Great Britain is a country of traditions. And the British diet is just another confirmation of the rule and a vivid example of the local conservative mentality.

The British diet is, first of all, a clear delineation of meals, both by time and by menu.

The first meal for ladies and gentlemen comes quite early: around 7-8 in the morning. It is very high in calories. Breakfast provides people with energy until lunch, and in Britain it is the busiest time of day.

What do the British prefer for breakfast? Oatmeal, sir. Yes, yes, the same one that the British themselves call porridge. It is always made with milk, with the addition of honey or sugar. But muesli has not become very widespread in Foggy Albion, at least as a traditional breakfast.

In addition to oatmeal, the British like to serve eggs (usually fried, but sometimes boiled), warm salad, bacon, fish, and pates for their morning table. For dessert, toast with jam and strong tea are popular.

In most English families, lunch is the main meal of the day. It is the most abundant and takes a long time. The British prefer to dine at home, spending their entire break at work on this, but if there is no time, they do not hesitate to go to a nearby cafe.

Lunch in England is a combination of many courses: first, second, cold appetizers, and everything will necessarily be presented with several options of dishes with the addition of herbs and using marinades and vegetables in different forms.

The British diet requires that soups or broths, meat dishes (usually stewed or fried), fish, stewed or fresh vegetables, and salads be served for lunch. As a lunch dessert, the British prepare their favorite puddings (and traditional cuisine knows countless recipes for them), dessert pies with different (sweet and not) fillings, biscuits, sandwiches with pate, cucumber or bacon.

Traditional five o'clock tea party. This is not just another element included in the British diet. This is their calling card, just like Big Ben, the Tower or Westminster Abbey.

It is clear from the name that the tea ceremony takes place at five o'clock in the evening. As a rule, this is the time when people return home after a hard day at work, they want to relax and eat something tasty.

Since we are talking about tea, I would like to pay attention to the English style of brewing it. Residents of Great Britain drink mostly strong black tea with milk or cream. This is not at all like what we are used to seeing. Even traditional English tea is usually brewed incorrectly by residents of the CIS countries. The British themselves first make a strong brew in a special teapot - a teapot at the rate of 1 tsp. for a cup of tea, plus one more for strength. Then pour milk or cream to taste into the cup and add tea leaves to it. Sugar is added as desired.

This tea is usually served with a variety of snacks: toast with jam, cakes, biscuits with cream and fruit, pastries, pies with sweet fillings, canapé sandwiches with cucumber, cheese, bacon, pieces of fish, pate.

The British eat this meal very late, no earlier than 7 pm. Naturally, it is not customary to have a heavy dinner, so that gentle ladies and sophisticated gentlemen do not have nightmares, and their figures remain slim and attractive.

Usually for dinner the British have pieces of stewed meat or fish, salad, eggs, cottage cheese, bread, cheese, and fruit. Some families still prefer to make the evening meal the main one, and then the menu may include soup and side dishes of stewed vegetables, appetizers of meat and fish.

It cannot be said that English cuisine is the standard of a healthy diet. However, the British diet is worthy of attention, because it almost completely corresponds to the principles by which food should be distributed throughout the day.

British diet: video

In the minds of an ordinary Russian, there are 3 meals: a light breakfast, a set lunch at work and a delicious family dinner. Sometimes an afternoon snack is added to this list, but mostly for children. However, in the 90s the situation changed somewhat, and more and more often restaurants, cafes and other establishments began inviting visitors for lunch. "What is it? Breakfast, lunch or dinner?" - many asked themselves in bewilderment. Much time has passed since then, but the situation has not changed radically. The confusion with the word "lunch" remains.

Please don't get confused!

So, the word “lunch” itself, or lunch, came into the Russian language from (Great Britain, USA, etc.). They denote a daily meal that is slightly more filling than breakfast, but not as filling as lunch. This is where discrepancies arise. Even 30-40 years ago, when answering the question of what lunch is, it was correct to say that it was breakfast. This meal occurred somewhere around 11-12 o'clock, in contrast to lunch, which could not take place until 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Today, when most English people no longer need to get up so early, and the number of meals has been reduced to three, meals have moved closer to 12.00-13.00. In fact, lunch moved the English dinner (dinner) to a later time and practically abolished the concept of “dinner” (or supper). It is very important not to confuse these concepts when communicating with the British and Americans. Therefore, today we can confidently say about lunch that this is lunch in the Russian sense.

Business and lunch - what do they have in common?

But if the word lunch is still familiar to many from English lessons, the expression “business lunch” still baffles some. I wonder what's hidden underneath? To do this, it is good to understand the origin of this concept.

