Breakfast Cereals Around The World

This June, I traveled to Sweden - one of my favorite countries. I immediately started buying bread at different bakeries. A friend of mine that I was staying with watched me devour slice after slice of their seedy, slightly sweet breads and asked me, “Don’t you have bread back in Canada?” Mouth full, I replied, “Not. Like. This.” If you love eating a healthy breakfast, chances are that you have your favorites. Different countries have their own ideas as to which meals will start your day off right, and not everyone is on the avocado toast train (gasp!) Here are some breakfast cereals around the world that are both delicious and nutritious - a winning pair! You will be able to make many of these at home if you scrounge through your local health food store, which is sure to be less time consuming (and cheaper) than airfare - and if anyone knows where I can find Swedish bread in this country, I will be forever indebted.

Upma, India

Roasted semolina (that same thing you might know as couscous) is a great breakfast, combined with vegetables for a hearty start to the day. Imagine a ton of flavor with spices designed to rev your metabolism and wake you up faster than a cup of coffee.

White Corn Porridge, Jamaica

Also sometimes called “pop” or “cog”, cornmeal is lightly sweetened with condensed milk, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Angu, Brazil

Not traditionally served as breakfast, this cooked cornmeal is similar to polenta and is a great side dish. You can make it thick or thin and it is often quite plain, but can be made with broth to add a little more flavor.

Pap, South Africa

This porridge, made from ground maize, is also popular in other African countries, almost considered to be a staple food. It ends up like a crumbly porridge and can be garnished with stewed seasonal vegetables.

Congee, China

This term is often used to describe rice porridge, but really can be used as a term for any watery gruel (hungry yet?). This comfort food is the first non-milk food given to babies and is usually one part rice, ten parts water to get the consistency right. It can be a neutral background for stronger flavors, or kept bland for those who don’t like bold tastes first thing in the morning.

Muesli, Switzerland

The first overnight oats began with this mixture of raw rolled oats, dried fruit, seeds and nuts; a staple in the Swiss diet. Usually it is mixed just with yogurt and apples for an energizing breakfast.

Nasi Lemak, Malaysia

The national dish of Malaysia has flavors that make it extremely amenable to A.M. Western palates. This fragrant rice dish is cooked in coconut milk with pandan leaves. Served with accompaniments such as peanuts and hot sauce, this is an “eat anytime” kind of dish.

Hafragrautur, Iceland

This is one you are probably familiar with. What, you don’t recognize the name? This is what you and I know as oatmeal. They even do it up with brown sugar and raisins, just like grandma used to.

Kasha, Russia

This take on Cream of Wheat is made with buckwheat, because Russia happens to be the world’s biggest producer of buckwheat. Garnished with a little sugar and butter, it is a naturally gluten-free way to start your day.

Which organic cereals do you reach for in the morning?

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