American mom living in Paris reveals the surprising food French kids eat after school

A Paris-based mom has revealed an afternoon snack so good, it has American TikTokers begging her to adopt them.

American mom and TikToker Isabelle Bertolami (@isabellebertolami) gained over 8.5 million views when she revealed that French children don’t have after school snacks. Instead, they eat something called goûter.

Now, much like the mom who went viral when she revealed the “mouse juice” she prepares for her picky toddler, Isabelle has become an international sensation for her tasty snack revelation.

According to FrenchTogether.com, le goûter — taken from the French verb goûter, meaning, “to taste” — is more than just a quick snack eaten after school. It’s a treasured culinary tradition in French households and schools.

Since 1941, goûter has been served nationally in schools and in after-school activities, usually taken after 4 p.m. The Local explains: “The idea is that, because the family evening meal is eaten relatively late, this mid-afternoon snack will keep les enfants [children] from launching fridge raids, or bombarding their parents with shouts of, “J’ai faim! [I’m hungry].”

Examples of foods eaten for goûter include “a couple of biscuits, a piece of cake, a pain au chocolat [chocolate bread], piece of fruit, pain au lait [milk bread], a croissant, yogurt, compote, or a slice of bread slathered in Nutella,” reports The Local.

As you can see in another video of Isabelle’s — this time examining what French children eat for lunch at school — goûter is such an intrinsic part of the day that it’s built right into the weekly lunch menus.

While some TikTokers hyper-focused on the playful wording of Isabelle’s post — taking issue with the fact that goûter is, technically, an after-school snack — many comments expressed their appreciation for the afternoon treat.

“Butter AND CHOCOLATE?? I have accepted the goûter lifestyle 🙏,” one convert wrote in the comments.