Breakfast in the UK?

[railfan99]

Having not been to the UK for some years, on a Eurailpass last year with intensive travel I noted a poor selection of yoghurt at the small supermarkets (typically a Sainsbury's Local, but occasionally Marks'n'Sparks).

From memory the former had little or no variety.

I didn't have time to visit larger supermarkets such as a full size Tesco, as these tended to be away from stations. Is the selection of this dairy product better at the larger stores?

As an aside, what percentage of Englishmen and women do you estimate eat 'The Great British Breakfast' either daily, or at least once a week?

Is that extensive breakfast with its Yorkshire pudding, sausages, bacon and egg(s) still popular with Britons under say 35 years of age?

 

[yorksrob]

Yorkshire pudding tends to be with a roast dinner.

I still have a cooked breakfast quite regularly.

 

[birchesgreen]

Having not been to the UK for some years, on a Eurailpass last year with intensive travel I noted a poor selection of yoghurt at the small supermarkets (typically a Sainsbury's Local, but occasionally Marks'n'Sparks).

From memory the former had little or no variety.

I didn't have time to visit larger supermarkets such as a full size Tesco, as these tended to be away from stations. Is the selection of this dairy product better at the larger stores?

As an aside, what percentage of Englishmen and women do you estimate eat 'The Great British Breakfast' either daily, or at least once a week?

Is that extensive breakfast with its Yorkshire pudding, sausages, bacon and egg(s) still popular with Britons under say 35 years of age?

I have a full English breakfast at least once a month, but then again my wife is foreign born and its one of her favourite aspects of British culture.

 

[66701GBRF]

Is that extensive breakfast with its Yorkshire pudding, sausages, bacon and egg(s) still popular with Britons under say 35 years of age?

I think you are thinking of black pudding. Yorkshire pudding is part of dinner/tea as previously mentioned.

 

[railfan99]

I think you are thinking of black pudding. Yorkshire pudding is part of dinner/tea as previously mentioned.

Yes, apologies. I have never had either.

 

[ainsworth74]

I think you are thinking of black pudding. Yorkshire pudding is part of dinner/tea as previously mentioned.

I've had Yorkshire pudding with breakfast. I think at a Brewers Fayre, worked nicely with a full English! Though I will confess it's not usual

 

[NorthOxonian]

As an aside, what percentage of Englishmen and women do you estimate eat 'The Great British Breakfast' either daily, or at least once a week?

Is that extensive breakfast with its Yorkshire pudding, sausages, bacon and egg(s) still popular with Britons under say 35 years of age?

I'm in that age band and I'd have such a breakfast pretty rarely - if I'm going out for the day then I might have one but I'd never cook one myself. The last time I had one would have been mid June, though on average I'd probably have them roughly once a month or so.

I certainly wouldn't expect to find a Yorkshire Pudding in an English breakfast - not even in Yorkshire. I live about an hour up the road from that fine county and I don't think I've ever encountered that combination!

 

[edwin_m]

The large-ish local supermarket here has about five metres of shelving devoted to yogurts.

Personally speaking I never have a "full English" unless it's part of the price at a hotel and by doing so I can have little or no lunch, and even then I only have about half the things that are normally included.

In my family Yorkshire pudding goes with roast beef, but restaurants/pubs doing a Sunday roast tend to serve them with pork, lamb or chicken too.

 

[Huntergreed]

I've had Yorkshire pudding with breakfast. I think at a Brewers Fayre, worked nicely with a full English! Though I will confess it's not usual

Utter sacrilege!

That’s a concept I just can’t imagine working, no matter how hard I try!

I do however need to dispute the concept of the thread. The truly best “great British” breakfast is served up here in Scotland. No breakfast is complete without a couple of tattie scones and slices of haggis to accompany the black pudding!

Delicious!

 

[Trackman]

I've had Yorkshire pudding with breakfast. I think at a Brewers Fayre, worked nicely with a full English! Though I will confess it's not usual

Never heard of this before, is it a regional thing?

As an aside, what percentage of Englishmen and women do you estimate eat 'The Great British Breakfast' either daily, or at least once a week?

