French children don't snack
Replies
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The irony in this thread is astounding.
Women who are quick to claim bullying are ganging up on a member merely because he disagrees with the premise of the posted article. Insulting someone's physical attributes simply because he says that snacking isn't what is making people fat? Really?
OP, if you didn't want people to discuss it, then you shouldn't have posted it in an open forum. Blog it next time.
As for the ladies coming in to attack one member who hasn't said anything about any poster here (his remarks were in regard to the AUTHOR of the article), you're acting like a bunch of elementary school bullies on the playground, and only make yourself look bad.0 -
Snacking isn't the issue, it's caloric intake. What some people call a snack here can sometimes constitute a meal, calorie-wise, and aren't burning enough calories to keep from gaining weight. And they'll have those huge snacks throughout the day in addition to sizable meals. If you eat a crap ton of calories but burn more than you consume, you're not going to be fat. The less physical activity you do, the less calories you have to take in to lose weight.0
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I have a friend who is French and live in France, he has definitely refered to snacking before. How come they sell biscuits (British for cookie, I don't mean whatever American biscuit is) in that country? I don't think people eat biscuits for their meal. I would guess snacking is less usual, but not like it don't happen.0
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It seems to me one of the reasons that previously 'thin' countries are starting to experience growing obesity is down to the infiltration of American culture via the media and the on-going global march of homogeneous crappy food brands and fast food outlets. There's nothing quite so depressing, for instance, to see a photo of some kid in an African slum sporting a Coke t-shirt.
I believe that one of the reasons for over-consumption is over-availability of calorie dense, nutrient poor food. In the 70s rural Britain of my childhood we did indeed have afternoon tea at 4pm (dinner was 7.30pm) and that involved tea (obviously) and a piece of cake. Homemade cake. There were no crisps, chocolate, biscuits etc etc in the house and we certainly weren't allowed to help ourselves to food outside of mealtimes (food was bloody expensive in the 70s!) We didn't have fast food joints, global chain coffee shops and sandwich bars. The only thing that could you get delivered was milk. There weren't any 'ready meals' so people cooked from scratch. There was also cultural rules - for instance I was brought up that being told that eating whilst walking or driving around was 'bad manners' and in all honesty I still cringe when I see someone walking along filling their face.
I do think that with the trend of eating on the move we're in danger of not only losing essential cooking skills, but also the social skills that are acquired from a family sitting round a table together to eat.0 -
I do think snacking is a huge problem with children in the US, mainly because it develops habits early in life and sets forth the expectation that food is something to be consumed 24/7. It's very easy to overeat this way. Parents who want to take responsibility over their children's health are hard pressed when every play date, sporting event, and organized activity involves a snack. When it's not your turn to be "snack mom," your kids wind up ingesting goldfish and brownies on the reg. Moreover, we have been told that snacking is not only not harmful, but essential for our health to keep our blood sugar stable and our metabolism up. When snacks are sold as necessary for children, it's easy to justify any kind of snack over no snack.0
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I am just wondering how the French have such rigid set times for meals........ do all jobs over there start and finish at the same times of the day, no shiftwork etc?
Days in mainland Europe are arranged differently. Spain, Portugal etc, the heat make sit impossible to do anything during the afternoon. So everyone starts really early, eats and snooze the afternoon away, go back to work early evening then promenade until late (including small children).
France, on the whole, has a more relaxed working day too. They, like many less 'westernised/Americanised' countries, arrange work around lifestyle rather than the other way round. They are more family centred and really do work to live, not live to work.
It was the same in the UK not so long ago. Shops closed at lunchtime every weekday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and all of Sunday. We managed. It wasn't horrendous, no-one died. But now we chase every penny......
I think it is all part of the same thing, an instant culture. I want/need it now. I don't have time to make food from scratch, eat slowly, sit up at the table, live as a united family, etc. While we live fast we will live fat, correlation, cause/effect, who cares? Studies in the future may well show a trigger or causation. Until then, for some of us older bods, our lives have become fatter as they have become faster.
