The food habits of the Italians

Today I want to talk about the eating habits of Italians, the rules for cooking like a real Italian and the things we never do, both when we cook and when we eat.

Have a look at my course: Learn Italian through cuisine

As you know, the kitchen is for us Italians a crucial part of our life and our tradition.

Italians really like eating together: with family and friends. Moreover, when living with parents, it is considered a significant lack of respect not to have dinner together sitting around the table or not to warn in time if you plan to stay out to eat with friends (Italian mothers might get very angry!)

When you decide to eat outside the home, as is usually the case on Saturday nights with friends, in Italy there are several options to choose from:

• Il ristorante: offers typically good quality food and wine and is the place to eat, especially meat, fish, risotto and more or less elaborate dishes.
• La trattoria: a “made in Italy” concept, the trattoria is like a restaurant, sometimes family-run, offering a less sophisticated and more traditional type of cuisine. The trattoria is furnished in a less elegant and more homely way, cozy and even the prices are slightly lower than in the classic restaurant.
• La taverna: an even more familiar and informal place where it is possible to eat very well at reasonable prices.
• La pizzeria: the ideal place for an informal evening with friends to enjoy a delicious pizza accompanied by a good beer.

Il menu

The menu that you can find in any Italian restaurant or trattoria includes different courses.

Have a look at my course: Learn Italian through cuisine or invite me to your home Corso di cucina italiana (Around Stockholm area) and we’ll cook together delicious dishes.

Meals are divided into appetizers, first courses, main courses, side dishes, and desserts. There is a big difference between each of them.

The first is made only from pasta or risotto (for example spaghetti with sauce, lasagna, carbonara pasta, Milanese risotto, tortellini, ravioli, tagliatelle, etc.).

The second is low meat or fish dishes. You can choose to accompany them with a side dish, usually of vegetables. The side dishes are used only to accompany the main meal as a second, and, in fact, the quantity of the portion is entirely reduced.

Finally, you can have dessert. 🙂

Attention: fruit is not always included among desserts, sometimes it goes apart. The dessert can be a slice of cake, a portion of tiramisu, ice cream, etc. but never ever will you find yogurt as dessert!!
In fact, we Italians eat yogurt as a mid-morning snack or mid-afternoon snack or breakfast.

Although our cuisine is known throughout the world especially for pasta and pizza, our daily diet is based on a very varied diet, which also includes legumes, vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, etc.
Each region then has its typical dishes, and therefore the number of recipes is truly endless!

Have a look at my course: Learn Italian through cuisine and Corso di Cucina italiana