Why I always have breakfast: breakfast first, win over the world later

One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast.

Robert A. Heinlein

My relationship with breakfast has evolved over the years. I have to admit, it has been a turbulent one. As a child, I never understood why we had to have breakfast. Growing up I was eating white bread & butter on a table with part of my family watching TV news as well as sneaking in some black coffee (since the age of 3).

Although addiction to coffee has remained, the rest of the “breakfast ritual”. As I traveled through a number of European cultures, I have noticed that breakfast is treated extremely differently in terms of ration and meaning.

Breakfast cultures

Let’s take a look at three random examples that I have noted over my decade-long expat experience of working and studying abroad.

Paris, France

As I was living in Paris, I really appreciated a cup of espresso and a croissant over flipping through a book while overseeing the city rising from the darkness and watching the crowds slowly building up and lazily moving towards the Metro-sign then disappearing into the dungeon if the city.

Porto, Portugal

Portugal. 2014. I hardly eat sweet things, but here it is simply impossible not to get into the sweet breakfast culture with a killer short of delta-cafezinho. Big yellow toasted croissant with cheese is something I am still craving while I am away from my Porto. Then and only then are you allowed to proceed to pastel de nata (Custard cake) with some cinnamon on top.

Minsk, Belarus

In my home city Minsk, my father makes the best pancakes. These are not the pancakes you eat with sweet things, these are proper thick salty pancakes that you eat with sausages or in my (vegetarian) case with a salad. And American coffee. Lots of it.

To me, there are two types of breakfast: family time breakfast and a me-time breakfast which navigate both tempo and the level of lavishness of the meal intake.

Any place today

Wherever I go today, I make sure to set aside time for a family, friends or me-time breakfast because I know that I will be ready to face this world after a gastronomic recharge and proper awakening time.

Here are 5 excellent reasons to set aside time for a decent breakfast:

to help your heart, digestion, bones and more to meet dietary guidelines
to boost your energy levels and keep yourself energized for the day ahead
to improve your ability to concentrate and focus in the short term
to set up and maintain your stress resilient morning routine with mind, body and soul awakening
to gift yourself with an opportunity to enjoy the start of your day without hectic and immediate action