When studying abroad, one of the biggest (and most exciting) differences you will likely face is the food scene. While of course this might depend on where you travel to, it can certainly be an excellent thing to explore. The food offered in Oxford comes from cuisines all around the world, such as India, Japan, and the US, to name a few. While I love the variety of food options available around town, I wanted to try to get to know what exactly the British culinary world is composed of.
The British cuisine in particular was, honestly, a bit hard to adjust to at first. As a lover of tasty vegetables, I found the options a bit limited in taste. A typical side of vegetables, for example, is likely to be steamed with a bit of salt (if you’re lucky). Nonetheless, I continued to explore the British food scene and came to love breakfast the most! I’ve compiled here a list of different English breakfast foods, one for each day of the week. Enjoy!
- Monday: Scones with clotted cream and jam
- This is one of my all time favorite breakfast foods, which is why I suggest you start your week off right with a delicious, fresh scone. English style scones are incredibly light and fluffy, and go great with clotted cream and jam. As this is such a popular pastry, you can find it at almost any cafe you pop into. Be sure to enjoy it with breakfast or afternoon tea!
- Tuesday: British baked beans on toast
- British baked beans are a staple breakfast food item in the British cuisine. The main difference between British baked beans and American baked beans is that the former are a bit more savory than those across the pond. If you’ve been turned off by the slight sweetness of baked beans in the US, be sure to try the British baked beans for your Tuesday morning breakfast!
- Wednesday: Biscuits and tea
- The British drink more than 60 billion cups of tea each year! Seeing as they love their tea, your Wednesday morning will probably be brightened up with a cup yourself! Grab a couple of biscuits to munch on while you sip the country’s favorite drink.
- Thursday: Egg and soldiers
- Boiled egg and soldiers is a British breakfast favorite. The soft boiled egg is placed in a quaint egg holder and the top will be cut off. The ‘soldiers’ are thin strips of bread, named such as they resemble soldiers marching on parade. The strips of toast are then used for dipping into the soft-boiled egg. You will likely find these at any breakfast place around town, but bonus points for homemade egg and soldiers!
- Friday: Sausage roll
- The sausage roll is typically sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry. It is a common savory pastry that is sold in many European countries, though the UK has other countries beat in how much it consumes. The British bakery chain Greggs sells more than 2.5 million of them every week! It is a perfect breakfast snack for a Friday morning, so be sure to grab one and start your weekend off right!
- Saturday: Put it all together for the full English Breakfast
- The full English Breakfast is one of the most famous breakfasts offered throughout England. It is typically composed of bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggs, baked beans, and toast. Offered at any breakfast place around town, and even in most student dining halls in Oxford, you will be sure to find it easily on a Saturday morning. Seeing as it is a staple, you have got to try it before you leave!
- Sunday: Sunday Roast (of course!)
- The Sunday Roast is a traditional British meal that is served on Sundays at many pubs and restaurants around the UK. The meal consists of roasted meat, some type of potato (e.g., roasted, mashed), and sides such as Yorkshire Pudding, stuffing, bread, vegetables, and gravy. If you are planning on feasting on Sunday Roast at a restaurant, be sure to get there earlier in the afternoon (before 12pm) as it can sell out quite fast!
If you follow this list, you will definitely get to know the ins-and-outs of the British breakfast scene. And all in just one week! Happy feasting.
