Habits of an American woman after living in Russia (1 photo). Portions are gigantic in size
I will try to debunk some of the myths about fast food and the poverty of American eating habits in this post, describing how broad and varied this topic is.
America is a country of immigrants and the people living here or their ancestors brought many cultural and food habits to this continent, not only that, even in each state or region of the country there are separate signature dishes characteristic of this region, based on its climatic and geographical features. Since the topic of food turned out to be too vast to fit into one post of my modest blog, and at the same time not to seem unfounded by expressing only my personal opinion, I decided to interview a real American housewife who is passionate about preparing culinary masterpieces for her family, with which , as I was able to see from my own example many times, she copes EXCELLENTLY!
Pat is a happy wife and mother of 4 children, whom she raised and educated herself at home (there is a phenomenon in the USA when children are not sent to school, but are taught at home methodological manuals). Since in this post I decided to focus more on the eating habits of the average American family, and not on gourmet or restaurant food (which I plan to write about in a future post), Pat was the ideal informant for me.
Next, I will present my questions and her answers in my author’s translation, which I hope will not spoil the reader’s understanding of all the intricacies of the nutrition of a real American family:
« 1) What is considered traditional American cuisine?
Traditional American cuisine mainly focuses on baked meats (chicken, beef, pork, etc.), side dishes (usually potatoes or pasta), and vegetables.
However, quite a lot of people live in America different people and our dishes began to include all their products. Spaghetti, cutlets or lasagna are not considered American dishes, since they are all Italian cuisine, but nevertheless they are quite popular among Americans. For example, my mother would prepare typical casseroles of potatoes and other ingredients on Sundays for the entire week ahead, and then we would eat various variations of this dish on the rest of the week, usually baked on a baking sheet with meat.
2) What traditional dishes in New England?
Seafood dishes are most popular in New England due to the proximity of the ocean. In the summer, in coastal cities, most restaurants offer baked fish and fried seafood (usually scallops, mussels, shrimp (although non-New England shrimp) and lobster). Lobster can be cooked different ways, but as a rule they are served boiled or steamed with a small saucer of melted butter in which the pieces of lobster meat are dipped. Personally my favorite summer dish- This is a Lobster roll, which consists of lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise, pickles and celery or other greens, and then all this is placed in a lightly grilled bun. Real jam!
Scallops: 
Clams:
Clam chowder:
Lobster or lobster:
Lobster roll:
Other things typical of New England are: baked beans (usually small beans baked in a sauce of molasses or brown sugar and water with some added pork belly), American Stew or American Chop Suey (casserole of pasta "horns", baked tomatoes, and ground beef), and Whoopie pies - small cakes with cream filling. There is also a dessert called Marshmallow Fluff, which can only be found in New England. It spreads on bread like butter, but it's made from marshmallows. Also, people here make sandwiches with “peanut fluff” (Fluffer-nutter) - this is the same marshmallow, only with peanut butter. I lived in Florida and Missouri for some time and never saw these dishes anywhere else except among people from New England who brought them with them from home.
Baked beans:
American Stew (Chop Suey):
Whoopie-pies:
"Marshmallow fluff" (Fluff):
3) What do average Americans eat on weekdays?
It depends on your schedule.
- For breakfast I usually have either scrambled eggs and toast or cereal with cold milk. My son, for example, eats waffles cooked in the toaster (from the freezer) and special breakfast sausages (usually on the sweet side) heated in the microwave. My husband eats pre-made protein shakes (which he freezes and then eats with a spoon like ice cream) and bananas. My daughter usually gets up late and doesn't eat anything for breakfast! In fact, she can grab cookies and coffee and eat it all on the way to work.
- For lunch we eat sandwiches or salad (Americans always have a light lunch or dinner).
- Dinner can be anything from a casserole or meal made in a slow cooker (crock-pot) to grilled sandwiches and various soups. When we don't have time, we order food delivered from restaurants. We often eat breakfast for lunch (eggs, bacon and toast) and sometimes even ice cream, usually at summer time when it's too hot to cook!
