For many people in our country food, eating, sometimes also cooking, is downright pleasure. There are some people who eat just once a day – they have one continuous meal, others are figure-conscious and try to fast, cut down on some fat and sugar, or go on a slimming diet. For many others cooking and eating is a nuisance and they do not care much about meals. On the whole we eat more than the British and Americans do and our food is known to be less healthy. The Slovaks are used to eating many floury, sweet and fatty meals, such as dumplings, pastry (cakes, sweets), fat pork and sausages. Our food should consist of more vegetables, fruit, lean meat, poultry and fish which would supply our bodies with more vitamins and minerals. There is no expression in English for „dobrú chuť“, which perhaps reflects the English attitude to food.

In different parts of Britain people have different eating habits. They have six or five meals a day : breakfast, elevenses (a morning snack), lunch, tea, dinner, and later perhaps supper.

BREAKFAST
The British like to begin the day with a nice cup of coffe or tea in bed early in the morning. Then tehy have a leisurely breakfast, they do not like hurry. Unlike the Slovaks who have their morning cup of coffe or tea, a roll or a slice of bread, some cheese, salami, or a cake in haste, the English take their time having breakfast.
The traditional English breakfast starts with cereals – porridge or cornflakes, with milk and sugar. This is sometimes followed by fried bacon and eggs or sausages with fried tomatoes. Then the English have again a cup pf coffee or tea and finish with toast and marmelade. Nowadays most of people prefer a lighter meal for breakfast and have cornflakes, toast and marmelade, and a cup of tea or coffee. ELEVENSES
In the middle of the morning they have elevenses, which is usually not more than a cup of coffee and biscuits. Sometimes, often at weekends, when they get up later, they have brunch, a combination meal which is eaten for breakfst and lunch. LUNCH
At midday it is time for lunch. It is a light meal consisting of warm dish (rarely soup) and dessert, or just ham and cheese sandwiches, some fruit, pudding or ice cream. The Slovak midday meal is the main meal of the day (The English would call it dinner then). We can have it at home, at (works) canteens or dinning halls, cafeterias or in a restaurant. It is usually a three-course meal which consists of soup, the main course and a dessert.