So part of my weight loss journey has had to include making real food, nothing prepackaged here. We also only use full fat products, real sugar, butter etc and simply reduce portion sizes. So I do indeed have my cake and I eat it, but only at meal times as I have never snacked
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OP, if you didn't want people to discuss it, then you shouldn't have posted it in an open forum.
Actually, I quite disagree. I have found the majority of the discussion in this thread to be very interesting by people giving opinions on both sides. And I welcome opinions on both sides when they are given in a courteous manner. Unfortunately, there are some (as here) that will show up in a thread looking only to start being rude to others and issuing personal attacks. Many times (as here) referring to things that were never said. I think anyone who read carefully what was written made some comments in disgust towards a particular member, and frankly I don't blame them.
With that said, if you have something else to contribute to the discussion, in reference to the article (either pro or con), please feel free.0 -
OP, if you didn't want people to discuss it, then you shouldn't have posted it in an open forum.
Actually, I quite disagree. I have found the majority of the discussion in this thread to be very interesting by people giving opinions on both sides. And I welcome opinions on both sides when they are given in a courteous manner. Unfortunately, there are some (as here) that will show up in a thread looking only to start being rude to others and issuing personal attacks. Many times (as here) referring to things that were never said. I think anyone who read carefully what was written made some comments in disgust towards a particular member, and frankly I don't blame them.
With that said, if you have something else to contribute to the discussion, in reference to the article (either pro or con), please feel free.
I read pretty carefully and, as far as I can tell, Beach Iron was the only person making sense for a bit there and, per usual, when someone dares try to analyze and not just accept people got their feathers rustled and lashed out.
It'd almost be funny, if it weren't A. Typical of these forums and B. So damn sad.
And he didn't personally attack anyone, except maybe the author of the article, by calling her a bored housewife which, let's be honest...is the vibe the article gives off. That's not even mean, its observational.0 -
@ chelled. You are entitled to your opinion, and I'm glad you found some comments helpful to you.
My point was not to continue any controversy, rather for that poster to not feel like I didn't want discussion or that they couldn't express a negative opinion in this thread. As you should feel free to as well.
But let's get back on track now. Carry on....0 -
I have a friend who is French and live in France, he has definitely refered to snacking before. How come they sell biscuits (British for cookie, I don't mean whatever American biscuit is) in that country? I don't think people eat biscuits for their meal. I would guess snacking is less usual, but not like it don't happen.
The French invented biscuits: 'biscuit' is French for 'baked twice'. :-D0 -
@ chelled. You are entitled to your opinion, and I'm glad you found some comments helpful to you.
My point was not to continue any controversy, rather for that poster to not feel like I didn't want discussion or that they couldn't express a negative opinion in this thread. As you should feel free to as well.
But let's get back on track now. Carry on....
We were having a reasonable discussion before you took offense to it and issued your first personal attack with your "*kitten* u me" comment. I never made the first assumption about you. As I said before, many of us recognize that total calorie consumption is what matters for everyone. If particular individuals decide to reduce their calorie consumption by not snacking, then that is a perfectly valid decision. To say though that the French are smaller than Americans or Canadians because the French don't snack just doesn't ring true and is an awfully simplified version of reality.
And let's be honest here, regardless of where they place on that list, the French are still on the list of most obese countries. Much of the available evidence is overlooked if miss countries like Japan and Singapore, or the hundreds of other countries out there that fall much further down on that list, and choose to instead just simply pick France out of the hat.
