Hard-boiled eggs are also a common addition to the German breakfast table, as well as Leberwurst, a traditional liver sausage (per I Like Germany). And if you’re staying in a German hotel, you can expect fried eggs, scrambled eggs, and fruit, in addition to the previously mentioned breakfast staples.
Bread and rolls (The bread basket)
These are really one of the most traditional German breakfast foods. The joke is that Germans eat bread with their bread. We have a wicker bread basket that we line with a cloth napkin. We then always have a selection of darker, whole-grain sourdough bread, German rolls, white bread, and pretzels.
If you go to a German bakery you will find many different types and styles of crusty rolls. There are sesame rolls, poppy seed rolls (Mohnbrötchen, sourdough rolls, spelt rolls (Dinkelbrötchen), whole wheat rolls (Vollkornbrötchen, Kaiser rolls (Kaisersemmeln), milk rolls (Milchbrötchen), rolls with raisins (Rosinenbrötchen), sticky German cinnamon buns (Zimtschnecken) and so many more!
Since Germany neighbors France, you can often find croissants in those bread baskets, as well.
A good German breakfast wouldn’t be complete without eggs. However, traditionally Germans boil their eggs. We love to boil them just about where the egg yolk is firm on the outside but soft and runny on the inside. (Pro tip: for large eggs coming just out of the refrigerator, you will want to boil them for 7 ½ mins).
They are perfect with a small sprinkle of salt. Oftentimes, it’s just easiest to make hard-boiled eggs, though. More recently, people have also been embracing omelets and scrambled eggs.
I am a big cheese lover! Cheese is one of those traditional German breakfast foods that you will always find. Whether it is slices of hard cheeses or a selection of soft cheeses, they are definitely essential.
Germans make delicious cheeses but one of my favorites is a Gruyère or Geyerzer (you can find excellent Gruyère here). Traditional cheeses can also include Gouda, Emmentaler, Bergkäse (cheese from the Alps), brie, and Cambozola.
Soft cheeses like quark often appear on German breakfast tables as well as soft cheese spreads with herbs or tomatoes.
Germans definitely love their meats and a classic German breakfast includes some cold meats. That can mean different things: liverwurst, salami, prosciutto, Black Forest ham, mortadella, and so on. If you have ever visited the meat counter in a German grocery store, you might have seen the dizzyingly large selection of cold cuts.
Some other popular German breakfast ideas:
What you see above is what we typically have for breakfast. During the week, I like to keep it very simple but on Sundays, we definitely make our breakfast much more elaborate.
Depending on your preference, you can serve other foods as well:
- German waffles: Most people in Germany serve these in the afternoon but you can easily make waffles for breakfast, too.
- German apple pancakes: The same is true for pancakes but why not serve them in the morning?
- Homemade Bircher muesli: Even though this type of Müsli has its origins in Switzerland, many Germans like to have cold cereal in the morning. I would say this is more of a weekday food but in hotels, you often find small jars of Bircher muesli and yogurt.
- White sausage: Having a white sausage for breakfast is something you will find in and around Munich (Bavaria). The reason they would serve sausage before noon is because they made them fresh in the early morning and they would spoil by the afternoon. In traditional Bavarian style, you will enjoy your sausage with a pretzel and some wheat beer.
- Egg omelet: I feel that omelets are something that Germans copied from England and America but there are lots of good reasons to include it on your German breakfast table.
- Fried potatoes: Often called Bauernfrühstück, this is essentially golden brown, crispy fried potatoes. Sometimes, people add eggs, caramelized onions, or breakfast sausage to that.
- Granola: While this is certainly a newer addition to breakfast tables, people love adding a bit of healthy crunch to their morning. You can easily make your own granola at home!
10 Breakfast Foods to eat in Germany – What Germans eat for breakfast?
FAQ
How do Germans eat their eggs?
What is the typical breakfast in Germany?
How many eggs do Germans eat?
Do Germans boil their eggs?
A good German breakfast wouldn’t be complete without eggs. However, traditionally Germans boil their eggs. We love to boil them just about where the egg yolk is firm on the outside but soft and runny on the inside. (Pro tip: for large eggs coming just out of the refrigerator, you will want to boil them for 7 ½ mins).
Is a simple scrambled egg nutritious?
Eggs are extremely nutrient dense. They not only provide us with the essential amino acid building blocks that our body needs to build protein, they also consist of a number of key vitamins and minerals that can help support our overall health. Scrambling eggs without adding too much of other additives such as cream, butter or salt is considered very nutritious.
What makes Menemen different from scrambled eggs?
Menemen integrates the flavors of scrambled eggs along with peppers, tomatoes, and onion. The ingredients in menemen have a stark resemblance to Israeli shakshuka — a dish that poaches the eggs in the tomatoes and juices from the vegetables surrounding it. But menemen is different because it is made of whipped eggs rather than poached eggs.
Are scrambled eggs the same as French eggs?
Can the same be said about scrambled eggs? The main difference between French and American scrambled eggs is not the ingredients in the eggs (although we should note that the French are fond of a lot of butter in scrambled eggs) but the time it takes to cook the eggs. French scrambled eggs are cooked over low heat for upwards of 10 minutes.