5.6 Staples of Life: Cuisine, Fitness, and Sports

Cuisine 🍕🍝 🍇 🥒

Italians are known for their delectable food choices, with tens of thousands of people flocking to the country to taste the delicious pizza, pasta, gelato, and more. While Americans prefer to shop at large supermarkets with many choices, Italians opt to visit local food markets and will only purchase the freshest of ingredients. Food is an important attribute of Italian culture, and it is also a way to bring people together and connect families and friends.

Quick Facts

• Italians feel a connection with the planet, so people prefer to cook with products of the earth 🌍 🌍
• Meal time is when families come together around the table and catch up.

Meal Structure

• Breakfast - caffe latte (latte caldo con caffè) o caffè con pane o panini, burro e marmellata
• Lunch - il primo (pasta, riso o simili), il secondo (carne o pesce) servito insieme a un contorno  (verdura o insalata) ' 🍝 🐠 🥕- Most important meal - many shops close for the pausa pranzo, and schools give children a long enough break that they can go home
• Dinner - primo o una zuppa, e talvolta un secondo. Grande enfasi sui bevande, come vino
• Dessert - un cappuccino o un caffè ☕

Diet and Fitness 🏃🏼👟

Italians often have extravagant meals, yet, they are some of the most active people in the world. It is important for people to have an appropriate balance between food and fitness. Diet is a very important conversation, and people understand the need for a varied palette, complete with fruits (frutta), vegetables (verdure), protein (proteine), carbohydrates (carboidrati), and some sweets (dolci). 

In Italy and the USA, you see the rise of new diets:

La Dieta Vegetariana - non mangia carne  🚫 🍖 🥩

• Frutta, verdura, cereali, noci, legumi
• Abbracciano valori etici e vogliono proteggere gli animali dal maltrattamento
• Può garantire i nutrienti essenziali e può prevenire numerose patologie

La Dieta Vegana - non possono consumare eventuali prodotti di origine animali 🚫 🥩 🥚 🥛' 🧀' 

• Frutta, verdura, semi, noci, legumi, alternative al latte
• Più intenso

Strive for Five Vocab 🔑🔑

• Gli alimentari - food
• Il nutrizionista - nutritionist
• Il dietologo - dietician
• Una dieta sana - healthy diet
• Salutare - healthy
• La linea - figure
• Il peso forma - perfect form
• Mantenere la linea - to maintain the figure
• Integrale - whole wheat
• Conveniente - convenient
• Lo stile di vita - lifestyle
• Una dieta varia - varied diet
• Una buona dieta/una cattiva dieta - a good/bad diet
• La migliore dieta/la peggiore diet - the best/worst diet
• Prodotti commerciali - commercial products
• Il zucchero - sugar
• Provare - to try/taste

Sports ⚽ 🎾 ⛳ 🏉

Athletics are not as large of an industry as in the United States, and the programs and players do not earn as much money. But, sports still unite all groups of people behind a common cause because they can watch the games with friends/family, frequent stadiums, and watch the exciting action! The most popular sport in Italy is soccer, but individual sports such as tennis, golf, and boxing are also prevalent.

Italian National Soccer Team, Image Courtesy of thelocal 

Game of Rugby, Image Courtesy of Benvenuto 

Unfortunately, after-school athletic programs are not widespread in Italy because many children elect to find a job, instead, in order to help support their families. This is changing, though, as people realize that sports teach positive lessons, help maintain strong health, and increase the self-esteem and well-being of individuals 👍🏼 👍🏼

Youth Soccer Team, Image Courtesy of footballsoccerschool 

** To see more information on Italian leisure time, check out Unit 1 - Families and Communities**

Strive for Five Vocab: Leisure Time Edition 🔑🔑 

• Lo sci nautico - swimming
• Il calcio - soccer
• L'allenatore - coach
• Il tifoso - fan
• L'hockey - hockey
• La pallavolo - volleyball
• Il giocatore -player
• La squadra - team
• La televisione - TV
• Il cinema - movie theater
• I videogiochi - videogames
• La musica - music