Food si fairly freguent topic of conversation, because people must eat three times a day. Though the chefs in restaurants are usually men, meals are generally prepared by women. Women with some modern exceptions - like to cook and bake and exchange recipes and buy cookery books. The majority of men do not like to cook but to eat.

But everything is changing. There is a more scientific approach to cooking, eating and drinking now than there was in old times. Women's magazines discuss the principles of nutrition, various diets and low calory food. Physicians say people eat too much flour and sugar and not enough vegetables and fruit. They point out many people are owerweighted and obesity shortens a person's life.

As for drinking it is very healthy to drink mineral water, fresh fruit and vegetables juices and herbal tea. Young children and teenagers should drink milk in order to have good teeth and strong skelets. Women are said to prefer coffee while men would prefer beer. If you are going to have a heavy dinner a glass of some kind of strong, alcohol could be drunk before. After meals a glass or two of good wine may help your stomach to work. Each nation has one or two national dishes. All foreign visitors would do well by trying a native food.