Breakfast Around The World
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” – you have probably heard this sentence a million times. And while it is actually unclear if a good breakfast has real dietary or health benefits, it is beyond dispute that a satisfying first meal as the first thing in the morning will have positive effects on your mind and mood. Especially when traveling, it is important to start your day right. Get yourself some energy to explore the amazing things the world has to offer.
When you are staying at hotels all around the globe, it is common to get the standard, easy-to-make Continental breakfast. It typically contains coffee, jam, fruit, and baked goods such as bread and pastries. The term originated in Britain in the 19th century referring to the type of breakfast that is common in mainland Europe such as France.
Some hostels also offer free breakfast which is usually a very basic version of Continental breakfast. It often consists of some kind of bread, often toast, jam or marmalade and coffee. Some backpacker accommodations put special focus on the first meal of the day, though. Nowadays, many offer more sophisticated breakfasts with pancakes, scrambled eggs and other delicious dishes.
But to get a proper taste of a country’s typical breakfast, you usually need to leave the tourist accommodation. Go where the locals eat!
What do people in different countries eat for breakfast?
Different cultures give different levels of importance to breakfast. While some celebrate it extensively, others put a higher focus on lunch. Therefore, those tend to consume just a light and fast morning meal. There are often certain typical or traditional breakfast dishes in most places. Some countries have distinct foods specifically for the morning whereas other cultures eat similar dishes throughout the whole day. What people have for breakfast often differs greatly between weekdays and weekends. Sometimes it is just a necessity to gain energy before work. Whereas on free days, it can be a celebration of delicious foods when there is more time at hand.
Now, lets take a brief look at breakfast around the world:
Coffee, teas and juices are common breakfast drinks across the world, usually available wherever you go. While some cultures have a century-old tradition for coffee or tea, others might only have developed this in recent years due to the higher availability and increase in popularity.
In addition to those items of the standard continental breakfast, cold cuts like sliced meats and cheeses are very typical in Central and Northern Europe. In the south of the continent, various kinds of savory or sweet pastry, with cheese, meat or jam filling as well as open sandwiches dominate the meal in the morning.
Across the Middle East, breakfast is often a quick meal with flatbreads, cheeses and egg dishes, often accompanied by teas. Breakfast in Africa varies greatly from region to region. Breads with spreads, stews and porridge are common items to be found in many countries across the continent. Further east towards South East Asia, soups and rice dishes that are also eaten for other meals during the day, are common for breakfast.
In Australia, the first meal of the morning has changed a lot over the last decades. While grilled steaks and fried eggs were the standard before WWII, it has now shifted to cereals, fruits and toast with marmalade or the highly popular vegemite. Breakfast in North America, especially the USA and Canada is pretty similar. Apart form cereals and toast, common foods are pancakes, waffles or bagels and breakfast sandwiches. Influences from other cultures have gained in popularity over recent years, like breakfast burritos from Tex-Mex cuisine for instance.
While there are variations in the breakfast of the different countries in Central America, there are common ingredients that find use throughout. Corn products like tortillas, rice and beans, white cheese as well as eggs and plantains are eaten in different forms across the countries. Moving further towards South America there are more variations from the mentioned ingredients. However, in some countries like Argentina, people prefer quick and easy breakfast with pastry like croissants and fruits. A typical dish of Brazil which currently experiences a breakfast craze around the world is Açai.
Superfood granola with skinny soy latte for everybody!
Over the last years, breakfast and brunch have experienced a boom in general with lots of hip dishes such as Eggs Benedict, Granolas, Bloody Marys or Mimosas being served everywhere in the fanciest variations. Vegetarian and vegan versions of all kinds of dishes and alternatives to cow milk from almonds, soy or oats are increasingly available.
You want to spice up your everyday life and try something new for breakfast at home? Or are you travelling to a foreign country? Here are traditional breakfast dishes from around the world that you should definitely try:
