Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Typical Day Part 3: Dinner Time?

"Part 3: Dinner Time?" is the next part in answering the question, "What is a typical day like for you guys?"

You can find the other parts here:
Part 1: Rise and Shine!
Part 2: A Somewhat Quiet Time
Part 4: The Great Escape
Typical Day Part 5: Evenings and Expecting the Unexpected

It is common in Latin America for families to share the main meal around noon, instead of in the evening like in North America. Some schools have a two-hour break for students to go home and eat dinner with their families before returning to afternoon classes, and some smaller businesses are closed during this time. Here are some of the reasons I like having our main meal at noon:
  • I feel better when I eat more around noon and a lighter meal before bed.
  • It's cooler and I have more energy to cook in the morning.
  • Fernando comes home!
A typical Honduran almuerzo (dinner) includes rice, meat and/or red beans (whole, not refried), and some other side, like boiled ripe plantains or green bananas, corn tortillas, or salad.

Rice and beans, fried chicken, fried plantains, and salad* -- hungry yet? :)

I usually make only one carbohydrate, usually rice, but sometimes potatoes or boiled plantains; meat; red or black beans; and vegetables (usually cooked instead of raw). I avoid using the oven and find stove-top cooking more efficient (and less hot!).


Dinner time is more fun now that Baby J is eating solid foods!


This window of time together is also perfect for touching base, especially if Fernando and I need to talk or help each other with a particular task or project, or if Fernando will be gone that evening for a meeting.

Afterward, Fernando heads back to work at the office, to meetings, or to run errands, and start looking forward to "The Great Escape," which I'll share next time in Part 4.

*The picture above is from http://www.honduras.com/foods/

2 comments:

  1. Nice tradition ... bigger meal at lunch and a fun connect time as a family.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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