Discovering Germany

Food Ingredients

Dishes can include meat and potatoes or noodles. Pork, beef, and poultry are the most popular varieties of meat, with pork being the most common. Wild game and seafood are regional specialties. Many Germans eat green salads as a side dish with their main meal.

Typical Dishes Traditional foods and dishes vary from region to region but normally include famous staples such as schnitzel, bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, and spätzle’s. German pastries and bread are some of the best in the world and they are known for their black forest cake, lebkuchen , strudel, marzipan, and many more. While the Rhine region is known for excellent wines, the drink of choice in Germany is still beer, varying in flavor.

Dining Customs Traditionally, the largest meal of the day is eaten at lunch, with breakfast and dinner as smaller affairs. Breakfast is typically eaten in the morning by 8 a.m., lunch is eaten at midday, and dinner is eaten around 6 p.m. As the lifestyle of many Germans has changed, it is more common for dinner to be the main meal and for lunch and breakfast to be smaller, quicker meals. Tipping In Germany, a tip is already included in the bill. Nevertheless, giving a tip is common and expected. Approximately 10% of the bill amount is usually given, even after only purchasing one item. Alcohol and Smoking You have to be over the age of 16 to be allowed to purchase alcohol and over the age of 18 to purchase high-percentage drinks. Smoking is allowed from the age of 18; however, it is not allowed in restaurants, pubs, bars, etc. In some locations, there might be separated smoking areas. In public buildings or areas, smoking is often not allowed. This also applies to subways and railway stations. Please watch out for special smoking signs. There may be other regulations for certain areas in Germany.

Grocery Most shopping for food is done at grocery stores. There are numerous chains around the country as well as small specialty or ethnic grocers.

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Discovering Germany