Let’s find out what Italians actually eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No romanticization, no falsifications, just a survey between my friends and family!
WHAT ITALIANS ACTUALLY EAT IN A DAY
I often smile when I read articles or stuff regarding how and what Italians eat. And sometimes I realize I, too, may romanticize Italian food habits. Not because what I write is untrue, but because there are huge differences between everyday life and Sunday family meals, and because we, too, want to experience and vary our foodie experiences!
Not only is globalization a settled fact, but lifestyles have changed – and continue to.
MODERN DAYS AND PAST TRADITIONS OF ITALIAN EATING
And still, after I surveyed my friends and family about what they had had the day before, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I couldn’t but admit that the imprinting was there, no matter what.
We still pay attention and try to find a balance between healthy, diet-friendly, and flavorful.
We still mainly cook at home, from scratch, and kind of feel a little guilty for ordering delivery and not following our mom/dad/nonna/doctor recommendations.
We still combine not-too-many ingredients and try to keep one from overwhelming the other.
Our breakfasts are still sweet and light.
We still love pasta and carbs.
We still use extra virgin olive oil – and parsimoniously.
We still respect the seasons.
Bravi to us!
So, with no further ado, here’s what my friends and family ate last Monday, a mid-September Monday, what Italians actually eat on a regular day!
A REGULAR MONDAY
| M. is on a diet, so, a bit melancholically and precisely indicating quantities, he answered: Colazione (breakfast): coffee and 50 gr of bread with 2 teaspoons of olive oil Pranzo (lunch): 120 gr of farro with 1 tablespoon of oil and 3 teaspoons of grated parmesan cheese Cena (dinner): 120 gr of fresh pasta with porcini mushrooms and 50 cl of wine. |
| F., his wife, doesn’t need to diet, so she answered: Colazione (breakfast): coffee – many Italians have just coffee for breakfast. Pranzo (lunch): a sandwich with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Cena (dinner): tagliatelle al sugo. |
| My mom and brother: Colazione (breakfast): fette biscottate (rusks, very popular in Italy for breakfast) with jam. Pranzo (lunch): tortellini in broth. Cena (dinner): oven-baked fish with potatoes and carrots. |
| U. who’s kind of on a diet since he quit smoking – and if you ever did, you know what happens to your appetite and scale… Colazione (breakfast): 50 ml of pure aloe + rye bread and primo sale cheese + low-fat white yogurt + bottled orange juice Pranzo (lunch): skipped. Cena (dinner): a big bowl of salad + steamed broccoli + swordfish steak + barley and cereals with pecorino romano and a looot of chili oil. |
| E., his wife, who loves food and hates dieting: Colazione (breakfast): a slice of the rustic savory pie with ricotta and mushrooms that my mom made Pranzo (lunch): another slice. Afternoon snack: some of the pear extract I had made for the kids. Cena (dinner): a taste of swordfish and anything she found in the refrigerator. |
| S., who lives in Milan and often spends her weekends in Rome… Colazione (breakfast): fette biscottate and jam. Pranzo (lunch): salad with feta and tomatoes. Cena (dinner): milk and cereals (I got home at 11pm from Rome and was too exhausted to cook!!!) |
| L. my (Italian) friend who lives in London: Colazione (breakfast): coffee Pranzo (lunch): pasta with mushrooms. Cena (dinner): vegetable soup and chicken. |
| My sister: Colazione (breakfast): coffee and rusks with orange jam. Pranzo (lunch): arugula salad with parmesan flakes and a yogurt dressing. Cena (dinner): velvety pumpkin and carrot soup with pasta inside, Prosciutto crudo. After dinner: a piece of Gay Odin chocolate brought back from Naples!!! |
| S., my husband’s aunt, who’s also a teacher: Colazione (breakfast): macchiato coffee and a slice of homemade carrot cake. Pranzo (lunch): a sandwich with prosciutto crudo and cheese. Cena (dinner): Bruschetta with Peperonata (a bell pepper stew), Orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe, roasted chicken and potatoes, fruit, red wine… I’m on a road trip with the students 😉 |
| My mother and father-in-law: Colazione (breakfast): Amarena (syrupy sour cherries) muffin and oat milk (she’s lactose intolerant – he had regular milk) Pranzo (lunch): risotto alla Milanese, oven-baked tiny meatballs and grapes. Cena (dinner): pureed velvety vegetable soup, meatball leftovers, and grapes. |
| M., Luca’s other aunt, recently retired and enjoying the re-conquered freedom and time: Colazione (breakfast): whole milk yogurt and a pancake made with water and oat flour, plus honey. Pranzo (lunch): pasta e Fagioli (beans). Snack: fruit and nuts. Cena (dinner): oven-baked fish and salad. |
| And us? Colazione (breakfast): fette biscottate with Nutella. Pranzo (lunch): a sandwich with cucumber and feta cheese. Cena (dinner): a potato and tuna salad and two chocolate truffles! |
That’s it.
I’ll be regularly surviving and updating this page, changing seasons and days. So save it somewhere or subscribe to my newsletter to get updates.
Buona giornata!
Claudia