Breakfast

Breakfast is a meal preceding lunch or dinner and usually eaten in the morning. Less frequently, the term breakfast may also be used by people that work evenings or late nights to refer to the first meal of the day, although it may not include the same ingredients as breakfast in the standard sense. A meal can be considered breakfast if it satisfies two of the following three criteria:

It is the first meal of the day
It consists of "breakfast style food" (see below)
It is eaten before noon.

The erosion of breakfast has been an ongoing trend in the West since at least the early 20th century, coinciding with later waking times than when most Westerners had agricultural occupations. Today, hampered by busy morning schedules, many neglect breakfast or skip it entirely. This trend now exists in industrialized nations worldwide, where it is accompanied frequently by replacing local breakfast traditions with modern Western-style foods, often packaged or pre-made. Nevertheless, many nutritionists consider breakfast a very important meal, since it provides vital nourishment and energy for starting that day. Studies have indicated that children and adolescents who usually have breakfasts generally consumed more daily calories than those who skip this meal and, yet, are less likely to be overweight(refactored from Rampersaud).

Typical breakfasts by world regions

Africa

The typical breakfast in Africa varies greatly from region to region, with the former colonial power of an area exerting a great cultural influence:

In Algeria, the typical breakfast consists of coffee with French bread and butter or jam.
In Cameroon, the morning meal is simple and designed to hold one over until lunch. Breakfast often consists of beignets, which are either eaten with beans or dipped in bouilli, a sticky, sugary liquid derived from maize. Others eat fried eggs, often made into an omelette with other substances, such as beans, spaghetti noodles, or sardines.

China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong

Chinese breakfasts vary greatly between different regions. Except for Hong Kong and Taiwan, Western types of breakfasts or their derivatives are rarely enjoyed. In Northern China breakfast fares typically include huājuǎn, mántou (steamed breads), shāobǐng (unleavened pocket-bread with sesame), bāozi (steamed buns with meat or vegetable stuffing), with Dòunǎi or dòujiāng (soy milk) or tea served in Chinese style as beverages.

In Central and Eastern China, typified by Shanghai and the neighbouring Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces breakfast fares include some Northern as well as Southern dishes. Typically breakfast consists of zifan (a rice dumpling made by glutinous rice and yóutiáo (fried bread stick), salted jiacai (mustard greens), and dried pork mince as fillings), yóudoùfu fěnsī (a soup made by fried tofu and cellophane noodles), bāozi, plain rice congee/jook (zōu) served with numerous side dishes such as salted duck eggs, pickled vegetables, and century eggs, or sweetened or savoury soy milk served with shāobǐng or yóutiáo.

In Southeastern China such as Fujian province, breakfasts consist of rice congee/jook served with side dishes like pickled vegetables and century eggs.

In Southern China represented by Guangdong province breakfasts include rice congee/jook prepared to a thicker consistency than those sold in Shanghai and side dishes are not served. Congee is served with yóutiáo if it is plain. In many cases, however, congee is prepared with meats or dried vegetables such as beef slices, shredded salted pork and century eggs, fish, or slices of pig's liver and kidney and could be served with or without yóutiáo. Other breakfast fares include rice noodle rolls or cheong fun (served with Hoi sin sauce and soy sauce and, unlike the rice noddle rolls served in restaurants, without fillings), fried noodles (pan fried noodles with bean sprouts, spring onions, and soy sauce), fagao (rice cakes), jiānbǐng (thin pancakes, similar to crêpes), lúobogāo (turnip cakes) and zòngzi (another kind of rice cake). The dim sum breakfast, is a world in itself, and is often eaten as brunch at specialist restaurants.

In Taiwan due to the influx of mainland Chinese in the aftermath of the Republic of China's retreat to Taiwan in 1949 after the end of the Chinese Civil War, breakfasts tend to be a mix of Northern and Eastern Chinese fares in addition to the traditional Southeastern Chinese fares. This is more pronounced in cities with high proportions of mainland Chinese descents like Taipei.

