“Not the First Time”: SA Man Shows Cultural Food Challenges in China

• A South African man living in China for over seven years stopped his morning run to buy a hot sweet potato
• He finished his run with the potato in his pocket, then ate it at home as his post-workout meal
• South Africans were impressed by his fluent Mandarin and his willingness to embrace local food culture, with some saying they'd try the same meal

Living abroad means adapting to new food cultures. Thisis what TikToker @disniel95 shared on 8 February 2026, showing exactly how he's embraced local eating habits after his morning runs. The South African who has been living in China for over seven years stopped to film an auntie selling hot sweet potatoes on the street. The smell was unbelievable, he said. He asked her in Mandarin how much they cost and how long she'd been roasting them. He bought one potato and confirmed, as he walked back home, that he now had his post-run snack sorted.

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He joked that this wasn't the first time he'd finish a run with a hot, sweet potato in his pocket. He then showed his full post-workout meal: the sweet potato, a protein shake, and a bottle of electrolyte water. He opened up the potato, which was bright orange inside, and said it was going to be a beautiful day.

He's been living in China for over seven years and is fluent in Mandarin. He took lessons when he first moved to the country and regularly shares content about his life there, including running videos, photography, and coffee spots. His ability to speak the language so naturally impressed South Africans watching the clip.

Are sweet potatoes good for post-workout?

Street food culture in China is huge. Vendors set up stalls early in the morning, selling everything from baozi to sweet potatoes, and locals often grab something quick to eat on the go. For someone from South Africa, eating a hot sweet potato with a protein shake is a bit of a shift.

But sweet potatoes are actually a great post-workout option. They're high in carbs, which helps refuel energy stores after a run, and they're full of vitamins and fibre. Paired with a protein shake and electrolytes, it's actually a pretty balanced recovery meal.

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Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi loves the man's breakfast option

South Africans had plenty to say about TikToker @disniel95's post-run snack:

@Jo said:

"Brilliant! 🤩 I would've grabbed some corn too 🥰"

@PopUp gushed:

"Nice! I love those hot sweet potatoes, these ones are especially bright and orange, yummy."

@OsamaCodmYT wrote:

"Wow, bro, very impressive. I hope to improve my life and do the same as you."

@Karen joked:

"My husband would love this 😂😂😂"

@nicolem added:

"I love me an orange sweet potato. Lekker, hope you enjoyed."

@AbsintheDaisy praised:

"Love your Chinese! What an awesome life! ❤️❤️"

More South Africans living abroad

• Briefly News recently reported on a woman who returned to South Africa after two years in China and surprised her family.
• A South African woman living in Manchester opened up about the real cost of living abroad, sharing four major things she gave up that no one warned her about.
• A South African student in China brought energy into a Didi taxi by requesting Amapiano and singing along.

Source: Briefly News