Crock pot multicooker (slow cooker): 
Breakfast: 
4) What are the traditional holiday dishes in the USA?
Various Religious holidays have their own characteristic dishes depending on one religion or another, and I do not think it is worth dwelling on the peculiarities of the diet of their adherents. I can only speak from my own experience cooking holiday meals. For example:
For Easter the following is usually prepared: baked pork (such as boiled pork) or leg of lamb;
Baked pork (baked ham): 
Leg of lamb(leg of lamb): 
During the warm season, on holidays such as Memorial Day, Independant Day and Labor Day, we barbecue outside: we grill almost any type of meat or sausage, steaks, hot dogs, etc. hamburgers. If these are sausages, then I usually first lightly boil them (bring to a boil for a few minutes, but do not cook all the way) in beer. This adds an incomparable flavor to the sausages! Typical side dishes in this case are cold salads, such as potato salad (like Russian Olivier, but without meat and peas), pasta salad or shredded cabbage salad. 
Thanksgiving: Roast turkey, although many people Lately fry it in oil. Some also pre-marinate the turkey for several days in salty-sweet water and then bake it. Sometimes the turkey is stuffed with bread and stuffing, but I've never done that. It is difficult to ensure that the stuffing is completely cooked through without the turkey meat becoming too dry. 
Christmas: the same turkey, or baked ham. I used to make roast beef using the rib side of beef, but when we lived in Florida, where it's always warm at Christmas, we usually grilled the steaks. 
Side dishes for holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas are generally similar: Corn pudding (same as bread pudding, but with a cornbread base), mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, baked yams or sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole with a layer of marshmallows on top. Most of these side dishes may sound strange to you, but we find them very tasty! Especially if you add butter and cream - it's very tasty!
Corn pudding: 
5) What desserts are especially popular among Americans?
There are actually quite a few desserts that aren't popular in America ;). Americans love to eat dessert in large quantities. At home, we usually cook cookies or Brownies and eat them with tea after lunch. By special occasions we usually eat layer cake with frosting, cheesecake or maybe fruit salad with ice cream. 
6) Fast food or home cooking? Has the situation with the predominance of fast food in the eating habits of Americans changed over the past last years?
I think Americans are often too busy to cook on weeknights. Most women work or have to drive children to and from school, sports, or music lessons, and therefore are unable to prepare elaborate meals for dinner. For example, in my family, my husband gets home around 6:30 pm and on at least two evenings during the week, one or both of us have something to do and meetings at 7:00 pm. Two of our 4 children who still live with us either work in the evenings (2-3 times a week) or play sports and go out with friends, which prevents us from having dinner together. It would be stupid to cook a lot of food for 2 people, although I still do it on the weekends :). Thus, all that remains is fast food: ready meals, which can be purchased at grocery stores, frozen dinners, or, as some families do, weekend meals for the week ahead are simply reheated during the week in the microwave. However, fast food has changed a lot over the past 10 years. Food that is ready to eat from the grocery store and only requires heating has become quite tasty and many times cheaper and healthier than the same pizza, sandwiches and hamburgers (the most typical fast food). If we order takeout, it's usually a Greek salad (with feta cheese, grilled chicken, and olives) because I don't really like making salad - it's easier to order it from a restaurant! Today is Saturday and my husband Anthony ordered sushi for dinner and Chinese food to the cafe and went himself to bring her home.”
Greek salad: 
P.S. On my own behalf I would like to add that despite traditions, all people still have different tastes, food allergies and dislikes. For example, my father-in-law, although he grew up in New England in close proximity to the ocean, still categorically does not eat fish and other seafood (I didn’t eat either until I was 20-23, then I gradually began to get involved). Since we still live with my wife’s parents, real Americans, it makes sense to mention a little about their diet. Peter and Luann (my wife's Amy's parents) are quite conservative and have a typical American way of thinking. They are very afraid of cholesterol and try to drink only skim milk and eat only foods low in fat and cholesterol. They are also obsessed with various vitamins and nutritional supplements. In the morning they eat cereal, drink orange juice and coffee, which is quite traditional for Americans, for lunch (or dinner, yes, lunch is lunch, not a second breakfast as we are taught at school, and dinner is dinner. They don’t use a word like “supper” for dinner here), they eat a peanut butter sandwich if at work, and if at home, then a vegetable salad. And for dinner, most often they eat frozen semi-finished products or order pizza, but they still cook once or twice a week. For example:
- potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms and smoked Polish sausage (kielbasa) cut into pieces are baked in the oven;
- make various Italian pastas, tetrazini, etc.;
- cook beef stew, goulash or something like that in a slow cooker.
