Want to know it? What do Italians Eat
By: Want To Know It
Italy is a European country rich in history with diverse cultures and languages. Italian food, such as pizza and spaghetti, is loved by millions of people worldwide. But what do Italians eat? This article will explore the typical Italian diet and discover exactly what do Italians eat in a typical day. I will also give three facts you may or may not know about Italy.
To answer the question what do Italians eat it is best to list all the individual meals eaten in a typical day.
Breakfast
Italians do not eat bacon, eggs, toast or pancakes for breakfast. Italians typically eat a croissant or some yoghurt for breakfast with a cup of coffee or a cappuccino.
Morning Tea
For morning tea (taken around 10-11am) Italians tend to eat sandwiches with very thin slices of ham and/or cheese.
Lunch
Lunch is the biggest meal of the day for Italians and they literally keep on eating for hours! Italians often take three hour lunch breaks. Pizzas are a common meal at lunch. Italian pizzas are very thin and have limited toppings. Italians nearly always eat vegetarian pizzas. Bread without butter and salads are also very common at lunch. Pastas are also common at lunchtime and the pasta is usually full of vegetables. Occasionally, gelato is eaten at lunchtime but it is usually saved until after dinner.
Dinner
Italians always eat a lighter meal at dinner than at lunch. Vegetables are eaten every single night and are often accompanied by pasta. Meat is rarely eaten, and fish is much more common than red meat. Cheeses and nuts are usually served before and after dinner is eaten.
Dessert
Fresh fruit is usually the common choice for dessert. Gelato (Italian ice cream) is sometimes eaten as a treat for dessert.
That is a typical Italian diet for the day. Even though Italians eat a lot of food, they manage to keep fantastic figures. The Mediterranean diet is becoming popular for those who want to lose weight.
Now that you know the answer to the question what do Italians eat, let’s look at three quick facts about Italy.
Fact 1: Italy is shaped like a boot
Fact 2: Italy’s capital Rome is the home of the Catholic Church
Fact 3: The most popular sport in Italy is football (or soccer)
So now you know what do Italians eat and three fast facts about Italy!
52 Comments for What do Italians Eat
1. claire | November 7th, 2008 at 12:33 am
so all italians eat is basically pasta veggies and pizza
they dont have any original foods like foods we dont eat here???
2. claire | November 7th, 2008 at 12:34 am
but good info.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. jimmy | November 11th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
i like pizza and pasta but i love my meat too!
4. jenna | November 25th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
i love italian food i wish we ate it over here
5. charmaine | January 5th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
OMG i wish i was italian i luv pasta and pizza lol .
6. Chloe hill :D | January 24th, 2009 at 1:18 am
hiiyaa umm. i think italians eat more than just pizza and pastass.. im doing a school project and i need to have about 10 commonly eaten foods that they eat.. and im not having good luckk.. i need a penny.. um so yeah this is way harder than i thought and i dont think italians eat pizza and pasta every day!! sooo yeah
help pweese
7. Chloe hill :D | January 24th, 2009 at 1:28 am
if someone could help me out and name some foods that italians eat that would be FANTABULASTICCCCC! so feel free to help muah out
8. Want to know it | January 24th, 2009 at 2:43 am
Here are 12.
Pizza
Pasta
Croissants
Sandwiches (with thin slices of ham and cheese)
Salads
Bread (without butter)
Fish
Fresh fruits
Gelato
Cheese (Italians eat a lot of cheese)
Nuts
Fresh vegetables
9. Nathan | February 25th, 2009 at 12:31 am
i am doing a project on Italy and this site helped me a lot thanks.
10. Soulja Kid | March 5th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
what do italians like as a snack
11. Want to know it | March 5th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
They will usually have a few biscuits, such as biscotti. They might also have some nuts, cheese and fresh bread.
12. montez moralez dial | March 13th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I am not doing just a project. I am making a pop up book about Italian food and other kinds.
13. Angel | May 13th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Many thanks for this information it has helped alot. We are going to be hosting foreign students and we have italians coming this weekend so this has really helped. Cheers
14. pokeyoak | May 18th, 2009 at 1:22 am
this site helped me a lot cuz im doing a project on italy!
15. kiari | June 4th, 2009 at 12:26 am
it helps if u r doing a report on what italians eat.
16. johnstevens | June 22nd, 2009 at 11:58 pm
This post really helped me out. Thanks.
17. liam i luv u abi atkins | June 29th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
this was very helpful for my geography homework!!!!!!!
18. Margherita | July 29th, 2009 at 8:37 am
this helped me too! thanks whoever put this up!
19. Gloria | August 31st, 2009 at 6:42 pm
It depends on what part of Italy you are in…some eat a lot of polenta…sometimes with spaghetti sauce and sometimes with a brown meat sauce…..they eat fruit salad which they call macedonia….or sometimes just fresh fruit and cheese for dessert.
