Breakfast Around the World

By Lucy Nelson, 8th grade

You've probably heard that breakfast is "the most important meal of the day". Breakfast is pivotal to your health and well-being; it boosts your energy in the morning and helps your body perform well in the day ahead. People all over the globe start their day with a breakfast unique to their culture and home. Some breakfasts are hearty and filling, and others are lighter, depending on where you are. Those who live in warmer areas tend to eat a simpler breakfast. On the other hand, people living in colder areas commonly eat larger breakfasts to fuel their energy and warm up. Let's take a look at breakfast items in a few countries around the world

Mexico

Breakfast in Mexico is varied and filling, with many dishes featuring fried or scrambled eggs. In the morning, some people enjoy a common breakfast called Huevos Motuleños. The base is fried eggs, which are topped with many different foods like ham, beans, cheese, and sometimes peas. Mexican breakfasts are often paired with fried plantains, tortillas, or fruit. Common drinks include fruit juice, coffee, and atole– a sweet, creamy starch-based drink.

Sweden

In Sweden, one of the most popular and well-known breakfasts is a granola-like dish called muesli. Containing oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, muesli is a hearty and healthy breakfast cereal that is commonly eaten with yogurt. Boiled eggs and open-faced sandwiches are also common, topped with foods like fresh vegetables, cheese, ham, and a staple of Swedish breakfast– a fishy paste called caviar. To finish it off, Swedes start their day with juice or a strong cup of coffee.

India

In India, a popular breakfast item is a small, steamed rice cake called an idli. Idlis are sometimes seasoned with fenugreek seed flavor, and the lightly fermented batter makes them warm and fluffy. Idlis are served with spreads called chutneys; they may also be eaten with a vegetable stew known as sambar. Additionally, dairy-based drinks and filter coffee are often drunk with breakfast in India.

Kenya

A typical Kenyan breakfast is a piece of mkate bread. However, another delicious breakfast item is mandazi. Mandazi is a type of deep-fried donut that is light and fluffy. Mandazi is often flavored with lemon or a spice called cardamom, and the golden bread is shaped into a triangle before being fried. The morning beverage of choice in Kenya is chai, a type of sweet milk tea.

Japan

For breakfast, most of the time at Japanese restaurants, you will see a set menu called teishoku. This is a menu with specific dishes to choose from. Breakfast teishoku would include boiled rice and miso soup– a broth with soybean paste and other ingredients. The teishoku breakfast set also might feature grilled fish, pickles, vegetables, and natto– a food made of fermented soybeans. To finish it off, Japan would start their day with a cup of green tea.

Ecuador

All meals in Ecuador– especially breakfast– feature plantains. A traditional Ecuadorian breakfast is a casserole-like dish called tigrillo. There are many recipes for tigrillo, but it is usually made with eggs, cheese, and mashed green plantains. Other variations have ají hot sauce, milk, and fried pork rinds called chicharrones. Tigirllo is topped with cheese and sometimes fried or poached egg. Coffee, fruit drinks, and herbal teas are often drunk with breakfast in Ecuador.

As you can see, breakfast is enjoyed globally throughout all the diverse cultures and regions. Everyone likes a good pick-me-up as they look forward to the day ahead. Although breakfasts might be different in taste, texture, and composition, they are all unique and special, just like the people who eat them.