Enterprising Americans cherished every minute, and therefore often used meals to communicate with colleagues and partners. Lunch was ideal both in time and in the amount of food taken. After all, by noon some news had already been known that could be discussed, and besides, according to the rules of etiquette, you can invite someone to lunch simply by calling them on the phone; no festive table decoration is even required. From the combination of the English words business and lunch, the designation for such a meal appeared. Now it’s quite obvious what a business lunch is.

Currently...

However, it is unlikely that restaurants, cafes and bistros, when offering business lunches to their clients, put the same idea into the concept. In fact, this is a set lunch consisting of a first course, a second course, a salad and a drink. Sad as it may be, this is very reminiscent of a Soviet canteen in its worst sense, and besides, mediocre establishments often use cheap ingredients for cooking. All this affects the quality.

In a high-class restaurant they understand a business lunch a little differently - what it is. For them, this is a way to attract visitors to an exquisite, and therefore more expensive, dinner. Therefore, such set lunches will contain all the same dishes, but already selected according to their taste combination. Reducing the price is nothing more than a marketing ploy. It is unlikely that most people will dare to go to an expensive establishment without recommendations. But paying 200-300 rubles for a trial lunch will be affordable for many. If a client says about a modest lunch that it is delicious, then he will probably want to visit this restaurant more than once.

A little more confusion

Probably, in order to completely confuse the average Russian, the phrase “lunch control” was coined in the English language. What is this and what does it have to do with nutrition? In fact - none. Actually translation (or more correctly - transcription). In English it looks like launch control and literally means “launch control”. This term is used by motorists to refer to an electronic quick start system. Obviously, this has nothing to do with the word lunch.

Indian curry. Yes, yes, a recent survey conducted among UK residents showed that curry is the British choice of curry most often.

A powerful stream of emigrants from the countries of South Asia rushed to Great Britain, dragging with them not only numerous members of their families, but also elements of their traditional culture and way of life. In addition to curry, modern Englishmen also do not shy away from snacking on overseas dishes of rice and pasta.

Features of national English cuisine

But what food is considered traditionally English? In principle, English cuisine is based on dishes from beef, lamb, pork, Chicken And fish, with the addition of flour, butter and eggs. As side dishes usually served with main courses potato And vegetables. It cannot be said that traditional English cuisine is particularly sophisticated - as a rule, English dishes are simple and unpretentious. Unlike neighboring France, food in Great Britain is not intended to provide taste and aesthetic pleasure, but rather performs a purely utilitarian function - to satiate the stomach.

In the photo: traditional English sandwiches.

The most typical dishes of British cuisine are:

All kinds of sandwiches(as a rule, these are sandwiches made from two triangular slices of bread with a filling sandwiched between them, generously flavored with mayonnaise);

Famous all over the world " fish and chips» (breaded fish fillet with a side dish of French fries, seasoned with malt vinegar);

Different kinds filled pies, such as Cornish pasty - a layer pie filled with pieces of meat, potatoes and carrots;

Baked in the oven meat(roast dinners);

- Yorkshire pudding;

Among the English desserts we can highlight trifle– layered sponge dough with custard, fruit juice or jelly and whipped cream.

Traditional English dishes

Bubble and squeak

In the photo: English dish Bubble and squeak.

Some traditionally English dishes have rather strange names, for example, " Bubble and squeak", which translated means "gurgling and squeaking." This dish is the quintessence of English frugality: it is prepared from the remains of the traditional Sunday lunch (Sunday roast). For Sunday lunch in English houses, "roast" is traditionally served - a large piece of meat baked in the oven (see below) Lunch includes baked potato chunks and boiled vegetables (cabbage, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green peas), as well as Yorkshire pudding and the traditional thick gravy known as " Gravy". The zealous English do not throw away everything that is left from Sunday lunch, but chop it into small pieces on Monday, pour it with egg and fry it in a frying pan - it is this simple recipe that is used to create the traditional English dish bubble and squeak.

In the photo: traditional English dish Toad in the hole.

Where did such an unusual name come from? There are 2 versions of its appearance: the first says that bubble and squeak owes its name to the inevitable gurgling and squeaking that accompanies the process of frying in a frying pan. But there is another, much more original version: the fact is that the obligatory ingredient of bubble and squeak is cabbage, as a result of which, during the digestion process, the stomach inevitably first gurgles, and then gases are formed, causing sounds similar to a squeak. So, be prepared to “gurgle and squeak” if you decide to try this dish :)

Toad in the hole

What do you think of such an intriguing title as “Toad in the hole”? There is still debate about the origin of this name, but most Anglophiles believe that this dish got its name due to its unusual appearance, reminiscent of a toad sticking its head out of a hole. Similar to bubble and squeak, earlier this dish was made from leftover baked meat, but later it began to be prepared from sausages baked in oil. The same gravy sauce (often with the addition of onions), various vegetables and mashed potatoes are usually served as a side dish for toad in the hole.