20. Lauren | September 29th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
i hate italia food. i dont know why, i just do
21. keila | October 12th, 2009 at 6:56 am
My family is harsh old school italian, pasta, homegrown vegetables from my garden, lots of fruits, tomatoes, figs, green beans, lots of meat, sausages, pasta, lamb and baked buns, pastries not so much pizza though
22. keke | December 6th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
i have recently cooked Italian at school it was amazing i think they love there food because its very special to them and others in Italy.
23. katana | December 18th, 2009 at 1:32 am
I’m thinking of going to Italy for Rotary so this is great
thanks 
24. kayley | January 17th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
I really liked this website, it told me a lot about what they eat and i think that i would like to go to italy and try some of their food out for myself.
25. jennifer | February 16th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
i love this website and i love Italians and the food there is so good and it is the best place i went to in my life
26. Caitlin | February 20th, 2010 at 9:51 am
This site really did help me out, i am almost done my project now. You can hardly find just a simple answer for a question and here you dont even have to read much
27. stripysocks | February 21st, 2010 at 10:40 pm
I’m doing a project on Italy and to be honest the posts people put up helped me more than the actual website…so thank you people
28. Maddie | February 22nd, 2010 at 6:21 pm
Thanks a lot to this website it really helped me maybe include times though.
29. bruna | February 23rd, 2010 at 7:22 pm
i was looking for more specific foods but this will do hopefully haha:L
30. Tam | March 14th, 2010 at 12:37 am
Hey, does anyone know if the Italians eat most of their meals home or out at restaurants?? Im doing a school project. so feel free to help.
31. Hydi | March 14th, 2010 at 2:12 am
I am living in italy at the moment doing an erasmus and it is true that all they pretty much eat is pasta and pizza, mainly pizza for lunch (especialy if your buying out and not cooking) or salad (if your at home) and most definitely pasta for tea/dinner, i like both but after just eating pasta and pizza for the past im getting a bit sick of it, i want some gravy and some good english cheese with meat
32. Want to know it | March 14th, 2010 at 4:33 am
@ Tam:
Italians generally eat out for lunch but will usually eat at home for breakfast and dinner.
33. Raylah | March 15th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
i think this is good information if ur doing a project on what italians eat daily
34. Cookie | March 25th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
I love Italians!! I want to go there so badly!! I wish everyday was an Italian day (:
35. Stella | April 5th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
My son loves Italian dishes but is allergic to dairy products. Whenever he eats cheese, he itches and his skin develops into hives. What do allergic Italians eat in place of cheese, cow’s milk, etc.?
36. Want to know it | April 7th, 2010 at 12:38 am
I’m afraid I don’t really know Stella. I would assume they have soy milk and soy cheese instead. I know that many who are allergic to wheat use different types of flour (such as rice flour).
37. ANGEL | April 7th, 2010 at 11:41 am
thanx for the great advice u rock!!
38. christen | April 28th, 2010 at 7:27 am
i am Italian and why it seems like we mostly do eat Pizza and Pasta we eat other things as well lol and us italian’s do eat meat most common meat we eat is usually sausage or chicken
39. Want to know it | April 29th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Yes- I know Italians do eat some meat but they don’t eat it as much as other cultures. Chicken or fish is generally preferred, although they do like sausages as well.
40. bob | May 21st, 2010 at 3:29 pm
i love italian food because i am an italian
41. Laura | June 2nd, 2010 at 6:32 pm
I was doing a project and I chose too do Italy so this helped me a lot
42. sam | June 25th, 2010 at 9:44 am
i wish i was an italian
43. emily | July 9th, 2010 at 11:04 am
i am half italian:D:D:D hahahahahah!
44. sara | July 14th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
awww!i love italian food i wish my routine was like theres!
45. Amy | July 16th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Your information helped a lot!!!! Thank you!!! And what is the most popular food? What is the most common food? Please answer!!!
46. Want to know it | July 17th, 2010 at 6:12 am
Amy- I really don’t know the answers to those questions but I would guess pizza as it is eaten very regularly by Italians.
47. toriii | September 16th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
i think that was good information cause i needed it for a project and it made me finish so it is good
)for whoever it reading this
48. Greg | October 5th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
I’m doing a project for school and this site was really helpful!
49. Drewbie | October 19th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Italians have three hour lunch breaks?! That’s soooo cool, I wish my school did that!
50. chrissie | October 31st, 2010 at 11:42 pm
i recommended this site for anyone who is doing a project on italian foods i have been to italy and i loved every single bit of it.
51. Emma | November 26th, 2010 at 3:32 am
This helped me SO much! Thank you!
52. Renee | April 6th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
I’m Italian and that’s what I eat!! : )
Leave a Comment for What do Italians Eat