Italian Meal Structure

Italian meal structure is typical of the European Mediterranean region and differs from North, Central, and Eastern European meal structure, though it still often consists of breakfast (''colazione''), lunch (''pranzo''), and supper (''cena''). However, much less emphasis is placed on breakfast, and breakfast itself is often skipped or involves lighter meal portions than are seen in non-Mediterranean Western countries. Late-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, called '' merenda'' (plural ''merende''), are also often included in this meal structure.

Traditional meals in Italy typically contained four or five courses. Especially on weekends, meals are often seen as a time to spend with family and friends rather than simply for sustenance; thus, meals tend to be longer than in other cultures. During holidays such as Christmas and New Year's Eve, feasts can last for hours.

Today, full-course meals are mainly reserved for special events such as weddings, while everyday meals include only a first or second course (sometimes both), a side dish (''Colazione'') nationwide is sweet, consumed at home or at a café. If the breakfast is consumed at home, it consists of coffee (''espresso'' or prepared with a moka pot), milk, or ''latte'' accompanied by baked goods such as biscuits, for example shortbread, or by slices of bread spread with butter and jam or with honey or '' gianduja'' cream, made with chocolate and hazelnuts. Milk is sometimes replaced by fruit juice. On some special occasions, such as Sundays or holidays, there may also be more baked goods in the house, such as cakes, pies, pastries, or other regional specialties.

If breakfast is consumed at a café, espresso coffee predominates, together with ''cappuccino'' or ''latte macchiato'', accompanied by the classic '' cornetto,'' ''bombolone'', or other pastry; however, the choice of breakfast desserts is varied, some of which are often present only in certain regions or cities. In recent decades, other types of coffee drinks have also spread, such as '' mocaccino'' and ''marocchino''.

Much less frequent, but not completely unusual, is the savory breakfast (although much lighter and frugal than other European savory breakfasts), often consisting of ''focaccia'' (of different types and depending on the region) or even just toasted homemade bread and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, tomato, or sliced ''salami''.

However, many Italians only drink coffee for breakfast without the addition of food.

Lunch (''Pranzo'')

In Italian culture, lunch (''Pranzo'') is often considered the most important meal of the day and is, if complete, composed of four courses, namely:

* a first course (''Primo''), usually a dish based on pasta, ''risotto,'' rice, ''polenta,'' legumes, or a soup;
* a second course (''Secondo''), based on meat, fish, dairy products such as cheese, or eggs (served in various ways, such as in a ''frittata'', in a pan, boiled, or scrambled);
* a side dish as a conclusion.
The second course and the side dish are always accompanied by bread.

It is traditional in Italy that a meal, particularly lunch, be concluded with a cup of espresso or prepared with a ''caffè mocha'', followed by the so-called ''ammazzacaffè'', consisting of a glass of local liqueur, bitter or sweet (of which there is wide choice).

On special occasions, such as holidays and anniversaries, there are also two other courses:

* an appetizer, to whet the appetite before the meal; cold or hot, it is the least abundant course, and is generally composed of ''crostini,'' ''bruschetta,'' ''salami'' and/or sausages, cheeses and/or dairy products, cooked and/or raw vegetables, or preparations based on seafood;
* a dessert to finish;

Wine is often a part of the meal, especially during lunch and dinner.

Mid-afternoon snack (''Merenda'')

The '' merenda'' (from the Latin ''merenda'') is not a main meal, but an important snack in the mid-morning (around 10 o'clock a.m.) or mid-afternoon (around 5 o'clock p.m.). It is usually a light meal, consisting of a ''panino'' or ''tramezzino'', fruit alone, or bread and jam, if not some typical dessert and, in summer, possibly ice cream. It is particularly carried out in childhood, but is also quite common among adults.

Supper (''Cena'')

Along with lunch, it is the other main meal of the day. The supper (''Cena'') scheme follows that of the classic Italian lunch, therefore with the same courses, but with dishes and foods that are usually lighter.

Exceptions are suppers, called ''cenoni'', consumed on the occasion of certain annual anniversaries such as New Year's Eve, Christmas Eve and the Carnival period; dinners are richer and more substantial than the lunch itself.

Unlike lunch, the Italian supper, when consumed among close family members, does not necessarily include the presence of a first course based on starchy foods (such as ''pasta'' or ''polenta'') or cereals (such as rice), so sometimes supper consists of what during lunch would be equivalent to a second course (therefore a meat or fish-based preparation), with or without a side dish or a light soup, however including the presence of bread.

Formal meal structure

A structure of an Italian meal in its full form, usually used during festivities:

;Aperitivo: The '' aperitivo'' opens a meal, and it is similar to an appetizer. Most people gather around standing up and have alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks such as wine, prosecco, spritz, vermouth, and . Occasionally small amounts of food are consumed, such as olives, crisps, nuts, cheese, sauce dips, little quiches or similar snacks.

;Antipasto: The ''antipasto'' is a slightly heavier starter. It is usually cold and lighter than the first course. Examples of foods eaten are ''salumi'' (such as ''salame'', '' mortadella'', ''prosciutto'', ''bresaola'' and other charcuterie products), cheeses, sandwich-like foods (''panino'', ''bruschetta'', ''crostino''), marinated vegetables or fish, cold salmon or prawn cocktails; more elaborate dishes are occasionally prepared.

;: A ''primo'' is the first course. It consists of hot food and is usually heavier than the ''antipasto'', but lighter than the second course. Non-meat dishes are the staple of any ''primo piatto'': examples are ''risotto'', pasta, seafood or vegetarian sauces, soup and broth, ''gnocchi'', ''polenta'', '' crespelle'', ''casseroles'', or ''lasagne''.

;: This course may include different meats and types of fish, including turkey, sausage, pork, steak, stew, beef, ''zampone'', salt cod, stockfish, salmon, lobster, lamb, chicken, or a roast. The ''primo'' or the ''secondo piatto'' may be considered more important depending on the locality and the situation.

;: A ''contorno'' is a side dish).

;: Next follows the ''dolce'', or dessert. Frequent dishes include ''tiramisu'', ''panna cotta'', cake or pie, ''panettone'' or ''pandoro'' (the last two are mainly served at Christmas time) and the ''Colomba Pasquale'' (an Easter cake). A '' gelato'' or a '' sorbetto'' can be eaten too. Though there are nationwide desserts, popular across Italy, many regions and cities have local specialties. In Naples, for instance, ''zeppole'' and rum baba are popular; in Sicily, ''cassata'' and ''cannoli'' are commonly consumed; ''mostarda'', on the other hand, is more of a Northern dish.

;Caffè: Coffee is often drunk at the end of a meal, even after the ''digestivo''. Italians do not have milky coffees or drinks after meals (such as ''cappuccino'' or ''caffè macchiato''), but strong coffee such as espresso, which is often drunk very quickly in small cups while still hot.

;Digestivo: The '' digestivo'', also called ''ammazzacaffè'' if served after the coffee, is the drink to conclude the meal. Drinks such as ''grappa'', '' amaro'', '' limoncello'' or other fruit/herbal drinks are drunk. ''Digestivo'' indicates that the drinks served at this time are meant to ease digestion of a long meal.

See also

* Full course dinner
* Italian cuisine
* Italian food products

References

{{Italy topics

Meals