Germans cook plenty of vegetables and say they care about animal welfare — but they aren't ready to give up their beloved sausages.
Image: Getty Images/J.Eisele
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Germans may be obsessive about recycling, and seen as global leaders in the drive to decarbonize the energy system. But a report commissioned by the German Agriculture Ministry suggests their eating habits leave something to be desired, as the nation refuses to kick its meat habit.
The Forsa Institute asked more than 1,000 Germans over the age of 14 about their food values and eating habits. Respondents said they regularly cooked at home, and were committed to reducing waste.
Of those surveyed, 72 percent said they ate fruit and vegetables on a regular basis, and 66 percent said animal welfare was their biggest concern when shopping for food. Yet almost one in three said they ate meat every day.
Bronze for sustainable eating
Last year's Food Sustainability Index (FSI) , developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit with the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation, placed Germany third, behind France and Japan, out of 34 countries on sustainable food consumption.
Germany performed well on avoiding waste, ranking second. But it let itself down on nutrition, with a diet that relies heavily on meat, alongside sugars and carbohydrates.
"The FSI shows that Germany remains a global leader in reducing food loss and waste," Martin Koehring, managing editor at The Economist Intelligence Unit, said. "However, nutrition remains a weak spot. And the country receives only mediocre scores for nutrition education."
This week's survey found that more than 90 percent of Germans would like to see nutrition taught in schools alongside subjects like math and science — a call backed by German agriculture minister Christian Schmidt.
"I would like a nutrition specialty," Schmidt said.
Germans say they eat plenty of veg - but they remain a carnivorous nation
Not good enough
But critics have accused the minister of failing to live up to promises.
Responding to the survey, Foodwatch and Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) pointed out that Schmidt previously said he would introduce a new animal welfare label, which has yet to materialize.
Schmidt welcomed the Forsa survey's findings, calling Germany a nation of chefs. "Consumers are ready to take more responsibility through their consumer behavior," he said.
But the organizations accused the government of publishing "unimportant brochures" instead of focusing on effective policies to improve food quality and consumption habits.
Germany is not the only country being urged to make changes to the way people consume food.
A group of 125 leading researchers in America showed that unhealthy diets are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States.
Raw minced pork for breakfast anyone? Here are some unusual foods you can find in Germany, but it may take some time for you to stomach them.
Image: Imago/CHROMORANGE
Hackepeter or Mett
We've all been warned by our parents not to eat raw meat, but the Germans have been doing it forever all the same. Even the EU warns against "Mett," or "Hackepeter" as it is called in some regions, a preparation of minced raw pork. Often sold on bread rolls, big plates of this are also a classic at buffets. A popular way to present the raw meat at receptions in the 1970s was shaped as a hedgehog.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Scholz
Toast Hawaii
Another snack considered typical of West Germany in the 1950s is Toast Hawaii, a grilled open sandwich which combines toast, ham and pineapple, topped with processed cheese and a maraschino cherry. It was popularized by German TV cook Clemens Wilmenrod. In the 1960s, a Greek-Canadian restaurant owner pushed the concept to create the Hawaiian pizza, which divides public opinion to this day.
Image: Imago/CHROMORANGE
Blutwurst
Admittedly, Germany is not the only country to make blood sausages. But a peculiarity of the German Blutwurst is that it's used in dishes with colorful names, such as "Himmel und Erde" (Heaven and Earth), which combines it with apple sauce and mashed potatoes. Or even better is "Tote Oma" (Dead Grandma), where hot Blutwurst is smashed to bloody pieces and mixed with liverwurst and potatoes.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/CHROMORANGE
Saumagen
The name means "sow's stomach": The stomach of a pig is used as a casing for a stuffing of potatoes, carrots, pork and spices. It's a traditional dish from the Rhineland-Palatinate, the region that Helmut Kohl, German chancellor from 1982 to 1998, called home. He loved Saumagen, and it was served to many state guests, including Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
Image: DW/G. Birkenstock
Sülze
It's known as brawn in the UK and head cheese in North America, but it has nothing to do with dairy products. It's rather a terrine that's made from the meat of a pig's or calf's head, and sometimes their tongue, feet or heart — set in aspic.
Image: Colourbox
Handkäs mit Musik
It's a culinary specialty from the region of Hesse with an intriguing name: "Hand cheese with music." The cheese is small, translucent and has a pungent aroma that's perhaps not to everyone's taste. Yet the raw onions and vinegar that make up the "musical" notes of the dish make it simply addictive for those who are a bit more adventurous.
Image: imago/imagebroker/theissen
Labskaus
This culinary specialty from the north of Germany used to be a poor person's food: leftovers — corned beef, beets, onions, boiled potatoes — are mashed together. The resulting puree is not very appetizing-looking, but at least it's partly hidden under a fried egg, served with herring and pickles. As unusual as it sounds, the dish is having a revival — Labskaus is now served in fancy restaurants.
Image: DW/G. Birkenstock
Geräuchter Aal
Between looking like a snake and having blood that is poisonous to humans before it's cooked, eel is not a fish that sounds appetizing to everyone. It's nevertheless found its way as a food into different cultures — and smoked eel is one of northern Germany's specialties.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Warnecke
Rollmops
Pickled herring fillets, rolled onto a pickle: For people who hate fish, Rollmops are obviously a no-go, and not all Germans are passionate about them. However, the ready-to-eat vinegary bite remains a popular part of hangover breakfasts.
Image: Fotolia/LianeM
Milbenkäse
Germany perhaps doesn't beat Asia in terms of culinary experimentation, but this one is bound to irk a few people: Milbenkäse means "mite cheese." Produced exclusively in the village of Würchwitz, the cheese is left in a wooden box with cheese mites for three months. The bugs eat the rind; the digestive liquid they ooze ferments the cheese. And then the cheese is eaten — with the living mites.
Image: Imago/Steffen Schellhorn
Senfpfannkuchen
Finally, a little treat to wash down the mites. These donuts are known as "Pfannkuchen" (pancakes) in Germany. Although they are generally filled with jam, you might get one filled with mustard on special occasions, such as during Carnival or New Year's Eve — it's a traditional joke.
