das Brot: Bread in loaf form
das Brötchen: bun, roll, sandwich on a roll
German food….well, the first things that comes to mind is bread. I eat a lot of bread. In fact, I eat a lot of very delicious bread usually in the form of Brötchen with pretty much every meal. German bread is usually rather hearty and very whole grain. White-bread is called “American Sandwich/toast Brot” and is also popular. However, typical Germans eat hearty whole grain bread.
Lots of Brötchen!!!!
My daily menu looks something like this:
However, keep in mind that each family has different eating habits and styles. Not everybody here in Germany has the same exact diet. You have no idea how many times I’ve had to convince people that not all Americans eat McDonalds and fast food all day.
Breakfast: Brötchen with butter, cream cheese, jams, Nutella, penut-butter, cold-cuts, cheese, etc. Whatever tickles your fancy in terms of Brötchen garnish at 6 am is at your disposal. However! Peanut-butter and Jelly do not mix in this country…there is no Peanut-butter jelly time…ever.
Lunch: Lunch is anywhere from 2-4 pm depending on when you get home. Most schools don’t serve hot lunch (mine happens to) so you eat at home afterwards. To stave off the mid-morning hunger pangs you bring one or two Brötchen and something to drink to enjoy in the breaks. Lunch at home is usually some sort of warm meal with meat, vegetables and starch (potatoes, rice or noodles), but also depends on what my host-siblings and I throw together.
Dinner: once again bread shows up in the equation. Here we differentiate between Abendbrot and Abendessen. The former directly translated means “evening bread” the latter is the evening meal. Most families only eat one hot meal per day so if you had a hot lunch you get bread, cheese and cold-cuts for dinner. Dinner is just as varied as lunch, but I have noticed that prepared meals tend to be on the “un-spiced” side. Bland isn’t the right word, but “hot & spicy” food here isn’t that hot.
I now my descriptions are on the vague side, but describing the food isn’t that simple. At the end of the day pretty much everything I eat tastes delicious and I do eat a lot of bread.
-MEK
Huh. Only one hot meal a day? That’s really interesting. Also, lunch is at 2pm? When do you eat dinner?
Breakfast sounds really good though. Nutella. Yum.
And how are portions compared to the US? I’ve heard from multiple sources that the rest of the world thinks we eat too much.
Dinner is when we get hungry. Usually around 8-9pm.
Portions sizes are smaller, but in my opinion Germans eat just as much as many Americans, because they eat ofter and snack more throughout the day.
I will admit that I put on a little weight since I got here, but that could lie on the fact that I’m not growing anymore.
Your post reminded me of a phrase I heard once, “You shall have breakfast like an emperor, lunch like a king and dinner like a beggar”(frühstücken wie ein Kaiser, mittagessen wie ein König und abendessen wie ein Bettler)
Do you really have more than one hot meal a day in America?
I’ve hear of the saying as well!
Most Americans have two warm meals a day, but it depends on the family.
-MEK
You WOULD write an entire post just about food…that’s so you. But it was pretty entertaining.
Two things:
1. No peanut butter jelly time? Ever?! That’s horrid.
2. Hot & spicy = not so spicy? Another bad piece of news.
Maybe I need to come over there and make some big changes in the German diet. Glad to hear you’re eating plenty and properly. Although I’m really not that surprised.
Much love, bro.
Hey food is important! Either you eat to live…or live to eat.
It’s all about perspective!
…and when you’re here I’m sure I can throw together some PB&J if I have to!
-MEK
I am German, and traditions differ from region to region. Breakfast…yes is Broetchen with cheese or cold cuts, Lunch is never served as last as 4 though. (I’ve never heard of that!) Midday..noonish is mittagsessen (lunch). Abendbrot is dinner and is served around 5 because that is when my dad gets home from work. He is hungry and dinner is waiting for him when he gets home. Lunch for him consists of German rye-bread with cold cuts. On weekend we have coffee with cake around 3-4 P.M. and dinner will be served around 6ish. While times vary slightly between families and regions, Germans tend to keep a strict time (as with everything else) regarding to mealtimes. And yes. One hot large meal a day, be it lunch or dinner according to family tradition.
Very true. It all depends on where and who you’re with. My observations are only based on…well…my observations.
Thanks for the comment!
-MEK