A fun blog post before we begin discussing the guidelines. As some of you know, I am married to an Italian (yes, an Italian from Italy), and I have lived on-and-off in Italy. Although I had already begun incorporating some of the guidelines into my life prior to going to Italy for the first time, I learned a lot about food while I was living there and I lost some weight, too! We often think of Italians as people who eat A LOT of food. It’s true: in general, they eat more, but they eat better-quality food and, more importantly, they enjoy and appreciate their food.
When I was teaching Italian, I made a handout for my students, who were often asking me about the Italian diet. While this is very generalized, I thought I would share a similar version (since I cannot find the file) also with you:
What Italians Eat: A Typical Day
(Warning: Generalizations Abound!)
Breakfast
(upon waking or immediately upon leaving house)
Option 1: at home
Fette biscottate and jam OR Yogurt
Tea
Option 2: at the café
Cappuccino
Brioche/croissant
Lunch
(hopefully, at home, around 1pm)
Pasta w/fresh sauce or risotto
Salad
Wine and water
Fruit
Caffé (espresso) + 1 piece of chocolate
Snack
If needed, a gelato or a pre-dinner aperativo w/wine and crudités
Dinner
(around 8pm)
Option 1 – at home or at a restaurant
Fish or meat
Vegetables (salad, roasted veggies, etc.)
Wine and water
Fruit
Small dessert, if desired
Option 2 – restaurant
Pizza
Dessert (usually gelato!)
A holiday or special occasion would include A LOT more food. Imagine: two or three different kinds of pasta, followed by several kinds of meat, then vegetables, fruit, and two or three different desserts, all accompanied by appropriate wines and finished with a digestivo.
Mealtime is a time to enjoy friends and family, in addition to enjoying the highest quality of ingredients. Relaxing and appreciating your meal gives you an important break from even the busiest of days.
No comments:
Post a Comment