Italians eat pasta and salad, not just pasta. They do not have an entire plate of pasta Alfredo with a side of garlic bread. Italians mostly eat a vegetable diet. They regard meat and fish as a garnish or a side dish, not the main course.
Italians eat a pasta salad
Some Italians eat a pasta salad. A pasta salad is a bowl of some pasta mixed with vegetables, tomatoes, some olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
Italians choose the correct portion sizes of pasta with their salads:
- 1 cup or 50 g of pasta at meals for petite ladies;
- 1.5 cups or 80 g of pasta for gentlemen;
- 2 cups or 100 g of pasta for working men and growing teen boys.
A plate of pasta is always followed by a bowl of salad. Add color to your salad by using fresh vegetables – grow your own if you can.
Salad Dressings
Traditional Italians don’t use salad dressings; They didn’t exist until recently. Olive oil, vinegar (balsamic or otherwise) and a sprinkle of salt are a typical “dressing” and they are used sparingly especially the oil as it is quite flavorful without putting a lot of it. No Caesar dressing or Alfredo sauce for fit Italians.
Italians usually do not combine different carbs together (i.e., no pasta with bread). They eat moderate amounts (i.e., no more than two teaspoons per meal) of heart-healthy, plant based fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds. If they eat butter, cheese or cream, they eat very moderate portions of these animal based fats as well.
Italians generally closed every meal with an apple or some other fruit and for the adults, an espresso both at lunch and dinner. The espresso helps adults to metabolize their meal more quickly.
Do Italians eat Fettuccine Alfredo?
Fit Italians don’t eat Fettuccine Alfredo (Italian pronunciation: [fettutʃˌtʃiːne alˈfreːdo]) is a pasta dish made from fettuccine tossed with Parmesan cheese and butter. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich coating on the pasta.
The dish was named after Alfredo Di Lelio I, a restaurateur who opened and operated restaurants in Rome, Italy, throughout the early to mid 20th century.
Eat the Italian Way
Make time for your meals. Don’t use store bought salad dressings and don’t add artificial bacon bits or what have you, fill your plate with things nature provides. Don’t eat at your desk, sit, relax (easier said than done, I know) if the weather and your location permits eat outside in a quiet spot sitting comfortably, possibly at a table, and when you’re done eating spend 10 minutes at the table doing nothing but relaxing and enjoying the view.
Don’t live to eat, eat to live. Don’t live to work, work to live.
Enjoy the small things!