Is that extensive breakfast with its Yorkshire pudding, sausages, bacon and egg(s) still popular with Britons under say 35 years of age?

Only have full English in Hotels if its in with the price as like the previous poster, have had it in First Class (Avanti), but that's stretching it calling it a full English.

Utter sacrilege!

That’s a concept I just can’t imagine working, no matter how hard I try!

I do however need to dispute the concept of the thread. The truly best “great British” breakfast is served up here in Scotland. No breakfast is complete without a couple of tattie scones and slices of haggis to accompany the black pudding!

Delicious!

Oddly enough was talking about this in the pub yesterday, my mate says he has a full Scottish when in Scotland as black pudding is substituted for haggis (He's a massive haggis fan)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

At home I have cereal, but when I'm in a hotel it's the fry up every time.

 

[Springs Branch]

The truly best “great British” breakfast is served up here in Scotland.

I suppose a Scottish breakfast is allright when you're on a diet trying to lose weight. But if it's a soft kind of a day and you need something to stick to your ribs, it's an Ulster Fry - so it is.

At home I have cereal, but when I'm in a hotel it's the fry up every time.

My breakfast of choice when away from home (if it's on the menu, and it mostly isn't) is kippers.

I'm banned from having these at home as the wife reckons they stink the house out.

 

[route101]

Rarely have a full hot breakfast. I will have breakfast rolls such as roll and bacon, sausage, potato scone and black pudding. I think breakfast rolls are more of thing in Scotland.

 

[ainsworth74]

Never heard of this before, is it a regional thing?

Dunno, I was staying away in the North West at the time.

 

[Gloster]

I have not had a cooked breakfast for many years: my only hotel stays have been abroad and they eat much more sensibly. One thing that I have observed (from a distance) is the way that hash browns seem to have crept in, while tomatoes, mushrooms and fried bread seem to be less common. Is it ease of cooking? (Or am I completely wrong.)

I also remember the last few times that I had a cooked breakfast while staying away around twenty years ago, I had difficulty persuading them to omit the fried egg, something that even the smell of makes me ill (shades of A Town Like Alice). Nor was I particularly enamoured with the greasy piece of half-cooked fatty bacon that always seemed to be supplied. At one place I ended up eating only the fried bread, half the sausage (ghastly) and the mushrooms: even the baked beans were cold.

 

[Ostrich]

Mrs O and I usually have a Full English breakfast at one of our local garden centres or farm shops two or three times a month, as the cost of a pub lunch for two (two starters and two coffees), which used to be our staple treat, has started to rise above £40 in our neck of the woods - not helped by the stealth application of a 10% service charge at some establishments. Two Full English breakfasts and two coffees usually come in around £25 these days.

 

[Bantamzen]

Mrs O and I usually have a Full English breakfast at one of our local garden centres or farm shops two or three times a month, as the cost of a pub lunch for two (two starters and two coffees), which used to be our staple treat, has started to rise above £40 in our neck of the woods - not helped by the stealth application of a 10% service charge at some establishments. Two Full English breakfasts and two coffees usually come in around £25 these days.

Crikey that's expensive, I hope they are good breakfasts and coffees!

 

[Whistler40145]

Only when I stay away in a hotel would I have a Full English Breakfast

 

[DelW]

A full English is an occasional treat for me, usually either when I'm staying in a hotel, or if I'm going be travelling and unlikely to get lunch, in which case it's often from Wetherspoons.

As it happens I bought a pack of four yogurts from my nearby Tesco Express (small Tesco's) last Friday, and they had a choice of about three flavours each from several brands. I chose a rhubarb flavour from Activia - I never used to like rhubarb, but it works well in yogurt.

 

[Magdalia]

My breakfast of choice when away from home (if it's on the menu, and it mostly isn't) is kippers.

I'm banned from having these at home as the wife reckons they stink the house out.

Your wife is right.

In days gone by, when I visited my parents on a Sunday afternoon (arriving about now), I could tell as soon as the front door was opened when they had eaten kippers for breakfast.

 

[DarloRich]

As an aside, what percentage of Englishmen and women do you estimate eat 'The Great British Breakfast' either daily, or at least once a week?

few - although if you asked who has a bacon buttie or sausage and egg bap i bet the numbers would be much higher!

