Weekend Assignment #243: It’s Breakfast Time

(…not to be confused with “Business Time,” although you could use the same melody to sing it)

Karen had to get up early in the morning for a job interview, and that got her thinking about how to start the day:

Weekend Assignment #243: The founder of the Weekend Assignment, John Scalzi, is infamously fond of bacon, not necessarily attached to a cat. Setting aside the whole cat thing, what do you like to eat for breakfast?

Extra Credit: How often do you actually eat breakfast?

Extra credit answer first: Every. Single. Day. On some days, I’ll eat it more than once; I had cereal and fruit for lunch on Saturday. I don’t function well if I don’t eat fairly soon (within an hour or two) of when I get up in the morning, and I tend to regret it if I drink coffee on an empty stomach. Plus, I actually like most traditional breakfast foods (except for eggs in any form other than scrambled or omelets).

My breakfast habits have changed a bit since I started doing Weight Watchers five years ago, but my basic weekday breakfast routine rarely varies. Shortly after I wake up, I get a nonfat yogurt that I’ll eat as I’m getting ready for the day. After I return from taking the dog for her morning walk, I’ll have my cereal and a small glass of pineapple juice. Within the last year, I’ve become a regular oatmeal eater despite my undying affection for cold cereal; it stays with me longer, which is desirable since I eat breakfast around 6:15 AM and I try not to break for lunch before 1:00 (a later lunch leaves less of the workday to get through after it), and those packets provide built-in portion control. I do mix some cold cereal – and fruit, when strawberries are available – into my oatmeal to make it a little less boring, though. I’ll start on my coffee during breakfast, but it comes with me on the way to work, and I’ve usually finished it by the time I get there.

Most Saturdays, my sister and I try to get together for a Starbucks outing, and that’s my indulgent breakfast – a nonfat latte, a breakfast sandwich (turkey bacon, egg, and fat-free cheese on a whole-wheat English muffin – kind of an upscale Egg McMuffin, really), and a blueberry scone or other pastry.

While it’s hazardous to my weight to do it very often, I do enjoy the occasional weekend breakfast outing to places other than Starbucks. Our favorite local breakfast spot is called Eggs N Things. Their specialty is the Swedish pancake they serve as an “appetizer” with every breakfast – it’s a thin crepe filled with lingonberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar, and even though I really don’t care for jam generally, I really like these. Their pancakes and ham-and-cheese omelets are also very good, but my very favorite is the ridiculously decadent cinnamon-roll French toast. (I’ll get a side of scrambled egg with that so I’m not completely over-indulging in carbs.)

And on some evenings, I’ll do the breakfast-for-dinner thing. I like making a ham-and-cheese sandwich with waffles instead of bread, and I like potatoes with eggs occasionally. My husband has pointed out that my spaghetti carbonara is essentially bacon and eggs with pasta instead of bread, but I wouldn’t count it as breakfast for dinner myself, although my stepdaughter has been known to have the dinner leftovers as breakfast the next morning. And on particularly lazy or stressful evenings, a bowl of cereal may just hit the spot at dinner time.

Are you a breakfast eater? If you are, what foods do you prefer to start your day? Feel free to answer the question in your own Weekend Assignment post; leave a link to it in the comments at the post quoted at the top of this one, and Karen will link back to it when she posts her answer roundup at the end of this week.

And here’s a side note from Karen:

I’m running low on ideas, so I need your input. What would you like to see as a Weekend Assignment topic? Email me your suggestions (mavarin at aol.com). If I use your topic you’ll get full credit and my undying thanks.

I’m trying to think of some ideas for her myself – if you have any suggestions, send ’em on!

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13 comments

  1. As much as I love breakfast, I never eat it in the a.m. The thought of food before 10 am has always turned my stomach a little, and hey, by the time it’s 10, I may as well wait until lunch, right? But one of my favorite things is breakfast for dinner.

  2. I’m not a big breakfast eater, mostly since I’m too lazy to get up early.

    That cinnamon-roll French toast sounds incredible. I’m sure you need to take a nap after it. 🙂

  3. Hi, Florinda! I’m visiting for Weekly Geeks #26. How did you like the Fforde book? I’m a big fan of Thursday Next. And of breakfast. I usually eat a fried egg sandwich (hastily shoved into my mouth on my way to work) and unsweetened iced tea, because I am the world’s weirdest Southerner. 🙂

  4. April – I’ve known other people who can’t eat in the morning, but I’m glad I don’t have that problem myself :-). But breakfast for dinner can be quick, nutritious, and delicious!

    Kathy (Bermudaonion) – I think you and your husband may be the opposite of my husband and me on that. Then again, there are plenty of weekdays when I just don’t see my husband eat breakfast, because he gets it on the way to work. Considering that it’s usually donuts or Hostess snack cakes and a Coke, it’s probably just as well I’m not around.

    Mike – Yeah, after crashing from the sugar high, you definitely need a nap after eating cinnamon-roll French toast :-). But it’s awesome. If you and the family ever make a trip out this way, I’ll treat you to some.

    Jessi – Nice to meet you!

    I’m still reading the newest Thursday Next book, but I like it as much as any of the previous ones. I’m really glad Jasper Fforde decided to bring her back!

    Plenty of people prefer to get their morning caffeine delivery in some form other than coffee (my husband prefers Coke), and I actually like unsweet tea better than sweet myself (former Tennesseean speaking there).

  5. I totally love breakfast. My favorite is the new creepy types of frosted mini wheats with lots of skim milk. Then I grab an iced coffee on the way to work at the coffee shop and sip it all morning.

    That spaghetti carbonara sounded yummy! I want to try it!

  6. Robin – I have never been a big Frosted Mini-Wheats fan, but I have noticed they’ve got all sorts of new flavors.

    The Spaghetti Carbonara recipe is actually from a Weight Watchers cookbook, and it’s both delicious AND quick to make, which makes it pretty popular around my house :-).

  7. Wendy (Literary Feline) – At least you eat something in the morning…and it’s better than my husband’s Chocodiles and Coke :-)!