Good Morning Sunshine: What Are Australians Eating For Brekkie?

You're listening to English with an Aussie, the #1 podcast spoken entirely in slow English.

Welcome everybody! My name is Adriana, an experienced English teacher from Down Under. I have created this podcast for international students, professionals and intermediate ESL speakers who are planning their new lives in Australia. Each episode I will share an interesting aspect about the Australian culture. In addition to this, you will find many grammatical lessons to help you start speaking like a native in no time!

Have you ever wondered what Australians eat for breakfast? Do they all have a sweet tooth? Or do they enjoy a savoury treat in the morning? To set the record straight I enlisted the help of some friends back home to find out once and for all what the typical Australian breakfast actually is. Join me, as we discuss breakfast trends, eating habits and more! 

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Breakfast in Australia
• 2:35 Sweet Breakfasts
• 6:02 Savoury Breakfasts
• 9:30 Promotion: The English With An Aussie ESL Community Page
• 10:10 Brunch (breakfast and lunch put together)
• 12:44 No Breakfast
• 15:37 My Observations and Reveal of the Top 3 Aussie Breakfast Options!
• 18:43 A review of the lesson and what's coming up next episode.

Transcript

🇦🇺 Good Morning Sunshine: What Are Australians Eating for Brekkie? 🇦🇺

Episode 011 | #EnglishwithanAussie

Have you ever wondered what Australians eat for breakfast? Do they all have a sweet tooth, or do they enjoy a savoury treat in the morning? To set the record straight, I enlisted the help of some friends back home to find out what the typical Aussie breakfast actually is. 

JINGLE:

Hello everybody and welcome. I’m your host Adriana, and you're listening to English with an Aussie, the no. 1 podcast spoken entirely in slow English.

INTRODUCTION:

In today’s episode we’ll be discussing how Australians take their breakfast. According to the experts, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And as the name suggests, we use it to break the overnight fasting period and replenish our body with a tonne of nutrients and energy for the day to come! On the other hand, many people choose not to eat breakfast at all, perhaps due to busy lifestyles or personal choice. Some people prefer a sweeter treat like pancakes or porridge in the morning and others opt for something savoury like eggs or bacon. I interviewed my listeners in Australia to try and find out what the typical Australian breakfast truly is! Follow me through this journey today, and discover more about Australia’s eating habits. Hopefully, by the end you’ll have a clearer idea of what the Aussie breakfast truly consists of. Well, without further adieu, let’s jump in! 

SWEET BREAKFAST:

Like many cultures, Aussie’s enjoy a variety of sweet options to start their day. To kickstart this episode, let’s hear what my friend Elvis has been eating for breakfast since migrating to Australia. 

“Hi everyone, I’m Elvis from The Philippines. For breakfast I usually eat sweet foods - pancakes with maple syrup, perfect! And of course, a cup of coffee will complete my day”. 

Mmm, pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast does sound tempting, Elvis. For centuries Aussie households have been making pancakes for breakfast. In Australia you can even buy ready-made pancakes from the supermarket which people put into the microwave or toaster to warm up and enjoy at the perfect moment. 

Having lived in Australia for the first 30 years of my life, I’ve seen a lot of breakfasts! Breakfasts at home, breakfasts on school camp and breakfast at other peoples houses. In my opinion the most popular breakfast opinion, and probably the fastest option if you’re in a rush or not feeling creative - is toast with butter and some type of spread on top. Breakfast jams and marmalades always seem to hit the spot, however spreads like peanut butter and nutella seem to hit differently if you have a sweet tooth like me and Elvis. Another common option is cereal with milk, and many Australians enjoy sweet varieties like Nutri-grain, Crunchy Nut or Coco-Pops. Now, you wouldn’t be a true Australian, if you hadn’t tried Weet-Bix at least once in your life. Weet-Bix are whole-grain rectangles that are full of iron and slow-digesting carbohydrates to keep you full throughout the day. Now, although Weet-bix aren’t traditionally sweet, many people like to add honey or syrup on top along with their milk. Finally, fruit - natures natural sugar is also a big part of the Australian breakfast culture, with many people enjoying fresh fruits like bananas, berries, or mangoes, either on their own on top of yoghurt. 

