Eat cheese, drink wine, eat bread and chocolate? And still stay thin and healthy? One of the things we as a society still don't have a handle on is our relationship with food. The French, though, just might be able to help us out here....
1. Skip diets. Atkins, South Beach and Zone are household names here. But the French follow eating patterns that have been part of their heritage for hundreds of years. What they do right is not make food the enemy....
2. Don't snack. French people eat three meals a day, so they're never super hungry....
3. Lighten up on processed and fast food. Everyone knows about the calories, carbs and fat associated with processed and fast food. Buy fresh produce regularly, keep a well-stocked pantry and cook at home like the French, who spend more money on groceries than Americans do....
4. Drink water not soda. French tradition dictates that meals are always accompanied by a lot of water.... The French may have another motive for sticking with water. "It's less expensive in France to buy spring water than to buy a Coke or Sprite," says Pierre Rabbia, chef/instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Eagan.
5. Eat small portions. Studies show the more people are served, the more they'll eat. The French eat small quantities of a variety of foods. Typical French meals include bread, soup, a main course with a fish or meat and vegetables followed by a bit of cheese and fruit or yogurt, with richer desserts reserved for weekends and special occasions.
6. Sit down to dinner at a table....
7. Take your time eating. Most meals in France are multicourse affairs in which food is savored....
8. Have a glass of wine with dinner....
9. Nibble on some cheese after the main course.... An ounce of cheese after dinner is plenty.
10. Buy good chocolate....
Thus begins and ends my career as a food writer, as well as my career writing PSA's. That is all. You may go now....
