Ha! I’ve been waiting for this post! I’m not a foodie, but I am a big fan of trying new things and eating good food. I learned it from my dad. He was an adventurous eater and traveler, and he taught me that you need to try everything at least once before you decide which way to go. Personally, I’m more of a try-ALMOST-everything-at-least-once kind of girl, and that’s what I pass on to my kids.
With my three children I have a little bit of everything. One is VERY adventurous when it comes to food. He’ll try it and he has sophisticated taste buds for his age LOL. The other is a balance of “yeah, I’ll try” to “No way”. Finally, I have a “NOPE” kid. He likes sushi and sashimi, but that’s about it in terms of different cuisine for this standard American/Brazilian toddler.
My husband is also an adventurous eater. Having lived in France before, he was very excited to eat some of his favorite French dishes, and to share them with our kids.
So, here are the top 3 things I’ve learned about the French and their food/eating habits:
I. KNOW YOUR FOOD SOURCE
The French are notorious for their cuisine, normally seen as fancy and upscale, and have a complex relationship with the cultivation, preparation, and consumption of what they eat. Especially when compared to American and Brazilian societies, their value of fresh produce, relaxing meals, and balanced diet is truly refreshing.
Shopping for food is generally done at bigger neighborhood supermarkets, or/and at a local marché.
In Epinal we have a marché couvert (covered market) that opens on specific days of the week. Plus, every Wednesday and Saturday the outside area around this market is closed off to traffic and small farmers and vendors can set up to sell their produce. You’ll find fruits and veggies, imported and national, an obviously huge selection of cheese, cold meats, eggs, different cuts of meat from different animals (think rabbit, quail, deer, pork, beef, duck, snail and more), spices, nuts, dairy products and so on. It is varied, prices are slightly higher than in a supermarket, but you get to talk to the vendors, choose your product, and support local farmers.
Personally, I’m normally driven by lower prices, but there is something magical about grabbing your eco-friendly shopping bag and walking over to the main square in an old town and choosing your food. I’ve people watched and I find it amazing to see how different generations approach the vendors, how they pick their produce (and the different facial expressions they make), and how people know each other in this small community. Even I already have my favorite vendors, and they know what I’m going for when I approach them.
II. VALUE YOUR FOOD
The French enjoy shopping for fresh food, especially when it comes from local or regional farmers. I’ve noticed how they value local and regional products over those from distant regions or even other countries. They are proud consumers of nationally grown produce flaunting labels of “Produit en France” or the French flag.
When purchasing, they first go for local and regional, and then move on to goods brought in from other regions in France. This is, of course, something I have noticed (and heard from vendors) at the covered market which, in and of itself, represents a unique group of consumers. However, when shopping at bigger venues I’ve noticed a greater number of products carrying the label “Produced in France” or “raised in France”, so I guess this is really a widespread trend.
I have also noticed an increase in Produits Bio or organic products. The word Bio seems to be in everything, and labels carry information on what their products have or, quite often, do NOT have.
III. EXPERIENCE YOUR FOOD
The French don’t merely eat for survival. They fully enjoy their food and sharing that moment with others. Eating is as much a social experience as it is a physiological necessity.
For starters, you generally get two hour lunch breaks every day, which are treated as sacred and highly anticipated. It is your moment to decompress and, technically, it is when you walk home, pick up something fresh from the market, and prepare a healthy homemade meal.
French eating habits have changed very little throughout the years. They still value (and enforce) complete meals enjoyed together, and they tend to snack very little throughout the day. I learned this the hard way, as I was chastised by a French teacher for sending my kid to school with snacks. She argued that children NEED to feel hungry in order to fully enjoy the next proper meal (in this case, lunch). You know what? She was right.
My children, used to American thirty minute lunch breaks made of quick snacks, and used to snacking throughout the day, weren’t happy with the French school’s impositions on food. However, I soon noticed that they were eating a lot more at meal time, went longer periods without being “hangry”, and enjoyed sitting at the table and experimenting new dishes. Honestly, all that makes for a happy mamma.
As for adults…if you plan on going out to eat you will need those full two hours (or more!). Unlike lunch breaks in the US, it is very hard to get in and out of a French restaurant under two hours. As for Brazil, we take our time when we go out for lunch, but we’re closer to American practicality than the French way.
Fun fact: even fast food restaurants (normally American chains) take longer and consumers tend to linger. At Epinal’s “Mac Doh” (as the French like to call the famous burger place), families trickle in for lunch and stay, especially on the weekends. You notice how people are chatting, meeting others, and patiently enjoying their meal while children play in the indoor playground. The place gets packed, and nobody seems in a rush. Not even America’s top fast food chain is immune to French habits (they also offer hamburgers bio, mango slices, cherry tomatoes, and their cups and lids are all made of recyclable material-no plastic).
Hope you enjoyed this quick glimpse at how the French treat their food…and don’t forget to check back for a look at the strange things they eat.
