If the British public and bread were in a relationship, this might be an appropriate moment to seek some couple’s counseling.

In the past decade,
attitudes towards bread
According to Mintel, 8 percent of British adults now exclude gluten from their diets as part of a “healthy lifestyle” rather than because they have a diagnosed gastrointestinal condition like celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or gluten sensitivity.

Perhaps they’re onto something. Recent research indicates that processed foods may have negative effects.
bread stuffed with additives
Has been linked to a higher risk of heart diseases and mortality. Dietitians further suggest that bread might lead to weight gain, and noted that it is not as nutritious or satiating when contrasted with alternatives like sweet potatoes or brown rice.

However, perhaps this isn’t true. Currently, the UK has a life expectancy of 81.3 years, but we see that European nations which have not embraced the gluten-free lifestyle actually live longer—Spain reports 83.7 years, France shows 83.3 years, Greece indicates 81.9 years, and Italy matches Spain at 83.7 years, based on data from 2023.

These countries not only embrace the gluten-free trend but also view bread as an integral part of daily life across all these regions, as pointed out by our destination specialists. Those in
France
, Spain, Italy, and Greece provide some insight:

France

‘Bread is viewed as a source of enjoyment, not a subsidiary field of medical science.’

Anthony Peregrine

I don’t sense that the French share the same level of concern regarding the perceived deadly danger from bread as the British do. Generally speaking, they continue to view food primarily as a means for nourishment and enjoyment instead of considering it part of medical science.

Numbers vary, but it appears that the French consume approximately 30 million baguettes daily, purchased both at supermarkets and predominantly from the roughly 32,000 local bakeries known as “boulangeries.”
boulangeries
”.

For comparison, it’s often mentioned that the
average French person
consumes slightly more than 52kg (115lb) of bread annually. In comparison, the British consume about 37kg per year. It speaks volumes that in 2022, the French baguette was included in UNESCO’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage” list.

Certainly, the bakery stays central to both village and town life. Every day, approximately 12 million individuals stop by their neighborhood bakeries, places that aren’t just the most beloved stores in France but also an essential component of the country’s cultural essence. Should these bakeries close down, it signals the decline of the community.

Italy

‘Gluten intolerance gets lesser worry’

Anne Hanley

For numerous older Italians, particularly those from rural areas, the term used for meals is ”
companatico
– essentially, what you eat alongside bread. Actually, this applies to all Italians,
pane
Serving as an indispensable component of the dining experience: it’s hard to imagine having a meal—whether at home or outside—without one readily available. It’s crucial for guiding loose pieces onto your fork and for soaking up every last bit of sauce remaining on your plate.

However, this does not imply that
Italians today
Actually, people aren’t eating as much bread these days. Annual per-person consumption has dropped sharply from 84 kilograms in 1980 to merely 29 kilograms in 2024—not primarily due to dietary trends or an obsession with gluten, but rather because bread is no longer seen as a fundamental part of the diet. The collective recollection of times when having enough bread was crucial for getting necessary carbohydrates has faded. This doesn’t mean that celiac disease and gluten sensitivity—whether genuine or perceived—are irrelevant; this is evident from the variety of gluten-free items available on grocery store racks. However, such concerns generate slightly less anxiety than before.

To most Italians, bread continues to be an integral part of their food tradition. Every area boasts its distinctive variety: Rome’s rosetta; thick, unsalted loaves from Umbria and Tuscany; and Puglia’sAltamura bread, known for being both chewy and slowly fermented. A minimal portion of the bread eaten is typically pre-sliced and packaged store-bought types. Moreover, these kinds of bread seldom serve as snack staples—those often take the form of slices of pizza rustica instead.

Spain

‘There isn’t an understanding that bread might be bad for you.’

Marti Buckley

The concept of our daily bread resonates more profoundly than ever during meals in Spain. It takes center stage at breakfast, presented as
tosta
And it plays a crucial role in both lunch and dinner. It’s not merely present as a “roll beside the plate” but rather, this substantial 5 cm slice of baguette is regarded alongside the knife, spoon, and fork as an integral utensil for dining.

I’ve seen grown men struggle when there’s no bread to help scoop up their food, using the left hand to transfer bits to a spoon instead. Since most dishes come
separate courses
It also functions to mop up any accompanying sauces and gravies when mashed potatoes are not available.

Maybe its enduring appeal for round-the-clock eating stems from the fact that Spanish flour generally contains less gluten compared to British flour, making it more easily digestible. In Spain, bread isn’t viewed as detrimental to health; instead, there’s a renewed appreciation for its remarkable adaptability with a rise in handcrafted sourdough loaves and a revival of conventional baking techniques.

Greece

‘Most tavernas believe gluten-free indicates no eggs.’

Heidi Fuller-Love

Step into any Greek taverna and (following the traditional placement of the paper tablecloth), you’ll be presented with a basket filled with soft, golden-hued bread sliced into thick chunks ideal for mopping up the aromatic olive oil dripping from your dishes.
choriataki
Greek salad or soaking up the sauces from a variety of slowly cooked meat dishes.

According to the
Deipnosophistae
, Athenaeus of Naucratis’s detailed work on the eating behaviors of his scholarly contemporaries reveals that around AD 200, the Greeks enjoyed an impressive variety of 72 distinct types of bread. To this day – for instance, Crete’s twice-baked
dakos
barley rusks to Thessaloniki’s circular shape with sesame seeds spotted on top
koulouri
— Bread is such an essential food item that the Greeks actually have two distinct terms for it: ”
artos
, which is the Ancient Greek term commonly spotted on bakery signage, and the contemporary word
psomi
”.

It’s also a
vital element
During each solemn ceremony or boisterous celebration: at Easter time, Greeks crowd into churches to collect dome-shaped breads that have received blessings from priests, whilst enjoying spicy plaited dishes.
christopsomo
Buns are a beloved festive item during Christmas. Despite being initially seen as an unusual craze, gluten-free items have become increasingly trendy. Nonetheless, a friend who has dietary restrictions laments that many restaurants appear to interpret “gluten-free” simply as “egg-free.”

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