What Our Eating Habits Say to the World

The scuffling of feet, the screeching of chairs as they are quickly pulled backwards, the incessant battle between parents and children over eating their vegetables. Even though every family in the U.S. has different meal customs, this scene more or less sums it up. Many parents will not force their children to eat everything with a fork and knife, unlike French parents who teach their children to eat even hamburgers and pizza with utensils. American children will not be reprehended every time an elbow finds its way to the tabletop, nor are children taught to eat everything from the table with perfectly straight posture as food is mechanically brought to their mouths. In some American families, this ritual of eating is done out at restaurants more often than at home, while some families eat in front of the television, and others still may separate into individual spaces throughout the house to eat in isolation while doing homework, work, or watching TV.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, meal time maintains a constant schedule, usually consumed at home, and without any noise in the background. Children are expected to eat with as much etiquette as the adults: no elbows on the table, no bowing of the head to meet the silverware, and no leaving the table early without politely asking first. The meal is more elaborate than what one might see being served in the U.S. on a normal day. Outside of celebrations or special guests, the French will always serve a meal consisting of no less than four to five courses. Needless to say, the French dedicate more of their time to meals than Americans.

When it comes to eating, there’s more to it than meets the mouth. To understand how a culture dines, one must first understand core cultural values and how people in the country prioritize them. In the U.S., we prioritize productivity and busy schedules. This does not allow a lot of time for families to sit down together and enjoy long meals. In France, socializing and family time are among the most important values, therefore meal times become more about talking, sharing, and spending time with one another, rather than eating. These differences in values determine why we eat, with whom, in which manner, where, and at what time.

The biggest differences between how Americans and the French eat lie in what is eaten and in the portion size. The celebrity of French cuisine is known throughout the world for its elegance, taste, and richness. The French eat more fresh produce during every meal than the average American. Snacks generally consist of fresh fruits, but also hot chocolate, pate, bread or brioche with Nutella, or a yogurt. Americans may opt for dried fruit, a candy bar, bag of chips, pack of crackers, small cheeseburger from the nearest drive-through, and sometimes fresh fruit. So how do the French stay so thin, if they too indulge in unhealthy food? Simple: they control their portions and generally eat healthy throughout the rest of the day. Times are changing in France, as well as eating habits, but even now the French avoid bored‘‘ snacking. They eat three meals a day, and one snack, nothing in between.

Since the French culture is focused around family, friends, and socializing, meal times are meant to meet as many of these values as possible. That is why each meal is set up in a formal way. Every plate and piece of silverware has an exact spot, everyone must be dressed properly, straight backs, no elbows on the table, no hats, no jackets, no scarves, no bowing of the head to eat, and fork and knife must simultaneously be used while eating. Proper signals must be displayed during intervals of the meal. Silverware must be correctly placed to indicate to the rest of the company whether you are finished, still hungry, or taking a pause while talking. Meals are eaten at home as much as possible, at regular designated times, especially if you have children. There are exceptions, such as in Paris, where inhabitants eat out as much as possible, and eat dinner as late as possible; ‘‘С’est plus chic.‘‘

One characteristic of the U.S. is that the country is diverse in every way: eating habits included. I have known people who only eat at home, while some only eat out. Some of my friends are very healthy, whereas some eat fast food at least once a day, with unhealthy packaged snacks in between meals. There are families who always eat together and make meals a time for sharing, while other families never eat together due to conflicting schedules. Part of this is due to the higher percentage of both parents in U.S. households who have full-time jobs. In France, there is still a large amount of women who choose to be stay-at-home moms, allowing them time to prepare intricate, wholesome meals.

According to many Europeans, Americans are strict, productive, busy, and do not know when, or how to relax. However, Americans are laid-back when it comes to table manners as well as appointed eating times and places. Depending on everyone’s schedule, the meal may be anytime from 6 PM to 8 PM. The repose may be very quick, such as when eating from a drive-through. Eating in the car is even acceptable when in a hurry, and if you are cold, there is no punishment for keeping any outside garments on during the meal, except dirty gloves. I have rarely seen American families teach their children the importance of table etiquette; Just a fork is as efficient as a fork and a knife. If soup is on the menu, why waste time eating by spoonfuls? Picking up the bowl and sipping away seems practical enough.

