Eating Habits

Eating Habits

I think that food, eating, sometimes also cooking is an important part of our life and for many people it is also a pleasure. For me a good day begins with a good breakfast with many kinds of cheese, some salami or ham with slice of bread, roll or bun with meat paste and butter or jam.

Some people like to eat only healthy food it means they prefer  a glass of juice, a bowl of cereal (such as cornflakes) and fruit yoghurt. If staying at school  after the second lesson I need to have a small snack. I usually have a piece of an apple or  a banana and a sweet roll.

At  midday it is time for  lunch. It is the main meal of the day.  When I am at school I take  my lunch in  the school canteen but I prefer lunch prepared by my mother. As for soup I usually have some tomato or mushrooms  soup with potatoes or chicken soup with noodles.  

I prefer clear soup to thick. Then I have a main course such as chicken with rice, roast pork with sour cabbage and dumplings, beef with sauce and pasta but my favourite is Vienna steak with chips and vegetable salad or stewed fruit.  The soft drinks (beverages = nápoje) such as mineral water (still or sparkling= fizzy water), coke, lemonade, juice or just soda are served with it. Sometimes I have a dessert, e.g. biscuits, pudding, sundae, apple pie, vanilla  ice cream or whipped cream with strawberries.

The Slovak evening meal is supper. It can be some cold meat, salami, ham, cheese, scramble  eggs, bread or rolls and some vegetables. Other people like a hot meal, e.g. pancakes, potato pancakes, elephant ears with ketchup, pizza, goulash with bread and others. On some special occasions such as Christmas, traditional food is served. Fish soup or sauerkraut soup, fried carp and potato salad are commonly made for Christmas Eve.

As a dessert home made sweets and apple strudel are served. There is no traditional meal for Christmas Day, but many families prepare roast goose with stuffing, dumplings and cabbage, or smoked meat with mashed potatoes or Vienna steak (Wiener schnitzel) with potato salad. There is a superstition about New Year’s Day dinner. You should not have any poultry on that day; otherwise you will miss your good luck in the next year.

Fast food stands

In last time we can see around us fast food stands which offer for example: hamburgers, hot-dogs, chips, elephant ears, pancakes. They are very tasty but on the other hand very fatty and unhealthy. It contains a lot of cholesterol that causes diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and so on. We should be careful with three white killers: sugar, salt and flour !!!

Restaurants

On some occasions we even go out to restaurants. What happens there? In the restaurant a waiter welcomes us. At the place we are to sit down, we usually find a plate. On its right side there is a knife and a spoon, on the left side there is a fork. The silverware includes a teaspoon as well, which is placed above our plate. In the upper left corner should be a glass of water.

There should be napkins on the table. But it is on our selections. Then comes starter (appetizers) the soup and the main dish. At the end of the meal the waiter brings the bill. We pay and add a tip for good service.