According To Rick Steves, Europeans Prefer America's Version Of This Meal

Rick Steves is the down-to-earth king of practical travel advice, and with traveling, of course, also comes eating. Whether it's advising against ordering continental breakfast in Europe or informing us of the right way to order coffee overseas, Steves has never led us astray when it comes to cultural customs across the globe. While many European products, be they food, fashion, or skincare, are generally lauded as superior to American, there's one thing that, according to the famed travel writer, Europeans tend to envy Americans for: breakfast.

Although the British are well-known around the world for their "full English" breakfast, it seems that Americans take the cake when it comes to the morning meal. On his website, Steves recounts conversations he's had with a few Italians about the differences between dining out in America versus European countries. After speaking with a Roman tour guide named Claudia, Steves recounted that she was "charmed by our breakfast culture and that we 'meet for breakfast.'"

Unlike in the U.S., where brunch is a religion for some and Americana diner breakfasts reign supreme, Steves noted that, according to his Roman tour guide, "you would never see families going out for breakfast in Italy." But Claudia wasn't the only one to comment on America's finest meal. An Italian friend of Steves' from Tuscany named Manfredo likewise praised American breakfast during a conversation about Italian versus American food. He even raised his glass to toast "to bacon and eggs," Steves recounted, with he and his Tuscan friends agreeing that "American breakfasts are unbeatable."

While most Italians usually start the day with little more than an espresso-based beverage and a small, sweet pastry, Americans really are spoiled with options and variety at breakfast. Between eggs in all forms from omelette to scrambled, carbohydrates in various shapes from pancakes to waffles to toast, potatoes fried up in various formats, and meats in slices, tubes, or shredded, Americans want for almost nothing when it comes to breakfast options. And that's not even including all the dairy products like yogurt or cottage cheese, not to mention fruit in whole or smoothie form.

In the United States, eggs are a definitive breakfast food, as they are a good source of protein in addition to healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While stereotypical American breakfasts can be laden with excess processed carbohydrates and sugary syrups, that's not what each American typically eats on any given weekday. Despite stereotypes of mile-high pancake stacks and platters of breakfast items, according to the USDA, only about 43% of Americans age 20 and older consume grains like bread or cereal for breakfast, while 24% focus on protein like eggs. Over-the-top breakfast spreads that are considered typical American fare around the world are more often eaten on the weekends or on special occasions.