There are a lot of questions and debate as to why Europeans (or Spaniards?) have a trimmer waist-line than us Americanos.  I have a lot of opinions about this- our portion sizes, what exactly we are eating, when we eat, our attitudes toward eating, etc.  That’s all for another day and another post, but this picture I’m sharing is one big part of it.  

This picture says “Postres”, which means desserts.  Below the sign?  A big ol’ case of…..yogurt.  

And some flan/pudding-type desserts, but that’s it.

Even the ice cream case in the supermarkets is quite small, with just a few brands and a few options.  There is not an ice cream “aisle” as we are accustomed to in the local Pathmark, etc.

As an American, do I think yogurt is dessert?  No!  Dessert is ice cream or cake or chocolate or something rich and sweet. Here in Spain, yogurt is dessert.  I had a student last year who was learning the names of foods and when I said, “tell me some desserts”, he said, “yogurt! fruit!”.  I said, “no….some desserts” and he said “….strawberry yogurt!!!”

When I eat dinner at Luis’ house, his mom always offers yogurt after dinner.  And my Spanish roommate has a mixed berry yogurt after dinner each night.  So yogurt really is dessert.  There is nothing wrong with something sweet after a meal.  Personally, I crave it.  But there is something wrong with a huge bowl of something rich after a relatively large meal- every, single night.  Learn from the Spaniards and have a yogurt for dessert….It’s something small, but maybe it can make a big difference.

**Not to say the Spanish people don’t eat their fair share of sugar and dessert-type foods, but these are typically consumed earlier in the day, during the “merienda” with a cup of coffee.