Planning diet for Central European and Russian

Central European and Russian diet comprises mainly non vegetarian foods. The food habit of the common people in this area is more or less the same. With the animal protein they largely include dairy products, especially high milk foods in their regular meals. 

Though a large amount of animal protein is consumed by these people, they also take vegetables and fruits in their breakfast and lunch. In Russia, people generally eat vegetables in boiled or baked forms. Cabbage, garlic, onion and pumpkins are always there in their lunch or dinner. The other parts of this region are not so much fond of vegetables and their meals are always full with various non vegetarian foods. Milk creams and cheese are largely used in their cooking and they generally end up lunch or dinner with some pudding, truffles or a flavored yogurt.

Food in Russia is a serious business. No jokes please! We’re talking national pride here. Traditional Russian food is rich and stodgy peasant-fare from the village. While not always subtle and not always delicate, Russian food is delicious.

Pancakes are an indispensable part of Russia’s culinary tradition. They’re eaten in huge quantities during Maslenitsa, the week before the Lent, when it was also a pagan tradition to eat them to celebrate the arrival of spring. During the rest of the year, pancakes are never far away, and any restaurant serving Russian food has at least a few varieties on the menu. They are typically served as an entree, although they are put together with just about everything.

Pickling traditions, which have been somewhat lost in the West, are alive and well in Central Europe and Russia. Russians don’t just pickle mushrooms; they’ll salt and soak anything they think will last the winter through, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and garlic, even watermelons.

Common food choices associated within cultural group.

Grain group: barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, potato starch, rice, rye, wheat products.

Vegetable group: asparagus, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, kohlrabi, leeks, mushrooms, olives, onions, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, radishes, sorrel, spinach and turnips.

Fruit group: apples, apricots, berries, currants, dates, grapes, grapefruit, lemons, melons, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, quinces, raisins, rhubarb, strawberries.

Milk, yogurt and cheese group: buttermilk, cheese, cream, milk, sour cream, yogurt.

Meat, fish, eggs and nuts group: beef, boar, hare, lamb, pork, sausage, veal, venison; chicken, Cornish hen, duck, goose, grouse, partridge, pheasant, quail, squab, turkey; fish, shellfish; legumes and nuts. 

Fats and sweets group: butter, bacon, chicken fat; flaxseed oil, lard, olive oil, salt pork, vegetable oil; honey, sugar, molasses.