French Kids Eat Everything

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Learn the subtleties around French food culture, and avoid cultural misunderstandings, thanks to Karen Le Billon’s great book “French Kids Eat Everything”.

This French lesson will teach you the main rules and insights of French point of view on food and meals. You’ll get a deeper, better experience of France. Even if you don’t have kids–or don’t plan on moving to France!

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=== More About Géraldine ===

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ABOUT GÉRALDINE

Hi! I’m Géraldine Lepère, the founder of Comme une Française (= “Like a French woman”) and your new French best friend. :)

Each Tuesday, I share a fun, fresh and bite-sized lesson on French language and French culture–from embarrassing mistakes to avoid to pop-cultural references to “get” !

For over five years now, with millions of views and students in over 56 countries, I’ve been helping people just like you gain the confidence to really talk in French. And better than the “textbook” French from high school!

[julzgulz]

Your videos are so spot on! I was an exchange student in Lyon 15 years ago, and had a French boyfriend for three years. Watching this video brought me back to my experience living with my host family and spending time with my boyfriend’s friends and family. Even today, in my US life I find myself wanting dinners to last longer and placing importance on food and good company. The French have a lot to teach us about how food can bring people closer and I’m forever grateful to my French loved ones for what they taught me. Another book that I recommended to anyone moving to France is called “Au Contrair “... it gives good insight into the manners and social norms that us foreigners should be aware of. Thankfully, I always found French people to be so welcoming as long as you show a genuine interest and attempt to speak the language.

[ButacuPpucatuB]

Several years ago I used to rush through meals. I did so because that’s the culture and expectation. I suffered because of my compliance to rush. My stomach had a hard time digesting and I was prone to bloating and gas. It made me miserable. And then I visited France and adjusted to the culture of eating and eating well. I had time to process the flavours and to enjoy each bite. As a result I was no longer sick, in pain, or feeling hungry again. I have learned so much. So, I now live as a French woman. I eat local fresh foods and I never rush through a meal. I follow my loved one’s example - truly live in the moment and enjoy the food. This is a great lesson for many of us. If you can’t understand why food is a social activity then, try and be present in the moment and truly enjoy the meal before you. Eventually, you will have an opportunity to enjoy food with family and friends and it will become a magical experience.

[celinecathz]

Very good review! I love this book too. I am also French but raising my 2 young daughters in the UK and everyday is a challenge keeping them from snacking every hour like all their friends do. When it comes to the author of the book, it is indeed very clear that she struggled with French unwritten rules especially about food, to the point that she didn't stay in France. She does almost say that it is impossible to make friends if you are not French. It is not easy, I agree, especially if, like the author herself, you don't speak French fluently, but as you very well say, it is the same in every country. I have some English friends myself but most of my friends are other French expats. Even if you speak the language, you don't share the culture and it is not easy to pick up for an adult. It takes time and patience to learn the unwritten rules, such as "don't give food to a child without asking her parents first".

[nnekaokonkwo]

There's another similar book called "Bringing Up Bebe". Can you review this book also?

[thierryf]

French people are more open to others good food countries (Italy, Spain, China, Japan, etc.... I actually forgot more), because we are often curious of new tastes, if the products are of good qualities.

[CheEinora]

Thank you a lot for this video review. First time i’ve read this book when eorking as a nanny for my nephew. Now i have two sons and try teaching them good manners. As my family in Lithuania was not wealthy it is much easier to adapt french rules I find surprisingly insightful than to find my own.

[life_lab_chronicles]

Bonjour Géraldine! Bonne année. J’ai lu ce livre également trois ou quatre fois au moins. Je trouve le sujet fascinant et j’adore entendre les réponses de les français natifs. Le livre m’a aidé à éduquer mes enfants et souvent les gens me demandent “Incroyable! Pourquoi tes enfants mangent tout? Et ils sont tellement sages et heureux à table.”
Merci pour le vidéo.

[peterk.]

The way I understand what "bien éduqué" means in French society is that it defines the social class you are in. It take this idea from a French guy, Pierre Bourdieu, so it is not a fantasy of someone from outside.

