Meals

In our country daily meals usually start with breakfast, which consists of something to drink such as tea with sugar and lemon, milk or a cocoa. Most people breakfast on several slices of bread, rolls or buns and butter, natural cheese, eggs, ham, salami, jam and so on. We can also have something sweet – cakes, doughnuts or gingerbread. Quite a lot of people eat cereal or cornflakes with ingredients like yoghurt, chocolate, stewed fruit, walnuts, hazelnuts and so on. We must always remember that breakfast must be healthy, light and easily digestible.

Traditional British breakfast consists of a glass of fruit juice and cornflakes with sugar and milk. Sundays are reserved for their big cooked breakfast.

Around noon it is lunchtime. Most people take their meals at the school canteen, or factory canteen, but some people prefer going to a restaurant or having fast food in a a buffet or a snackbar or buy something in a street stall. Soups may be either vegetable (potato, tomato, pea, bean, carrot, parsley, celery, mushrooms) or meat teas (beef tea, tripe, chicken, goulash soup etc.) The main dish can be either sweet such as fruit dumplings or pancakes with jam and cream. Or we can have some meat (beef, pork, veal, mutton, lamb) or fish or poultry with some vegetables such as potatoes, chips, rice, Czech dumpling, pasta or bread.

While cooking we may add various spices so that the meal will have a unique flavour – e.g. garlic, marjoram, pepper, ketchup, vinegar, mustard, onions, etc. It’s healthy to drink at least one glass of mineral water, juice, tea or beer, after each meal.

An evening meal may be either warm or cold. Cold and quick supper my consist of some paté or bread or rolls, kippers or some spread. We can cook a ready made dish from a tin or have soup or potato pancakes.

Typical Czech meals include: Tripe soup, potato soup, roasted goose and sauerkraut and Czech dupmlings, roasted pork and sauerkraut and Czech dumplings potato pancakes, fruit dumplings, fried chees etc.

The traditional perception of British cuisine is of overcooked vegetables, tasteless meat and a lot of grease, but British eating habits have changed over last thirty years.

Between 12 and 1 o´clock it is usually lunch time. People may eat in the office or factory canteen or take a sandwich to work.

The typical British break is 5 o´clock tea. It is usually fairy strong and eaten together with some cakes or biscuits. While serving it, first put a little milk in the cup and pour the tea over it through a tea strainer. Sugar is added according to taste.

About 6 o´clok most families have their evening meal or “dinner”. It may be cooked or cold depending on the time of year.

Fast food is a typical feature of both British and American life styles. At fast food restaurants (e.g. McDonald´s, Wendy´s, Kentucky Fried Chicken) usually offer beverages (Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, tea, milkshakes…), some solid food like roast chicken and chips, hamburgers, sandwiches, pizza or salads. Popcorn is another typical feature of British and American lifestyle.