SAVOURY BREAKFAST:

Savoury is another word for ‘not sweet’, and savoury options form a significant part of the breakfast culture in Australia. Let’s hear what my friend, and ex-work colleague Michelle usually eats for breakfast. 

“Hi everyone, I’m Michelle, and I’m from Traralgon in Victoria, Australia. And what I like to have for breakfast is a fried egg with salt and pepper on a slice of buttered toast. And I always have it with a cup of coffee with milk and no sugar”. 

Thanks Michelle, I do love a good runny egg on toast. This leads us perfectly into one of the most iconic Australian breakfast dishes, which can be traced back to the English settlers, is ‘The Full English Breakfast’, or known in other parts as ‘The Big Breakfast’. This always includes eggs on toast cooked to your liking, whether that be fried, scrambled or poached. Bacon and sausages come next and then your choice of either baked beans, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms or spinach. This is an incredibly hearty and calorie dense meal that many Australians enjoy, especially on weekends or when dining out. Another popular savoury option is avocado toast, often topped with feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and a poached egg. This healthy and delicious choice has become trendy in recent years. Eggs Benedict, with its combination of poached eggs, ham or bacon, and hollandaise sauce on an English muffin, is also a favourite in many Australian cafes. Much like Weet-bix, you wouldn’t be a true Australian if you hadn’t tried butter and Vegemite on toast - the salty spread is definitely an acquired taste but beloved by many Australians. Finally, with recent health and fitness culture, protein packed breakfast wraps and sandwiches have become increasingly popular and are usually filled with things like eggs, ham and cheese. Overall, Australian breakfast culture offers a wide range of savoury options to suit different tastes and lifestyles.

PROMOTION

Did you know that every episode has its own supporting resources? Join the English With An Aussie Podcast Community on Facebook and turn this episode into an English lesson! Every episode comes with a full transcript and a glossary of terms to help with your comprehension. Along with the resource package, you'll find conversational videos, interactive posts and people just like you, ready to connect and practise their English. The best part - it’s all free! So, what are you waiting for? Start speaking like an Aussie now!

BRUNCH

Have you ever heard of the term ‘brunch’? In case you haven’t, brunch is breakfast and lunch put together, and is usually eaten around 11am. Many people opt to have a big hearty meal for brunch so they don’t have to worry about food until later on in the day. On the weekend, many Australians take the opportunity to go out and eat brunch in a cafe with friends and family seeing as they have the time and are not working. Many Australians like to have a sleep in on Saturday or Sunday and head into town in the late morning. There are so many cafes it's hard to keep up - each with their own theme or specialities. Here you can find sweet breakfast options such as French toast, pancakes, waffles, or banana bread - which are often served with things like ice-cream, fruit or syrup. One thing I’ve noticed lately is the Smoothie Bowl trend. In case you didn’t know, a smoothie is fruit and milk blended together into thick consistency. Normally people drink this in a cup or through a straw, however, many people like to pour it into a bowl and top it with things like granola, muesli or nuts. Lastly, it’s no surprise that people drink coffee every morning to kick start their day, however many people opt to drink things like breakfast juices, iced coffees or hot chocolates with their brunch. If you get a chance, look up brunch in Australia on YouTube and your screen will be filled with thousands of places to hang out and grab a bite on the weekend.

