When you are a houseguest, what do you like offered at breakfast?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Kind of as a side note- how much are you supposed to do for guests? I LOVE and need coffee in the morning, but in laws frown on coffee use and don't have any. I'm very flexible and don't complain, but when I come often and stay for multiple nights, it's hard to not have coffee.

Do they frown on it for religious reasons? If so, that's your excuse for a morning run to Dunkin' Donuts or the bagel shop. You can bring stuff back for people as your cover. (Or have it be your morning walk, morning run, get the NY Times, what have you.)
If it's not a religious thing, then stock your own there. I did that with my IL's, who are tea people. A little solo french press and a small container of coffee is all you need.

Nope. I wake up at 8 am when I'm with them. They've been up for hours and have the most ginormous breakfast ready when I wake. We sit and eat for nearly an hour while I dream about coffee. I truly hate eating breakfast.

Why don't you say something? Just because your in-laws 'frown on coffee use' doesn't necessarily mean that they don't want you to have any. I'd offer to buy them a small coffee maker for when you come over, and bring your own coffee. I can't see how they could object to that. Unless, of course, they're real tools - in which case I wouldn't stay with them.

[Anonymous]

I'm good with anything as long as there is coffee next to it. I was a late in life adopter of coffee so I like mine with some pretty sweet creamer, so perhaps a flavored creamer, but otherwise anything works for me.

[Anonymous]

As a guest, the only real necessity for me is coffee. I don't normally eat breakfast, but would be thrilled if you had something healthy-ish on hand, because if I'm traveling then it's harder than usual to stick to healthy eating. So eggs, fruit, oatmeal, a yogurt that isn't super sweet - anything like that. I am happy to prepare it myself if that works best for you!

As a hostess, to be frank I'd probably start out by offering the various egg preparations and pancakes or waffles that I normally make for my child, and then I'd run down the list of the other things that are always in the house: fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, dry cereal. In advance of the guest coming, I'd make or buy something sweet (muffins, or a coffee cake, something like that) and some juice to offer as well.

[Anonymous]

I never imagined this question would garner so many great responses! Thanks to all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Kind of as a side note- how much are you supposed to do for guests? I LOVE and need coffee in the morning, but in laws frown on coffee use and don't have any. I'm very flexible and don't complain, but when I come often and stay for multiple nights, it's hard to not have coffee.

Do they frown on it for religious reasons? If so, that's your excuse for a morning run to Dunkin' Donuts or the bagel shop. You can bring stuff back for people as your cover. (Or have it be your morning walk, morning run, get the NY Times, what have you.)
If it's not a religious thing, then stock your own there. I did that with my IL's, who are tea people. A little solo french press and a small container of coffee is all you need.

Nope. I wake up at 8 am when I'm with them. They've been up for hours and have the most ginormous breakfast ready when I wake. We sit and eat for nearly an hour while I dream about coffee. I truly hate eating breakfast.

sheesh. Just bring your own plastic funnel thingie, a few filters, and some pre-ground coffee. One of my friends brings that everywhere she goes -even when visiting friends who DO have coffee. She gets up and makes herself some coffee first thing. Take charge, my dear! At least take charge of one little thing which will make you much happier. Your inlaws will respect you for it, even if they find it annoying. If you're really afraid to do it in their kitchen, I suppose you could bring an electric kettle that you could plug into your own room, but that does seem excessive. If the funnel and filter is too much, then travel with a little (gulp) instant coffee. Put it in a mug and just pour hot water over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kippers, a rack of toast and a pot of tea.

Simple!

Oh, I would love this. Where can you find kippers, though?

[Anonymous]

Coffee, and more coffee.

Toast, nut butter, jam. Fruit and yogurt.

I like a hot breakfast but I also know that sometimes people just don't feel like making it.

[Anonymous]

Go to Le Pain Quotidien and buy a few pastries and some actual bread. What Americans eat is unpalatable to Europeans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to Le Pain Quotidien and buy a few pastries and some actual bread. What Americans eat is unpalatable to Europeans.

Yes, the place to impress your European guests is a chain restaurant bakery.

[Anonymous]

Ask if possible. But at a minimum
Coffee
Sugar
Milk
Tea
Some kind of fruit
Some kind of bread, butter, some kind of jam
Yogurt
Some kind of cereal or granola.
If they are visiting from the UK, they might have some fondness for some typically American thing.
Otherwise just make sure it's something you also like to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Kind of as a side note- how much are you supposed to do for guests? I LOVE and need coffee in the morning, but in laws frown on coffee use and don't have any. I'm very flexible and don't complain, but when I come often and stay for multiple nights, it's hard to not have coffee.