And of course, all Americans love to go to restaurants, cafes or order food at home from the same restaurants on weekends (take out).
1. There is no ceiling light
Few places in America will you find chandeliers on the ceilings, as we are used to in Russian houses and apartments. In warmer states and beyond, ceiling fans, which sometimes have lights, are popular. But the light from them is not enough for normal illuminate room. Therefore, they cannot be called a full replacement for a chandelier.
Fact: American developers are saving on ceiling lighting to reduce the cost of housing and make it more affordable. If you want a chandelier for yourself, look for an electrician who (without destroying half the house) can organize the wiring and connect it to the switch. Most often, the lack of overhead light is compensated for by table lamps and floor lamps. It’s funny that in some interior blogs this style of lighting is even called “American”.
2. Ceiling with a bumpy surface popcorn ceiling
The simplest, smooth white ceiling, which we are accustomed to since childhood, sometimes turns out to be an unaffordable luxury in the USA. Almost all apartments in major cities and in most private homes the ceilings will be uneven. This is not a flaw, but a special plaster with noise-absorbing properties.
The main function of this kind of ceilings-reduce noise between floors. In addition, such a ceiling does not need to be leveled to perfection (which, again, reduces the developer’s costs and the cost of housing). If you rent an apartment or house, then most likely you will have to put up with lumpy ceilings - landlords do not allow anything to be changed in their property.
3. Lack of flexible hose in the shower
In almost all houses and apartments in America, in the shower you will only see a mixer and an overhead shower - it is unlikely that there will be a simple and familiar watering can with a hose. It would seem that what the problem is: a hand shower is bought and installed on the mixer. But, alas, this is not always possible and depends on the type of mixer or overhead shower.
Fact: In hotels that accept visitors from different countries, most often they install both showers - manual and overhead. Therefore, it is unlikely that you noticed this problem when staying in hotels.
4. Bathroom without shower, toilet without bidet
Very often, bathtubs in the master bathroom (“in the parents’ bedroom,” as we would say) are equipped only with a tap for filling with water. In the same room there is a separate shower stall; there is no shower head over the bathtub. Okay: let's say you first go take a shower, and then dive into and relax in a bubble bath. But how can you wash this foam off yourself?
And further: The doors to the bathrooms open into the room, which is unusual for Russians.
5. Noisy toilets
American toilets- this is a separate story: there are no such people anywhere else, they are unusual and even somewhat frightening for an ordinary Russian who encounters them for the first time. The water in them always stands half full: at first glance, it looks like a broken toilet. As soon as you begin to release the water, it will begin to rise even higher. It seems that now it will overflow and... But no - after that it will disappear in an instant into the sewer, making a noise comparable to an airplane taking off.
And further: A hygienic shower, and especially a bidet, are not very popular plumbing items in America. Therefore, if you are looking for a property with them, you will have little choice.
6. High beds
An American standard bed consists not only of a base and a mattress; there must certainly be a lower hard mattress and a softer upper one, and an additional thin feather mattress on top for complete comfort.
This “pie” reaches such a height that you have to put up small stools to climb onto the bed. Moreover, special ladders are sold for pets that sleep with their owners.
Fact: I have seen this explanation for an overly high bed: in the past, wealthy and important people received visitors while lying in bed. And they needed the visitor's eyes to be at the same level as theirs.
