So far, the food in Grenoble has been relatively similar to American food. There are the familiar pizzerias and sandwich shops, but there is also an abundance of boulangeries and patisseries. These bakeries sell authentic crêpes, croissants, macaroons, waffles, and baguettes. These breads are traditionally French and are eaten almost every day. The family I stay with always has a baguette in the kitchen to be eaten throughout the day, usually with cheese. The cheese in France is an example of a significant difference between American and French food. Cheese is not typically bought in slices or blocks, but in wedges and wheels, and is softer and overall more fancy than American cheese. I recently tried a cheese brought from Switzerland, and I noticed a distinct difference between that and cheese in America.
Also, I recently ate creme brûlée at a restaurant in downtown Grenoble. It was a sweet cream with burnt sugar on top and was delicious. :)
My initial perception of French food has been a very positive one--all of the French breads are very good and the restaurants have excellent raviolis, pastas, etc. However, since I am not used to it, I am adjusting to the larger quantities of bread and cheese.
The food is a little different than that in America, and along with this, the time of day that the food is eaten is different. I am accustomed to eating breakfast at 7, lunch at 12, and dinner at 6. In Grenoble, however, I've realized it is very common to eat a light breakfast (or no breakfast at all), lunch in the mid-afternoon, and dinner at 9. This is an adjustment, but I enjoy the late lunches and dinners. Overall, my experience with food in France has been great so far!