The FastDay Forum

I wonder how the French (most of them) look so slim & trim eating the variety of cheese, patisseries & of course wine is like water

I'm in the bottom corner of Charente-Maritime (17). I've noticed a couple of things about French eating habits: a) they eat a big and leisurely meal at lunch, and have hardly anything in the evening, maybe a bowl of soup; and b) when they do eat they don't have large portions and often leave half of it.

I am starting to see some big youngsters though, so maybe the old habits are dying out.

I've been trying the drink lots of wine diet, but it doesn't seem to work for me.

Yep - and the other thing I've noticed about the French diet is how low carb it is (apart from the baguettes!). The difference was noticeable the other night - we found ourselves in a Buffalo Grill and the choices for accompaniment to go with your steak were fries, baked potato, mashed potato, rice or good old haricots verts. Now, if you choose fries, you get an American-style, huge portion. But if you choose one of the other types of spud, or the rice, you get a much more modest, French-style portion. And of course, if you choose the green beans, you get no carbs at all - which is also quite common at French meals.

Contrast this with a meal a relative of mine was served in a pub in Kerry, Ireland the other week - a beef curry, accompanied by rice, roast potatoes, mashed potato, boiled potatoes AND chips! It came on a plate with 2 extra bowls, one for the mountain of boiled spuds, the other for the pile of chips!

D'oh! I started a French based thread and THEN found this one. Never mind!

Anyone struggling to find quick & easy "ready meals" in France to eat on fast days - check out the "Les Cocottes" range from William Saurin. I found them in Leclerc and gave them a go and they've been great - There's a Basque Chicken, a Beef Bourguignon, a Catalan Pork & Chorizo and others too. The ones I've had all come in at around the 280 calorie mark, and make a tasty, reasonably filling option for anyone in a hurry on a fast day (3 mins in the microwave and you're sorted).

I'm not but I'm French lol

Ditto!

and me lol, though I have Italian parents but born and raised in France till 1983 when I came over to the UK!

I dont use ready meals.. I either do Wizza's as intermache do a similar wrap or i make myself something like salmon/chicken and salad or risotto or soups etc... I believe leader price do low calorie ready meals though.

I live in Eure et Loir, 28, just between Chartres and Orléans