It's always
good to have an idea about what to expect at mealtimes
when visiting a foreign country. The British, for example,
tend to follow certain traditions with the meals they
eat at home. Here is some general information about British
meal customs.
Breakfast in England used to mean a hot meal - usually
bacon and eggs - but more and more families are going
over to a continental breakfast. Cereal is usually served
(e.g., Corn Flakes, Weetabix, etc., in milk), followed
by toast and marmalade along with coffee or tea.
Lunch (sometimes called "dinner") varies considerably.
During the week, it is generally a very quick meal. It
might be sandwiches, a meal in the office canteen, a snack
at the local pub (e.g., a Ploughman's Lunch), or even
a hamburger in a fast food restaurant. On weekends, it
is common to have a proper meal for lunch - especially
on Sundays. These lunches usually include a main dish
such as roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, or roast lamb
with mint sauce, plus potatoes, vegetables and gravy.
Dinner is usually eaten around 6 p.m. and is sometimes
called the evening meal. Dinner is often the main meal
of the day and frequently includes dessert. However, people
who have their main meal at midday often have just a snack
between 5 and 6 o'clock (called tea), and may have a light
supper later in the evening.
No account of British meals would be complete without
mentioning some of the most traditional British dishes:
Lancashire Hotpot, steak and kidney pie, fish and chips,
toad-in-the-hole, shepherds pie, bangers and mash, Welsh
rarebit, Irish stew and Scotch egg.
