I plead guilty: the very first thing I do before teaching my daily yoga class is buy a tasteless coffee in an Oxxo store. It’s lukewarm, too sweet and definitely not good for my glucose spikes. But I buy it. Several times a week. And unfortunately, I’m not the only one.
Mexico City natives — and basically anyone who moves to the capital — know we never have time for anything. Heavy traffic, tumultuous crowds everywhere and increasingly long lines charge a high toll in terms of time for us who live here.
As in other big cities, people feel there is no time to sit and have a proper meal. Coffee breaks are the closest we get to a time to breathe with ease — and yes, even I, as a yoga teacher, suffer from that from time to time. Hungry? Okay, let’s find the nearest convenience store — “para quitarnos el hambre,” we tend to think, “to fill an empty belly.” Enter the Oxxo diet.
Chips, fridge sandwiches, chocolates, soda, terrible coffee: that is exactly what the convenience store lunch looks like. Why on Earth, you may ask, would Mexicans want to eat any of those things, if they take utmost pride in their fresh local cuisine? Well, Mexico City is time-consuming. And the clock is ticking.
Mexico City is time-consuming
Painter Francisco de Goya was right when he depicted Saturn, the Roman god of time, as a hungry monster devouring his own child. Living in chaotic Mexico City, it feels like the city devours her children— as well as all of our time.
More than once, I have heard my students complain that they do not have time to prepare breakfast. This is a Mexico City commonplace, especially for those who do not live near their workplaces. 67% of people living in the capital take an average of 43 minutes to the office, as per the Economy Ministry’s latest figures. This, of course, does not take into account the massive number of workers from México State who travel up to three hours to work in the city — no wonder we often say that walking to work is a privilege.
More often than not, Starbucks and other similar establishments are too expensive for capital dwellers to afford. Given that their coffee of the day costs between 48 and 99 pesos, paying 29 pesos for the same coffee at a convenience store is a lot more affordable — anxiety attacks post-caffeine and all.
I first encountered the term ‘Oxxo diet’ in an article by Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek. The reason people succumb to the terrible convenience store diet, he says, is clear: Oxxo stores are always nearby. Their slogan is “A la vuelta de tu vida,” for Christ’s sake: “Just around the corner of your life.” Walking through the aisles, it’s just too hard to avoid grabbing a candy bar. Let’s have a fridge sandwich as well, for lunch. And probably a soda, too. It comes as no surprise that roughly 18.3% of the Mexican adult population lives with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, according to the National Health and Nutrition Survey’s (Ensanut) latest data.
For this, of course, convenience stores are not to blame alone. “[In addition to] poor eating habits full of refined sugars, saturated fats and sodium,” warns the Ministry of Health, “in addition to a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and genetic factors.” What needs to be done, then, to avoid the dreaded Oxxo diet?
The fresher, the better!
Consumers are not to blame for their lack of time. During my corporate years, I too was a victim of tight working schedules and restrictive lunch breaks. However, even in chaotic Mexico City, we do have fresher and healthier options for a proper breakfast.
If you’re living or staying in the Roma-Condesa area, there are plenty of cafes to try out before work. However, if you’re in a coveted digital nomad era, you’ll be able to enjoy my hometown on another level. There are plenty of budget-friendly co-working spaces you can try out, If you walk across the Avenida Ámsterdam circuit, you’ll trip over a new coffee shop with every step you take. Do not miss the chance to try any of these. One of my personal favorites is Matcha Mío, especially on these dry spring days, where I get an iced matcha latte. If my partner comes with me, we usually order the absolutely beautiful lavender-matcha shortcake, topped with real, edible flowers. The New York-style matcha cheesecake is too sweet for me, but it’s a fan favorite these days.
I’m probably not suggesting the healthiest alternatives at this point — and my reference to the Esanut figures probably comes off as preachy now. However, the Roma-Condesa area does have some of the best vegan-friendly options in Mexico City. When in doubt, ask old friend Google Maps: closest coffee shops near me. Read over the reviews, and choose! In addition to freshly prepared roasted coffee with a delightful avocado toast, you support local businesses at reasonable prices.
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
