You should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper, or so the saying goes. That’s because breakfast is deemed the most important meal out of the three. As the first meal of the day, it’s meant to power you up and provide nutrients to get you going through the morning.
There’s a different school of thought, however, that says it’s not detrimental to health to skip breakfast. Indeed, for some of us late-starters, it feels like our body system only “wakes up” much later in the day, so it’s too early and too much to eat in the morning.
Curry Laksa. — Filepic
Some research indicates that eating breakfast may be responsible for reduced risks for certain diseases and may even help in weight loss. Yet other people thrive on just a cup of coffee in the morning. For many without the luxury of time, breakfast is saved for special occasions, like during a hotel stay.
Here’s a look at what people think a good breakfast should be versus what they really eat in the morning!
The quintessential roti canai. — Filepic
1. Roti Canai
“Breakfast sets the tone for my day, providing energy, supporting mental and physical health, and helps me to maintain a balanced diet. Yes, breakfast is a must for me; I love roti canai and French toast, and sometimes, pancakes. I make my own French toast and pancakes while I eat roti canai from neighbouring mamak shops a few times a week.” — Jay Mee, restaurateur
2. Noodles and porridge
“I must eat breakfast, otherwise my stomach will be growling. A good breakfast should be a balanced meal such as bread, eggs, milk and fruits. We hardly eat such a balanced meal though. It’s usually whatever my mother-in-law has prepared, which could be noodles such as fried meehoon or kway teow, or porridge with pumpkin, corn, minced meat and fried egg.” — Suet, business owner
Belgian waffles with crunchy streaky beef and berries. — Filepic
3. Waffles
“A good breakfast is one that makes me happy I got up for it. That would be something like fresh buttered waffles with blue cheese and drizzled with honey, or crisp bacon stuffed into a fluffy croissant with HP sauce. It’s something that makes me glad that I began the day with it. But this would be a luxury and only when I’m at a hotel for work or holiday. Usually, I run with just a cup of coffee.” — Donovan, senior emissions analyst
Overnight oats with fruits. — Filepic
4. Mixed nuts and fruits
“My idea of a good breakfast would be mixed nuts with dried fruits and sesame seeds soaked overnight, with some honey added just before eating. It’s easy and light, and a nutritional powerhouse. This combination provides me with sustained energy throughout the morning, and keeps me feeling fuller for longer. I eat this during weekdays, as prescribed by my ayurvedic doctor. When I’m too busy, I skip breakfast altogether. Otherwise, on cheat days, I will eat stuff like nasi lemak, mee siam, curry mee, fsh-head noodles and pan mee!” — Wenny, PR consultant
5. Toast and eggs
“I must have my breakfast as I need to take my medication. Usually, two half-boiled eggs with toast and coffee or yogurt will do. It ensures I get a balance of protein (70 calories) and carbs (30 calories). Sometimes, I go out with family or friends, and it’s the usual hawker fare of noodle soups which inevitably end up as lunch as I’d be too full to eat after that.” — Judie, art-and-craft teacher
6. Oats
“Breakfasts for me can be personal or communal. I love carbs such as idli, thosai and white meehoon, and a heavy curry Indian breakfast. It’s very satisfying to have something to last through lunch. If it’s Malay food, a good bowl of lontong with sambal sotong and lots of rice cakes, or pulut kuning and sambal ikan bilis! These days, it’s also nice to have a good hotel buffet breakfast because everything is complete! On normal days, though, it’s mostly oats, eggs, good bread and butter.” — Alleena, social entrepreneur
Packet nasi lemak. — Filepic
7. Nasi lemak
“I’m a breakfast kind of person, and it can be Chinese, Malay, Indian or Western! But no matter how simple, it should taste good and use fresh quality ingredients. I don’t eat nasi lemak every day but when I do, it has to be a good one! A Chinese breakfast would consist of noodles or buns such as char siew pau, red beans or chicken floss. My idea of an Indian breakfast would be thosai or roti canai. At home, it could be just oats and fruits or an egg and avocado open sandwich.” — Jimmy, retail consultant
Old school kopi-O, half-boiled eggs and kaya toast. — Filepic
8. Kaya toast
“I’m not a breakfast person but given half a choice, I would prefer to go to a kopitiam and have an old-school, traditional type of breakfast comprising kaya toast, half-boiled eggs and local kopi.” — Daniel, media manager
