient for people to go to the market to shop. Therefore, people choose to wait for the carts to come to their homes to buy goods. Every day, I sell tea, agar jelly, and rice noodles, earning a decent income to support my family. My husband, a factory worker, also earns money to provide for our children.”

Slowly making their way along the country roads, accompanied by familiar calls, the footsteps of those pushing food carts leave their mark everywhere. Pushing her cart selling fish noodle soup and crab noodle soup along the roads at midday, with a large pot of broth steaming, Mrs. Le Thi Vui, a resident of Cho Moi commune, said that in the morning she goes to the market to buy ingredients and cook the broth for the crab and fish noodle soup to serve the people. After lunch, she goes out to sell until late afternoon before returning home.

The cart has compartments for bowls, spoons, chopsticks, and various ingredients, along with a few small chairs to serve customers along the way. Ms. Vui shared: “All the food and living expenses of the whole family depend on this noodle cart. Sometimes I sell everything, sometimes I don't. On busy days, I sell about 5kg of noodles, on days when I don't sell them all, I eat noodles instead of rice. People eat them regularly and get used to them, and I've been selling them for many years at affordable prices, so I have a lot of support.”

After about three hours of pushing her cart selling grilled cassava cakes and grilled sticky rice bananas, Ms. Tran Thi Thoa, a resident of Chau Phu commune, stopped to rest under a tree and shared: "People have become regulars, so now that the roads are more convenient than before, these 'mobile food stalls' can still do business and make a profit. I push my cart to sell every day, only occasionally taking a day off when I'm too tired, then I have to go back to selling so I don't lose my regular customers."

Having pushed a cart selling sticky rice, steamed corn, and boiled corn for over 10 years, Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai, residing in Thanh My Tay commune, said: “This job is very hard, but I’ve gotten used to it. I try my best to support my family and send my children to school. In the hot season, I sell out quickly, but after pushing the cart for a while, I have to stop in a shady place to rest. I cook just enough to sell, and luckily, I sell out every day.”

Ms. Vo Thi Truc My, a resident of Chau Phu commune, shared: “My house is 10km from the commune center, which is both far and time-consuming, so when I want to eat something, I usually wait for a food cart to pass by my house to buy it. The prices are affordable, sometimes even cheaper than going to the market. Having food carts is very convenient for buyers. I just need to go out in front of my house and wait for the cart to pass by to buy food, which saves time.”

Nguyen Van Hau, a resident of Thoai Son commune, said: "I work as a construction laborer, doing heavy work outdoors in the sun, so I get hungry quickly. At lunchtime, several food carts selling bread and fish noodle soup pass by, so I take a break to buy some to support the vendors and give me the energy to continue working. It's cheap, filling, and convenient; I don't have to go far to buy food, so everyone in my hometown likes these food carts."

According to Ms. Le Thi Thuy, a resident of Long Dien commune, people in the countryside have long been familiar with food and drink carts. From early morning until late evening, rain or shine, they diligently push their carts to sell food and drinks to earn extra income.

The journey of rural women pushing carts to sell food and drinks for a living reflects the unique and heartfelt culture of the Mekong Delta region.

THANH THANH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/quan-an-di-dong-mien-que-a479226.html