A continental breakfast describes the type of breakfast you’d encounter in places like France and the Mediterranean. It’s a lighter, more delicate alternative to the full English breakfast, which is a heaping plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, beans, and roasted mushrooms and tomatoes... Europeans recoiled at the American-style breakfast, which they found too heavy and greasy. They preferred much more modest breakfast fare like fruit, bread, and pastries. Hotels aimed to please their more refined palates.
The
term “continental” referred to more than just the dishes served, it also
described its pricing. Traditional American hotels were more like boarding
houses where meals were included in the price of a room. On the other hand,
European hotels offered rooms and meals à
la carte (with a separate price for
each dish offered on the menu).
As Europeans toured
America, (and Americans toured Europe), soon hotel patrons in the U.S. were
opting out of most hotel meals although breakfast was still desired. To
accommodate these changing tastes, the ‘continental’
model of room pricing,
where breakfast was included with the cost of the room, came about. A continental breakfast doesn't usually have hot foods like
eggs or sausages. Products will usually be cold or room temperature. The hotels
or motels that provide continental breakfasts will usually offer them for free for their guests anywhere from
6-10 am.
The term “continental breakfast” originated in Britain around 1855. To the British, “the continent” refers to the countries of mainland Europe. The idea had been around for a few decades before then as American hotels made an effort to appeal to the changing tastes of both the emerging middle class and European travelers visiting America.
In
the first part of the 19th century, many rural American families in the states had
greater wealth and access to a larger variety of foods. A typical family
breakfast would include a meat (bacon, sausage or ham), eggs, fish, a bread (including
pancakes and biscuits), a cereal (grits or oats), fruit and any variety of
condiments, including butter, jam, and maple syrup. These hearty breakfasts
were a necessity for the hard-working American farm family of the first half of
the 19th century.
Over
the latter part of the 19th, and early quarter of the 20th, centuries, the West
(and in particular) America increasingly became urbanized. From 1870 to 1920,
the population of American cities grew from 10 million to 54 million, and many
of these people were a part of the growing middle class. While these
shopkeepers, dentists, accountants and merchants may have put in long hours,
they certainly weren’t exerting the same physical energy as their agrarian
forebears. Needing fewer calories, the traditional American heavy breakfast
eventually fell out of fashion.
Here's what you might find on a typical continental
breakfast:
Bread
Products-You can often find donuts,
muffins, bread, bagels, croissants, cereal, and pastries.
(Breads reign supreme at a continental breakfast.) At nicer continental breakfasts, you
may be able to feast on waffles,
pancakes, or French toast. You'll also have the
necessary condiments to enhance your bread products, including butter, cream cheese, and jam/jelly.
Coffee and Tea-Most
continental breakfasts will provide coffee and tea. Ideally, your coffee will
be freshly brewed. If you prefer tea, you'll probably have to get yourself some
hot water and a tea bag. There should be cream and sweeteners to add some
flavor to your hot beverages.
Fruit Juice-Another
continental breakfast staple is fruit juice. Generally, you'll be able to
choose between orange and apple juice. Other possible fruit juice options
include cranberry, grapefruit, and grape juice.
Fruit-Most
continental breakfasts provide fruit as a healthier option. Typically, there
will be apples and bananas so you'll be able to get your
fiber and potassium. If you're lucky, you'll be able to indulge in melon,
pears, grapes, and an assortment of berries.
Miscellaneous Items-Here are some
other foods that you'll sometimes see at continental breakfasts: Yogurt, oatmeal, eggs, bacon, sausage, or cheese.
A good continental breakfast is
dependent on the quantity and quality of its offerings. Here are your different levels of continental breakfasts. How
can you make the most of your free breakfast experience?
Arrive
On Time-For many
people, the biggest obstacle to taking advantage of the free continental
breakfast is waking up in time to partake in it.
If you're on vacation and have a rare opportunity to sleep in, you may not want
to get out of bed by the posted time. Arrive
at the continental breakfast at least 20 minutes before it's supposed to end.
If you show up at the last second, hotel staff may be taking
away items as you're trying to serve yourself. You also want to give yourself
enough time to get seconds. If you love breakfast, but you aren't ready to
start your day during the designated breakfast hours, you can always grab your
continental breakfast, take it back to your room, eat, and then go back to
sleep.
Survey
Your Options-Before getting your food, see what’s available and briefly inspect your options. Even
though continental breakfasts are all-you-can-eat, it’s better not to take food
you’re not going to eat or won’t like. For example, you may typically like
bagels and fruit, but often, the bagels and fruit at the continental breakfast
are far from fresh. I love eggs, but there are continental breakfast eggs that
are as rubbery as car tires. You’ll probably have the most enjoyable meal by selecting the highest quality products
available.
Consider
Your Goals-Think about what you’re trying to get out of this meal. Do
you want the tastiest meal possible? This is my goal at the continental
breakfast. I want to satisfy my hunger and enjoy my food. You’ll probably want
to look for the muffins, donuts, or pastries at a standard continental
breakfast. If you have the patience, making your own waffle is also a good idea.
If you’re at a good continental breakfast, you’ll want eggs and meat.
Are you trying to gain muscle or lose weight? If you’re looking to add muscle or lose weight, go for lean
protein and fruit. Hard boiled eggs, turkey bacon, oatmeal, yogurt, and fruit
would be ideal options for you. Do you
want a combo of healthy and tasty? For healthy and tasty, I recommend a
moderately-sized balanced meal. As an example, you can do a bagel with low-fat
cream cheese, fruit, eggs, and yogurt. For your beverage, try to stick to
water, but if you need some caffeine, take it easy on the sweeteners.
Take a
Little Less Than You Plan on Eating-I think we’re all
guilty of letting our eyes be bigger than our stomachs. If you hit up the
continental breakfast when you’re rather hungry, you’re likely to get too much
food. You don’t want to waste food, and you
don’t want to eat so much that you feel bad when you’re done. The
continental breakfast is all-you-can-eat. If you’re still hungry after your
first plate, you can always return for seconds.
Lower
Your Expectations-Because
the continental breakfast is usually free, don’t expect world-class food. If you’re a food snob who can only enjoy the finest of
foods, you’ll undoubtedly be disappointed at any continental breakfast. If you
go in hoping for bread that isn’t stale, you have a good chance of being
pleased with your continental breakfast. If the food is free, remind yourself
that free food is the most delicious. It’s very possible to get a satisfying
meal with good food at a continental breakfast.
“Welcome
to our household: We serve continental breakfast, which is
apparently from 8-11, followed by a snack, then lunch, another snack,
proclamations of starvation, and rejected dinner hour between 5 and 7. Please
enjoy your stay. “(Life
Unpinteresting) [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“À la carte” by Dictionary.com
·
“What Comes With a Continental
Breakfast? Sample Menu” by Justin
Berkman
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