Expats heading to Italy are in for a gastronomic treat

If you’re planning a move to Italy, you’re set for a whole new healthy eating experience.

Italy may not be expatriates’ number one favourite destination, but as regards fresh, delicious culinary delights there’s nowhere else like it in Europe. It’s usual for newly arrived expats to crave foods they’ve always eaten in the home country, but this food-obsessed country’s offerings will soon change your mind.The most obvious change is in the quality of ingredients used to make traditional Italian dishes, and the freshness of the foodstuffs sold in local markets is a real eye-opener for expats from the UK and other countries which import out-of-season fruits and vegetables.

Even fast foods and Italy’s world-famous ice creams are likely to be handmade using fresh ingredients, but lovers of spicy food laced with lashings of chilli peppers won’t have much luck at Italian restaurants unless they’re living in Calabria. Here, they'll find the region’s speciality, known as ‘nduia but, for those living elsewhere, asking your waiter to provide ‘piu piccante per favore’ might do the trick. Another shock, especially for British expats, is that strong black tea laced with milk is an absolute no-no, leaving Italian coffee as the breakfast alternative.

For those fondly remembering their alcohol-fuelled nights out with the boys, binge-drinking isn’t acceptable in most Italian regions. However, due to the country’s delicious, affordable selection of wines, you’ll probably consume rather more alcohol per week than you did in your home country. Another very different Italian habit is the two-hour lunch, allowing workers time to enjoy their food and eat properly. Sandwiches scoffed at the office desk are definitely frowned upon, and wine as well as water is part of the lunchtime ritual.