Breakfast
A typical English day starts with any of the following: cereal with milk, toast with butter and a sweet or savoury spread, fruit juice, tea, coffee and sometimes hot chocolate. Fruit is also popular as are croissants and different types of bread.
Yoghurts are also popular. At the weekend, English people sometimes like to have a cooked breakfast as there is more time. Traditionally, this consists of bacon, sausages, eggs, fried bread, baked beans and mushrooms or any combination or single items, such as scrambled eggs on toast.
During the week, your host may ask you to ‘help yourself’ at breakfast and show you where to find everything. Each host has their own routine that they follow.
Lunch
Students are responsible for buying their own lunch between Monday & Friday.
A typical lunch would be a sandwich, roll or baguette with a savoury filling. A jacket potato, pie, soup or salad are other popular choices for a quick, light meal.
On Saturday and Sunday, your host will provide you with a light lunch or packed lunch if you require one.
Evening meal, known as Dinner or Supper
This is normally the main meal of the day, but on a Sunday it is often served at lunch time, with a lighter snack in the evening.
This will consist of a hot dish, such as meat, fish or other protein – for example, cheese or quorn served with either potatoes, pasta, rice, cous cous or noodles. In addition, there are vegetables or salad. Bread is not served with this in the UK generally so please ask if you would like some.
A dessert, fruit or yoghurt is offered after this and, sometimes, cheese after a meal. This is mostly a shared meal and a social occasion. On occasions, hosts do have evening activities or commitments and will leave a meal ready for you.
You may wish to return later to eat. If this is the case, please speak to your host so that they can leave a meal ready for you.
We have a very cosmopolitan diet with influences from all over the world. People eat curries, Chinese food, Moroccan, Mexican as well as all the European dishes such as pizza, pasta , risotto, Fajitas, paella and crepes, for example.
We follow seasonal trends such as casseroles in the winter and salads and barbecues in the summer, and celebrate important festivals with special traditions such as Turkey at Christmas and Lamb at Easter.
So how can you adapt what you eat in your country to England?
Discuss this with your host please and tell them what you are able to eat. Also, what your favourite foods are. Make sure you tell them what you cannot eat.
Try new foods and see if you like them; please follow the routine of your host.
Please give this time, each day will get better.
If a host does not eat something that is important to you, please ask if you can provide this yourself if you have a specific diet that you need to follow. Be as considerate as you can and tidy up after yourself; be a part of the “family”.
Tell your host if you enjoy something so that they know.
If you need advice, then please speak to The Accommodation Manager or send an email with any question you may have.
We want you to enjoy your food while you are in England and so it is very important to help let your host cater for your needs.
Think about how you can replace things that you normally eat with what we have here.
It will be a different and new experience for you.