Do they frown on it for religious reasons? If so, that's your excuse for a morning run to Dunkin' Donuts or the bagel shop. You can bring stuff back for people as your cover. (Or have it be your morning walk, morning run, get the NY Times, what have you.)
If it's not a religious thing, then stock your own there. I did that with my IL's, who are tea people. A little solo french press and a small container of coffee is all you need.

Nope. I wake up at 8 am when I'm with them. They've been up for hours and have the most ginormous breakfast ready when I wake. We sit and eat for nearly an hour while I dream about coffee. I truly hate eating breakfast.

sheesh. Just bring your own plastic funnel thingie, a few filters, and some pre-ground coffee. One of my friends brings that everywhere she goes -even when visiting friends who DO have coffee. She gets up and makes herself some coffee first thing. Take charge, my dear! At least take charge of one little thing which will make you much happier. Your inlaws will respect you for it, even if they find it annoying. If you're really afraid to do it in their kitchen, I suppose you could bring an electric kettle that you could plug into your own room, but that does seem excessive. If the funnel and filter is too much, then travel with a little (gulp) instant coffee. Put it in a mug and just pour hot water over it.

+1
Or for true emergency purposes, note that Excedrin has a nice dollop of caffeine and can serve as a coffee substitute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Kind of as a side note- how much are you supposed to do for guests? I LOVE and need coffee in the morning, but in laws frown on coffee use and don't have any. I'm very flexible and don't complain, but when I come often and stay for multiple nights, it's hard to not have coffee.

Do they frown on it for religious reasons? If so, that's your excuse for a morning run to Dunkin' Donuts or the bagel shop. You can bring stuff back for people as your cover. (Or have it be your morning walk, morning run, get the NY Times, what have you.)
If it's not a religious thing, then stock your own there. I did that with my IL's, who are tea people. A little solo french press and a small container of coffee is all you need.

Nope. I wake up at 8 am when I'm with them. They've been up for hours and have the most ginormous breakfast ready when I wake. We sit and eat for nearly an hour while I dream about coffee. I truly hate eating breakfast.

sheesh. Just bring your own plastic funnel thingie, a few filters, and some pre-ground coffee. One of my friends brings that everywhere she goes -even when visiting friends who DO have coffee. She gets up and makes herself some coffee first thing. Take charge, my dear! At least take charge of one little thing which will make you much happier. Your inlaws will respect you for it, even if they find it annoying. If you're really afraid to do it in their kitchen, I suppose you could bring an electric kettle that you could plug into your own room, but that does seem excessive. If the funnel and filter is too much, then travel with a little (gulp) instant coffee. Put it in a mug and just pour hot water over it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eggs. I need protein and no sugar in the morning. Hardboiled if you want to prepare in advance or fried or scrambled for the morning of. My favorite is fried eggs over sauteed spinach. Looks fancier than it is and takes 5 minutes tops!

Me too. I find this to be one of the hardest things about travel. Many prefer carb/sugar breakfast but I'm sick if I eat it for breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Kind of as a side note- how much are you supposed to do for guests? I LOVE and need coffee in the morning, but in laws frown on coffee use and don't have any. I'm very flexible and don't complain, but when I come often and stay for multiple nights, it's hard to not have coffee.

Do they frown on it for religious reasons? If so, that's your excuse for a morning run to Dunkin' Donuts or the bagel shop. You can bring stuff back for people as your cover. (Or have it be your morning walk, morning run, get the NY Times, what have you.)
If it's not a religious thing, then stock your own there. I did that with my IL's, who are tea people. A little solo french press and a small container of coffee is all you need.

Nope. I wake up at 8 am when I'm with them. They've been up for hours and have the most ginormous breakfast ready when I wake. We sit and eat for nearly an hour while I dream about coffee. I truly hate eating breakfast.

sheesh. Just bring your own plastic funnel thingie, a few filters, and some pre-ground coffee. One of my friends brings that everywhere she goes -even when visiting friends who DO have coffee. She gets up and makes herself some coffee first thing. Take charge, my dear! At least take charge of one little thing which will make you much happier. Your inlaws will respect you for it, even if they find it annoying. If you're really afraid to do it in their kitchen, I suppose you could bring an electric kettle that you could plug into your own room, but that does seem excessive. If the funnel and filter is too much, then travel with a little (gulp) instant coffee. Put it in a mug and just pour hot water over it.

Just bring a little French press. Even simpler.

[Anonymous]

Or some cool brew.