Snack or snack? This is how to say

Many people think that snack is such an appetizer. But let's define with concepts. In Russian, the word "snack" has several meanings. First and foremost is an aperitif. That is, an easy-to-stomach dish designed to arouse the appetite. Served such snacks - fish, meat, but more often vegetable - before the main meal. The snake has another purpose. Do not cause a rush of gastric juice, but on the contrary, slightly dull the feeling of hunger. And they do not eat snacks before meals. Though there are moments ... But we'll talk about what to serve as snacks and when to offer them to guests, at another time. And now we only note that English explanatory dictionaries treat this concept as a small amount of food consumed between basic meals.

Origin of snacks

In agricultural crops with a cold climate, the diet was as follows: a hearty breakfast and an equally plentiful dinner. Lunch they took with them in the field. If the plot was not far from the house, the grain-grower would come in for an afternoon. Ate, as a rule, soup. In the lands with a hot climate in the hot midday there is no desire. The role of the dinner for the peasants served fruit or small sandwiches, nuts, raisins or dried figs. So people snacked between breakfast and dinner. The soup was eaten at the evening meal. In France there is the notion hors d'oeuvre - this phrase can be translated as a snack. This is any small light dish that is eaten without cutlery, with your hands. An example of such a French snack can serve as a canapé.

American Fast Food

The intense rhythm of life in the US gave birth to a completely new kind of snack. If in France, Spain or Italy the hostess could serve a plate with tartlets, bruschetta or canapés to take guests before serving the main course or just to accompany a small talk with a glass of light table wine, then in America snack is already lunch. It should be high in calories, so that the consumer could easily "hold out" until the end of the working day and, accordingly, dinner. In addition, the snack should be easy to use so that it can be eaten without "getting out of production." It is good in a portioned package, which you can put in your pocket.

Snacks to beer

There are other situations when snacks are appropriate. Their goal is not to stir up the appetite and not to drown out the feeling of hunger, but to emphasize the taste of the drink. And also in the case when alcohol is consumed - a large amount or distillates. And if herring, pickles or pickled mushrooms (and a tiny bit of fat, placed on the rye bread crust) are good for vodka, then as for beer, the range of possibilities is expanding. You can use together with a frothy barley drink snacks fish - all kinds of dried or dried taran and even seafood. It goes well with beer and smoked basturma meat. Something salty little will also come in handy - a variety of nuts, crackers, potato chips, corn sticks, straws, croutons and stuff. However, it is worth considering that some types of snacks have high caloric content and contain a small amount of nutrients. Together with barley drink, such snacks can produce "beer" stomachs and big problems with the stomach.

Eating or not eating?

The fact that snack is a small dish, gives rise to the illusion that it can be consumed in large quantities. And now, whether we watch TV or try to quit smoking, we resort to the help of these small snacks. But if in the past we used to consider the most popular snack as sunflower or pumpkin seeds containing many useful substances, now we can not imagine going to the cinema without a pack of popcorn, and we give chocolate bars "Mars" to the children. In general, nutritionists say that snacking on the go - is bad for the stomach. Food should be eaten sensibly so that not only hunger is satisfied, but also language, eyes and smell enjoyed. And snacks, which Americans themselves call junk food - unhealthy food, do not satisfy these criteria in any way. However, on the road or in case of a delay in work, snacks can come in handy.