Again though, for any individual, deciding to reduce snacking is a perfectly valid alternative.0 -
Interesting article and discussion! Enjoyed reading this thread! Very insightful!0
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i grew up in switzerland, and we were allowed a snack (a few cookies) on sunday mornings (probably because my parents were sleeping in).
though, the school system implemented an apple policy, so during morning break at 10am, every kid would get an apple. home for lunch, then back to school in the afternoon. traditionally you may have a 4 o'clock snack - usually some fruit or a sandwich, then nothing until dinner. that held true until the end of high school - at college, we ate whenever we had a chance, our schedules were that full and included a bunch of travelling between campuses. but again, pizza or burgers were not even on the map as far as snack or lunch food was concerned...
times have changed though, and it's more the quality of food choices that has diminished than the quantity snacks.0 -
When I was a child, growing up in America, snacking was not nearly so prevalent. There would be milk and cookies after school, but that was about it. Schools also did not have vending machines. Less of an issue for children, there were no ATMs and you used credit cards only for bigger items so if you didn't have cash you were SOL.0
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Snack foods that the French invented:
Pomme Frites or Frites (we call them French Fries for a reason, folks)
Macarons
petit fours
crepes stuffed with ice cream
ice cream (glace)
sorbet
gallettes (shortbread cookies)
Croquettes
chocolate truffles
bon bons
pain au chocolat
chocolat
and countless other things
There is a reason the Bocuse D'Or is a French award named after a French pastry chef. Those things were invented in France.
Actually, many of the snacks we love have their origins in French Cuisine. How many Patisseries are there in France anyway? Isn't there something like 2000 in Paris and surrounding area? Not to be confused with Boulangeries, which are the bakeries.
Wondering how there could be 2000 shops devoted to selling sweet snacks in a city where people don't "snack."0 -
But there are some satisfying fight backs - like the school that totally boycotted the McDs that opened up directly opposite its gates. The school had a renewed call for traditional French food and the kids chose, liver and kidneys over a burger 0
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Snack foods that the French invented:
Pomme Frites or Frites (we call them French Fries for a reason, folks)
Macarons
petit fours
crepes stuffed with ice cream
ice cream (glace)
sorbet
gallettes (shortbread cookies)
Croquettes
chocolate truffles
bon bons
pain au chocolat
chocolat
and countless other things
There is a reason the Bocuse D'Or is a French award named after a French pastry chef. Those things were invented in France.
Actually, many of the snacks we love have their origins in French Cuisine. How many Patisseries are there in France anyway? Isn't there something like 2000 in Paris and surrounding area? Not to be confused with Boulangeries, which are the bakeries.
Wondering how there could be 2000 shops devoted to selling sweet snacks in a city where people don't "snack."
It's true, bur for example we never eat fries as a snack (it would be considered a very weird thing).
Petits fours are eaten as "apéritif" before dinner for example
Normally, if you buy pastries from a patisserie, you're not supposed to eat it alone
We do eat those (unhealthy) things, but we're not supposed to snack on them, as it is considered a bad habit. Obviously, at the end of the day, it makes no difference if you eat that food as part of a meal or not.
Personnally, I try to stick to 3 meals + 1 afternoon snack + 1 after dinner snack, and not eat between those meals because it's harder to control myself if I begin to eat at any time of the day, while working, watching TV or in the street.
(by the way, I'm not sure ice cream and chocolate were invented by the French
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Just got back from France. I spent much of my time with a French family and noticed how they only brought out a snack every few days in the evening. They'd only eat one, like a small chocolate just for a little taster, similar to an after-dinner mint. Then they'd put the snacks away.
Mealtimes were very controlled and healthy. Dinner was usually something like achovy pate on very small slices of baguette. They'd eat maybe two small pieces followed by peppers, turkey or chicken with tomatoes... but all very small portions. They were delish! Then a couple more very small slices of baguette with a little Camembert cheese. Finally a small yogurt for dessert or piece of fruit. Some rosee wine too.
It's normal to put weight on whilst on vacation but I actually lost 2 pounds! I'm delighted!
Most of the family are in their 30s or 40s, the parents are in their mid to late 60s. Everybody does 2 or 3 days exercise each week, mostly road cycling for 3 hours each session. Sometimes a swim in the sea. Nobody goes to the gym or does strength training/other exercises.
When we hit the beach, they all had flat stomachs. Not six packs but all in really great shape! I was showing my parents the photos and they couldn't believe even their 65 year old peers in France had flat stomachs and looked so healthy.