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A typical Hong Kong cha chaan teng breakfast, including a cup of silk-sock milk tea, indicating the extent of Western influence on breakfasts enjoyed by Hong Kong Chinese

Traditional breakfasts in Hong Kong follow very similarly with those in Guangdong. But due to long periods of British colonial rule and the influx of substantial refugees from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and Shanghai with the end of Chinese Civil War in 1949, localized interpretations of English breakfast and Eastern Chinese breakfast fares are commonly found alongside Cantonese breakfasts. In a Hong Kong cha chaan teng breakfasts could consist of tea, coffee, or yin-yeung served with bread, ham, and fried eggs, and a bowl of macaroni soup with ham. This local interpretation of English breakfast is regarded in both mainland China and Taiwan as uniquely Hong Kong. In upper market restaurants or hotels, however, standard English and Continental breakfasts are served.

Rest of Asia

India. In South India, the most popular breakfast is an assortment with several possible main dishes, such as idlis, vadas, dosas and chapatis. These are most often served with hot sambar and at least one kind of chutney (usually coconut chutney). Breakfast is usually followed by a glass of tea or coffee, both made with milk and sugar. Pongal is a common breakfast item in Tamil Nadu, while uppittu and kesaribath are the common items in Karnataka. The usual North Indian breakfast consists of chapati or paratha breads with a vegetable curry, plus sweets like kaju burfi. In Maharashtra, poha, Upma or shira (similar to kesaribath) is frequently eaten for breakfast. In urban areas, omlettes and simple butter sandwiches are becoming a popular breakfast food.

Japan. A traditional Japanese breakfast is based on rice, seafood, and fermented foods, which do not differ substantially from dishes eaten at other meals in Japanese cuisine. An exception is natto (a type of fermented soybeans), which is rarely eaten outside of breakfast. A typical Japanese restaurant breakfast presentation would be miso soup, rice with nori or other garnishes, natto, grilled fish, raw egg , and a pickled vegetable. Western breakfast foods may be eaten. However, the influence of Japanese travelers has made the traditional breakfast a standard option on the menus of many upscale hotels world-wide. It is common in Japanese households to include left-over items from the last evening's dinner in the next day's breakfast. Typical breakfast beverages are green tea (traditional) and coffee (modern).
Korea. In Korea, breakfast has historically not existed as a distinct concept. Traditionally, food eaten in the morning does not differ substantially from the other meals of the day (see Korean cuisine) though the number of dishes is fewer. Kimchi (a mixture of fermented vegetables) and rice are traditional staples of the morning meal. Today, however, people are more likely to eat Western-style breakfasts similar to those in the United States.
Malaysia and Singapore. In Malaysia and Singapore, breakfast sometimes consists of a popular Malay food called nasi lemak. Other food such as roti canai (known as roti prata in Singapore), kaya toast and wonton noodles are also among the favorites. In the East Coast, glutinous rice is eaten as breakfast.
Myanmar. In Myanmar, formerly (Burma), the traditional breakfast in town and country alike is htamin gyaw, fried rice with boiled peas (pè byoke) and yei nway gyan ( green tea) especially among the poor.

Glutinous rice or kao hnyin is a popular alternative, steamed wrapped in banana leaf often with peas as kao hnyin baung served with a sprinkle of crushed and salted toasted sesame. Equally popular is the black variety known as nga cheik cooked the same way and called nga cheik paung. Si damin is sticky rice cooked with turmeric and onions in peanut oil and served with crushed and salted toasted sesame and crispfried onions. Assorted fritters such as baya gyaw (urad dal) go with all of them.

Nan bya or naan (Indian-style flatbreads) again with pè byoke or simply buttered is served with Indian tea or coffee.

Fried chapati, blistered like nan bya but crispy, with pè byoke and crispy fried onions is a popular alternative.

E kya kway (Chinese-style fried breadsticks or youtiao) with Indian tea or coffee is another favourite.

Mohinga, perhaps the most popular of all, now available as an "all-day breakfast" in many towns and cities, is rice vermicelli in fish broth kept on the boil with chickpea flour and/or crushed toasted rice, lemon grass, sliced banana stem, onions, garlic, ginger, pepper and fish paste and served with crispy fried onions,crushed dried chilli, coriander, fish sauce and lime. Add fritters such as split chickpea (pè gyan gyaw), urad dal (baya gyaw) or gourd (bu gyaw), boiled egg and fried fish cake (nga hpè gyaw).

Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. In Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia it is customary to eat soup for breakfast, as well as congee. Street eateries in Bangkok offer a variety of different soups.
Philippines. A favourite traditional breakfast in the Philippines consists of garlic fried rice, fried or scrambled eggs, and a choice of breakfast meat: beef tapa (like a fried beef jerky), pork tocino (caramelised pork), longaniza (breakfast sausage), dried salty, smoked fish or sardines, sauteed corned beef, or crispy pork adobo, often with Western-style baked beans, sliced tomatoes and a local pickle (achara) on the side. Alternatively, a cheese-topped breakfast pastry called an ensaimada (a colonial relative of the Mallorcan ensaimada) is also eaten, usually with hot chocolate, as is pan de sal (Philippine breakfast roll) filled with a buffalo milk white cheese, and local barako coffee.

Australia

The typical breakfast of Australians strongly resembles breakfast in many Western countries. Owing to the warm weather in some parts of Australia, generally breakfast is light but in the cold parts can be a full English breakfast, the light consists of cereals, toast, fruit, and fruit juices rather than cooked items. Australians also enjoy a heavy breakfast with fried bacon, egg, mushroom, sausage, tomatoes and toast, with tea or coffee and juice (similar to the full English breakfast). Some other typical meals include pancakes, waffles, yoghurt, bagels and sometimes hash browns.

Australia has a popular unique spread called Vegemite that is routinely smeared on toast for breakfast. It is similar to a popular British spread called Marmite, but has very few followers outside of Australia other than expatriates.

Europe

As a general trend, traditional breakfasts are less substantial and less elaborate in the warmer, more southern countries bordering the Mediterranean, while breakfasts are traditionally larger, with a greater variety of dishes and greater prevalence of hot dishes in the cooler northern- and central-European countries.

An institutional meal plan based on lighter Mediterranean breakfast traditions and served in hotels world-wide is known as a European "Continental breakfast". It is a light snack meant to tide one over until lunch. It consists mainly of coffee and milk (often mixed as Cappuccino or latte) with a variety of sweet cakes such as brioche and pastries such as croissant, often with a sweet jam, cream, or chocolate filling. It is often served with juice.

Hotels and other types of lodging in Europe typically include breakfast in their rates, and in many cases, especially in larger hotels, it is served as a buffet. Specific items will vary from country to country, depending on local breakfast tastes and habits. In Switzerland, for example, cold cuts (luncheon meats), cheese, yoghurt, prepared fruit, butter, croissants, breads, and rolls are served. Regardless of location, the standard requirements for a British breakfast (eggs, sausages, tomatoes (fresh grilled or canned), bacon) are also often a part of the buffet, and can be augmented by baked beans, a working class addition, and hash browns, a more recently acquired taste from the US. Note that a full-on British breakfast can legitimately run to several courses and can include, as well as the signature fry-up, cereal, half-grapefruit, kippers, smoked haddock, porridge, rehydrated dried fruit such as prunes and figs, cheese, ham, toast, rolls, yoghurts, and fruit salad. Visitors are strongly advised to stoke up on the breakfast buffet: "The only way to eat well in England is to have breakfast three times a day. —W. Somerset Maugham"

British Isles

Traditionally, inhabitants of the British Isles have enjoyed a substantial hot meal for breakfast, featuring eggs, bacon, and sausages, all washed down with tea or coffee.

England. The full English breakfast (see article) also includes tomatoes and several other items such as beans, mushrooms, black pudding. These are served with toast or crumpets. Alternatively, fish (especially kippers) can be served with bread and butter and often scrambled eggs. Eating a full English breakfast daily is, however, now rare, and most opt for cold breakfast cereal or toast, which is usually eaten with marmalade. Grapefruit halves are commonly served.

Scotland. A full Scottish Breakfast is egg, black pudding, fruit pudding, lorne slice a kind of Scottish flat sausage and ayrshire bacon a special kind of sweet cured bacon. Potato scones can also be served with this breakfast. For simpler breakfasts, porridge is popular in Scotland.

British imperial experience in India introduced kedgeree to the breakfast buffet in grander British households. Today this dish remains popular but is normally served later in the day rather than at breakfast.

