{"id":619,"date":"2021-05-10T06:32:39","date_gmt":"2021-05-10T04:32:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=619"},"modified":"2022-01-30T10:11:55","modified_gmt":"2022-01-30T09:11:55","slug":"adapting-to-spanish-mealtimes-as-an-expat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matchbettermadrid.com\/en\/adapting-to-spanish-mealtimes-as-an-expat\/","title":{"rendered":"Adapting to Spanish mealtimes as an expat"},"content":{"rendered":"<p lang=\"en-US\"><a name=\"_GoBack\"><\/a> <span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\">It can be a shock to the system for many new expats, adapting to the Spanish way of eating. Spanish people either eat, or they talk about eating. Three meals a day and a bit of snacking in between is not what Spanish people do. You will have a hard job finding any Spaniard munching on a sandwich \u2018on the go\u2019 or eating a takeaway lunch behind their desk. Eating is a social affair and it is serious business. They LOVE their food! So much so, that they have five mealtimes a day. Yep, you read that right! And although most expats quickly get used to all the fabulous dishes and culinary delights that Spain has to offer, they often get caught out by the times you are supposed to sit down and eat. When are the Spanish mealtimes?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Tiny breakfasts and beer in the morning<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">How do you adapt to Spanish mealtimes? Well, you start with a small\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"es-ES-u-co-trad\"><i>desayuno<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">, which is usually a cup of coffee and a small croissant or a bit of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>tostada<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> for breakfast, mostly at home. Often it\u2019s just coffee on its own. For the kids, some \u2018<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"es-ES-u-co-trad\"><i>galletas<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u2018, or thin biscuits dipped in a glass of milk. The croissant gets dipped in the coffee too, by the way. The Spanish like their breakfast soggy. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Then by 10.30 it\u2019s time for more heavy duty stuff:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"es-ES-u-co-trad\"><i>Almuerzo<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">. Terraces fill up, office workers go out for a bite to eat together, builders gather at the bar of a cafetaria. What do you order for almuerzo? <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"es-ES-u-co-trad\">Tortilla, chorizo, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Russian salad, bread with cheese and jamon, \u2018<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"es-ES-u-co-trad\">tostada con tomate<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u2019, sausages, calamari\u2026 lots of dishes you can choose from mid-morning, all freshly prepared on-site. Usually served on a \u2018plato\u2019, a plate, or on a \u2018bocadillo\u2019, a baguette. And hey, let\u2019s just wash it all down with a glass of beer or wine. It\u2019s nearly midday, after all. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Three-course meals for 10 euro<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Still hungry? Fear not. Lunchtime is around the corner. But don\u2019t make the typical mistake of rocking up at a restaurant at 1pm and expect it to be open. If you have small children (or partners) who are used to eat their lunch at that time of day, you better have something in your back pocket to nibble on, because almuerzo is over, and comida will not start until 2. This is also when siesta starts. Siesta is more about taking enough time to eat, by the way, rather than going for a nap &#8211; so let\u2019s bust that myth here and now. People either go home to cook their lunch or meet with friends or colleagues outside on the terrace of a restaurant. For three courses, usually. Don\u2019t forget to make good use of the 3-course home cooked <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"it-IT\"><i>Menu del dia<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>s<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> for around <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"pt-PT\">\u20ac<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"ru-RU\">10, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">which are normally offered in most restaurants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">What\u2019s next? There\u2019s more? I\u2019m stuffed! After a few more hours of work or school (most kids also enjoy that 3-course meal at lunchtime!), it is time for number four on the list of Spanish mealtimes. This little meal, or rather big snack, is still taken quite seriously and happens at around 5pm when the schools are out.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"es-ES-u-co-trad\"><i>Merienda<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">. No kid ever refuses, as merienda involves bread, biscuits, chocolate milk, fruit or other items children could practically live on. Most parents will just have a cup of coffee. Or, in Valencia, order the typical cold drink <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>horchata<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> and some <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>fartons<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> (to dip in, of course. I told you Spanish like to eat things when soggy).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">For most Spanish people it\u2019s not until 9pm when the final meal of the day is served:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>la<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"it-IT\"><i>cena<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">. Dinner. The thing to remember is that <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"it-IT\"><i>cena<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u00a0is not usually a very big meal. Not like our evening dinners we are used to back home. No plates full of pasta or otherwise carb-heavy recipes. And a tip from the us<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span lang=\"it-IT\">: paella is<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><b>never eaten at night<\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">. Remember that next time you order in a Spanish restaurant.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It can be a shock to the system for many  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":389,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-individuals"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Adapting to Spanish mealtimes as an expat - MatchBetter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Adapting to Spanish mealtimes as an expat - 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