Guest Author - Holly Fox

Despite its reputation for efficiency, Germany seems to have held onto its traditional meal patterns better than most cultures. All in all this includes at least five official eating breaks. When I first came to Germany as an au pair I was preparing all five of these snacks and meals for the children I was caring for, sometimes giving me the impression that cooking, eating, and cleaning up were a never-ending cycle.

Although my childcare duties didn’t begin until early afternoon, I was up every morning at 7 am brewing coffee and setting out a rather elaborate breakfast feast. Breakfast is arguably the most important meal in Germany, and a perfect opportunity to try the famous bread.

The German word for “Fruehstueck” means “early piece,” specifically the first piece of bread for the day. Bread is a major part of breakfast and is usually purchased fresh from a nearby bakery or in the grocery store. The breakfast I put together as an au pair was probably more like what most families eat on the weekend, and included several types of cold cuts and cheese, sausages and pate, jam, honey, Nutella, at least two types of fresh bread, juice, milk, and hot coffee. Sometimes the father wanted muesli, a typical breakfast cereal mix of oats, barley, wheat, dried or fresh fruit. The children increasingly wanted American style cereals which are universally referred to in Germany as “cornflakes.” On the weekends boiled eggs, pretzels, and pastries are added to the spread. While most grocery stores and pretty much every other type of store are closed on Sundays, bakeries are usually open for a few hours in the morning to supply the necessary fresh baked goods.

I usually set the breakfast table with plates, but many families buy special individual cutting boards to use instead of plates at breakfast as well as at dinner, a meal also based on bread and various meats, cheeses, and spreads. The word for dinner is either “Abendessen” which means “evening meal” or “Abendbrot” which simply means “evening bread.” This meal includes less of the sweet spreads from breakfast and is traditionally quite light. In between the first and last piece of bread of the day Germans often enjoy a small second breakfast, a large, hot lunch, and then, an afternoon coffee and cake. Part of my breakfast routine as an au pair was to prepare this small “school breakfast” for the oldest son. I usually packed bread with salami, a piece of fruit, and juice. People in Bavaria often eat “Weisswurst” or “white sausage,” sweet mustard, pretzels, and wheat beer as part of their second breakfast.

The largest meal of the day takes place in the early afternoon. Most schoolchildren are home by 2 pm for this meal and universities and large companies usually provide their students and employees with an inexpensive cafeteria, called a “Kantine” in general and a “Mensa” at the universities. Although some students complain of the poor quality and relative unhealthiness of the food, at a euro fifty for a full plate of hot food, the Mensa is the choice of many students.

Around 4 pm the children I took care of would start asking when we were going to have our “Kaffee” or coffee and cake. Naturally they had very little interest in coffee but were looking forward to the cake and cookies saved for this afternoon snack. Adults at work also take an afternoon coffee break. But “Kaffee” as a full meal only comes into it’s own on Sunday when guests are invited, a table is set, several types of cake are offered, and a big pot of coffee is brewed. Kaffee is an important social and family event. The English term “coffee-klatch” comes from the German “Kaffeeklatsch” meaning “coffee gossip” and suggests the friendly atmosphere surrounding this special meal.

To read more on German food and to find specific recipes visit our German food and wine section.