1 Eating habits are influenced by environment, such as the climate and the availability of water and of plants or animals to serve as food. It is also influenced by the customs of eating passed down from generation to generation. Sometimes, these customs have been a tradition for so long that the people forget why they began in the first place! 2 Brazil Brazilians start of the day with coffee, just like many Americans do. Usually, what is served for breakfast along with coffee or milk is fresh fruit, bread or biscuits. They can drink up to twenty tiny cups of coffee a day. Both lunch and dinner are larger meals. Even though dinner is served much later in the day. The traditional dishes in Brazil are black beans, white rice, and shredded greens. Along with chicken, fish or steak. A favorite sweet in Brazil is chocolate. Chocolate is used in desserts or make hot chocolate. 3 USA We all think of fast food when we hear about American food and it´s true! In every city in every corner you can find fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, White Castle, Wendy´s and many other chains.There you get Big Sizes for little prices. The customers are more than full up after the meal. Some fast food restaurants have a “Refill offer”. That means when your plate is empty that they refill it and it’s the same for drinks.4 Italy Italians really like to eat! They tend to have 5 to 6 meals a day. For breakfast they like to have a small Black Espresso Cappuccino, Milk or Tea and as they drink, they enjoy eating toast bread with jam, brioches, biscuits and yogurt. However the average Italian only drinks coffee in the morning. After breaskfast comes the snack time, which is around 10 to 11 am. They usually have crackers, fruit or brioches. Then comes lunch, their most important meal of the day which could have pasta, pizza, risotto or soup; meat, fish or cheese with a salad or steamed veggies. For dessert they have fruit, cakes or ice-cream. At snack time they eat biscuits and drink tea or hot chocolate. For dinner they have soup or pasta and meat or fish with broiled veggies.5 Japan Japanese people always include rice in their diet, Miso-shiru (Japanese soup) and Tsukemono (a kind of pickles) in their daily meals. In general, they include beef and vegetables, pickles and wasabi in their bento boxes. To eat, they use chopsticks. They hold chopsticks in their right hand and a small bowl in their left hand. Often they use knives, forks and spoons.6 Read the texts about what people around the world eat to celebrate something special. Do you eat any of these foods in your country?New YearIn China people eat eight, ten or twelve dishes of food at New Year. This is because an even number means double the luck. A lot of the food at New Year has a special meaning. Seaweed means good luck and long noodles mean long life. They eat whole vegetables and don’t use knives to cut things, because this means the end of your good luck.In Russia there is lots of food on the table so the next year will be happy and plentiful. At 11:59 people open champagne and wait for the clock to strike twelve. Then they make a toast for the New Year. They wish everybody good luck and happiness.In Spain people eat twelve grapes – one with each chime of the clock at midnight. This brings good luck for the next twelve months. But it is difficult to eat twelve grapes in twelve seconds, so people usually have a mouth full of grapes at the end!7 WeddingsItalians eat doughnuts in the shape of bowties for good luck. They also eat sugared almonds when they hope for a baby.Many years ago in Britain the father of the bride gave the groom ‘honey mead’ (a honey drink) for a whole month. In this way the couple had a month of sweetness and happiness. We have now changed the word to ‘honeymoon’ – the holiday a couple goes on after their wedding.Birthdays When a child is born in China, the father gives red eggs to his friends and family – an even number for a girl and an odd number for a boy.The birthday party started in Europe in the Middle Ages. People were afraid of ghosts and bad spirits on their birthdays. Friends and family came to visit you with presents to stop them.In Mexico people fill a paper animal with sweets. Children close their eyes and hit the animal until the sweets fall out. Then everybody eats the sweets.8 VocabularyMatch the words with their definitions.DishSeaweedChimeBrideGroomMidnightThe noise a clock makes to tell you what time it isThe most important woman at a wedding12 o’clock at nightThe most important man at a weddingA plate of food which people shareGreen sea plant9 ComprehensionChoose the correct word.1.In China people eat an even / odd number of dishes of food.2. In China knives are good / bad luck.3. In Spain people eat twelve grapes before / after the clock strikes midnight.4.In Italy sugared almonds are given to / for a baby at weddings.5.In the Middle Ages people came / didn’t come to your house to stop bad spirits.6. In Mexico children hit a paper animal with their eyes open / closed.10 Speaking.Think about the following questions and share them with the group.What do you usually eat for breakfast?I usually eat... for breakfast.And lunch?For lunch I usually eat...What about dinner?For dinner I usually eat...11 Remarkable images of families from different parts of the world. They are surrounded by the food they consume in one week. The cost of that food is included.What do you notice?12 Germany: The Melander family of BargteheideFood expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07 13 United States: The Revis family of North Carolina Food expenditure for one week: $341.9814 Japan: The Ukita family of Kodaira CityFood expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25 15 Italy: The Manzo family of SicilyFood expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.116 Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca: Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.0917 Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-JeziornaFood expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27 18 Egypt: The Ahmed family of CairoFood expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53 19 Ecuador: The Ayme family of TingoFood expenditure for one week: $31.55 20 Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey VillageFood expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03 21 Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23 22 If you calculated the amount of money spent on one person in each family in a week it would be: Germany $125.04 U.S. $85.50 Japan $79.31 Italy $52.02 Mexico $37.82 Poland $30.25 Egypt $5.71 Ecuador $3.51 Bhutan $0.39 Chad $0.21The amount of money spent on one member of the Melander family (Germany) in one week could sustain 595 people in Chad for the same amount of time.23 Writing.Think about the following questions. - How much do you think your family spends on food a week? - What types of food does your family usually consume?24 。