Breakfast, as they say, is the most important food of the day and it is one that should not be skipped. Have you ever wondered what an American breakfast would taste like? As we know, questions beget questions, so the next thing on your mind might be, “what does an American breakfast consist of?”. In this article, we will be discussing all the amazing, mouth watering condiments that make up an American breakfast.
Every American home prepares breakfast in many different ways but there are similarities between them. An American breakfast usually contains eggs, meats, pancakes, cereals, waffles, hash browns, toast, fresh fruits, yoghurt, coffee, tea, juice and many others. All these condiments can be prepared in different ways to suit your palate.
The idea of breakfast in America has changed over the years due to several obvious reasons. Firstly, breakfast in America—or should I say that a typical American breakfast is particularly heavy?
Historically, Americans were big-time farmers and to be able to work best on the farm, one has to have enough energy. Eating heavy ensured that they had the strength to work and not tire out easily.
Times have changed and Americans now live sedentary lifestyles compared to their history. Let’s dive into that important question, which is: what does an American breakfast consist of?
What Does an American Breakfast Consist Of?
Breakfast in America can be either light or heavy, depending on what you want and what you need to kickstart your day. Breakfast in every American home today is usually light as opposed to what it used to be.
A typical American breakfast consists of many amazing things, including coffee. The buzz around coffee these days is not exaggerated because many people in different sectors in America do not have time to have elaborate breakfasts, so they stick to coffee, cronuts or any other pastry. let’s talk about what does an American breakfast consists of.
1. Eggs
The number one thing that you will find in a typical American breakfast is eggs, which makes it one of the things that an American breakfast consists of. Americans eat their eggs in different ways: scrambled, fried, omelets, cooked or poached. Eggs are not eaten on its own; they are combined with bacon, toast and many other things.
2. Toasted Bagel
Although of Jewish origin, bagel has fast become a very popular sandwich eaten in the United States. Bagel is a bread that is made from wheat flour and shaped into the form of a circle with a hole in the middle.
Bagels were often made with hands before the invention of bagel makers in the 1960s. Bagels are usually boiled before they are baked to give a dense, chewy and crispy result. Bagels are often filled with tomatoes, cream cheese, butter or peanut butter to give it a more unique taste.
3. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the healthiest options of what an American breakfast consists of. It is made by mixing oats in a heated pot of water or milk. You can sweeten it by adding sugar or honey. It is often garnished with fruits that are either dried or fresh, cream, different kinds of nuts, nut butters, spices like cinnamon and seeds.
An average American breakfast can just be a bowl of hot oatmeal and milk. One fun fact about oats is that it was actually used as animal feeds and food for peasants! It became popular as food for human consumption in America in the 1900s.
4. Cereal
Cereal is one of the quickest breakfasts to prepare out of all the different things an American breakfast consist of. It is the quickest because all you have to do is pour your favorite type of cereal into a bowl-like plate and add liquid milk to it. It is so simple and very easy to do.
Cereals became popular in America in the 1900s and since then, many types of cereal have emerged in the market. The popular types of cereal in America are Rice krispies, Cheerios, Chex, Special K, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa puffs, Trixs, Honey Nut Cheerios and many others. Cereal can be eaten cold or warm, it all depends on what you want or prefer.
5. Bacon
Bacon was published as the best breakfast option in the 1920s. It took a letter from Edward Bernays, who wrote to 5000 physicians, asking them if a heavy breakfast was more beneficial for the American public. The response to his letter was a yes from 4500 physicians and that was what changed the public’s opinion about heavy food. It didn’t just end there, Bernays took it further by publishing these responses and suggesting bacons and eggs as the best breakfast option. With such an entry into the market, bacons has always been part of the things that an American breakfast consists of.
6. Pancakes
Pancakes in America are also known as flapjacks and they are one of the most popular parts of what an American breakfast consists of. They are actually made from a thick batter containing eggs, flour, milk and baking powder. Additional ingredients, like dried fruits, can also be added to give the pancakes extra spice. Although pancakes can be eaten alone, it is mostly topped with either maple syrup, jam, peanut butter, nuts, whipped cream or cinnamon.
7. Waffles
Waffles are one of the amazing contents out of all the things that an American breakfast consists of. They can be very easy to make, especially with the use of a waffle iron. Waffles are made from leavened dough, which is cooked between two plates. These two plates have different designs and patterns on them that give the waffles its pattern.
Although Waffles are eaten all over the world, the American waffle is made differently from the rest of its counterpart. One of the most commonly used toppings for waffles is strawberry.
8. Muffins
One of the easy go part of what an American breakfast consists of is Muffins. Easy go in the sense that it has already been prepared before the day and all you have to do is take one or two of them off to work or school. Muffins can be very complex to make, especially if it’s your first time. It gets easier as you practice more. An American muffin is in between a bread and a cake compared to its origin as a yeast bread. It is best served hot for breakfast or frozen.
9. Potatoes
Potatoes are well known around the world as a healthy food option. It is also part of what an American breakfast consists of. An American breakfast also contains a spread of potatoes that are either cooked, baked or fried.
Potatoes can be chopped in different sizes as you would prefer and are used to prepare home fries or crispy roast potatoes. Potatoes are very high in vitamin C which helps to prevent scurvy.
10. Burrito
Burrito actually has Mexican history but it is also popular in the US. It is actually a tortilla filled with food; these foods contain meats, beans, rice or veggies. Burrito is actually known as Taco in Mexico.
You can choose to make burritos with any ingredient of your choice, especially if you don’t like beans. You can eat burritos coupled with a glass of orange juice and breakfast is done.
11. Smoothie
One of the key components of what an American breakfast consists of are smoothies. Smoothies are a blend of one or more combinations of different fruits. Smoothies are the healthiest drink you can invest your money in, especially if you are on a diet.
Some amazing fruits that can be used to make smoothies are bananas, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, cherries, peaches or raspberries.
12. Coffee
There is a lot of buzz about how American coffee is so different from the ones made in other places. This is so true; although everyone claims to drink American coffee, how it is made determines whether it is American or not. Americano or Caffe Americano, is a mixture of espresso and hot water, You might be wondering how simple it sounds but it truly isn’t.
To prepare very good American coffee, two types of coffee beans must be used: Arabic coffee beans and Robusta coffee beans. The combination of the two brings a balance between perfectly brewed coffee and rich caffeine. Some prefer to drink their coffee black, while others prefer to add sugar and milk to it.
13. Sausage
Sausage is a very common part of what an American breakfast consists of. It is made from different meats, especially pork. It originated at a time when farming was the main occupation of Americans and they wanted to make full use of their livestock.
It is usually seasoned with black pepper and sage by most people, while others prefer maple syrup or cayenne pepper. Often called breakfast sausage, sausage is very high in protein and provides the appropriate amount of proteins needed in our everyday diet.
Conclusion
I hope reading this article has answered the question, “what does an American breakfast consist of?”. An American breakfast can either contain one or more than one combination of the above-listed foods.
One good thing about American breakfasts is that they are not stereotyped as just one thing. There are always varieties you can pick from that make breakfast more fun to look forward to.
