Help from Europe?

[Rascal]

I'm in nz. Our daughter lives with a Frenchman. His parents are In new Zealand atm.they are due here Sunday ( doing a tour of north island atm)
They love seafood they live in Normandy and have a joint in Spain.
Daughter said usually they finish eating around 10 pm.
Hell we eat a 3 course meal over 2 hrs.
Anyone else know European eating habits times etc?


Russ

 

[taxlady]

I don't know. I'm just following along to see what someone might chime in. I know supper time can vary a lot across Europe.

 

[caseydog]

All I know is what I experienced in Europe. I spent 6 weeks in Spain once, and we ate dinner quite late. However, this was in 1978, so I don't know if it is still true.

When we went out with groups/families, we would often take a few hours to eat, drink and talk, ending as late as 10PM. But, the traditional midday siesta was still observed, with businesses closing for two hours at around noon.

This could very well be completely out of fashion, now.

CD

 

[Aunt Bea]

Relax!

“When in Rome, you must do as the Romans do and accept the local customs, if they are not immoral.” - St. Vincent de Paul​

 

[Silversage]

I have been to Europe 5 times in the past 2 years. Portugal, Spain, Italy, France twice. THEY EAT LATE!!!!! Spain is the latest, starting about 8 or 9 pm. Portugal is also very late. France and Italy don't seem as late as Spain and Portugal, but still much later than we are used to. In the large cities, you can find some restaurants catering to tourists, that open as early as 6, but in the smaller towns, it can be hard to find something open before 8. Italy seemed to be the earliest.

So if you don't start until 8 or 9, then 10 isn't that late to finish dinner. They also seem to linger quite a while.

 

[Meryl]

When I lived in the UK we used to have dinner at about 6/6.30pm. Now here in the south of Italy it's 8pm.
Up in the North they eat a little earlier, about 7pm. It's probably because of our different work/school hours. Shops close (not grocery stores or shopping centers), for about 3 hours for lunch and reopen at about 5pm closing at 8pm. Schools finish at lunchtime but are also open on Saturdays, only some schools do "full-time" without Saturdays.
Many public offices are open only in the mornings.
This explains why we have dinner late, because most people have a long full, very filling lunch!

 

[Badjak]

Europe is a big place

My experience: mediterrean countries eat late, esp in the cities
(I got caught out in the rural areas in France and Portugal)

Northern countries earlier, I would say around 19.

Generalising: mediterrean meals are a real social. Lots of talk, slow in eating, The whole family will sit down, incl kids.

Now in your situation: don't fret.
They are not in France. Cook something nice, or maybe a barbie.
And just ask them if they are OK to eat around xx time
Have fun, chat, enjoy your time with them

 

[Meryl]

In fact, lunch is usually our main meal of the day, for chatting too, unless all the members of a family have either a full-time job or full-day at school, then their main meal is at dinner in the evening.
In England,people "go out for a drink" to socialise, over here we "go out for a meal", especially pizza. We talk about food a lot to "break the ice", instead of the weather. Home cooking is particularly appeciated, not much fast food. You probably all know that we are very proud of our gastronomical specialities, I dont want to boast but we are one of the best in Europe?

 

[dragnlaw]

Europe is a big place

Now in your situation: don't fret.
They are not in France. Cook something nice, or maybe a barbie.
And just ask them if they are OK to eat around xx time
Have fun, chat, enjoy your time with them

This, they are there to see what the country and people are like. Be yourselves. Do things the way you do, but do explain to them when the meals will be. If you think they might need a little snack in the late evening - perhaps save crackers and cheese and a sweet for quite late. All you can do is ask!

From the sounds of it they are seasoned travelers and (should) expect to see how you all live. I'm sure they didn't go just to see the scenery but to experience the country.

 

[Xocolatl]

'What are they like in Europe' is a very broad question. Europeans are not one nation like Americans. Every country has a distinct style, and the late-eaters of Europe are generally in the south. France, Spain, Italy, Greece etc have a hot climate which makes eating late more appealing.
In Northern Europe people eat earlier in the evening due to the climate and things getting dark earlier.
Here in the Netherlands dinner time is between 17 and 19 in the evening, generally. Though old fashioned people and farmers may eat a hot meal at noon instead (as we do in our house) which is also more common in Germany.
In Belgium they take a bit more time for both lunch and dinner than the more practical Dutch and German people. In the UK the dinner times are pretty similar to the Netherlands but they have an extra meal later in the evening the Dutch don't eat (supper).
And that's only a handful of countries in Europe that I have some experience with. I don't know anything about the Baltic states.
But if you're going to France, especially in the south, expect meals to be at least three courses and a drawn out affair. It's part of their DNA.

 

[jennyema]

I'm in nz. Our daughter lives with a Frenchman. His parents are In new Zealand atm.they are due here Sunday ( doing a tour of north island atm)
They love seafood they live in Normandy and have a joint in Spain.
Daughter said usually they finish eating around 10 pm.
Hell we eat a 3 course meal over 2 hrs.
Anyone else know European eating habits times etc?


Russ

You do you. Eat when you usually do.

 

[Rascal]

Thanks for input.. we will as people say here. They will have to work around us. It's only 1 night. Daughter said it's hard as her son is usually in bed by 9 for school next day.

Cheers

Russ