Love, Culture & Keto: A Christ-Centered Marriage Across Continents (US & Hungary)

Love, Culture & Keto: A Christ-Centered Marriage Across Continents

When I first met my husband, I never imagined that a big, tall Hungarian man with a deep love for paprika and hearty stews would become my husband. As an American woman raised in the heartland with a fondness for casseroles and Southern hospitality, our paths seemed worlds apart. God, in His perfect timing and wisdom, brought us together, not just to fall in love, but to grow together in our faith.

We married in a very old church with stained-glass windows, old creaky church pews and were surrounded by close friends and family from both nations. As we said our vows in front of the pastor, our family and friends, I was reminded that marriage is not just a union between two people, but a reflection of Christ and His bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:25-27). That truth became the foundation of our relationship, especially as we began navigating our cultural differences.

One of the most surprisingly funny areas where our differences showed up was in the kitchen. My husband used to be a chef so he loves to cook. We have had some very interesting conversations when we are both cooking in the kitchen. Ha! After almost a decade together, I am still amazed at how different cultures can be when it comes to cooking. Our little girl is following in our footsteps on how she loves to cook too.

My husband grew up with Hungarian comfort food—gulyás (goulash), lángos (fried dough), and túrós csusza (cottage cheese pasta). I, on the other hand, was used to eating meatloaf and mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green bean casseroles, salads as well as Tex-Mex, Swedish, German, Greek and Italian food indulgences. Everything changed when we decided to go keto together. Suddenly, we were both out of our culinary comfort zones.

For my husband, "low-carb" was an affront to everything Hungarian. Bread is practically a love language in Hungary! With prayer, patience, and a few burnt almond flour experiments, we learned to blend our cultures. He now makes a keto-friendly version of chicken paprikas with cauliflower rice, and I’ve fallen in love with keto fried chicken (using egg and almond flour for the breading) with cauliflower mashed "potatoes." We also love our desserts. We can even eat brownies, cookies, and cheesecake.....all low-carb versions, of course. We have learned to swap out high-carb ingredients in recipes for low-carb ones. It's been a fun learning process for the entire family.

This journey reminded us of an important spiritual truth: God often uses our discomfort and differences to refine us. As Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Our shared commitment to glorifying God in our health and our marriage helped us grow in grace, forgiveness, and humor.

Marriage across cultures isn't always easy, but when Christ is the cornerstone, the cultural gaps become opportunities for growth, laughter, and love. We’re still learning—me with how to pronounce Hungarian words correctly, my husband with his American words and us both with how to keep our carbs down—but we’re doing it together, with the Lord as our guide.

If you’re in an intercultural relationship or marriage, know that it is a beautiful, sanctifying journey. Celebrate the differences, lean into grace, and don’t underestimate the power of prayer.

Blessings from our home to yours,

Heidi

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