I found it all "tres agreable" and would love to continue this lifestyle some more!
An important thing to note here is there are tons and tons of shops for snacks in France. It seemed like every street was just for patisseries, boulangeries, chocolatiers, sandwicheries and so on but I found most of them are for the tourist industry. The menus all in English might be the giveaway!
The locals weren't squandering their hard earn cash on expensive macarons and intricately carved pieces of chocolate. Just as I don't buy the expensive snacks here in my own country. Like many of the French, I hit the supermarket for my milk and bread.0 -
i feed my kids about like that, breakfast at 7am, lunch at 11am, snack at 3pm, and dinner at 6:30pm, then sometimes an evening snack but thats rare0
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Pomme Frites or Frites (we call them French Fries for a reason, folks)
Actually, they're from Belgium originally.0 -
Just got back from France. I spent much of my time with a French family and noticed how they only brought out a snack every few days in the evening. They'd only eat one, like a small chocolate just for a little taster, similar to an after-dinner mint. Then they'd put the snacks away.
Mealtimes were very controlled and healthy. Dinner was usually something like achovy pate on very small slices of baguette. They'd eat maybe two small pieces followed by peppers, turkey or chicken with tomatoes... but all very small portions. They were delish! Then a couple more very small slices of baguette with a little Camembert cheese. Finally a small yogurt for dessert or piece of fruit. Some rosee wine too.
It's normal to put weight on whilst on vacation but I actually lost 2 pounds! I'm delighted!
Most of the family are in their 30s or 40s, the parents are in their mid to late 60s. Everybody does 2 or 3 days exercise each week, mostly road cycling for 3 hours each session. Sometimes a swim in the sea. Nobody goes to the gym or does strength training/other exercises.
When we hit the beach, they all had flat stomachs. Not six packs but all in really great shape! I was showing my parents the photos and they couldn't believe even their 65 year old peers in France had flat stomachs and looked so healthy.
I found it all "tres agreable" and would love to continue this lifestyle some more!
This is really not the norm. Growing up there (I lived in France until I was 23), I never met anyone who worked out. Some people did sports (tennis, soccer etc) once a week, but that's pretty much it. I lived in the suburbs of Paris and everyone walked a lot though. I gained like 20 lbs in 2 years when I moved here because you pretty much have to take the car to go anywhere.
In my house we ate a lot of food too, and meals were often a 4 meal course... And we often had a croissant as that 4pm snack.
About kids obesity, remember that in France kids get recess 3 times a day too...
And yes French fries are from Belgium.0 -
And galettes aren't shortbread anythings, they are either a form of crepe or a flaky pastry, rustic flan/tart.
Chocolate is Spanish/Latinate word and foodstuff
Sorbet is a French food, perhaps, but a Persian word
Macarons is more Italian in etymology
But the original point stands. The French made a big deal about their food and chefs and promoted them world wide.
Maybe the French made us fat 0 -
This is really not the norm. Growing up there (I lived in France until I was 23), I never met anyone who worked out. Some people did sports (tennis, soccer etc) once a week, but that's pretty much it. I lived in the suburbs of Paris and everyone walked a lot though. I gained like 20 lbs in 2 years when I moved here because you pretty much have to take the car to go anywhere.
In my house we ate a lot of food too, and meals were often a 4 meal course... And we often had a croissant as that 4pm snack.
About kids obesity, remember that in France kids get recess 3 times a day too...
And yes French fries are from Belgium.
The only fat people I remember noticing were tourists, typically yelling in English. People do take their cars everywhere, that's true but do some form of exercise each week. Obviously walking a lot in Paris counts! I have lost most of my weight doing walking here too and not a lot else.
20 years ago, I worked for Compagnie Générale des Eaux in Paris and all the guys there played squash and were in shape. Again, no fatties.0 -
Neither do Italians! And actually, Americans really didn't either when I was young.. I kind of prefer it...I feel sometimes like my kids are looking for food every other minute!
