Most Argentineans eat four meals a day: desayuno (breakfast), almuerzo (lunch), merienda (afternoon snack), and cena (dinner). Breakfast is not a big meal. A typical breakfast may include café con leche (coffee with milk), bread, toasts or medialunas (croissants) topped with jam, butter, sour cream, or cream cheese. Many people drink mate for breakfast (like coffee, maté has some caffeine and other stimulant properties). Some people include cold cereals and yogurt. Less frequently people take fruit in their breakfast.


Lunch varies and may consist of meat and vegetables, pasta, salads, empanadas, pizza, or sandwiches.


Many people in the cities eat lunch away from home because of work. However, those outside of the largest urban areas tend to close business at noon and go home to enjoy a bigger meal.


Merienda is around 5 PM and is similar to breakfast. After work, some people go to cafés to drink


espresso, while others prefer to drink maté at home with cookies or pastries. Dinner is the biggest meal, a time when the whole family gets together, especially in urban areas. It is


traditionally served very late (8 to 9 PM, or later) and may include meats, vegetables, pasta, and more elaborate creations than the ones eaten at lunch.


Argentinean food patterns may be similar to the American diet. Every member of the family might eat


different foods throughout the day. For this reason, foods and meal times should be checked on an individual basis.


Food and nutrition professionals working with Argentinean clients should be mindful not to lump them


(or any other Hispanic population) with other Hispanic populations. Argentineans, on the whole, are highly educated and may have access to nutritious, balanced diets. During counseling, food and nutrition professionals should use the Nutrition Care Process, as with any other population (21). It is essential to make an exhaustive nutrition assessment, taking into account past and current eating habits, food intolerances and preferences, intake of multivitamin and herbal supplements, work schedule, physical activity, special diets, health status, and beliefs to determine individual problems and needs.


Argentineans tend to be health conscious and to care about body image to the point of placing an


exaggerated emphasis on attaining a thin body. Cosmetic surgery is very popular in Argentina, and sizes are often restricted for women’s clothing. Studies show that 80% of Buenos Aires adolescent girls are dissatisfied with their weight (22). However, a recent study did not find a difference between Argentinean, Brazilian, and US college women on weight dissatisfaction and disordered eating, suggesting that there may be a shift away from this idealization of an extremely thin body (23).


For meal planning, practitioners should assess individual needs through nonjudgmental questioning


(24). Acculturation, with the introduction of nontraditional foods, is often linked to a greater consumption of processed and convenience foods of higher calorie density and larger portion sizes (25). The RDN should focus on the preservation of traditional foods, cooking methods, and home meal patterns to promote healthy lifestyles.


Recommendations for healthy meal plans that may apply to this population include the following:


Reinforce the social function of food and eating at home with the family. Emphasize consumption of lean cuts of beef. Consider more fish in the diet, especially those rich in omega 3 fatty acids (such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines). Support the use of fresh ingredients and homemade foods. Increase consumption of vegetables and fruits to at least 5 servings a day. Give ideas on how to prepare and consume fruit and vegetables of all colors.


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