The eating habits of the French + vocabulary

Of course, this is the subject we will be talking about at Ohlala French Coffee, so if you want to talk and share your eating habits and those of your country, you can join us in this conversation group in French.

The eating habits of the French :

Eating = pleasure

If you've ever been to France or if you've been there, you've probably noticed that we have a very particular philosophy regarding the action of eating.

The French don't eat to feed themselves, but to please themselves. We like to eat well, we like to have flavors, aromas and taste. Food in France is an art. It is a pleasure to eat, but it is also a pleasure to eat with others.

Eating in France is something very social that brings people together. When you organize meals in France with family and/or friends, it can last for hours. We take our time, we eat, we talk, we laugh, we enjoy this time together to eat.

No (or little) snacking!

Snacking is eating outside of meals. In France, most of us are quite disciplined.

We have fixed meal times between 7 and 10 am for breakfast, between 12 and 2 pm for lunch and between 7 and 8 pm (sometimes 9 pm in the summer) for dinner.

Then, it happens, around 4 pm that we eat a snack or a snack, often a fruit or a cereal bar to last until dinner.

Breakfast is the most important meal

We often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the French have understood this.

We are careful not to start the day on an empty stomach.

So, no, we do not eat croissants and pain au chocolat every morning, from time to time, but not every day.

Most French people like to eat toast in the morning with butter, jam or spread. They drink tea or coffee and also orange juice.

The doggy bag is not very trendy in France

It's pretty sad, but it's true. The doggy bag has had a hard time making a place for itself in France.

First, because in France the portions are smaller than in some countries, so it's rarer not to finish your plate.

And, it's a bit badly seen not to finish your plate in a restaurant. The chef can be offended. So, we do it, of course, we won't force ourselves to eat if we are not hungry anymore. But, we learn from very small to finish our plate, it is important.

Don't worry though, if you are in a French restaurant, and you can't manage to finish your plate, don't force yourself. Moreover, you are perfectly within your rights to ask for a doggy bag. All French restaurants are obliged to offer this service.

Eating organic and local

If French food is so good, it is mainly because we are very careful about the food we use.

Most French people try to eat organic and local food. It's more expensive indeed, but French people prefer to pay a little more in order to have better quality and "made in France" products.

Well, we are not perfect either, we sometimes eat processed or already prepared products. But, we can see in supermarkets, for example, shelves with "organic products" and "local products".

Terroir being what belongs to the region. The French like to buy products from their region.

More water than wine!

Are you surprised?

Yes, we sometimes drink water and mostly during meals.

The French are still the biggest wine consumers in the world, so yes, they drink a lot of wine. But, it is still in reasonable quantities, let's say a glass or two during dinner.

Of course, if it's a family meal or a meal with friends, the consumption of alcohol will be higher.

A fruit rather than a pastry

There are some excellent French pastries, but it's the same: you don't eat them at every meal.

Usually, as a dessert, the French will eat a yogurt or a fruit rather than a pastry. These are reserved for special occasions.

Some bad habits

Yes, the French, like everyone else, have some bad eating habits due, in particular, to the reality of everyday life and the society in which we live.

Even if yes, the French take the time to eat, this time given to the meal decreases every year.

. We then let ourselves be tempted by already prepared products which are often bad for our health.

In their eating habits, the French consume too much fat, sugar, salt, soda and alcohol.

And they do not eat enough starchy foods, fruit, vegetables, pulses and water.

Vocabulary of eating habits :

• The food
• A flavor
• An aroma
• A fixed time
• A snack
• A snack
• Having an empty stomach

• A portion
• Eating organic
• Eating Local
• A prepared dish
• Sweet
• Salty
• A local product

Now it's your turn to tell me what are the eating habits in your country, write it down in comment!

See you soon for new adventures, in French of course! 🇫🇷