It's Official: This European Country Spends Twice As Long Eating As Americans

It’s always seen as cliché that the French spend more time thinking about food and actually eating than anyone else. But today it’s official – they do!

New research shows the French spend more time eating than any other country

The Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) recently released its figures to show how much time people spend eating and drinking each day in the different countries around the world. The biggest cliché about the French is that they love to eat and drink, but now it has been proven – they spend more time at the table than any other country – a whopping two hours and 13 minutes each day.

A little something on the table in Paris

The French spend twice as long as the Americans eating

Other Mediterranean countries were close behind France

Behind France – perhaps unsurprisingly when clichés for enjoying your food are taken into consideration – are other Mediterranean cultures. Second place went to Italy (two hours, five minutes) and at the third spot is Greece (two hours, four minutes). Spain came next at two hours, two minutes. After the US, Canada spent less time eating at one hour, four minutes.

Women spend less time at the table than men

The time that people spend eating was just one thing analysed as part of a much wider study on the role of men and women in the home, particularly how much time people spend on unpaid work, such as household chores and looking after children. Women generally spend less time at the table than their male counterparts, with the exception of the Dutch.

Why wouldn’t you spend more time at the table if that’s your view?

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