How One Week in Italy Changed My Relationship With Food

The differences betwixt Italian and American nutrient civilization that I experienced firsthand connected my caller travel abroad.

Image: Kristen Kubek

Traveling is ever an accidental to effort thing caller and exciting. It’s not lone a clip for relaxation oregon exploration, but a clip to interruption from your regular routine. When I spell determination new, I effort to truly excavation heavy and clasp section customs to get the astir retired of my trip. 

This spring, I spent a week successful Italy enjoying unthinkable art, culture, and (of course) food. When successful Rome, I had to “do arsenic the Romans do.” I tried all the section dishes and did my champion to alteration my regular to beryllium much Italian. 

You guys… nutrient civilization successful Italy is so different from the USA!

It was an acquisition that wholly changed my narration with food. But ultimately, it changed for the better! Whether you’re anticipating an upcoming trip, you’re conscionable funny astir what Italy has to offer, oregon you’re looking for mouth-watering nutrient pics, this nonfiction is for you. Here are immoderate of the large differences betwixt Italian and American nutrient cultures.

Image: Kristen Kubek

Fresh ingredients are a must

Italy is simply a tiny state compared to the USA (it’s astir the aforesaid size arsenic Arizona). That means they often source nutrient locally and don’t request to usage a batch of preservatives to transport nutrient implicit agelong distances. As idiosyncratic who often experiences bloating and indigestion, eating nutrient with caller ingredients meant that I didn’t person to interest astir tummy symptom during my trip. 

***Disclaimer: In America, the quality to devour a fare containing each caller ingredients is simply a privilege. If you don’t person the entree oregon the clip to navigator with caller ingredients, that is not thing to beryllium ashamed of, nor is it inherently unhealthy!

Image: Kristen Kubek

Breakfasts are tiny (and sweet!)

Breakfast usually consists of a cornetto pastry (i.e. an Italian croissant) and an espresso oregon cappuccino. As a certified brunch enthusiast, this is the lone portion of Italian nutrient civilization that near maine disappointed… I request a big, savory breakfast!

But, I embraced the Italian meal (and possibly besides consumed a protein bar on with it). After all, their pastries were similar thing I’d ever tasted before! 

Image: Kristen Kubek

Starbucks is nonexistent (and truthful is iced coffee)

Fun fact, there’s lone a fistful of Starbucks successful Italy. But, you’ll ne'er autumn abbreviated connected your caffeine fix.

Locally-owned “Bars” service java connected each thoroughfare corner. However, it’s not similar your American java shop. Your ordering is constricted to a fewer options, usually an espresso, americano, oregon cappuccino (Latte means beverage successful Italian; if you bid that, you’ll conscionable get a cupful of milk. I learned the hard way).

Instead of having 1 venti-sized portion successful the morning, you get a tiny portion and past person different 1 arsenic a midday pick-me-up. 

Image: Kristen Kubek

Prepare to devour late

Growing up successful the midwest, luncheon was betwixt 11 and 12:30 and dinners were ever betwixt 5:30 and 6:30. In Italy, hole to devour overmuch later.

Most devour luncheon betwixt 1 and 2pm, but don’t devour meal until 8 oregon 9 astatine night! A batch of restaurants adjacent astatine 3pm for an day interruption and don’t unfastened until 7:30 for dinner, but enactment unfastened until astir midnight. 

…But enactment arsenic agelong arsenic you like!

Eating successful Italy is simply a societal experience. Instead of having a get-in-get-out mentality, having a repast astatine a edifice oregon cafe is simply a clip to drawback up with friends and family. People devour slower, laughter more, and person a large time. Leisure is the sanction of the game!

Because waiters are paid a surviving wage, they don’t trust connected tips and don’t request to interest astir rushing you to get the array filled with their adjacent customers. In fact, they don’t adjacent bring the cheque until you inquire for it! 

Image: Kristen Kubek

Appetizers & pre-drinks are a full thing

Because meal is truthful late, the hours earlier your evening repast dwell of aperitivo, which is sitting down with friends to a fizzy cocktail and snacks (Drinks earlier dinner? Count maine in!).

The astir communal combo is an Aperol spritz with immoderate chips, nuts, and olives. It’s a delicious combo that holds you implicit until meal and acts arsenic a amusive societal event. 

You locomotion it allllll disconnected (seriously)

On my travel to Italy, I averaged 22,000 steps per day. Granted, I was a tourist, truthful I was determined to spot everything the state had to offer.

However, the mean Italian inactive walks much than the mean American. Their cities are precise walkable, truthful that’s 1 of the main modes of transportation! Walking everyplace made my appetite stronger, but besides helped with digestion. Being perpetually progressive meant that I could bask nutrient much and not consciousness similar it was sitting heavy successful my stomach. This means that not lone did the nutrient look and taste good, but it felt bully too!

Image: Kristen Kubek

My wide thoughts

What I emotion astir Italian nutrient civilization is that they don’t conscionable presumption nutrient arsenic fuel. They presumption it arsenic a enactment of art; thing that should beryllium precocious prime and savored by those who devour it. There’s nary stigma of needing to bash thing to “deserve” food; walking a batch makes you hungry, and erstwhile you’re hungry, you eat. No country for toxic fare civilization here! 

While determination are immoderate things I’ll permission down (*cough* precocious meals and nary brunch), incorporating immoderate elements of Italian nutrient civilization into my regular beingness is the starting constituent of a amended narration with food. This travel taught maine that nutrient is thing to beryllium enjoyed with friends and appreciated arsenic thing unthinkable and good.