DO YOU KNOW THESE FRENCH EATING HABITS? | Life in France

You don’t have to go to France to know that the French take mealtime seriously. From seeking out quality ingredients to cooking from scratch to long, leisurely Sunday lunches, mealtime is no joke in France. One aspect of French culture that I’ve adapted to and admire is the fact that the French make it a priority to sit down and enjoy their meal. Let me tell you why I’ve embraced French eating habits, especially this one.

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Salut! I'm Diane, the American behind the living abroad lifestyle blog Oui In France. My channel's focus is "Everyday French life and beyond," so let me know what you want to see! I make videos on French culture topics, food, travel, language, and give you my thoughts about what it's like as a foreigner in the Loire Valley. Thanks for being here and if you enjoy this sort of thing, please share with friends and subscribe!

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[OuiInFrance]

Bonjour, tout le monde! What's your favorite French mealtime habit? I'd love to hear if you've found French eating habits relatable, something to strive for, unusual, a bit rigid, or maybe a mix of all of the above. ;-) Thanks so much for watching!!

[conbertbenneck]

During WWII just after the Invasion of Normandy, I was stationed between Carentan and Isigny. We had French civilian volunteers helping us pile up our Signal Corps supplies; telephone poles; cross arms; insulators and miles and miles of telephone wire. One of these volunteers invited me - a Pfc, to Sunday family dinner in Carentan. When I arrived, the whole extended family was gathered around a very large table. First came a glass of champagne. Then after several refills, we sat down and had Hors deouvres; then a salad, soup, the main course, a plateau des Fromages with another baguette, dessert, coffee with cognac. All during the dinner one excellent bottle of wine after another crossed the table.
Around 5 PM lunch ended. I went out on the main street trying to hitch a ride back to where our Company was located, but instead got picked up by the MPs, and was driven back and handed over to the Commanding Office. I lost my Pfc stripe. It was a very small price to pay for such a marvelous convivial luncheon.

[DebbieAllred]

As a high schooler, I went to France one summer for six weeks. I stayed with a family in Le Havre during part of the time. The father came home from work for lunch each day, and the family enjoyed long lunches together. I learned to slow down my eating during those extended meals. To this day, usually I am the last person at the table to finish my plate.

[Metalik]

You forgot the most important point: we speak about food all day long! 😁
Even when we eat, we talk about other meals we ate recently or will eat soon.
I've never seen this elsewhere.

[gregjohnson]

Bonjour. I am an American that has lived overseas for over thirty years and live in Brazil. In Brazil like in France we do not eat dinner, because we DINE. The one thing that drives me crazy when I go the states is when the server grabs my apparently empty plate and says “let me get that out of your way”. I have actually almost screamed “It is NOT in my way”. Another thing is that in Brazil a server will almost never take the gentleman’s plate away if the woman is still eating. This makes it look like the guy at too fast or the woman is eating too much. Merci bonne fêtes

[ΣαπφωΘωιδου]

Bonjour Diane! I am Greek, and we the Greeks have the same eating habits, enjoying meals with family especially lunch time! Merci! 🇫🇷😍❤️

[geoffwalker]

As a retired baker I love your videos. I also love France and the French. When I started a family tree I found I have a French gene somewhere in me.

[BobWaters]

Very nice article. After a year in Paris, I learned how to cook and eat. Nobody does either better than the French. Thirty years after my time in France, when, what and how long I enjoy my meals has not changed. As you say; they really have gotten this right.

[rickwalker]

Spent a week in Paris, 5 yrs ago. I still remember that week, 5 yrs later, still living “the lifestyle “ of Europe. Home cooking, crystal and silver (plate) ware. Wine, often and meals lasting as long as needed. My husband lives living this way too. Although we’ve only been married 3 months.

[josephasz]

Thanks Diane, enjoy your vacation! So true your observations. The first time my wife and I dined out in France, we wondered why the server did not collect our plates when done. Oh, we realized. Sit back and relax, digest. After a while we were offered dessert etc. 90 minutes for dinner! We loved it.

[benjaminlamey]

as a french living abroad, I would tend to say that french eating habit is about taking a break to enjoy the food. I am much more productive after a break, and a meal on the corner of my desk is not a break. do what you are doing right, this applies also to lunch breaks

[axeljacobs]

I am an American who has visited France several times over my lifetime, and did notice that French food and cooking is by far much better/higher quality than American food in general. Americans suffer from obesity and diabetes much more than in France due to low quality food eaten. In France everything seems to be the freshest most natural ingredients. Every single meal I‘ve had in France was absolutely delicious, as the French really value high quality food, and
Making it delicious!❤️

[fuzzylon]

This is one of the things that appealed to me about France - enjoying food and mealtimes - along with working to live rather than living to work

[debbiejohnson]

I live what you said about mealtimes. We in America do rush through meals and that is sad. We are supposed to relax and unwind during meals and appreciate our families and friends. What a perfect time to do it.

[conbertbenneck]

Bon jour Diane: Another point you can make is that French Restaurant meals do not consist of huge mounds of food, as in America - many times you get enough for two good meals. Why? to justify the price of the meal...? In a French restaurant, your table is yours for the evening, the restaurant is not trying to serve three complete meals between 5 PM and 9 PM as do American restaurants. The chef that prepares your meal needs time to cook it properly. That means waiting patiently for the next course to arrive. When everything on your plate is fresh, and a pointe wasn't it worth the waiting time to eat something that was excellently prepared? The French appreciate the effort and the expertise that went into preparing the meal. At one of our Le Vesinet local restaurants, the Chef would put on clean whites, while everyone was enjoying his desserts and an espresso and then serve everyone at each table a small gout de Eau de Vie as a Thank-You. It is civilize and with a very personal touch of sa voi faire Ciao

[joycestenson]

I love eating slowly at meals, especially with friends.

[phronsiekeys]

What I find very interesting about this is that my grandparents who were born in the late 19th C and lived in a small town in a rural area (United States) followed similar patterns. My grandfather closed up shop and went home to the main meal at midday and then had a rest before returning for the afternoon and early evening to work. No fast food, all food cooked at home (as strict old fashioned Protestants they did not, however, drink alcohol). Fruit for dessert most days. Fresh local foods, because there weren't other kinds, mostly, and everyone had a vegetable garden and a few fruit trees (and nut trees often, too).

[valeriewyndham]

Thanks for this nice video and I agree with you. As a french living in the US, I really appreciate the meals in France. I sadly have to say that my family diner are not as nice. My kids and my husband gulp their food fast like it's a race, it's not relaxing or enjoyable. I am always the last one sitting at the table. I've been reminding them to sit down and to take their time for many years, it's hopeless! They don't even appreciate a full meal with aperitif, starter, main course, cheese plate, green lettuce and dessert or fruit or yogurt. Big culture difference. Enjoy your French meals Diane et bon appetit 🍽

[dominickb]

My wife and I are American with Italian ancestry and we always take meals seriously and have done so all our lives. Our children, having been raised that way, sadly do not unless they come for dinner at our home, then they insist on it. White table cloth and napkins, good china and glassware and always in the formal dining room. That is the way we enjoy meals but it isn't for everyone nor should it be, for us it's a pleasure not a chor.

[texasboy]

I just love those laid back dinners in a small bistro off the beaten path in Paris!