Eating habits are different in different countries. The Chinese have a saying “Eat good things for breakfast, eat a big meal for lunch, but eat less at dinner.” Many Americans agree that one should start the day with a good breakfast, but their ideas about lunch and dinner are different.

Most Americans only give themselves a short time for lunch because they have not so much time to have a rest at noon. So they eat a small lunch. After work they will have more time to eat a big dinner. Also a quiet dinner at home with all the family talking about their day is a way to take a good rest after a long, hard day of work.

Eating at restaurants is also different. In China, people like to talk and laugh while eating. Very often you can hear people talking and laughing loudly, and they just having a good time. In America it is not like this. They want a quiet place where they can eat a good meal far away from the noises of the outside world. If someone is talking too loudly, the manager of the restaurant will look at him or her angrily. If some people are talking too loudly, the manager of the restaurant may come out and ask them to be quiet.

The U.S. fast-food giants are providing their offerings with a Chinese special. McDonald’s and KFC have localized their menus to meet the Chinese needs. Earlier this year, McDonald’s China added roujiamo to its menu. It is a street-food mainly from Shaanxi Province. It is known as “Chinese burger”. ‘The special product was met with confused looks. However, the company said it was made to celebrate the coming Lunar New Year.

Many people said that the roujiamo on offer looked nothing like the advertisement. There was also a bit of misunderstanding about how much meat was filled between the bread. Some complained the filling was less-than-normal, others even had no meat in it. It seemed that McDonald’s was more talented at making classic burgers than Chinese burgers.

“It does not taste good , “one customer who introduced herself by her last name Zhang said. The amount of meat didn’t bother her, but she said she preferred her roujiamo from a food stall (地摊) than a fast food chain.

The item is part of a new sales activity, though McDonald’s offers a new creation once a month for a limited period.

This was sold in certain McDonald’s stores, including in Shanghai and Shenzhen, from January 26 to 31. However, the company said they were going to stop the offerings on Tuesday on Weibo, a Chinese Twitter-like platform.

The menu addition was divided into two parts. Some people were pleased with the flavor and called it “creative,” but others thought that it was bad news for their stomach.

KFC introduced hot-and-dry noodles to the menus of 100 stores. The noodles, called reganmian can be ordered alone or as a set, with soy milk and fried eggs. It is a common breakfast for local people in Wuhan.

Living the light life.

Many of us like to eat out and treat ourselves to delicious food. We are used to choosing fat-filled dishes and high-sugar desserts.【小题1】

The recent rise of light meals, however, gives customers a smarter choice. According to Economic Daily, low-calorie (热量) low-fat and high-fiber (纤维) meals have become popular in China's turns and online delivery platforms like Meituan and Eleme.

The country saw a rapid expansion (拓展) of restaurants which sell light meals as their specials, from just 600 in 2017 to more than 3, 500 in 2018. 【小题2】

Having a light meal, however, doesn't mean eating only vegetables. 【小题3】 Instead, it includes things like boiled meat, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. It is also rich in many healthy nutrients (营养成分).

【小题4】That's probably why they are so popular among young people. Diners see it as a great way to avoid getting fat. “After eating several light meals. I felt I have had a smaller appetite(胃口).” Zou Jing told China Daily. She shared a picture of her lunch: a mixture of beef eggs, corn, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.

So the next time you have a party with friends, try a light meal. It will satisfy not only your stomachs but also your hearts.