We didn't either! And I'm not that old, 40 today. We would have an "after school snack" - but that was it, and it was a defined snack not a constant grazing. I've never fed my kids lots of snacks, although they are allowed to get fruit any time they want it. When we have other kids over who want a snack all the time, I have to admit I find it very annoying.0 -
I live in Switzerland... here the children actually travel home to eat their lunches (at least outside the large cities - I don't know about centrally located schools). I think that's a great idea and works great here. Unfortunately I don't see it working as well in the States.
Anyways, thought I would share that bit 0 -
Just got back from France. I spent much of my time with a French family and noticed how they only brought out a snack every few days in the evening. They'd only eat one, like a small chocolate just for a little taster, similar to an after-dinner mint. Then they'd put the snacks away.
Mealtimes were very controlled and healthy. Dinner was usually something like achovy pate on very small slices of baguette. They'd eat maybe two small pieces followed by peppers, turkey or chicken with tomatoes... but all very small portions. They were delish! Then a couple more very small slices of baguette with a little Camembert cheese. Finally a small yogurt for dessert or piece of fruit. Some rosee wine too.
It's normal to put weight on whilst on vacation but I actually lost 2 pounds! I'm delighted!
Most of the family are in their 30s or 40s, the parents are in their mid to late 60s. Everybody does 2 or 3 days exercise each week, mostly road cycling for 3 hours each session. Sometimes a swim in the sea. Nobody goes to the gym or does strength training/other exercises.
When we hit the beach, they all had flat stomachs. Not six packs but all in really great shape! I was showing my parents the photos and they couldn't believe even their 65 year old peers in France had flat stomachs and looked so healthy.
I found it all "tres agreable" and would love to continue this lifestyle some more!
This is really not the norm. Growing up there (I lived in France until I was 23), I never met anyone who worked out. Some people did sports (tennis, soccer etc) once a week, but that's pretty much it. I lived in the suburbs of Paris and everyone walked a lot though. I gained like 20 lbs in 2 years when I moved here because you pretty much have to take the car to go anywhere.
In my house we ate a lot of food too, and meals were often a 4 meal course... And we often had a croissant as that 4pm snack.
About kids obesity, remember that in France kids get recess 3 times a day too...
And yes French fries are from Belgium.
Can we at least all agree that not all of the French behave in exactly the same way? Even without going to France, one can tell that there are plenty of different types of people there. Are the people from Alsace really so similar to those from Paris? Or Lyons?
The article posted in the OP was from 1 Canadian and her view of her brief time in France. How representative is that really going to be?
Similar articles have been written about "national" diets the world over and they are constantly criticized for the major assumptions they make. All people in a country do not behave the same way. All Americans are not fat. What one person calls a "snack" may be an entire "meal" for another.
My family snacks. What does that mean? Well, I love cheese, applies, milk, tortillas, raw carrots, hard boiled eggs, and ice cream. So do our kids. Even my 3 y.o. knows that she can open the refrigerator and pull out an apple or a cheese stick when she's hungry. Ice cream? She gets 1 a day unless she is out hiking all day with us and then I don't really care how much ice cream she eats because she needs the energy. Our 7 y.o. is similar, but she is at an age where she is incredibly active with sports and is starting to eat quite a bit. We live on a beach. We are active people. We eat a lot as a result and we are not overweight. Do we represent all Americans? No. Do I want to represent all Americans? No. Much like there are French in this thread who snack and who do not snack.
Give the cultural stereotyping, or at least the assuming that all people of a particular country behave the same, a rest.0 -
I've lived in Paris for years and also in Geneva. So yeah, that's true, neither French nor Swiss (Swiss French side) do snacks.
The only snack would be a small cup of espresso.
And yeah, in my culture kids are not allowed to eat between main meals, because it spoils appetite. And ruins the routine.0 -
Just got back from France. I spent much of my time with a French family and noticed how they only brought out a snack every few days in the evening. They'd only eat one, like a small chocolate just for a little taster, similar to an after-dinner mint. Then they'd put the snacks away.
