Let Them Eat Cake! - Tips on Food

"Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" (Apparently Marie Antoinette didn't actually say this...)

What I've found completely bizarre is the lack of a "good" breakfast eaten in this house. I'm a breakfast fanatic and only lasted a few days here before I had to go buy myself a LARGE box of cereal!

I know it's typically more common in France to eat little and often but the girls actually have gateaux for breakfast and I have to say I'm a bit taken back by it. I come from a healthy-eating home where my mom always put an emphasis on good, healthy breakfasts to start your day, so it's just so different for me to see how it works in another house.

When coming to au pair in another country, it's important to know how they eat and when they eat their large meal, little things like that, so that you know how to adapt. It's definitely not all croissants and crepes! I knew somewhat how it works in France and what they eat, with my cousins living here. They eat their big meal in the middle of the day and eat a smaller meal in the evening, normally quite late, after 8p.m.

'Staple' foods and bases are as such cheeses, cured meats, mustard, bread, eggs, mayonnaise , vegetables - just so you have an idea.

The French adore their fromages!

Quiche is quite common

I'd greatly advise any of you who are picky eaters or hate all the foods above, and are planning to go au pairing, find out what the favourite foods of the household are BEFORE you go... That way you can decide to ask them if they mind if you cook your own meals if you know you don't particularly like what they eat and then it makes less awkward and easier for everyone, especially whoever cooks the meals in the household! Because in France, don't be conned into thinking that they'll make something 'plain' for the kids - the children here eat what is put in front of them and that's typically the same as the parent's meal. 

Bises, 

K x