When it comes to the difference between American and French dining, the food isn’t actually the biggest difference. One of the most notable differences has to do with eating habits, involving how, when and why we eat. Mind Body Green’s Rebecca, who has a French husband and half-French children, learned quite a few important lessons from her family about eating well yet staying slim and healthy. Do you agree with these 8 life lessons and food rules?

1. Choose water so you don’t drink your calories. In general, unless French people are opting for a glass or two of wine, they choose still or sparkling water as their drink of choice with meals.
2. Sit down and enjoy your meals. In France, it’s rare to see people eating on the go. They don’t even have cup holders in a lot of their cars. They also eat at a table, not in front of a TV or a computer screen.
3. Eat lighter at night so that you sleep better and don’t pack on the calories before bed. In France, lunchtime is typically the main even and dinner is lighter, involving soups, salads or a simple pasta dish.
4. Once the kitchen is closed, it’s closed. This goes along with the previous rule. In general, the French don’t graze after dinner.
5. Know your limits when it comes to food. Only eat when you’re actually hungry, and stop eating when you’re not hungry anymore. It seems like a simple concept, but it’s not a concept that’s general followed here in the States.
6. Discuss your food as you’re eating it. The French love to talk about what they’re eating, guess what ingredients could be involved in the meal, and discuss the flavor profiles. This makes dinging time more social and more informative for children who learn more about where their food comes from.
7. Children should help with cooking. According to Mind Body Green:
   

   Along with an interest in ingredients comes an interest in the actual process of cooking food. With a little coaching, my 2-year-old peeled the apples she picked with her class and happily joined in making a tart. Children love helping put fresh vegetables or pasta into the pot, or making a chocolate cake from scratch. Being part of the process heightens appreciation, and builds good habits for life.

8. Eating well should be a pleasure, not a sin. Eating great food, in moderation, is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and the French are well aware of this fact.
   

   Once, when we were visiting family in the US, a waitress asked my French husband if he was “done working on that,” referring to his plate of food. His reply: “Eating is a pleasure, mademoiselle, not work!”