What are the three French meals of the day?
In France,it's customary to eat at three specific times of the day. That said, we live with our time, and sometimes we only do two. It's also possible to eat outside these dedicated times, and that's one of the great interests of bakeries. You can buy anything you like: croissants, pain-au-chocolat etc... And there are other sweet specialties, a list of which can be found here. In general, snacking during the daye is not very French. We prefer to have moments dedicated to eating. One of the specific features of French meals is that we eat them together. In a family, everyone is there, and we don't each eat at the time we want. It's a time for discussion too. A funny thing is that, often, when they eat, the French talk ... Food. Listen to them at a restaurant, and they'll inevitably talk about a dish that reminds them of the one they're eating, or a restaurant they've tried, or a culinary memory. Finally, take your time and be at what you do.
The aperitif is now mostly done in the vin / photo by Yulia Grigoryeva/Shutterstock.com
Breakfast, which is called "le petit-déjeuner"
Breakfast is taken in the morning, we "dé jeune" in other words we break the fast of the night. On a daily basis it's more likely to be a hot drink for example hot chocolate milk, coffee or tea. It's accompanied by buttered toast (butter with salt in the West, especially n Brittany) or on which jam is put. The baguette is therefore indispensable even if we also see French people breakfasting with sandwich bread or cereals.In hotels you'll obviously be offered the continental breakfast found everywhere, but you'll always have viennoiseries in addition (pain au chocolat, croissant etc...). The queen of French breakfasts is coffee, but fruit juices are increasingly available on French tables in the morning.
The baguette remains a staple of French breakfast. photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: foto-pixel.web.de via depositphotos
Croissants and other delicacies are best enjoyed at weekends, when there's time. Already, it's made with a lot of butter, so it's high in calories, and then it's a way to have a good time when you wake up. It's even a show of affection to go to the bakery for croissants for the person you love or for the family. In general, we count on 1 or 2 croissants per person, which we sometimes cut in half to add jam. Try it, it's delicious!
What time is breakfast in France ?
Between 7H and 10H. Evidently earlier on weekdays, for work. Among French people who work very early, for example around 6am, we find a moment to eat a little mid-morning. Often savoury;
Lunch is called "Le déjeuner"
Summer lunch on a terrace or in a garden is an infinitely French pleasure / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos
If there's one meal we don't like to skip, it's lunch. Of course, we can also eat a sandwich (a "casse-croûte"), notably the famous jambon-beurre (a baguette cut in half, spread with butter, with a slice of ham tucked inside, sometimes a few gherkins or sliced emmenthal), but we prefer to sit down at the table. In fact, France is one of the countries in the world that spends the most time at the table. We start with salty and end with sweetand when we have time the meal breaks down like this:
- The starter: often a salad, a bit of pâté, a simple but always savory little dish.
- The main course: this is the most important part of the meal, traditionally a meat or fish, with vegetables arranged alongside.
- The dessert:the sweet part, for example a tart, but it can also be a fruit.
- The cheese: we have plenty of choice in France. For everyday life, we often have one or two cheeses to choose from, but when we have time we like to choose from a cheese platter (3, 5 or 7 different cheeses).
- On weekends: or when we have the time, we like to add the aperitif, before we start lunch, with a glass of wine (or dedicated alcohol) and some snacks (chips, peanuts).
We very often end lunch with a small coffee. It's a kind of "airlock" to get out of this moment dedicated to eating, we talk about lighter things, it gives the signal that the meal is about to end. This meal is sometimes a real work moment. We talk business with colleagues or business with customers. In fact, it's a mark of consideration to be invited to lunch or dinner by a partner. You remain professional, but by proposing to eat together, you offer a little of your more personal side.
What time is lunch in France ?
Between 12H and 14H00. We usually take an hour for lunch. Obviously, when we're in a hurry it's less;
The dinner is called "Le dîner"
The evening meal is often a time dedicated to the family / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : halfpoint via depositphotos
Same principle as for lunch, but we often do it lighter. More and more it's a single course with a dessert, but there are still many French people who do starter+main course+cheese+dessert, but the quantities are lighter. It's the family meal par excellence since everyone's at home. So we get together as a family, with the kids when there are any, and chat. On weekends, or when you're entertaining at home, it's more the other way around. The meal is longer than lunch.it is accompanied by wines chosen by the person who invites you (even if you bring wine as a gift, it's not customary to serve you your wine at the table, it's your host who chooses the wines). You can even end the meal with a digestif, in other words, a stronger alcohol, which is supposed to aid digestion.
.A table set à la Française for entertaining one evening at home / Photo selected by monsieurdefrance.com: Jérôme Prod'homme (c)
What time is dinner in France ?
Between 19 and 21H00;
What about wine in French meals?
Wine is sacred! Choose well and don't be stingy! Image by Kerstin Riemer de Pixabay
Contrary to popular belief, we don't drink wine with every meal. Already, it wouldn't be good for your health, but on top of that, you shouldn't exceed the authorized threshold for driving, for example. Wine, in a meal, is more and more often consumed in meals where you have time and after which you know you can get home easily, either someone is transporting you, or you're taking public transport or a cab. In any case,when drinking wine, it's customary to choose your wine according to the dish. For example rather red wine for meats, and rather white wine for fish. When we choose to make a place for champagne, it is ideal as an aperitif and/or at the end of the meal;
What is an aperitif in France?
L'apéro is ready/ photo by JP WALLET/Shutterstock.com
To find out all about the aperitif, "l'apéro" as we say in France, it's here. Il can consist of a glass on its own, but it's more customary to accompany it with something to nibble on: salted peanuts, chips, sausages, olives, tapenade.... Everyone chooses and picks. You can even turn it into a meal in itself, a bit like the Spanish do with tapas, by offering several products to eat, sometimes charcuterie, with bread, baguette sliced into pieces for example.
No age for aperitifs! photo Alessandro Pintus shutterstock.com
What's aperitif time in France?
Noon from 11am, evening from 6pm, but we often say "it's got to be 6pm somewhere in the world" when we want to bring the time forward. The aperitif can be very long, especially in the evening or at weekends;
What are the restaurant opening hours in France?
Traditional restaurants are open at mealtimes, so more like 12:00 - 15:00 and 19:00 - 21:00. They may be open later in the evening, especially in tourist areas, but outside really touristy places, they're closed in the morning and afternoon. In general, you present yourself at the entrance and you are told how many people wish to sit at the table. You are then directed to the table chosen by the restaurateur. If the restaurant is full we tell you, and we can, sometimes, give you an idea of when you might be able to get a seat. It doesn't have to be a precise time, as there are no service hours for customers: they can stay at the table as long as they like if they haven't finished their meal;
How is coffee consumed in French cafés?
There's nothing like a cup of coffee in a cool French café in the morning/ Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: OzerchukHannaBO via depositphotos
It often comes as a surprise to tourists, especially Americans, butin France you drink your coffee seated, especially in a café, where you'll be served it at the table or counter (so standing up).In the morning you may be offered a breakfast withc, including a croissant. Takeaway coffees tend to be offered by foreign firms, and although this is becoming more common, it's still a bit strange for many French people.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health / Drink in moderation / For your health, get moving, eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day.
