Food

Around four o'clock it is teatime. While in our country an afternoon snack is not common, in Britain it is a special occasion. The traditional tea consists of thin slices of white or brown bread and butter with cheese, fish or ham, perhaps some vegetables, and jam (made of other kinds of fruit than citruses), cakes, fruit pies, biscuits and tea or coffee which in England are drunk with milk unless you ask for black coffee or only tea. Nowadays many people do not eat much at teatime but they have at least one cup of coffee or tea.

The hot dinner which is served around 7 o'clock may have three or four courses. It consists of soup or some other starter, then the main course (meat and fish with vegetables) which is followed by a dessert and finally perhaps cheese and biscuits. The meat may be a stew, chops, a meat pie, a roast joint or fish if it is Sunday, with potatoes and one or two of the other vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, Brussels sprouts, cabbage or broccoli). Beef and mutton or lambs are much more favored than pork. As a dessert they may have fruit, fruit salad, fruit pie, fruit cake, pudding with custard, jelly with cream,  trifle or ice cream. With the meal they may have beer, cider or wine. They finish their dinner with coffee rather than tea.

Eating habits in the North of England and Scotland differ slightly. Between five and six they may have high tea. Some light dish as fish (fresh, tinned or smoked), ham, sausages, eggs or cheese is followed by home made bread, buns, biscuits, cakes and cups of coffee and tea. Later in the evening more tea, cocoa, milk, sandwiches, bread and butter, cheese, cakes and biscuits may be eaten as supper. Also people in the South may have supper if they stay up late at night. It consists of sandwiches, cold meat, vegetables, some milk, tea or coffee.

The Czech evening meal is not so nutritious if people have a hot meal at midday. It may be some cold meat, salami, ham, cheese, eggs, bread or rolls and some vegetables. Some people prefer a hot meal too. They may have pancakes, potato pancakes, pizza, stews or goulash with bread, casseroles, risotto or pasta with meat sauce. Some people may have a similar dish as at midday except soup, although some thick soup with bread may be a separate evening meal.

On some special occasions such as Christmas, traditional food is served both in Britain and in our country. Fish soup, fried carp and potato salad are commonly made for Christmas Eve. As a dessert home made sweets and apple strudel are served. There is no traditional meal for Christmas Day, but many families prepare roast goose with dumplings and cabbage, Wiener schnitzel with potato salad, or roast turkey with potatoes. There is a superstition about New Year's Day dinner. You should not have any poultry on that day, otherwise you will miss your good luck in the next year. The British Christmas Day meal is roast turkey with chestnut stuffing, potatoes and the renowned Christmas pudding and mince pies as a sweet.