Weekly activity 2. From 11th to 17th February

BRITISH MEALS

The British people tend to have a big breakfast before they go to work and the meal at midday is not spent with the members of the family but with workmates or schoolmates. Lunch is normally eaten between 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm. People tend to eat their evening meal or “dinner” between 6.30 pm and 8 pm.

Generally speaking the British breakfast is much bigger than in most other countries. Many people like to have a fried breakfast which can consist of fried bacon and eggs with fried bread and possibly fried tomatoes or black pudding. Of course not everybody wants to eat a lot early in the morning and many people prefer to just eat toast and marmalade with tea or coffee. Cereals are also very popular. The most common is cornflakes. They are made with different grains such as corn, wheat, oats etc. In Scotland many people eat “porridge” or boiled oats. Porridge is very heavy but in winter it will keep you warm on your way to school.

If you go to Britain to study English and you stay with a family you will almost certainly be given a “packed lunch” to eat for your midday meal. Some factories and schools have canteens where you can eat but the packed lunch is the most common thing to eat. A packed lunch normally consists of some sandwiches, a packet of crisps, an apple and a can of something to drink for example, coca-cola. The contents are kept in a plastic container and you take it with you when you go to school or work.

Things are changing and most British people eat meals from many different countries for example spaghetti or curry. However the most typical thing to eat for dinner is “meat and two veg”. This consists of a piece of meat accompanied by two different boiled vegetables. This is covered with “gravy” which is sauce made with juice that was obtained when the meat was cooked. One of the vegetables is almost always potatoes.

Created by ESC Sant Salvador d'Horta, February 2011