There's something about fast food that is super comforting when you have had a rough week or are just in need of a little pick me up.

Recently, I've been stress eating a lot as a result of stress in my workplace, and I found myself driving to Taco Bell almost every time, like it was instinct. When you're Indian, and majority of us are vegetarians and don't eat beef, it can be difficult to drop into just any fast food spot and find a comforting but also filling meal. Thus, Taco Bell has become a favorite amongst our community.

Yes, we hear the phrase, "You're a vegetarian, what do you even eat at Taco Bell?" all the time. Yes, we are completely aware that almost everything on their menu has beef in it!

This love between Indians and Taco Bell brewed many many years ago when our parents immigrated to the U.S. Most of them did not come from super wealthy backgrounds and they came to the U.S with $20 or less to build a life and a future here. They worked minimum wage jobs or worked super hard to get the same positions they were working at in India. Also, if you're not familiar with Indians especially our parent's generation of Indians, then you probably don't know that they love saving and can be super analytical about where and on what they spend an extra dollar or two. So, you can imagine their excitement when they found out they could go down the street and feed the whole family for under $10!

Not only were there options that already came with beans (vegetarian), but everything on the menu could be made vegetarian and this was like heaven on earth for the Indian population. You could get anything you wanted on the menu without being worried about accidentally eating some meat or without being unsatisfied and finding yourself hungry in a few hours. Taco Bell was affordable, fit our diet, and was not bland. We could cater to our need for spiciness at any level with the Mild, Hot, and Fire sauces.

Going to Taco Bell meant we had choices and we felt acknowledged. Sure, we could have gone to any other fast food place, but we would've ended up eating some bread, lettuce, and tomatoes, or always had to resort to pizza, which isn't a terrible idea. But, Taco Bell gave us something much more than having to settle for a mediocre fast meal.

Taco Bell became sort of like a family bonding session when we were younger. My parents would round up the whole crew, including themselves, my brother and I, and my grandparents. The order was normally quite the same: 4 seven layer burrito's, 1 bean burrito, and 1 Mexican pizza sub beans. This meal was super comforting for all of us. The parents and grand parents loved it because they always related it to Indian food. Now, how in the world is Taco Bell anything like Indian food you ask? Well, take their go to order: a 7 layer burrito. Its got tortilla, which is similar to our roti, its got some rice, some beans which are kind of like our lentils, some vegetables like our Shaak, and some dairy! It's basically like a twist on an Indian meal!

Oh, and you can't forget the sauce packets; that sauce just pulls the whole meal together. We love our Taco Bell sauce! It's not surprising to find a huge stash hidden in our kitchen pantry.

I think from our whole Taco Bell crazing generation, I can extend a huge thanks to all our parents for trying this delicious fast food restaurant. Our lives here would not be the same without late night Taco Bell runs; I truly do not know what else I would turn to in my times of stress to comfort me. And, thank you Taco Bell, for opening a fast food craze and finding your way into our hearts!

Yo quiero Taco Bell!