AMERICAN MEAL SYSTEM

Generally speaking, American people have three big meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, if we add the between meal snacks, as most Americans do, we will see that they eat five or six times a day.
 
Breakfast.
Many American adults begin the day just with a toast, jelly and coffee, whereas children have cereals and milk. This kind of breakfast is inadequate for people who eat small and early lunches. Nutritionists say that the first meal of the day should be substantial because it will help us study and work much better.

 
 Coffee break.
The typical American, who works from nine to five, usually eats breakfast around 7:00 or 7:30, and by 10:30, he has ten or fifteen minutes off the job to have coffee and a doughnut or a sweet roll.

 

 Lunch.

A few American people can go home at lunchtime, which is from noon until one o'clock or from one until two. Most American school-kids and workers have lunch in the canteen of their schools, factories, offices... If there is not a canteen they have to go to a restaurant. Some people bring their lunch from home: a sandwich and a piece of fruit. A sandwich consists of two pieces of bread and something in between. This can be ham, cheese, peanut butter, sliced chicken or turkey, tuna salad, roast beef, lettuce, tomato... or anything you like.

In canteen or restaurant Americans may have hot sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pizza... served with salad and French fries. With lunch, children usually drink orange juice, milk or soda. Adults prefer coffee, tea, or perhaps beer.

 


Mid-afternoon snacks.
After school or work, a lot of people have a cake or some cookies and something to drink, which can be milk-shake, coffee or tea.

 


Dinner.
In the U.S.A., the important meal of the day is dinner. All over the world, eating is an important part of family life and social activity. In many homes dinner time, not only on weekends but also during the week, is the only opportunity for a family to be together and speak about their day's experiences. Dinner time is also an occasion for inviting friends or for celebrating any party. When the weather is fine, Americans prefer to have a B.B.Q. (barbecue) in their gardens. Dinner very often includes several courses: soup, salad, an entree (meat, poultry or fish, served with vegetable, potatoes or rice) and dessert, which is generally sweet (cake, pie, ice-cream...) Americans hardly ever have fruit or cheese for dessert.
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Late-evening snack.

As dinner is usually served early in the evening, in most houses, Americans often have milk, cookies or fruit before bedtime.

 






On weekends and holidays, the meal timetable changes completely. People get up too late for breakfast and too early for lunch. So they have brunch. This is served between 11:00 and 12:00. You must have a big brunch, as the next meal will be dinner. Brunch includes French fries, sausages, bacon, toast, pancakes or French toast with caramel syrup, accompanied by coffee.