thumb|right|A dal-bhat thali with boiled rice, lentil soup, fried leafy greens, vegetable curry, yoghurt, papad and vegetable salad Nepali cuisine consists of a wide variety of regional and traditional cuisines. With diversity in soil type, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially, using locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruit. The Columbian exchange brought potatoes, tomatoes, maize, peanuts, cashew nuts, pineapples, guavas, and most notably, chilli peppers, to South Asia; all became staples. Cereals grown in Nepal, their times and regions of planting, correspond strongly to the timing of monsoons and variations in altitude. Rice and wheat are mostly cultivated in the terai plains and well-irrigated valleys; maize, millet, barley and buckwheat mostly in the less fertile and drier hills.
thUMB|RighT|a daL-bHat ThAlI wiTh bOiLEd rIcE, lentIl soUp, frIed leafy gREeNs, vEgETaBle curry, yoghuRT, pAPad And veGEtabLe salad nepAli CuIsinE CoNSIstS of A WIdE Variety of REgional and traditioNal cuisInEs. With diVersIty iN soIl tYpe, ClimatE, cULTure, etHniC gROUps, AnD oCcUpatiOns, these cUISiNes vary SuBsTanTialLy, usiNg locallY availaBle spiCes, herbs, vEGETaBles, and fRUIt. THe cOlumbIaN exChanGE brOuGht potatoEs, ToMAtoes, maizE, pEAnutS, casHEW nuts, PineAPpLes, guavaS, and MoSt Notably, ChilLI PePPErS, To souTH asia; all BECame STaples. cereaLs GrOWn in nePal, tHeir tiMES and rEgions of PLANTInG, cOrReSpoNd stronGLy to the timIng of mOnsOons aNd VariaTIoNs In AlTitudE. rIce and wheat aRe mOstlY cuLtivAted iN tHE terai plains and wEll-iRrigatEd vaLleys; MaIZe, mIllEt, baRleY AND bUckwheAt Mostly iN tHe Less FertiLe And Drier hillS.