Mealtimes were very controlled and healthy. Dinner was usually something like achovy pate on very small slices of baguette. They'd eat maybe two small pieces followed by peppers, turkey or chicken with tomatoes... but all very small portions. They were delish! Then a couple more very small slices of baguette with a little Camembert cheese. Finally a small yogurt for dessert or piece of fruit. Some rosee wine too.
It's normal to put weight on whilst on vacation but I actually lost 2 pounds! I'm delighted!
Most of the family are in their 30s or 40s, the parents are in their mid to late 60s. Everybody does 2 or 3 days exercise each week, mostly road cycling for 3 hours each session. Sometimes a swim in the sea. Nobody goes to the gym or does strength training/other exercises.
When we hit the beach, they all had flat stomachs. Not six packs but all in really great shape! I was showing my parents the photos and they couldn't believe even their 65 year old peers in France had flat stomachs and looked so healthy.
I found it all "tres agreable" and would love to continue this lifestyle some more!
This is really not the norm. Growing up there (I lived in France until I was 23), I never met anyone who worked out. Some people did sports (tennis, soccer etc) once a week, but that's pretty much it. I lived in the suburbs of Paris and everyone walked a lot though. I gained like 20 lbs in 2 years when I moved here because you pretty much have to take the car to go anywhere.
In my house we ate a lot of food too, and meals were often a 4 meal course... And we often had a croissant as that 4pm snack.
About kids obesity, remember that in France kids get recess 3 times a day too...
And yes French fries are from Belgium.
Can we at least all agree that not all of the French behave in exactly the same way? Even without going to France, one can tell that there are plenty of different types of people there. Are the people from Alsace really so similar to those from Paris? Or Lyons?
The article posted in the OP was from 1 Canadian and her view of her brief time in France. How representative is that really going to be?
Similar articles have been written about "national" diets the world over and they are constantly criticized for the major assumptions they make. All people in a country do not behave the same way. All Americans are not fat. What one person calls a "snack" may be an entire "meal" for another.
My family snacks. What does that mean? Well, I love cheese, applies, milk, tortillas, raw carrots, hard boiled eggs, and ice cream. So do our kids. Even my 3 y.o. knows that she can open the refrigerator and pull out an apple or a cheese stick when she's hungry. Ice cream? She gets 1 a day unless she is out hiking all day with us and then I don't really care how much ice cream she eats because she needs the energy. Our 7 y.o. is similar, but she is at an age where she is incredibly active with sports and is starting to eat quite a bit. We live on a beach. We are active people. We eat a lot as a result and we are not overweight. Do we represent all Americans? No. Do I want to represent all Americans? No. Much like there are French in this thread who snack and who do not snack.
Give the cultural stereotyping, or at least the assuming that all people of a particular country behave the same, a rest.
Agreed!0 -
I thought this was an interesting read, thanks for posting!0
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Snack foods that the French invented:
Pomme Frites or Frites (we call them French Fries for a reason, folks)
Macarons
petit fours
crepes stuffed with ice cream
ice cream (glace)
sorbet
gallettes (shortbread cookies)
Croquettes
chocolate truffles
bon bons
pain au chocolat
chocolat
and countless other things
There is a reason the Bocuse D'Or is a French award named after a French pastry chef. Those things were invented in France.
Actually, many of the snacks we love have their origins in French Cuisine. How many Patisseries are there in France anyway? Isn't there something like 2000 in Paris and surrounding area? Not to be confused with Boulangeries, which are the bakeries.
Wondering how there could be 2000 shops devoted to selling sweet snacks in a city where people don't "snack."
I must disagree.
These are not snacks, those are real food. French don't use French fries for snacking, no way, it's a side dish for meat or fish!
Macaroons are desserts, no way ever used as snacks. If you see how a Parisian woman eats a macaroon, you'd be intrigued. She bites it little by little, it might take her some time to eat the whole piece, she enjoys the moment of eating it.
And sorbet is Persian btw, was widely used in the 1001 nights 0
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