A Different Take on Breakfast

Let’s be honest. In most other countries, breakfast does not consist of either a pile of sugary carbs (pancakes, cereal, etc.) or a pile of cholesterol-laden protein (bacon, eggs, etc.). In most other countries, breakfast doesn’t really look all that different from lunch or dinner.

I love that in Vietnam, you can get a bowl of pho, topped with veggies and meat for breakfast. In Taiwan, we often have bowls of soy milk, served with savory toppings and even chili oil.

Here in the US, I’ve never been a fan of most breakfast items. Take oatmeal, for example. When I was a kid, no matter how much maple syrup or fruit we put on top, I never really liked it. But recently, my mother brought food over to my house, and it shed a whole new light on oatmeal. She prepared the oatmeal with a low water-ratio, and treated it like xi fan (a rice porridge, sometimes called congee, but this version isn’t as watery as congee). I had it for breakfast with marinated seaweed and tofu, and honestly, it was the most refreshing take on oatmeal I’ve had.

Now maybe you’re not a fan of seaweed or tofu, but my point is this: don’t feel locked into how breakfast food should be served. You can eat it any way you please, and if that way looks more like lunch or dinner, that’s okay too.