NO BREAKFAST:

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Some people don’t eat breakfast at all. Is this a common practice in Australia? Well actually, it’s more common than you would think. After speaking to a range of people on this topic here are some reasons why breakfast isn’t consumed (1) Weight control - many people who try to keep their weight at a healthy range or are looking to lose weight will skip breakfast and drink only black coffee and water in the morning - this system is called intermittent fasting. Generally people will eat their first meal at lunch time and stop eating after dinner. This eating window means that you are more likely to eat less calories throughout the day and experience a more productive morning due to a clearer mind. (2) Time. Many people decide that getting extra sleep in the morning outweighs the priority of breakfast. People with busy jobs or children are often sleep deprived and find it hard to wake up early in the morning. (3) Appetite. Some people are simply not hungry in the morning. Many people complain of nausea at the thought of even eating something. Everyone's metabolism is different and it’s important to listen to your body. If you’re not hungry, then don’t eat, simple. (4) Religious fasting. Australia is the home to many different cultures and religions, and with this comes the practice of fasting. One example are Muslims during the Holy Month of Ramandan whereby followers abstain from eating and drinking during the hours of daylight.

TOP 3 MOST EATEN AUSTRALIAN BREAKFAST FOODS:

Okay, now that we’ve heard about sweet breakfasts, savoury breakfasts, brunch and no breakfast in Australia, let's draw some conclusions. One thing that I noticed is that almost every person who I spoke to about breakfast - even those who don’t eat it - always begin their day with a cup of coffee in some way shape or form. Whether it be an espresso, a latte or an iced coffee - coffee is the quintessential Australian drink to get people moving in the morning. Another observation I made is that carbohydrates such as bread and cereals play an important role in everyone's breakfast. I’m uncertain as to why, but I’d like to imagine that people look for comfort when they eat their first meal of the day. People are often very hungry  and feeling anxious due to busy lifestyles and need energy to keep them motivated throughout the day. When we consume carbohydrates, our body turns them into glucose, commonly known as blood sugar, which is then immediately stored in the body and brain, giving us energy when we need it. 

So to finish the episode, it’s time for the moment you’ve all been waiting for. 

What IS Australia’s typical breakfast? 

Well the answer is……..a tie! And no, not a tie you wear around your neck, BUT I tie in many answers. I have managed to narrow it down to 3! So here goes….

Australians usually eat for breakfast either…

• #1 Eggs on toast!
• #2 Cereal with milk!
• #3 Toast with butter and vegemite!

So there you have it. Now when someone asks you ‘but what do Aussies eat for breakfast Down Under?’ you can tell them! 

REFLECTIONS:

Well if you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for sticking around. But as always, it’s time to say our goodbyes. Just to remind you, today's episode was all about what Australians eat for breakfast. We first heard from my friend Elvis who spoke about his love of pancakes and maple syrup. We then heard from Michelle who enjoys a fried egg on buttered toast to kick start her day. We then discussed some breakfast trends such as brunch and skipping breakfast altogether.  Finally, it was results time! I tried my hardest to pull all my research and interviews together and composed a list of the Top 3 most eaten breakfast items in Australia. Next episode we’ll be discussing Australia’s absurd fascination with shortening words. It would mean alot if you subscribed to my podcast and left your honest review. Your feedback helps to ensure this podcast is meeting your English needs. Once again, thank you everybody. You've been listening to English with an Aussie. 



VOCABULARY

enlisted  : to engage a person to help or support

fasting : a period of time where you stop eating or drinking 

slow-digesting carbohydrates : a type of carbohydrates that are slowly absorbed in the body and have a low glycemic index, such as oats, whole grains and brown rice.

scrambled : eggs prepared by beating them and cooking and stirring gently on low heat. 

poached  : an egg dropped from its shell and cooked in simmering water for about five minutes. 

hollandaise sauce : a creamy sauce of melted butter, egg yolks, and vinegar. 

French toast : bread dipped in a mixture of seasoned beaten egg, often with added milk, and fried on both sides. 

granola: a breakfast food made of baked grains, nuts and dried fruit that clumps together resulting in crunchy nuggets. Usually includes honey or sweeteners. 

muesli : similar to granola, however is a raw food including no sweeteners. 

intermittent fasting : a diet when you don’t eat for a period of time each day or week. The most common protocol is the 16:8 method, meaning 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours to eat your meals.

Ramadan : considered the Holy Month, which is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar. Here there is fasting, worship, service, communal gathering and spiritual development. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. 

quintessential : representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.