French people all belong to certain social classes and the way you are dressed, the way you walk, the way you eat and what you eat, and off course, how you talk and what you say, it all is a sign whether you belong or do not belong to a given class. If you know the movie La Haine, just think of the scene when the group of guys from suburbs enters the gallery with the art exhibition. Or think about the Untouchables, how much humor there is in fact about people breaking the implicit rules of what one should do if he is a member of a social class.

If you have children who do not "behave properly" at the table, it means that they will not be in the same social class as you aspire for. And that probably that you do not deserve being in that class either. You might be rich like us, but you are still not one of us. And what your kids are doing is just disgusting. You should use your gros yeux on them right now.

In fact, my experience with French education and people is that it is mainly about enforcing conformity on children, teaching them the proper rules and depriving them of any spontaneity or creativity. So that the position of their parents in a prominent social class does not get in a risk. It is parents who is important here, not the children.

No problem for me if you choose this for yourself and your family. You just cannot convince me it is the best thing in the world.

[katea]

My grandparents were French- American and I grew up in Louisiana. I am surprised to see so many similarities with the food culture there & in France. As a result, my children have grown up to be healthy, adventurous eaters with good table manners. How delightful to know that the children in France learn these things at school!

[JulieWallis]

My 7 year old grandchildren (twins, a boy and a girl) were enjoying mussels in a restaurant when the man on the next table asked me if they were French as he was not expecting English children to be quite so adventurous. It’s not just French children that eat everything, it’s children with good parents. *I do hate sweeping generalisations and stereotypes*

[thierryf]

Our francophone neighbours, in Belgium and Swizterland, have a close culture, but close don't mean identical. That's true, and that's the interest. The differences are our "richness". But, in Europe, i think we are used to meet people with different cultures. Even in France, there's differences in the cultural background from a region to an other.

[svetlanadrozdova]

Hello, have you thought about reviewing the book “Raising le Bebe”? Would be very interesting to hear your take on it. I’m moving to France soon :) Thank you.

[CBloom-jilg]

I might be too late for you to see this but I hope not. I've been reading "The Bonjour Effect" by Barlow & Nadeau, and I'd love to see a breakdown of what they get right and not so right; similar to this video. I've spoken with French friends about some of the things I've read in the book and there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus. For example the book says it's considered a little nosey/strange to talk about work or family matters avec une nouvelle connaissance as a way of getting to know one another. They say that if a French person is talking about personal things like this, they will expect you want to become proper good friends, and so if you broach these topics too quickly you'll be seen as a little pushy. But one of my French friends disagreed and said it was perfectly fine and not strange at all.

[neilballou]

To be honest, I'm having a hard time visualizing how that "never eat alone" thing works in practice. I'm a single guy who lives alone. Most days, I eat my dinner alone in my apartment. While it's nice to get together with friends for a meal now and then, there's simply no way it would be practical for us to get together for dinner every single day. But then, I also don't take a lunch break at work; I eat my lunch at my desk while I keep working so I can go home an hour earlier. My lifestyle would probably seem pretty unnatural to a French person.

[thierryf]

if food is not tasty, it's not "nourriture", it's "bouffe", "malbouffe"...

[svetlanadrozdova]

Yes to second that question: if you are single and live alone, and maybe your neighbors aren’t friendly.... what then?

[kevincrystalwallace]

French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Giuliano.
The “Madame Chic” books by Jennifer L. Scott.

[annavlckova]

Wish your channel was in french, would be so much better. Thank you anywayyyys <3

Could you please talk about the beauty more? The need for aesthetics? Ive noticed myself and its super fascinaing to me.

[polpolpol]

J’aime le livre de Caroline de Maigret (et sa copines, dont j’ai oubliée leur noms) “How to be Parisian Wherever You Are” c’est une livre adorable que expose les habitudes et la vie quotidienne des parisiennes et que donne-vous cette uniquement sens de être française et parisienne spécialement. Littéralement, juste comme une française :)

[natanyat]

I cannot imagine a daycare feeding children food from the floor. That would be reported to the government. I have a son in daycare and I worked in several daycares when I was younger. I find it hard to believe that this happened. I am shocked that the bread in France is placed directly on the table. Both are examples of poor hygiene practices.