Sunday roast

In the photo: traditional English Sunday lunch Sunday roast.

On Sunday afternoon, English families gather for the traditional Sunday Roast. It usually consists of meat (beef, lamb, pork or chicken) baked in the oven for at least two hours, and is accompanied by two types of vegetables and potatoes, as well as Yorkshire pudding (read more about pudding below).

Spicy horseradish is served with beef, sweet apple sauce with pork, and mint sauce with lamb. The meat is topped with brown gravy sauce. Gravy is made from the meat juices from roasted meat, but not always: these days, the British often simplify their lives and prepare gravy from a packaged mixture.

Yorkshire pudding

In the photo: a traditional English dish Yorkshire pudding.

Unlike sweet puddings, which are classified as desserts, Yorkshire pudding is considered a snack or even a main dish. It is made from flour, eggs and milk and is typically a large, flat dough ball baked in the oven and filled with gravy sauce and vegetables.

Although Yorkshire pudding is usually served as a starter, uneaten puddings can be served at the end of the meal with jam or ice cream as a dessert (further proof of the thriftiness of the English).

Pies

In the photo: traditional English dish Shepherd's Pie.

Of the English pies, I would like to especially mention the famous “ Shepherd's Pie"(Shepherds" Pie) and " cottage pie"(Cottage Pie), which are essentially casseroles of meat, vegetables and mashed potatoes, the only difference from each other is that Shepherds" Pie is made from minced lamb, and Cottage Pie is made from beef.

Children's favorite English food

Most of all, English children like to eat fish fingers (small pieces of breaded fish fillets), pizza, French fries and baked beans on toast.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the UK

Like most people on the planet, the British eat three times a day:

Breakfast (Breakfast) for the British usually happens from 7 to 9 o'clock in the morning, after which it follows

Dinner (Lunch) – usually from 12 to 1.30 pm and

Dinner (Dinner, or less commonly - Supper) - the main meal. The traditional dinner time is between 6.30 and 8 pm.

However, some English people call the second meal "dinner" rather than "lunch", and dinner - "Tea". Therefore, if an Englishman invites you to “tea”, keep in mind that we are talking about a full dinner, and not at all about tea, as one might think. In the latter case, dinner is usually served between 5.30 and 6.30 pm.

What do the British usually eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

English breakfast

Photo: traditional English breakfast.

Most people assume that a traditional English breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, sausages, fried bread, mushrooms, baked beans and a cup of tea. However, today the situation has changed radically: a modern Englishman is likely to eat a bowl of cereal or toast for breakfast, washed down with orange juice or a cup of coffee. Cereals are especially loved by English children, who expect the usual cereal bowl for breakfast - a plate of flakes made from corn, wheat or oatmeal with milk.

The British eat “porridge” (porridge), which is well known to our ears from Conan Doyle’s stories, as a rule, only in the cold season.

The traditional English breakfast, consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans and mushrooms, is now rarely prepared by the British, but it is still served in most hotels and guest houses in the UK, meeting the wishes of tourists.

English lunch

When going to school or work, most children and adults in England take a packed lunch with them. The average English lunch consists of a sandwich, a bag of potato chips (crisps), some fruit and a drink. Usually lunch is packed in a plastic container or thermos bag.

In some parts of the UK the sandwich may also be called a "butty" or "sarnie". As a rule, the filling of sandwiches is generously seasoned with mayonnaise. The filling can be canned tuna, ham, chicken, shrimp, pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and other ingredients.

English dinner

A traditional English dinner will include a piece of meat and two types of vegetables, or vegetables and potatoes, topped with brown gravy sauce. However, as noted at the beginning of the article, more and more often the traditional English dinner is giving way to the cuisine of other peoples of the world.

However, the British still eat a lot of vegetables and root vegetables, especially those grown in the UK itself, such as potatoes, carrots, green peas, cabbage and onions.

Takeaways in the UK

In the photo: a traditional English dish of fish and chips to take away.

Take away food has recently become increasingly popular in the UK. Many Indian, Italian, Chinese and Greek restaurants in the UK offer take away ready meals, not to mention McDonald's, Burger King, Subway and other fast food establishments.