In Ireland, breakfast traditions resemble those of Britain. A specifically Irish breakfast may include white pudding, soda bread, and in Ulster, soda farls and potato farls.

Northern Europe

Belgium. A typical Belgian breakfast is like that of its southern neighbor, France. Belgians do not eat their famous food, Belgian waffles, which are traditionally sold in tourist areas of large cities there. The breakfast in Belgium consists of breads, toasted or untoasted, with several marmalades, jams, and nut spreads, such as nutella. To drink, the Belgians often enjoy coffee, hot chocolate, water, or fresh juice with breakfast.

Germany. The typical German breakfast consists of bread rolls, butter, jam, ham, a soft-boiled egg and coffee. However, cereals have become popular, and regional variation is significant — cheeses, cold cuts, meat spreads, yogurt and fruit (fresh or stewed) may appear, as well as eggs cooked to order (usually at smaller hotels or bed-and-breakfasts). A second breakfast is traditional in parts of Germany, notably Bavaria.

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Pink Muisjes

Netherlands. A traditional Dutch breakfast consists of a combination of poached eggs, bacon (ontbijt spek), sausage (ontbijtworst), and breakfast cake (ontbijtkoek). Today those people that eat breakfast at all typically eat sliced bread with toppings such as cheese, a variety of cured meats, or something sweet like jam, the typically Dutch hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles), chocolade vlokken (chocolate flakes), Muisjes, peanut butter, syrup (from sugar beet or fruit), and honey. Rusks are also popular; breakfast cereals less so. Tea, dripolator coffee, milk, and juice are the most popular breakfast beverages.

Switzerland. Swiss breakfasts are often similar to those eaten in neighboring countries. A notable breakfast food of Swiss origin, now found throughout Europe, is muesli (Birchermüesli in Swiss German), introduced in 1900 by Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital.

Central and eastern Europe

In Eastern European countries with cold climates, such as Russia, breakfasts tend to be substantial. Zavtrak may consist of hot oatmeal or kasha, eggs, cheese, cured meats or sausage, rye breads with butter, and coffee or tea.

In Poland, the breakfast can consist of, toast, eggs, hot oatmeal and bread with various sides of ham, Polish sausage kielbasa, sardines, tomatoes, Polish white cheese "twarog" (plain or mixed with honey or chives).

Yoghurt or, especially in central and eastern Europe, kefir may be consumed. In some Balkan countries such as Serbia, savory pastries known as burek are consumed with yogurt.

Scandinavia

A typical breakfast in Denmark, similar to its southern neighbor Germany, consists of bread rolls or toast with butter and Danish skæreost (slicing cheese), a buttery creamy white cheese (often Danish havarti or Danish tilsit), fruit jam, and a lot of coffee. A bigger and fancier spread might also include cold cuts (cold, thin-sliced ham, rullepølse, salami), soft-boiled eggs, muesli and sweet rolls of all types. Special occasions are often celebrated with a shot of Gammel Dansk. Danish workers typically start their Friday mornings with "breakfast meetings".

Breakfasts in other parts of Scandinavia may be quite ample. Fish, cheese, eggs, bacon, hot and cold cereals, breads, potatoes, and fruits are all eaten in various combinations, along with juices, coffee and tea. Filmjölk, a soured milk similar to buttermilk or yoghurt is often used on cereals. Whole-grain porridges are popular in Finland, also accompanied by this type of soured milk.

Southern Europe

France. In France a typical domestic breakfast will consist of bowls (rather than cups or mugs) of coffee, often café au lait, or hot chocolate with tartines — slices of baguette spread with jam — to be dunked. Croissants are also traditional, as is 'chocolate bread', Pain au Chocolat.

Greece. In Northern Greece a pastry called bugatsa is eaten with Greek coffee.

Italy. The traditional breakfast in Italy is simply Caffè e latte (hot coffee with milk) with bread or rolls, butter, and jam — known as prima colazione or just colazione. Fette biscottate (a cookie-like hard bread) and biscotti (cookies) are commonly eaten. Children drink hot chocolate, plain milk, or hot milk with very little coffee. If you have your breakfast in a bar (coffee shop) it is made of cappuccino e brioche (frothed hot milk with coffee, and a pastry). It is very common for Italians to have a quick breakfast snack during the morning (typically a panino, or bread roll).

