A French Boy’s Daily Breakfast

To read more about the lives of our four French boys, get a copy of my new book, “The Boy Who Weaves the World.”

Question: How do you know you have French children living in your home?

Answer: By what they eat for breakfast.

Since they were little, my four French boys have always chosen the same breakfast food items. It never changes. It never fails. There is no variety. There is no combination.

The same.

Whenever available, our French boys have always chosen pains ‘o lait with Nutella and hot chocolate milk.

The plate is always adorned the exact same way—every morning.

Depending on the age and the size of the child, he will always have a big mug or bowl of hot milk with Nesquik prominently placed in the center of the large plate. Surrounding the mug or bowl lie two to four pains ‘o lait, sliced down the middle and delicately spread with a thin layer of Nutella.

“Pains ‘o lait au chocolat,” Pierre says every morning when I ask him what he would like for breakfast.

Why do I even ask?

Perhaps this American mother hopes that one day her child will desire a healthy, protein-filled breakfast of scrambled eggs. Or, perhaps he will desire her all-time favorite American breakfast item, cinnamon toast—one of the top comfort foods on her list from “home.”

Nope! Not today and not tomorrow.

This French boy wants pains ‘o ‘lait au chocolat with a giant bowl of hot chocolate milk.

Why the Bowl?

So, why the bowl of hot chocolate milk? And why is it placed in the center of the plate instead of beside it?

Because, French boys DIP their bread into their hot chocolate milk bowl! That is why! The plate is there to “catch” all the spilled milk.

This has been one bit of cultural difference and culture shock that I have had to swallow hard and digest slowly.

Cultural awareness galore!

As an American, I grew up keeping liquids AWAY from my bread. Who likes soggy bread? I sure don’t, and I don’t know many people who do.

EXCEPT FOR THE FRENCH! They are notorious for dipping their bread into their hot morning liquids—coffee, tea, hot chocolate.

I can remember sitting down for breakfast with my French in-laws. They each have their hot beverage and their bread side-by-side ready for dipping.

It honestly grosses me out—every time. Often, I can’t even look.

Yuck!

They dip and dip, soaking their bread with as much hot liquid as it can hold. Then, they bite into the soggy, wet morsel. “Ah, que c’est bon!” they proclaim.

“Yuck!” I mutter to myself.

They continue down to the last bit of bread, and THEN . . .

Do you know what they do next?

Yep, you guessed it!

They proceed to drink the remaining liquid in their giant mug or bowl. And, do you know what’s in there, lurking at the deep, dark bottom?

Lots of soggy bits of bread and crumbs.

“Ah, que c’est bon!” they proclaim.

“Yuck!” I mutter to myself—perhaps I even say it aloud.

Once again, like every other day of my life, I have to remind myself.

It’s not better. It’s not worse. It’s not good. It’s not bad. It’s not right. It’s not wrong. It’s just different!

Yes, I have four French boys living in my home . . . and a French husband. I am clearly out-numbered. They all like to dip, much to my dismay.

Thankfully, Saturday is just around the corner. Saturday is American pancake day at our house—no dipping allowed!

Read my boys’ story in my new children’s book, “The Boy Who Weaves the World.” Take your kids on a global adventure!

—The Cultural Story-Weaver

Let’s Weave Cultures!

In your country and culture, what do you typically eat for breakfast? Do you like to “dip” bread into liquids?! 🙂

We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.

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