Americans like to eat with others, such as close family members or friends, sometimes even acquaintances, but they also do not mind eating alone. Americans are gifted at multitasking and can just as easily eat while watching television, reading, doing homework, or even on the way to another location. In France, this is not the case. The French do not like to be alone, especially during such a sacred activity as eating. They will eat with colleagues, or their boss when obligated, but if they have a choice, meals must be consumed with family or close friends. This is non-negotiable. The French detest the idea of eating while walking, driving, watching television, or any other activity, with the exception of talking.

Every now and then, a young worker in Paris may be seen inhaling a quick sandwich on the way back to work, but even that is not common due to the fact that most employees in France are given 1–2 hours a day for lunch. Those seen eating on the Metro or while walking on the street are probably not French. The French must eat with other people because they are raised to associate any food consumption with socializing; They honestly do not see any other way to eat. Americans would ideally like to take two hour long lunch breaks while participating in vivid discussions with loved ones, but the objective is to eat in order to sustain enough energy to keep working.

The typical four to seven course French meal is not a myth. One does not need to go out to an expensive sit-down restaurant in order to experience such a meal – just make friends with any average French family and accept a meal invitation. The courses consist of an aperitive, which may be light sweets and tea before lunch, or an alcoholic beverage, usually wine, with light snacks such as nuts, before dinner. Next is the entrée, usually in the form of vegetable soup, or salad. Following the entrée is the main dish, which will consist of meat, usually chicken, fish or beef, accompanied with pasta, rice or potatoes. On the side of any good French citizen, there will also be a fresh slice of baguette and butter, of course. Immediately following the main dish is the cheese. French families keep a ‘‘cheese plate‘‘ in the refrigerator at all times, which is passed around the table with, yes – more bread – as every member of the table chooses a slice from at least four different types of cheeses. The dessert is rather light, consisting of yogurt or fresh fruit, except on special occasions when tarts may be eaten. After the dessert, the French like to enjoy a coffee, either decaffeinated or normal depending on the age group, and the time of day. On special occasions, such as formal parties, a digestive follows the coffee. This is usually in the form of a shot, or cocktail consisting of rum, whisky, cognac, or vodka. After all is consumed and cleared away, the meal will have lasted anywhere from an hour minimum, to six hours. Do not try to fit a meal with a French person into a busy schedule, because it will never work out.

Americans may take their time over a coffee, tea, or cocktail with friends at the end of a busy week, but meals generally do not exceed forty-five minutes, even on a special occasion. Trained to measure self-value on productivity, Americans put little time aside each day for eating. Being more laconic than the French, Americans do not need to spend such a large amount of time conversing. The attitude is to state the facts, mull over each piece of information briefly, make a comment and move on. The French tend to avoid facts, broad subjects, and any discussion involving money, politics, religion, and the comparison of any culture to French culture. Instead they talk about the weather, ask about one another’s family or friends, superficially ask how each one’s health is faring, and so on. These are the types of topics discussed over a typical French meal, and trust me, after six hours of talking about the weather, the tedium starts to set in.

The manner in which both the French and Americans eat has not gone unnoticed by the other country. The French base a lot of their negative judgments of Americans on their eating habits. Americans are viewed by the French as uncouth, uncivilized, barbaric, uncultured, and unhealthy due to the lack of ceremony dedicated to eating. The French are particular about what they eat, and rightly have the impression that Americans could not care less what is being put in their bodies, as long as it is fast and tastes good. Many of the stereotypes surrounding France are related to how they eat. Since they are fastidious concerning their meals, Americans have labeled them as pretentious, idle, and unproductive. However, unlike the French, the Americans have a few compliments as well. The way the French dine is seen as elegant, healthy, cultured, and artistic to Americans. Despite any validity behind each assumption, the way we eat can say much more about us than we like to admit.

Doing the same thing everyday out of necessity, such as eating, can become a little redundant, so over time each culture has molded the act of eating into something more enjoyable. The French consider meals a time of socializing and spending time with close friends and family. Americans still see it as a mere necessity, and have created ways, such as fast food, to speed up the process. The French are formal during meal times, whereas Americans can be either formal or very casual depending on the family and occasion. These differences make a bold statement about the two culture’s priorities in national values, and help to define each country as a unique contributor to the world’s thoughts on eating. France and the U.S. have changed the way people all over the world view food, from the introduction of elite five-star meals enjoyed by the few, to the cheap, quick, come-as-you-are world of fast food.

Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette is currently a resident of Paris, France, where she lives with her husband. Together the two of them operate their small translation company, giving Jacqueline the opportunity to observe the French and their culture up close. She is an avid reader, writer, and student of foreign languages.

By Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette