France Food and Drink: Daily Meals
The French generally eat three meals a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—with little snacking in between, as the French believe a little hunger makes a meal more enjoyable.
Historically, the French have strongly preferred sit-down meals to the concept of takeaway. However, modern influences from the United States and elsewhere in Europe have introduced the concept of fast food, and it is now possible to find restaurants such as McDonald’s (MacDo) in most major cities.
Breakfast
A typical French breakfast consists of bread or croissants with butter and jam, cereal or orange juice, and a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. It is common for the older generations to drink their coffee from a bowl; younger people usually use mugs.
Lunch and Dinner
Lunches and dinners typically consist of multiple courses. Starters may include salads, soups, or terrine (similar to pâté). Main courses generally include a meat or fish dish with potatoes, pasta, or rice and vegetables. A cheese course may come next, followed by dessert. Bread is typically served with the meal. Produce is often local and very fresh.
While there is no set time for meals, restaurants usually do not serve lunch past 1:15pm or so. Dinner is usually eaten at home between 7:30 and 8:45pm, and many restaurants do not begin dinner service until 8pm.
Drinks
The French are enthusiasts of both coffee and wine. At breakfast, café au lait and lattes are common beverages. During the rest of the day, a strong black espresso is more common. The French have a proud and ancient winemaking tradition, and will drink wine with lunch as well as dinner; however, they rarely imbibe heavily during meals.
Desserts
Desserts are common, and the French pastry tradition is known throughout the world. Fruit tarts, such as tarte aux pommes (apple tart) and tarte tatin (caramelized apple tart), are popular, as are custard desserts such as crème caramel and crème brûlée.
Article written for World Trade Press by Linda Williams.
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