Spain. In Spain the traditional breakfast is chocolate y churros — hot chocolate with Spanish-style fritters, which are extruded sticks of doughnut-like dough with a star-shaped profile covered in sugar. The chocolate drink is made very thick and sweet. In Madrid, churros are somewhat smaller and shaped like a charity ribbon. This meal is normally served in cafeterias, but at home it is more common for breakfast to be a cup of coffee and olive oil or butter toasts, buns or a Spanish bread sandwich, commonly ham and cheese.

Portugal A Portuguese pequeno-almoço comes in two varieties: one eaten running to work and another, more time-consuming one, more common on the weekends. When rushed in the morning, a cup of yogurt, milk, coffee or both and some bread with butter, cheese or jam suffices. Given the time, additions include orange juice, croissants, different kinds of pastry, and/or cereal.

Latin America

Latin American breakfasts feature many items seen in North American and Continental European breakfasts in regional variations, according to their own culture.

In Nothern South America, like in Venezuela Maize-based breads such as tortillas or arepas may predominate, or be augmented with wheat breads or pastries. Caffè, Caffè e latte, chocolate and tea.

In Argentina the breakfast consist of espresso coffee, cafe con leche or yerba mate. Also croissants, brioches or "facturas" with dulce de leche, filled churros, french bread with jam and butter, grilled sandwiches of ham and cheese known as "tostados" and sweet or salted coookies.

In the past, when Mexico's population was predominantly rural and agricultural, breakfast tradition included a light desayuno of hot beverages and breads at dawn, and a heavier almuerzo mid-morning, with egg dishes such as huevos rancheros, meats, beans, tortillas, pastries, and fruits. Today almuerzo generally means lunch, and the Mexican breakfast may be the lighter or heavier version, depending on the person or occasion. Menudo, a tripe stew considered a folk remedy for a hangover, has become a breakfast dish as well as one eaten at other meals.

Middle East

In most Arab areas, the most popular breakfast by far is pita bread dipped in rich labneh, a type of creamy curd, or in olive oil and za'atar (a common Middle-Eastern spice mix). Other popular breakfast foods in the Mashriq include boiled eggs, olives, cheese and beans.

In Egypt the traditional breakfast is ful medames: slow cooked fava beans (sometimes with lentils) dressed in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

Similarly in Turkey a standard breakfast is comprised of white cheese, tomatoes, black olives, bread with honey or preserves, soujouk, and an egg — all accompanied by sweet black tea.

An Israeli breakfast typically consists of nothing more than some coffee (usually instant) and some small cookies or slices of cake. A fuller breakfast might include fried or hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, quark cheese, fresh bread, and Israeli salad: diced cucumber and tomato with dressed with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.

United States and Canada

A typical restaurant breakfast plate: pancakes and scrambled eggs with fruit garnish

Traditional

Traditional breakfasts in the United States and Canada derive from the full English breakfast and feature predominantly sweet or mild-flavored foods, mostly hot. Typical items include cold breakfast cereals, hot oatmeal porridge, grits, other hot grain porridges, eggs, bacon, ham, small sausages, pan-fried potatoes (hash browns), biscuits, toast, pancakes, waffles, French toast, cornbread, English muffins, bagels (often with cream cheese), pastries (such as croissants, doughnuts, and muffins), yoghurt (often sweetened and flavored), and fruit. Orange juice is a standard breakfast beverage, along with coffee, tea, milk, and other fruit juices (grapefruit, tomato, etc). Vegetables are notably rare on traditional menus.

Many regions of the U.S.A. have local breakfast specialties that are less popular nationally. In the South, liver and grits are one traditional breakfast menu; the Southwest has huevos rancheros; scrapple is a favorite in the Mid-Atlantic states; pork roll is rarely available outside New Jersey and Philadelphia; and New Englanders still occasionally indulge in fried salt-pork, and pie. Specialty sausages also vary in popularity regionally, such as linguiça in Hawaii and southern New England, andouille in Louisiana, chorizo in the Southwest, et al.

