Although I was prepared for the endless amounts of pasta and pizza when I came to Florence, there were some Italian eating habits that took me by surprise.

Breakfast
Many Italians enjoy a shot of espresso or a cappuccino for breakfast, but besides the caffeine jolt, they have few breakfast staples. The croissant is very popular, though in Italy it is called a "cornetto."  Many places also serve chocolate croissants but instead of being filled with chocolate chips, they are filled with nutella. I also occasionally see someone with a small sandwich for breakfast.

Lunch
One of the things that was hard for me to get used to is the long lunches that Italians take. I usually grab a sandwich from a bakery, but many Italians enjoy their riposo  - "to rest" - and many shops are closed while workers go home for a nice lunch and a walk or nap.

Aperitivo
This is the Italian version of the happy hour. With the purchase of a drink, you can enjoy all the food you want (buffet style). Some are more expensive than others. And depending on the food served, some can be enough food to count as your dinner.

Dinner
In Italy, many people eat late, and the dinners are loud and long. This was something I was expecting, but didn't think it would be so hard to adjust to. Most Italians start eating dinner at 8 or 8:30 p.m. and end close to bedtime. When you go to a restaurant, the menu is usually divided between appetizers, first courses, second courses and desserts. The first course is usually the pasta dish, and the second course is of meat. Then, the dinner ends with dessert.

Dessert
Pastries and sweets are all around in Florence. When I first arrived, many of the free dinners I received ended with tiramisu and I even learned to make it in a cooking class. But a sweet that everyone seems to enjoy is gelato. It is creamier than ice cream, and there are people eating it at all times of the day.

I have come to appreciate food in a new way since I have been here. In Italy, food is such a part of the culture that you need to understand it to fully appreciate the culture. Eating is an art and to many people this art is just as important to experience as the museums and architecture surrounding them.