Traditional American Food

... it is rarely [Americans] dine in society, except in taverns and boarding-houses. Then they eat with the greatest possible rapidity, and in total silence ...

(Frances Trollope (1780-1863), British author)

Americans eat a lot. They have three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Most of Americans don't eat at home but prefer to go to restaurants. They can choose from many kinds of restaurants. There is a great number of ethnic restaurants in the United States. Italian, Chinese and Mexican food is very popular.

An American institution is the fast food restaurant, which is very convenient but not very healthy.

However there are some principles of American cuisine (if we may call it so). Americans drink a lot of juices and soda, eat a lot of meat, fruits and vegetables, not much bread. In the morning Americans have cereal or scrambled eggs, milk or orange juice. Chicken or fish, fried potatoes, vegetable salads, and dessert: this is the most common menu for lunch. Dinner is probably the most important meal of the day, some people have family dinner, when all members of family have to be there. For dinner Americans usually have meat, fried or baked potatoes with ketchup, corn, peas, sometimes macaroni and cheese or spaghetti; ice-cream, fruit or cake may be for dessert.

Turkey, ham and apple pie are traditional for Christmas and Thanksgiving Day dinners.