Top 10 Breakfast Foods from Around the World
When you think of breakfast, you may feel like it is a bit boring. After all, most people tend to stick to the same few foods they know, only exploring outside of that when traveling or at a restaurant.
However, breakfast is a truly interesting meal. While in the United States, it’s usually something like cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, toast, or eggs, there is a whole range of foods that people will eat when they wake up in the morning. Look at these top 10 breakfast foods to learn how other countries eat, and maybe how to spice up your breakfast.
Top 10 Breakfast Foods
1. Kuy Teav – Rice Noodle Soup in Cambodia
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When you think of noodles, you may not think of breakfast. Noodles and soups are often reserved for later meals here in the US, or even as cheap filler meals. However, in other countries, eating noodles and savory foods for breakfast is pretty common.
Take Cambodia, for example. One of their popular breakfast dishes is kuy teav. This is a rice noodle soup. Alongside the noodles and a rich broth, there is often beef, pork, or fish, and some herbs.
Cambodia is not alone with its noodles and soup as breakfast. It is a very common start to the day in many Asian countries. For most of the world, sweet breakfasts aren’t very common, and you will see foods reminiscent of dinners that are eaten in the United States.
It can be hard to switch up what you define as breakfast, but when you get to eat delicious noodles every day, it is worth it.
2. Ful Medames – Bean Stew in Egypt
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Ful medames is a fava bean and chickpea stew. Usually, it has a lot of spices such as cumin, parsley, and chili. There may also be lemon and onion.
Along with the stew, breakfast is often served with eggs, veggies, and pita. If you want to go all out, then you can also add tahini, hummus, and even roasted cauliflower. This is a great dish for vegans, as there is nothing from animals involved.
This dish is common and is considered to be a humble dish, as it is cheap to make and filling. Most people will eat it for breakfast, brunch, or lunch depending on the day. However, it is also common to have for dinner, so it can be eaten at any time of the day really.
3. Pastries and a Warm Drink in France
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France is one country that does enjoy a sweeter breakfast. They tend to serve one of their many amazing pastries, such as a croissant, bread, pain au chocolat, or pan aux raisins, and a cup of coffee.
Though they do sweeter breakfasts, it isn’t as heavy as in America. It usually consists of one of these pastries, and maybe some butter and that is it until it is time for the next meal.
Additionally, they tend to avoid very savory and rich foods until later in the day. Brunch is starting to become trendy there, so there may be changes in the future, but for straight brunch, you still don’t often see heavy or filling foods.
4. Ackee and Saltfish in Jamaica
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Jamaicans tend to eat a very rich and savory breakfast, often consisting of fish and fruit. One of the most common forms of this breakfast is ackee and saltfish.
If you are unfamiliar with Jamaican foods, you may have never heard of ackee. It is a type of fruit that is related to lychees. They are also often compared to apples or garden peas. They are also described as having a delicate and nutty flavor.
It is mixed into the dish at the end to warm it up and throw its flavor into the dish. When it is all done, it looks a little like scrambled eggs, though the taste is pretty different. The saltfish is often cod.
In addition to the mixture, you can add grilled plantains and kale into the mix. Overall, it is a pretty healthy dish, though the fish taste mixed with fruits may be a little difficult for some to get used to.
If you are making this yourself, you have to make sure that your ackee is ripe. If it is unripe, it can lead to some serious health problems like vomiting and hypoglycemia.
5. All-American Breakfast in America
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Of course, you can’t overlook the all-American breakfast. Even if you are from the United States, this may be a rare treat that is only eaten in restaurants due to the time and effort to make it.
For those unfamiliar, an all-American breakfast is a big meal sure to fill you up. It often consists of two or three eggs, pancakes, bacon or sausage, potatoes in some form, and toast.
Of course, there are a lot of variations to this dish, and if you are making it yourself, you can make it as big or small as you want. The breakfast has a perfect mix of sweet and savory with the pancakes and maple syrup, especially if you get a breakfast sausage, which is often a little sweet as well.
6. Puuro – Porridge in Finland
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While the most traditional Finnish breakfast is often a sandwich, it isn’t the best option. If you want something quick and simple, but delicious, porridge is the way to go. Known as puuro, it is often made with oatmeal, rice, or semolina. It is often also mixed with milk, berries, and jam.
This dish is so popular, it is also often eaten for lunch or dinner. For children, the porridge tends to be sweeter and sugary, but many adults tend to lean away from sweeter options and make a more savory porridge.
7. Haleem – Wheat and Meat Stew in Iran
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Haleem is a popular food throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, and India, and has many different versions depending on where you go. However, in Iran, it is often served as breakfast and is made from shredded meat and wheat.
It is most popular during the month of Ramadan. It takes a while to make, but is easy to reheat and can fill up a whole family.
Milk, cinnamon, sesame seed, sugar, and onions are often added to the dish as well. Despite having meat, it is actually a sweet dish. However, it may be hard to eat sweet meat stew, so many other cultures unfamiliar with the dish will use salt instead of sugar.
If you want to try both, just make the basic stew, and then sprinkle sugar or salt on top. This is also a good option when you make a big batch because then you can decide whether you want a salty or sweet option afterward.
8. Shakshuka – Tomato and Eggs in Israel
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This is another dish that works for almost any time of the day but is often eaten for breakfast in Israel. It is a healthy, flavorful, and easy dish composed of stewed tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices with an egg poached in the tomatoes.
Despite mostly being just tomatoes and eggs, it is very filling and will keep you going long into the evening. If you need it to be a little more filling, you can also eat it with a pita. There are plenty of different versions across the Middle East, but they are all known for being simple and quick.
9. Miso Soup, Rice, and Fish in Japan
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Japanese breakfasts often take some time to get used to for outsiders. Like the American breakfast, it often consists of a variety of several different products, though the portions are often smaller.
Some of the common staples include rice, miso soup, and boiled vegetables. Sometimes, you will have meat, an egg roll, and natto as well.
Not only is this meal a little difficult for some due to the savory, rich elements and the small, whole, grilled fish for breakfast, but also the natto. Natto is fermented soybeans and usually has slimy, sticky, and stringy textures that are very off-putting for some. It has a strong taste and smell as well, which can be unpleasant. However, it is very healthy and is full of nutrients.
While it isn’t the case so much anymore, Japanese breakfasts often consisted of leftovers from the night before, such as leftover rice and vegetables.
10. Kosai – Fried Bean Cakes in Nigeria
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Also known as akara, kosai consisted of beans mashed down into a meal and fried. Usually, cowpeas or black-eyed peas are the ones used. Though it is a common breakfast in Nigeria, it can also be found in Brazil, the Caribbean, and West Africa.
Sometimes, these fritters are spicy, as adding a pepper like a scotch bonnet is pretty common as well. When they are spicy, they are often eaten with a paste or custard or used as a sort of burger patty. However, they can also be eaten on their own as a sort of light dish or an appetizer.
