Mealtimes: When and what do Germans eat?
People in Germany generally have three or four meals a day: breakfast, a midday meal, an evening meal, and possibly Kaffee und Kuchen (we’ll get to this in a minute) in the afternoon. Typical breakfast foods include muesli, bread, yoghurt and fruit, washed down with coffee, tea, fruit juice, cocoa or just a glass of water.
Shopping for food: Supermarkets, farmer’s markets and discounters
In Germany, there are lots of different places you can shop for food. The big supermarkets offer a wide range of groceries, and in most cases they also have counters where you can buy fresh meat and cheese by the gram – a sensible way to shop if you only need small quantities. Many also have international departments with an impressive range of foreign goods. Generally speaking, the big supermarkets are the place to go for sheer range, although they are more expensive than the discount supermarkets.
Both the big supermarkets and the discounters sell organic products, and it’s becoming more and more common to find locally grown fruit and vegetables on the shelves. If you want to save money, you can always stick to the store-brand products, which are generally cheaper than the name-brand products but still good quality. Most supermarkets and all discounters also have weekly specials, so be sure to keep an eye out for these deals when stocking up on essential supplies.
