What is it about British holiday makers and full breakfast?

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

The other day I was wathing randomly Four in a Bed. The hosting B&B had an amazing (for me) choice of breakfast foods- loads of nice cereal, yoghurts, fresh fruit, cold meats, cheeses, freshly baked bread, most locally picked/made, seasonal whenever possible. Every couple on the show complained that there was no cooked breakfast option and rated the B&B really low on the breakfast front because they didn't get to have their fry-up.
Another time I watched snippets of a programme showing people to travelling around France, again all complaining that they don't get to have their bacon and beans, but were offered French breakfast instead. There was a time when I worked in a hotel abroad over the summer and likewise saw plenty of British tourists who would refuse to have breakfast if they didnt get their fried eggs and would moan there was no bacon or fried beans. Now mind you, I love eggs for breakfast, but I also ate plenty of other stuff that are available.

Asking here as I am a foreigner and back home we are not really religious about our breakfasts- sometimes we have cooked breakfast, sometimes a sandwich, sometimes cereal, and I have never in my life met a fellow countryman who would complain as much about not having specific foods on offer, especially when abroad. And out of all the British people I know, very, very few actually have a fry up for breakfast, not mentoning having it every day. I didn't get that vibe to from tourists from other countries, not the same extent at least.

I know that while abroad or generally on holiday you sometimes want to eat something familiar, but don't really understand why people are so upset to not have the food they don't even eat at home every day offered while away every day?

Besides which we hardly need to worry, because the French and Germans stuff themselves full of cured meat and cold cuts for breakfast and yet are SO CHIC

@Havaina actually I think that study has now been debunked as a lie by the same people who did the original study.
But if you don't eat those meats because they are carcinogenic then I assume you also don't light candles or drink alcohol either??

I haven't gone through all 13 pages but also, due to British weather being a bit... crap I think we are used to having more hot meals. Of course in a hot European country people aren't going to be brought up eating fry ups..

I like a fry up occasionally but would rather have it for lunch than breakfast. Don't normally do breakfast either on holiday or at home.

Only exception to that was Sri Lanka where you could have curry for breakfast

/drools

A big protein heavy breakfast is something I have if offered on holiday as it means you can get on with stuff in the day and often the whole family skip lunch (or have an ice cream instead) so it's just handy
I cannot recall the last time I had one at home, maybe 30 years ago. It's a holiday treat!

OP, I think you are asking 2 questions. I understand the C4 programme is based in the UK.

In UK and Irish culture, if one pays for bed and breakfast then yes, they would expect a regional full cooked breakfast to include square sausage, egg, bacon, laver bread, potato farls or whatever is local.

The quality would of course usually reflect the cost hence sometimes you will find organic Cumberland sausage and exquisitely poached eggs and sometimes greying bacon.

A cold breakfast would not represent value for money or a treat even if the honey or whatever was expensive in itself. Possibly this is due to the cold climate.

The second question is why did the Britons you have seen in a couple of places push for a cooked breakfast when this was not part of the local cuisine. Well, as PPs have pointed out, in larger hotels, the full English/ Scottish etc has made its way into the expected range of breakfast options alongside French pastries, German cold meats etc. I have found this in a great range of places. In resorts that largely cater to British tourists then people travel for a change of scene and climate but wanting a certain provision for their 2 weeks or however long. For good or bad, a good number of regions have capitalised upon this influx of British tourism and those travelling there now have certain expectations.

This does not by any means represent all British travellers, a lot of whom are very keen to try more local foods.

And of course it is evident to see the former is far from a particularly British behaviour. Look at the number of non- British supermarkets and restaurants in the UK catering to those from else where seeking the foods and drinks that are familiar to them.

That's all it is. People develop tastes over a lifetime. Some are keener to try other things than others. That split is not along lines of nationality.

Yes I'm teetotal @Harehound. I'm not into candles but dodn't know they are bad for you.

Certain provision of familiarity**

A hotel breakfast is one of the best bits of travel. I'm not a morning person so I love that someone else goes to all the effort for me. A full English is usually a bit much for me but I love some bacon, eggs and toast to set me up for the day.

I have a cooked breakfast every morning...porridge! I put it in a pot and put the pot on the stove therefore it’s a “cooked breakfast”! (And if I’m away anywhere in Ireland-I’m Irish-I look for porridge there too, quite often. Best start to the day, in my opinion.)

P.S. Four in a bed is not indicative of real life though. There’s no way on earth I’d be pulling back the sheets and checking under the mattress in a hotel just after checking in!

croprotationinthe13thcentury I think you are either deluded or ignorant about what other cultures eat for breakfast if you genuinely think the Full English is in some way superior.The Polish have Jajecznica, the Thaj have fabulous fish and rice dishes, Egypt has amongst other things, Foul Madamas, Mexico has wonderful beans, eggy dishes, the northern European countries have fabulous spreads of meats, cheeses and truly delicious breads. Not sure why anyone would rank eggs, sausage, bacon and beans as in any way superior.

And I’m sure the everyone you mentioned adores their own version of breakfast.

Why are any of those things superior @damnthatanxiety? Coz they all exotic?

My other half always has honey and cheese for breakfast abroad
It grates because he never eats this at home despite having both ingredients in his kitchen.So it’s literally a wanky thing he does on holiday

Why is that wanky?

Of course a real Mumsnetter wouldn't be able to eat for 3 days if they had a fry up. Or possibly never be able to eat again

@mrsbyers - one poster has already said she wouldn't be able to eat more than one full English a year!

What is a full Irish?

Ulster fry?

A full Irish I’m assuming is like a full English, but with extra stuff, white pudding? Maybe whatever those things are that are like potato scones?

Hash browns? Always a disappointment!

Ah, Wikipedia tells me this

Ireland[edit]
"Irish breakfast" redirects here. For the tea, see Irish breakfast tea.

A full Irish breakfast served in Cork
In Ireland, as elsewhere, the exact constituents of a full breakfast vary, depending on geographical area, personal taste and cultural affiliation. Traditionally, the most common ingredients in Ireland are bacon rashers, pork sausages, fried eggs (or scrambled), white pudding, black pudding, toast and fried tomato.[19] Sauteed field mushrooms are also sometimes included,[20] as well as baked beans, hash browns, liver, and brown soda bread.[21][22][23] Fried potato farl, boxty or toast is sometimes served as an alternative to brown soda bread. Limerick in particular has a long-standing traditional association with pork-based meat products.[24]

I agree with Feelingabitashamed there is the two separate questions.

In the UK I would be disappointed with not cooked breakfast option even if often I only have poached eggs on toast.

However when I'm abroad in Europe I love the range of bread's, meats, cheese etc, and don't miss cooked at all.

So yes, white pudding (didn't know there was such a thing!)

and soda bread

But more similar than different

“Hash browns? Always a disappointment!“

No, farls I think from that wiki quote...

And I quite like hash browns, but I usually make them and not buy them.

I love soda farls and potato scones.