You can even take away the traditional English dish of fish and chips. Sometimes, in addition to the obligatory fish and French fries, green pea puree is added to this dish. The fish usually used is fillet of cod, haddock, burbot or flounder. Historically, fish and chips were sprinkled with salt, vinegar and wrapped in newspaper. It was assumed that the person would take pieces from the newspaper packaging directly with his hands. Now, in order not to shock foreigners, fish and chips began to be wrapped in more hygienic paper and supplied with a neat wooden fork.

England is a country of traditions rooted in hoary antiquity and a lot of confusion in such concepts as breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Well, judge for yourself: is there breakfast at one o'clock in the afternoon? And in England it happens, although this is the second time, and it’s called lunch. And they call dinner the evening meal, around eight o'clock.

At the same time, on weekends there is no gap between the first and second breakfast (lunch) (in a good English traditional family) and then it will be lunch called brunch (from brekfast and lunch), and dinner will be served at the time when there is lunch on weekdays .

An Englishman will never miss a five-o-clock - a traditional tea party, be it a weekend or a weekday.

Now let’s talk about what is on the English table during all these meals.

Just opening his eyes, without getting out of bed, a resident of Foggy Albion likes to drink a cup of the strongest tea. It is a little unclear who will serve this tea to lonely ordinary people, but we will consider traditions, and not how they are performed by this or that person. Well, maybe he got up, heated it and drank it.

Next is the turn of the first breakfast, when on the table at the same time there can be oatmeal, scrambled eggs with bacon, toast with jam (you can’t go anywhere without them, just like for an American a sandwich with nut butter), or, in extreme cases, marmalade. Coffee Tea. For those who do not want such abundance, please have cereal or muesli with milk. And a large variety of fruits.

Lunch, or in our opinion, lunch, is consumed by working Englishmen in a public catering establishment such as a restaurant. This is just a snack, after such a breakfast. They order meat or fish and potatoes, salad, pudding, and some are content with just large sandwiches. And the best way to wash down such a miracle of culinary art is with beer or ale, yes, yes, you can afford it.



And here they are, the treasured five hours. The traditions of five o'clock tea are so extensive that they need to be discussed separately.



And here it is, dinner - the most plentiful meal of the day. Here we use pureed soups, roast beef/steaks surrounded by vegetables in all kinds: baked, stewed, pickled, boiled or the much-loved rice with tomato seasoning. And sauces for every dish. Just don’t look for bread on the table: you won’t find it anyway, because they simply don’t serve it. It is quite possible that the housewife or cook will go all out and prepare a traditional English meat pie. The meal is completed with sweets and very strong tea, where would we be without it.



Sweets are buns, candies, apple pie, pudding and much more.

If you believe Russian films, especially the unforgettable Sherlock Holmes, then the British only eat oatmeal for breakfast. If you read Dickens, the best breakfast dish is pudding. In fact, for breakfast the British, like us, prefer sandwiches, sandwiches, fried bacon, herring, scrambled eggs and of course oatmeal. Lunch or second breakfast occurs during our lunch hour and consists of the same dishes as the first breakfast, only omelet and oatmeal are excluded. The British have a small snack at 5 o'clock, it is sweet and flour with tea or coffee, and finally lunch, equal to our dinner, consists of soups, hot dishes, mostly with a lot of meat, and for dessert there is always pudding. The British love ice cream and various strong drinks in the literal sense of the word - grog, mulled wine.

Today you can often hear words borrowed from other languages. On every corner you can find “second-hand”, “make-up”, “mainstream”, “teenager”, although they can easily be replaced with native Russian words. Some words have become so integrated into Russian speech that it seems that they were not borrowed at all (for example, trolleybus, parking, etc.) It has recently become fashionable to use the word lunch. What does it mean?

Definition

Lunch (or, in another variation, lunch) - from English. luncheon (abbreviated as lunch) is a second breakfast in the UK and some other English-speaking countries, usually from 12 to 14 o'clock. The concept of dinner is sometimes used to refer to a meal at this time. The standard lunch option is salad and sandwiches, sometimes creamy soup. Lunch on the go is very popular among busy people - ordering food from fast food restaurants directly from the car.

Example: “It’s time for lunch,” Mr. Brooke announced, looking at his watch. L. Olcott.

The lunch break in offices or schools is called lunch-break. Our cafes and restaurants now offer special daily set lunches - the so-called business lunches.

The word lunch also has another, little-known meaning: from the word launch - a small boat, a boat for service in harbors. Example: “A port lunch floated up to our side.”

So, you've learned what lunch is. You can find out the meanings of other words in the section.