
What is Le Goûter and why is it so popular?
But when they do, they make it sound so much better. Although popular as an after school treat for children, le goûter – a late afternoon snack – has become part of the French culture as much as afternoon tea is in England. Le goûter: France’s afternoon treat.
Is Le goûter An Afternoon Treat?
Of course, this wasn’t the first time I had an afternoon treat, but it was my first time having le goûter. And, I can honestly say that it’s not that much different from my typical afternoon pick-me-ups. But, even still, just saying that you are having le goûter is so much more refined than saying you’re having a snack.
What is Lele Goûter and how is it pronounced?
Le Goûter comes from the French verb, goûter, which means to taste; it’s pronounced “le goo tay”. It’s the British equivalent of afternoon tea, sometimes called “high tea”, where you eat something to keep you going until dinner.
What is the Goûter ritual in France?
The Goûter ritual usually starts somewhere between 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm after French children get out of school and head home. The ritual is simply meant to tide the children over until dinner, since in France dinner isn’t usually served until after 8:00 PM. Unlike American children, French children have a very long school day.

What is a goûter in France?
Le Goûter comes from the French verb, goûter, which means to taste; it's pronounced “le goo tay”. It's the British equivalent of afternoon tea, sometimes called “high tea”, where you eat something to keep you going until dinner.
What is eaten at Le Gouter?
A typical goûter usually consists of cookies and some kind of drink – usually water. For a larger goûter, such as one served at an after school program, a piece of fruit is also often included. A dairy offering, like a yogurt drink, might also be served.
What is an afternoon snack called in France?
Le GoûterEating between meals is discouraged in France, yet there is one snack which is never passed up, a beloved tradition known as 'le goûter' (also called 'le quatre-heures' or 'la pause gourmande') and an integral part of French culture.
What do the French eat at tea time?
Le Thé à la Française is a tea with primarily sweet foods based on French childhood and traditional favorites and includes petit fours, biscuits, tarts, ice cream, tarts, cakes, and madeleines.
What time is dinner in France?
Dinner usually takes place between 6pm (Belgium, Canada) and 8pm (France). In France, there is a main dish and a dessert, and sometimes a first course (soup or grated or sliced raw vegetables). The main dish is brought out once the first course is finished, and dessert is brought out after the main dish has been eaten.
What time is French tea time?
Goûter is an institution in France without a real equivalent in British culture. It's tea-time, almost religiously eaten at 4.30 pm, almost exclusively by children as they come out of school, consisting solely of sweet treats.
What do French people eat for breakfast?
French people typically eat pastries, breads, eggs, and yogurt for breakfast. From croissants and pain au chocolat to omelets and crêpes, these breakfast foods will give you a boost of energy.
What is a typical dinner in France?
This will likely be a piece of grilled chicken, fish (usually salmon) or steak. The protein is accompanied by one or two sides, depending on how dense the starter meal was. Potatoes, salad, beans, asparagus or a plain pasta are common sides in a French dinner experience.
What tea do the French drink?
French tea culture unique For one thing, the French often sip tea from a bowl. This practice is fairly unique to the French. For another, while the French commonly drink black tea from tea bags, they also have a fondness for tisanes, or herbal infusions.
What snacks do French eat?
Yogurt, fromage blanc, fruits, and cereal bars are all popular snacks in France. However, not all French kids eat a healthy goûter. Nutella or chocolate with bread is a common snack which isn't the most healthy. And then there are les danettes, the most popular crème dessert in France.
What does a cup of coffee cost in Paris?
The average price for a coffee in Paris (on around 120 cafes) is 2.48 euros. The cheapest coffee in Paris costs 0.80 euros at T-Kawa (13th arrondissement). The most expensive coffee in Paris costs 12 euros at WINDO Skybar (17th arrondissement).
What do French people eat at 4PM?
4PM: Snack (“Goûter”) This one is probably the most french meal of all. At 4PM, people eat a little snack. This is known as the “goûter” and can sometimes be referred to as “Le 4 heures” which literally means “the 4PM”. This meal is typically for children.
What do the French eat for lunch?
A typical French lunch will consist of: a starter (une entrée), such as a mixed salad, soup, some terrine or paté. A main course, (le plat principal), typically a choice of meat or fish, with potatoes, rice, pasta and/or vegetables; a cheese course (often a selection of local cheeses) and/or a dessert.
Do French do snacks?
Considering French people famously don't snack, they must survive a long break between lunch and dinner. The solution is that lunch is the biggest meal of the day. Americans and people from Commonwealth countries may have a simple sandwich for lunch, like ham, marmite, or peanut butter sandwiches.
What are the 10 most common foods consumed in France?
Top 10 of Commonly Consumed FoodBread. Read more about our Cooking Classes here. ... Pastries. Read more about our Cooking Classes here. ... Cheese. Read more about our Cooking Classes here. ... Soup and Potage. Read more about our Cooking Classes here. ... Magret de Canard. Read more about our Cooking Classes here. ... Desserts. ... Salads. ... Seafood.More items...
What is the historical significance of bread in France?
Why is bread so important to French culture? French bakers created bread and pastries for partnering celebrations as early as the Middle Ages. At this time, bread was the staple food in France, as it was across the world. The average Frenchman in the late 1700s is reported to eat three pounds of bread a day!
What does "le goûter" mean?
