Mistie Webb
Before coming to Spain, all that was spoken about was the cuisine. It is one of the most popular things about Spain overall.
Being in Spain makes you realize that Spaniards have a healthy relationship with food. They know when to eat and balance their food to be healthy and keep their stomach full.
Spain people love their food. So much to the point where the typical Spaniard eats more food in a day than most people in the United States or even the United Kingdom.
The only difference is that Spaniards take their time eating, spread their meals out throughout the day, walk between meals and eat smaller portions. These smaller portions are known as "tapas" here in Spain.
Tapas
It is evident through these pictures that the portions are more petite in Spain and tapas are an example of this statement. In Spain, you also notice that every corner you turn, you are likely to see a tapas restaurant.
Tapas play a huge role in Spain culture due to their important role in the social life of Spain. There are many different origin explanations surrounding the origin of tapas, many of which involve medieval kings and other historic figures.
Tapas are small plates of food and are typically bar snacks served with wine or a beer. Traditionally, the tapas would be free with each drink but things have changed so that tradition is gone.
Tapas are also commonly eaten well after breakfast but before any big lunch meals.
Spain resident, Jorge, further speaks about how tapas are taking over the idea of people eating more significant portions.
"It seems to me that as time goes on, tapas are becoming more normalized," says Jorge, "People are starting to eat them as meals instead of appetizers."
Due to the fact that tapas are served in smaller portions, it is clear that Spaniards tend to eat a little at a time so that they can fit in more meals throughout the day.
Spanish resident, Jorge, also shares the average meals per day in Spain for a typical Spaniard.
"It may come as a shocker," says Jorge, "but most people in Spain eat about four to six times a day."
Breakfast and Lunch Portions
A normal breakfast for Spaniards is a coffee and a pastry. This is interesting because after observing, it was clear that the croissants in Spain are about 2/3 the size of those found in America and other countries.
Sandwiches are also an option when it comes to breakfast for Spaniards, but it is most common for lunch. Even then, the sandwiches are smaller too. This could be due to the quality of the ham, cheese and sausage.
It is clear that what is put inside of sandwiches here is richer than what is put inside of the sandwiches in America. Therefore, only a little is needed to make a filling and flavourous sandwich.
Lunch in Spain is easily the largest meal of the day. It is known for including multiple courses and wine. But because the lunches are large, it is split into smaller portions.
Due to that, it is important to pace yourself while eating your big meal of the day. This isn't hard for Spaniards because they believe in taking their time and enjoying their meals.
Dinner Portions
Dinners in Spain are also astounding for the smaller portions. Evidence has been done that shows how large portions are a vital issue in the obesity epidemic in the U.S. and U.K.
There are plenty of different options for dinner. Due to the fact that tapas are widely available and normalized, three or four plates would make a good dinner for two people. Most of these plates are usually lighter fare, with the exception of the few that are richer or deep fried, but even then, when you order something fried, there is a small portion of it.
A visitor from New York, Mary, further discusses the portion sizes that she noticed during dinner time in Spain.
"I honestly don't think I saw a piece of fish, chicken or meat served that was larger than six ounces," says Mary, "but the servings were lean and full of flavor."
She then continued to compare it to the food in the U.S. by saying that the dinners in America seem to be more complicated. Apparently, they tend to fill up the plate with a lot of different things and the meat is served in a larger portion there.
Dessert
Dessert in Spain is filled with varieties from ice cream, to churros, to flan and even pastries. But even the sweets are in smaller portions.
One thing that stuck out was the pop of flavor in each dessert. For example, the churros were served with a cup of rich chocolate, the ice cream was served with a mint leaf and the mountain dessert was served with rich white chocolate.
This correlates with the idea that small portions even out because they are made with full-flavored rich ingredients that enhance the taste overall. The cookies are small, the ice cream servings are a single small scoop, and pastries and cakes are served about half the size of what you would get in the U.S.
Desserts in Spain are also simple, whereas, in the U.S., the size is over the top and filled with a lot of syrups and flavors. The overload of flavors makes the dessert overwhelming, but Spain has the perfect balance of flavor and low calories.
Overall, the meals in Spain are balanced and spread out due to the fact that small portions are a big thing. It gives people the opportunity to eat more frequently than in other countries such as the U.S. where they only have three main meals due to the larger portions.
Something else that is very noticeable is that Spain is very motivated to cook meals with lower calories. This is another reason smaller portions are popular here.
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