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BreakfastBreakfast is a meal preceding lunch or dinner and usually eaten in the morning. Less frequently, the term breakfast may also be used by people that work evenings or late nights to refer to the first meal of the day, although it may not include the same ingredients as breakfast in the standard sense. A meal can be considered breakfast if it satisfies two of the following three criteria: 1. It is the first meal of the day 2. It consists of "breakfast style food" (see below) 3. It is eaten before noon. The erosion of breakfast has been an ongoing trend in the West since at least the early 20th century, coinciding with later waking times than when most Westerners had agricultural occupations. Today, hampered by busy morning schedules, many neglect breakfast or skip it entirely. This trend now exists in industrialized nations worldwide, where it is accompanied frequently by replacing local breakfast traditions with modern Western-style foods, often packaged or pre-made. Nevertheless, many nutritionists consider breakfast a very important meal, since it provides vital nourishment and energy for starting that day. Studies have indicated that children and adolescents who usually have breakfasts generally consumed more daily calories than those who skip this meal and, yet, are less likely to be overweight1. The typical breakfast in Africa varies greatly from region to region, with the former colonial power of an area exerting a great cultural influence: In Algeria, the typical breakfast consists of coffee with French bread and butter or jam. In Cameroon, the morning meal is simple and designed to hold one over until lunch. Breakfast often consists of beignets, which are either eaten with beans or dipped in bouilli, a sticky, sugary liquid derived from maize. Others eat fried eggs, often made into an omelette with other substances, such as beans, spaghetti noodles, or sardines. Chinese breakfasts vary greatly between different regions. Except for Hong Kong, Western types of breakfasts or their derivatives are rarely enjoyed. In Northern China breakfast fares typically include huājuǎn, mántou (steamed breads), shāobǐng (unleavened pocket-bread with sesame), bāozi (steamed buns with meat or vegetable stuffing), with Dòunǎi or dòujiāng (soy milk) or tea served in Chinese style as beverages. In Central and Eastern China, typified by Shanghai and the neighbouring Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces breakfast fares include some Northern as well as Southern dishes. Typically breakfast consists of zifan (a rice dumpling made by glutinous rice and yóutiáo (fried bread stick), salted jiacai (mustard greens), and dried pork mince as fillings), yóudoùfu fěnsī (a soup made by fried tofu and cellophane noodles), bāozi, plain rice congee/jook (zōu) served with numerous side dishes such as salted duck eggs, pickled vegetables, and century eggs, or sweetened or savoury soy milk served with shāobǐng or yóutiáo. Check out the following recipes that are tagged "Breakfast":
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