7. Sheets instead of duvet covers
This may seem strange, but Americans usually use sheets instead of duvet covers. A standard set of linen includes two sheets - a fitted sheet (stretched) and a flat sheet (a sheet that is placed under the blanket). Fortunately, more and more European brands are entering the US market with duvet covers, and Americans, accustomed to comfort in everything, quickly realized the advantages of this item.
8. Carpet everywhere
People who are accustomed to taking off their shoes immediately upon entering the house, and to the fact that carpets in shoes we don’t go, this American habit causes misunderstanding and even irritation. Where have you seen this - walking around the house in shoes?
I will add that in American homes The carpet is, if not everywhere, then almost everywhere. I guess this can be a good thing when you live in a dry climate and clean streets. But if there are children or allergy sufferers in the family, then cleaning the house becomes challenging task. It is not surprising that the vacuum cleaner is the main household appliance in the house. Need I say that you cannot replace the carpet with something else in a rented house?
9. Microwave + hood over the stove
On the one hand, this is convenient: in order not to take up space on the countertop and not be built into cabinets, the microwave was combined with a hood into one household appliance. It is placed, of course, directly above the stove.
But getting a hot plate or mug from such a height may not be very safe (and not everyone is comfortable). And, let’s say, children in this case cannot use the microwave at all.
On Reddit, people decided to discuss the topic of what NON-Americans find strange about Pendos’ habits. Yes, some things are really strange.
Here's the best:
Driving absolutely everywhere
Yes, USA - big country. But these guys are ready to drive a car for any amount of time. I had a friend who regularly traveled on weekends to visit family. Moreover, the one-way journey was 16 hours. This is at least surprising - B_Underscore
Wal-Mart is a store where you can buy absolutely everything.
A friend from the UK went to the US and said Wal-Mart was the strangest thing he had ever seen. Imagine that in one store you can buy 24 rolls of toilet paper and a 12-gauge shotgun. - Teaching_man
I always believed that you can’t just come and buy a weapon in a supermarket... But not in America. I think it's better to go to a special weapons store. I admit I was wrong. -KevinDevogel
The fact that the prices of things in stores is not their actual price, but the price without taxes and other surcharges, is very wrong - 77-97-114-99-111
A strange American version of Puritanism
You Americans don't see the difference between nudity and sex. - Nionvox
And yet extreme violence and other cruelty are considered normal and are regularly shown on TV. And this, at least, is surprising that the natural and beautiful is partially naked female body seen as taboo and “corrupting” young people, but a guy with his head cut off or a teenager being beaten to death is normal and quite acceptable for children. You really have some kind of imbalance in your head. - Source
I'm amazed at the amount of cheese Americans can consume at one time. - Countsblink
I went with my cousin to Mac`n`cheese. There we were served a burger that contained 600 grams of cheese. We had culture shock- Marcvsgrippa
Pumpkin flavored flavor. Pumpkin is a vegetable. Moreover, it is a seasonal vegetable. For me, coffee with pumpkin is at least strange - TallGrass2
Cheerleaders
Young girls in short skirts who are forced to dance in the stadium so that the audience will cheer for the guys seems strange to me - preparetodobattle
I work at a summer camp, and there is nothing funnier than watching the American Scouts, who seem just sick to me. They spend the entire morning and evening dedicated to worshiping the American flag. 5-7v military uniform they raise the flag, salute, 60-90 people read the Scout Oath in chorus, march, and in the evening everything is done in the reverse order - izzielosthermind
They take coffee everywhere
Eat/drink, but only with coffee; if an American has nothing to do and goes somewhere, he goes with coffee. Coffee is part of the meal, part of the conversation, part of the relaxation. Nothing goes without coffee. - tallgrass2
Obsession with one's own alma mater.