Is that extensive breakfast with its Yorkshire pudding, sausages, bacon and egg(s) still popular with Britons under say 35 years of age?

Do you mean Black pudding? ( the wonderful blood sausage that is a part of any decent breakfast!)

I would say the full english is still popular with all ages but is rarely in full eaten often. For me it is really only when staying in a hotel. I cant be bothered to cook it and in the traditional fried manner it cant be good for you longer term!

Most days it will be toast for me.

that hash browns seem to have crept in, while tomatoes, mushrooms and fried bread seem to be less common

I like a hash brown and think it should be part of the full English . I find fried bread to be VERY fatty. I can take of leave mushrooms and beans - I prefer a dry breakfast LOL

I've had Yorkshire pudding with breakfast. I think at a Brewers Fayre, worked nicely with a full English! Though I will confess it's not usual

That’s a concept I just can’t imagine working, no matter how hard I try!

I think you are right - Brewers Fayre or Toby and I don't think the Yorkshire pudding is THAT odd an item for the breakfast. It is really just a pancake batter. it is odd but not as bad as some things people add!

 

[nlogax]

Am not really a big partaker of cooked breakfasts but before the start of a recent forum walk I indulged and quite frankly it was one the best things I'd eaten in months. A++, would indulge again..so I did, the following weekend.

 

[birchesgreen]

My wife said earlier, "Fancy a cooked breakfast for dinner tonight?"

She must have read this thread.

 

[Whistler40145]

I must agree that Kippers can stink the house out, my dear Mum used to grit her teeth when my late Dad would request the damned things.

 

[westv]

Crikey that's expensive, I hope they are good breakfasts and coffees!

£25 or so is roughly what 2 full English and coffee are at our local

 

[ajs]

And l think Toby still do a Breakfast Gravy to go on your Full English with or without the Yorkshire. Never tried it so cannot comment on taste.

 

[A0wen]

Mrs O and I usually have a Full English breakfast at one of our local garden centres or farm shops two or three times a month, as the cost of a pub lunch for two (two starters and two coffees), which used to be our staple treat, has started to rise above £40 in our neck of the woods - not helped by the stealth application of a 10% service charge at some establishments. Two Full English breakfasts and two coffees usually come in around £25 these days.

Crikey that's expensive, I hope they are good breakfasts and coffees!

Not really - that's £12 a head. A Wetherspoons or supermarket cafe you're looking at £ 5 for breakfast and £1 - £1.50 for the hot drink which is £6-7.

I'd expect the food and ambiance to be nicer in the garden centre or farm shop and food quality to be better.

 

[Mike99]

Utter sacrilege!

That’s a concept I just can’t imagine working, no matter how hard I try!

I do however need to dispute the concept of the thread. The truly best “great British” breakfast is served up here in Scotland. No breakfast is complete without a couple of tattie scones and slices of haggis to accompany the black pudding!

Delicious!

Well coming from South London the thought of Black Pudding is bad enough with a full English, but in Scotland I've been served a square sausage!! I never quite got over that. Speechless to say the least. Although in a b&b in Inverness the owner once served me an extra slice of fried bread to compensate for a rasher of bacon that he said I was missing.

Do you mean Black pudding? ( the wonderful blood sausage that is a part of any decent breakfast)

I nearly always agree with your comments, now you've gone and embarrassed yourself

 

[Huntergreed]

Well coming from South London the thought of Black Pudding is bad enough with a full English, but in Scotland I've been served a square sausage!! I never quite got over that.

Must admit I must be one of the only Scottish people who prefer a proper “link” sausage to square/flat sausage (think it must be one of the few English preferences that has “crept” over the border into D&G )

 

[westv]

Not really - that's £12 a head. A Wetherspoons or supermarket cafe you're looking at £ 5 for breakfast and £1 - £1.50 for the hot drink which is £6-7.

I'd expect the food and ambiance to be nicer in the garden centre or farm shop and food quality to be better.

Quality is important to us. None of this "toothpaste" consistency "breakfast sausage" for us.