Le Goûter comes from the French verb, goûter, which means to taste; it’s pronounced “le goo tay”. It’s the British equivalent of afternoon tea, sometimes called “high tea”, where you eat something to keep you going until dinner. The French traditionally eat dinner around 8pm (sometimes later), so the goûter can involve a little more food ...
What time do French people eat dinner?
The French traditionally eat dinner around 8pm (sometimes later), so the goûter can involve a little more food than just a cake or two. The French goûter should be as sweet as possible | © Brian Chan/Unsplash.
What is the equivalent of afternoon tea in France?
While the British have the delicious treat of afternoon tea, the French equivalent is Le Goûter . Here’s a handy guide to what it involves, when to eat it and what to bring with you if you’re invited to share one.
Is Le Goûter a sweet?
Le Goûter is always sweet (no exceptions) While the British might eat scones with jam and clotted cream for afternoon tea, there are usually savoury sandwiches, too. But in France, Le Goûter is always sweet. It might be crêpes with chocolate, cream cakes or pastries, or perhaps a pain au chocolat that mums hand to their kids on ...
What time does Le goûter happen?
Le goûter, pronounced “luh goo tay”, happens around 4 PM, when children are getting out of school and workers are heading into the last 1-2 hours of work.
What is the equivalent of peanut butter in France?
For French children, le goûter typically includes a piece of bread spread with chocolate or nutella – France’s equivalent to peanut butter. Nutella: Europe’s answer to peanut butter.
Do French people snack?
For the most part, the French do not snack. But when they do, they make it sound so much better. Although popular as an after school treat for children, le goûter – a late afternoon snack – has become part of the French culture as much as afternoon tea is in England. Le goûter: France’s afternoon treat.
Is le goûter a snack?
Yet, the French woman most likely does practice the tradition of taking le goûter. However, she does not consider this snacking, because le goûter is not considered snacking. It is more like a refined, cultural experience to share with friends, family, co-workers, or even by yourself.
What time do French people have goûters?
This is the moment when a French person might have a few chips, olives or canapés. A goûter, on the other hand, is just meant to tide you over till dinner, which in France is usually after 8pm, since most French people don’t even get off work till 6:30pm.
What time do you eat goûter?
If you must snack, do it at around 4pm, for the traditional goûter in between lunch and dinner.
Why do French kids need goûters?
A goûter is in order to tide them over to dinner. I should warn you that most French children will freak out and turn into giant monsters (more than usual) if you do not give them their goûter. Little Frenchies are also held to Rule #1 that there is no snacking at any other time of the day.
What is the French day of 3 Kings?
Every year, 3 Kings day is celebrated with a galette de roi and cider in offices and schools all over France, usually at the hour of goûter.
What time do French kids sit down?
For French children, a goûter is a must. Around 4pm, every little Frenchie sits down and waits for an after school snack. But what do French adults do? Let's find out.
What time is the second watercooler?
There is usually a 2nd watercooler moment around 3:30-4pm as well, for another coffee with coworkers, but again don’t expect everyone to have a snack. Some people do bring in something small, but the idea is only now catching on. In addition, I should note that the gôuter is considered quite different than an apéritif.
When do French kids start school?
As I mentioned above, the goûter is a must for every French child. French kids start school at 8:20 am (starting age 3) and have lunch around 11:30am. They get out of school at 4:20pm, which is rather a long day, especially for the little ones. A goûter is in order to tide them over to dinner.
What time is Goûter tea time?
Goûter is an institution in France without a real equivalent in British culture. It’s tea-time, almost religiously eaten at 4.30 pm, almost exclusively by children as they come out of school, consisting solely of sweet treats.
Is it rare to see overweight kids in France?
Yes it is beginning to creep in now but that’s probably more related to fast-food and the ever increasing presence of ready-meals than this age-old mid-afternoon snack. It is still very rare to see an overweight child in most of France and I can honestly say there are none in our local primary school of 600 or so kids.
What does "goûter" mean in French?
Have you ever seen or heard of the French word “Le Goûter” and wondered, what is it and what does it mean? Well, literally translated, Goûter means, “to taste.”. It comes from the French verb Goûter and is pronounced “goo tay.”. It’s the British equivalent of an afternoon tea sometimes called “high tea.”. The difference between “high tea” and “Le ...
What time does the Goûter ritual start?
The Goûter ritual usually starts somewhere between 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm after French children get out of school and head home. The ritual is simply meant to tide the children over until dinner, since in France dinner isn’t usually served until after 8:00 PM. Unlike American children, French children have a very long school day.
What Qualifies for Le Goûter?
So what exactly constitutes a snack for “Le Goûter?” As stated before, the meal will always be something sweet. No vegetables, no nuts, no granola bars, and no yogurt will appear on these tables.
What is the difference between high tea and le goûter?
The difference between “high tea” and “Le Goûter” is Le Goûter is only for French children and not for adults. You will never find a cucumber sandwich or a cup of tea at “Le Goûter” but you will ALWAYS find something sweet. There are no exceptions to the sweet rule.
Is "le Goûter" an adjective?
You see, in France “Le Goûter” has become a noun and not an adjective or verb. It’s an institution observed all over France as a mandatory part of life for all school age children. A French parent would never forget to serve their little ones this special meal.
Do French kids eat between meals?
If by some chance the student has sports directly after school, you most likely will find the Mom waiting for her child with a “Goûter” in her pocket. As French custom dictates, this is the only time you will find children in France eating between meals (surprisingly, French children remain on the thin side) but under no circumstance will this meal be forgotten. What a great custom!
