When it comes to chowing down on Italian food, plenty of people proceed with what is best described as reckless abandon. The truth is that there are a number of unwritten rules when it comes to consuming Italian food.

Real Italians Drink Cappuccino With Breakfast

Cappuccino and espresso are enormously popular amongst Italians. Yet cappuccino is not meant to be consumed beyond the breakfast hour. Native Italians will testify that cappuccino is strictly reserved for the morning. A true Italian will shudder at the thought of drinking cappuccino after lunch or dinner.

Italians Aren’t big on Breakfast

If you head on out to a legitimate Italian restaurant or cafe for breakfast, you will likely observe little eating and plenty of drinking. Devouring a breakfast plate full of eggs, bacon, toast and home fries is not something that real Italians do. Italians typically enjoy coffee, espresso or cappuccino in the morning. Some will pair one of these beverages with a cornetto (the Italian version of a croissant).

Dunking Bread Into Olive Oil is not a Common Practice Amongst Native Italians

Step foot in any one of Italy’s restaurants and you probably won’t see too many people dipping their bread into olive oil. Slathering olive oil onto bread products is a phenomenon that developed in the United States and other countries. Italians certainly love olive oil yet it is not meant to be a dunking sauce for bread.

Bread is Consumed With Your Meal

Few Italians eat bread before a meal. We all love bread yet it is meant to be enjoyed with the actual meal itself, not in advance of the main dish. Many Italians will intentionally save their bread to clean up leftover sauces that remain on the plate.

Coffee Should be Consumed After Your Meal

Italians typically view coffee as a digestive aid. Ordering coffee before a meal or alongside a meal rarely occurs.

Parmesan Cheese on Pizza is a No-No

Real Italians don’t put parmesan cheese on their pizza. Parmigiano, as the Italians call it, is meant for pasta dishes. Mozzarella cheese is meant for pizza. Some Italians will even frown upon adding parmesan cheese to dishes where it is not called for. The bottom line is that if parmesan cheese is not offered, it should not be added to the dish.

Eating on the Run is not Something Italians Do

Italians frown upon the activity of rushed eating. Food is meant to be savored in a patient manner. One who eats snacks or meals while multitasking or traveling is unable to truly enjoy flavors. Furthermore, such rushed eating is considered to be sloppy and a bit pathetic. Italians value food to the point that many meals last two to three hours in length. The only exception is gelato. Plenty of Italians will enjoy gelato during an evening stroll around the neighborhood.