Traditional means of eating throughout the day in Italy
"Primi" redirects here. For an ethnic group in Tibet, see Pumi people.
"Contorno" redirects here. For other uses, see Contorno (disambiguation).
Italian cuisine
History
Ancient Roman cuisine
Medieval cuisine
Early modern cuisine
Contemporary cuisine
Regional cuisines
Abruzzese cuisine
Apulian cuisine
Arbëreshë cuisine
Corsican cuisine
Ligurian cuisine
Lombard cuisine
Mantuan cuisine
Lucanian cuisine
Neapolitan cuisine
Piedmontese cuisine
Roman cuisine
Sardinian cuisine
Sicilian cuisine
Venetian cuisine
Lists
Chefs
Dishes
Pasta
Cheeses
PDO
Desserts and pastries
Restaurants
Wine
IGT
DOCG
DOC
Beer
See also
Italian-American cuisine
Sammarinese cuisine
Osteria
Trattoria
Enoteca
Sagra
List of Italian chefs
Meal structure
Italy portal Food portal
v
t
e
Italian meal structure is typical of the European Mediterranean region and differs from Northern, Central, and Eastern European meal structure, though it still often consists of breakfast (colazione), lunch (pranzo), and supper (cena).[1] 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.[2] Late-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, called merenda (pl.: merende), are also often included in this meal structure.[3]
Traditional meals in Italy typically contain four or five courses.[4] 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.[5]
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, and coffee.[6][7] The primo (first course) is usually a filling dish such as risotto or pasta, with sauces made from meat, vegetables, or seafood.[8] Whole pieces of meat such as sausages, meatballs, and poultry are eaten in the secondo (second course).[9] Italian cuisine has some single-course meals (piatto unico) combining starches and proteins.[10]
^"Mangiare all'italiana" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Colazioni da incubo in giro per il mondo" (in Italian). 29 March 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Merenda, una abitudine tutta italiana: cinque ricette salutari per tutta la famiglia" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Guide to the Traditional Italian Meal Structure". Cucina Toscana. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
^"At the Italian Dinner Table | Italian Dinner and Food Traditions". DeLallo. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
^"Quante portate per un matrimonio di nuova generazione?" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Portate a tavola: qual è la sequenza corretta per non sbagliare?" (in Italian). 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Primo piatto" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Secondo piatto" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Il piatto unico, cos'è" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
and 25 Related for: Italian meal structure information
hors d'oeuvre List of ancient dishes and foods List of Italian dishes Italianmealstructure Cured meat "Definition of ANTIPASTO". www.merriam-webster...
The traditional courses and their order vary by culture. In the Italianmealstructure, there are traditionally four formal courses: antipasto (appetizers)...
(Persian) cuisine Meal structure in Italian cuisine Mealstructure in Moroccan cuisine Mealstructure in Lithuanian cuisine Simple meals often consist of bread...
a very short shelf life. Matzah meal is crispy matzah that has been ground to a flour-like consistency. Matzah meal is used to make matzah balls (kneidles/kneidlach)...
television channel for Latino children Primo, the first course in Italianmealstructure Duplo Primo and Lego Primo, now known as Lego Baby, Lego blocks...
called merenda (plural merende), are also often included in this mealstructure. Italian cuisine is one of the most popular and copied around the world...
in Italy Cuisine of Italy Beer in ItalyItalian food products ItalianmealstructureItalian wine Veneto wine Cultural icons Gardens in ItalyItalian garden...
vending machines. School meals in Italy provide regular Italian cuisine, although they may vary among regions and towns. The Italian government is very "down...
seasonality. Italianmealstructure is typical of the European Mediterranean region and differs from North, Central, and Eastern European mealstructure, though...
cassata are among the most famous examples of Italian desserts, cakes, and patisserie. The Italianmealstructure is typical of the Mediterranean region and...
a list of notable Italian restaurants, which specialize in the preparation and purveyance of Italian cuisine: Amato's ASK Italian Bella Italia Beppi's...
homes. Mealstructure in Italian cuisine – breakfast (colazione), lunch (pranzo), mid-afternoon snack (merenda), and dinner (cena) Mealstructure in Moroccan...
Pastas are divided into two broad categories: dried (Italian: pasta secca) and fresh (Italian: pasta fresca). Most dried pasta is produced commercially...
Ruché Italian cuisine Category: Cuisine of Piedmont Piedmont wine Piedmontese cheese "Introduzione". La grande cucina regionale - Piemonte (in Italian). Il...
Italian (italiano, Italian: [itaˈljaːno] , or lingua italiana, Italian: [ˈliŋɡwa itaˈljaːna]) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family...
Dessert is a course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as cake, biscuit, ice cream and possibly a beverage such as dessert...
Italian Eritrean cuisine is the mix of Eritrean dishes and spices with Italian dishes. This kind of cuisine is quite common with Eritreans in Eritrea,...
(/ˈzuːpə ɪŋˈɡleɪzeɪ, ˈ(t)suː-/, Italian: [ˈdzuppa iŋˈɡleːze, ˈtsuppa iŋˈɡleːse]; lit. 'English soup') is an Italian dessert layering custard and sponge...
Italian Americans (Italian: italoamericani) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. According to the Italian American Studies Association...
The Italian diaspora (Italian: emigrazione italiana, pronounced [emiɡratˈtsjoːne itaˈljaːna]) is the large-scale emigration of Italians from Italy. There...
ancestors were Italians who emigrated to Brazil during the Italian diaspora, or more recent Italian-born people who've settled in Brazil. Italian Brazilians...
"nap") is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly...
Global Information
Italy portal 
Food portal