Contemporary

Today, most Americans and Canadians eat a reduced breakfast most days, but may still enjoy a traditional hearty breakfast on weekends and holidays.

A worker's breakfast often consists only of coffee and prepared food purchased on the way to work or brought from home, eaten during the morning commute or at the workplace just before clocking in. Food items that fit this eat-on-the-go strategy include various sweet breakfast breads and pastries, sweetened flavored yoghurt cups, fresh fruit, granola or "energy" bars, Hot Pockets, toaster pastries such as Pop-Tarts, and instant oatmeal. Leftovers from the previous day's meals may also be eaten.

Caffeinated carbonated beverages are occasionally substituted for the traditional coffee or hot tea.

A typical contemporary combination of food for a hearty breakfast consists of eggs (fried or scrambled), one type of meat, and one or two starchy dishes; commonly hash browns and toast. A more basic breakfast combination would be a starchy food (such as toast, pastry, cereal, porridge, or pancakes) either alone or served with fruit and yogurt. This second option, similar to the Continental breakfasts served in Europe, is especially common in institutional situations where serving hot food is difficult, expensive, or impractical.

Eggs are strongly associated with breakfast, to the extent that many Americans and Canadians consider egg dishes out-of-place later in the day. Many fast-food restaurants sell breakfast versions of their typical offerings that include eggs and are usually sweeter and less spicy. Examples of such breakfasts-to-go are: egg-filled sandwiches of croissants or muffins; hamburgers without the usual vegetable garnishes; and breakfast burritos or tacos filled with eggs and cheese, optionally with other additions like meat or beans. Huevos rancheros is treated as such an hybrid in non-Mexican communities in the United States.

The modern options typical of the U.S.A. and Canada are representative of Western-style breakfasts that have become common worldwide, especially in industrialized nations.

Etymological information

English: 1463, from break (v.) + fast (n.). Cf. Fr. déjeuner "to breakfast," from L. dis-jejunare "to break the fast." The verb is from 1679.

The English name derives from the concept that one has not eaten while sleeping, i.e., one is fasting during that time, and one breaks that fast with the meal. The meaning is therefore the same as the French déjeuner or petit déjeuner and the Spanish desayuno. The German Frühstück, the Danish morgenmad, the Esperanto matenmanĝo, the Japanese asagohan or asameshi (朝飯), the Chinese zao can (早餐), and the Hebrew aruchat boker (ארוחת בוקר) mean "morning meal." The Arabic Eftar or Fotoor (فطـور)(إفطـار)

The Portuguese pequeno almoço, meaning "little lunch", like its eastern neighbors, France and Spain. In Brazil, breakfast is café da manhã, the "coffee of the morning".

Drinks

As the preceding regional descriptions show, beverage choices at breakfast are fairly uniform worldwide, comprising

fruit juices (orange juice is the most popular),
milk (hot, cold, possibly cultured) or milk analogue,
hot caffeinated beverages (tea, coffee, and chocolate).

Cultures around the world commonly shun or restrict alcoholic beverages at breakfast. Notable exceptions would be the Mimosa cocktail: champagne and orange juice; and the Bloody Mary cocktail: vodka and tomato juice. While a Mimosa is normally served at brunch, and rarely consumed before 10:00 in the morning at breakfast proper, the Bloody Mary is almost exclusively a morning cocktail, frequently consumed at breakfast by those suffering from hangovers.

Catering

Some restaurants devote themselves to breakfast or have special breakfast menus. The field is dominated on one hand by greasy spoons, diners, cafés, cafeterias, and fast food places, and on the other hand by hotels. However, some breakfast places resemble standard restaurants in procedure, selection, and price.

Special occasions

Breakfast is occasionally served as an entertainment meal. More popular than breakfast in this regard, however, is brunch.

The serving of a pancake breakfast is traditional on Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday), and some celebrate a festive breakfast on Christmas morning.

During Ramadan, Muslims describe the meal after sunset that "breaks the fast" as Iftar.

External links

References

Template:EntRampersaud G.C., Pereira M.A., Girard B.L., Adams J. and Metzl J.D.; Breakfast habits, nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children and adolescents. J. Am. Diet. Assoc., May;105(5):743-60, 2005. Abstract in PubMed