I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but Americans remain attached to college long after they've left. Older people come to campus because they studied there, they walk among applicants, graduates of the 2000s or 1990s. In all other countries, received an education and goodbye to the institute - Fenrir89
I was made fun of all the time in Russia for always talking and dreaming about college. -CK14
Splendor and pomp High school prom
For example, we don’t have any traditions, we just drink. But in America it’s akin to the Miss World ceremony - Vitore
Mania for white teeth
Americans are obsessed with straight and white teeth. It's as if all your beauty depended only on your teeth. Don't get me wrong, oral hygiene is important, but American "perfect" teeth look fake. - Flashnewb
Obsession to be the best country in the world
Many Chinese don't understand how America can function so "well" since the people here are all so different. There are blacks, Asians, whites, Hispanics, Indians, it’s simply impossible to name them all... Everyone seems to be doing something, when in fact it’s just a fiction - jdavem
The way everyone says that Americans are open to peace and communication, and that we should learn from them, but they are all alone, and when no one agrees with me, I am still surrounded by a crowd of helpers - fawkesandthehound
The fact that they are or were among the most influential people in the world does not mean that they lead a correct lifestyle. Of course, they are the leaders of one of the most powerful powers in the world, but American presidents are still human. And, like every average person, they have their own bad habits. That they control the codes to nuclear weapons and the strongest army in the world doesn't mean they can control what goes into their mouth. This article will describe the most bad habits that were characteristic of American presidents. From Donald Trump's affinity for fast food to William Taft's huge steaks for breakfast, here's a look at the hard facts and anecdotal stories about what some of America's most famous presidents have done to improve their health. Even if you want to become as successful as these people, the habits described in this article are not ones you should adopt from them.
Donald Trump
The 45th President of the United States is not shy about his love of fast food. Moreover, he posted in social network A photo of himself with a portion of fried chicken from KFC in August 2016. It's no surprise that this fatty chicken is harmful to your health and leads to rapid weight gain: just one piece of it chicken breast contains 390 calories and 21 grams of fat. Add two cookies and mashed potatoes and you have 850 calories, 41 grams of fat and 71 grams of carbs. And the current president’s hobbies are not limited to fast food; he also loves carbonated drinks. He reportedly has a red button on his desk that he presses every time he wants to drink a cola. And when Trump replaced Obama as president, the president's snack changed from healthy almonds to unhealthy chips.
Barack Obama
Although US First Lady Michelle Obama has spearheaded a campaign promoting healthy eating and physical culture, Barack Obama continued to harm his lungs and his overall health by smoking. Although he admitted that he smoked when he became president and also said that he was trying to quit, in 2015 he said that he managed to quit five years ago. He said he promised himself that once the health bill came into force, he would never touch a cigarette again. And he kept his promise. Throughout his presidency, he chewed nicotine gum to combat his urges.
George Bush
George W. Bush had a reputation for being a hard drinker, which was not much different from the stories about what he was like in his younger years. His wife said that he was a heavy drinker in his youth, drinking large quantities of beer, bourbon and other spirits. In 1976, he was arrested for driving while drunk. But he stopped succumbing to alcohol in his forties, long before he came to power in 2000. Not only is alcohol inflammatory and hard on your liver, but each alcoholic drink contains between 100 and 200 calories per serving, which can speed up your weight gain. excess weight. As for how exactly he refused bad habit, it is reported that one day he simply woke up and realized that he wanted to quit. And he was able to do it, he stopped drinking alcohol. Many people fail. Many people need help to stop drinking. But he just took it and stopped. And while there are photographs of Bush drinking a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage while he was president, such portions do not compare to how much he drank in his youth.
Bill Clinton
Although Bill Clinton has adopted healthier eating habits since leaving office, and now even follows a vegan diet, when he was still in office, his diet wasn't exactly what you'd call healthy. In 1992, an article was published that revealed the president's love for fatty foods and also talked about the frequency with which he visited restaurants that served them. His favorite foods were cheeseburgers, chicken enchiladas, cinnamon rolls and pies. Then his wife, Hillary, took over his diet and eliminated many of his favorite foods and reduced portions, helping him lose 30 pounds by the time he was elected president in 1993. However, he had problems with overweight throughout the eight years he spent as head of the country.
Ronald Reagan
In addition to the fact that he smoked a lot (he was even photographed on cigarette advertisements in the forties and fifties), Reagan liked to spend a lot of time outdoors. Growing up in California, he played a lot of outdoor sports, so it's not surprising that ultraviolet radiation got him. In 1986 and 1987, basal cell carcinomas were removed from his nose. And although people now know much more about the danger sunlight, it would not be amiss to remind you that every time you go outside in the summer, you should apply sunscreen, even if the sun is hidden behind the clouds. And if you go swimming or sweat a lot, reapply the cream. This The best way protect skin from cancer and premature aging.
Gerald Ford
Smoking tobacco was common among Ford's generation, as the first comprehensive report on the dangers of tobacco was not released until 1964, ten years before Ford became president. He smoked up to eight pipes of tobacco a day. And a pipe can be more harmful to your lungs and overall health, since one pipe holds two to three times more tobacco than a single cigarette. The biggest danger associated with smoking is lung, throat and mouth cancer, but it is also associated with cardiovascular disease.
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft is best known for his size, as he became the president who got stuck in the bathtub. Although there is no confirmation of this story, it is reliably known that Taft did not follow a diet and ate unhealthy and fatty foods. In addition, he ate huge portions. For example, for breakfast he liked to eat a 350-gram steak. This steak contains 920 calories and 65 grams of fat. Therefore, it is not surprising that Taft weighed 150 kilograms.
Grover Cleveland
This president was also obese and was unable to control his excess weight throughout his life. He also hated physical exercise and said that bodily movements in themselves are one of the most unpleasant and unsatisfactory things in life. And in addition to his lack of diet and dietary restrictions, he was also a heavy drinker. When he tried to taper, he limited himself to four beers a day, which still adds up to several hundred calories in your body and is one beer away from the early stages of alcoholism. Cleveland weighed 115 kilograms and was the second heaviest president in US history.
Martin van Buuren
Drinking alcohol is not unusual or uncommon among American presidents. Van Buren loved whiskey so much that the drink even became part of his nickname, but it also caused him to develop gout and then heart problems.
John Adams
Adams didn't just enjoy drinking alcohol, he started his day with alcohol. Forget coffee: the Founding Father always drank hard cider in the morning. It's not the smartest way to start the day, and each serving also contains about 130 calories and more than ten grams of sugar.
Photo Depositphotos
Each nation has its own characteristics, which often confuse foreigners. Many tourists come to another country to get to know the traditions of local residents better, but leave in complete bewilderment.
Faktrum talks about very strange habits and the traditions of the people of the USA, which can drive anyone crazy!
Restaurants always serve water with ice, no matter the weather. Whether it's cold or hot outside, it doesn't matter. But what’s really strange is when there is significantly more ice in the glass than water itself.
Air conditioning is always on at full power everywhere.
Portions in restaurants are simply astronomically huge. One dish intended for the average American is enough for a whole family of foreigners.
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The waiters come up every 3 minutes and ask if you are comfortable, if the food is tasty, etc. Every 3 minutes!
Stores sell 3-liter bottles of wine. And sometimes even 6-liter ones.
You are always asked for ID in a bar or store if you buy beer, even though it is obvious that you are over 40 years old.
American cars are simple gigantic size. Especially compared to European brands. By the way, highways are also huge.
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Banknotes are very similar to each other. It's hard to tell the difference between a $1 bill and a $5 bill, for example, because they're all the same size and color.
You can pay by credit card without using a PIN code, but simply by putting your signature. This doesn't look very safe.
Pharmacies sell candy, soda, cigarettes and beer. Although many of us dream about this!
Strangers smile at you all the time. On the street, in supermarkets, in public toilets - everywhere.
Photo Depositphotos
Many people wear fitness clothes even though they are not in the gym. And in slates - not on the beach.
It is not uncommon to see people in pajamas in supermarkets. Because they don't really care, to be honest.
American flags are everywhere. Just in case you forgot what country you are in.
Photo Depositphotos
Americans drink coffee on the go all the time. Many foreigners think this is strange, because they are used to enjoying a drink while sitting somewhere pleasant, and not grabbing it on the run.
The shower head cannot be adjusted in any way; everywhere it is screwed directly to the wall.
Shops and restaurants are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Of course, this is convenient, but I feel incredibly sorry for the workers of these establishments.