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Following Second Nature the European way (Central and Eastern)

Anastasia avatar
Written by Anastasia
Updated over a week ago

Central and Eastern Europe have a vast range of traditional meals and ingredients, but here are some common ones across this part of the continent:

Protein

  • Pork

  • Chicken

  • Beef

  • Rabbit

  • Fish

  • Cottage cheese

  • Sheep’s and goat’s cheese

  • Milk

  • Eggs

  • Yoghurt

  • Kidney beans

  • Chickpeas

  • Lentils

  • Goat

  • Sausage such as kielbasa (Polish sausage)

Carbohydrates

  • Potato

  • Pirozhki (Russian stuffed and fried bread)

  • Khachapuri (Georgian cheese-filled bread)

  • Pagach (Ukrainian and Slovakian bread)

  • Blini

  • Mămăligă (Romanian porridge)

  • Pierogies (Dumplings)

Fats

  • Lard

  • Cheese

  • Cream

  • Butter

  • Nuts

  • Seeds

Vegetables

  • Cabbage/cabbage rolls

  • Mushrooms

  • Beetroot

  • Carrot

  • Artichoke

  • Aubergine

  • Parnsip

  • Sauekraut

  • Pickled vegetables

Choosing at least one source from each of the above food groups can help ensure you are creating a balanced plate that provides nourishment, energy, satiety, and fullness.

However, to also create a meal that helps stabilise your glucose levels after eating, follow the balanced plate graphic below: ¼ plate of protein, ¼ plate of carbohydrates, ½ plate of vegetables, and at least one thumb-sized serving of fat.

With this, here are some recipe ideas you can apply to the above plate. We’ve included one recipe each from some of the larger countries across central and eastern Europe:

Other guides you may be interested in:

How to enjoy European foods the Second Nature way

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