NOT so PETITE: Zachary's petit dèjeuner

Breakfast for the French is very minimal. The word breakfast in French is "petit dèjeuner"--which translates to small lunch. From what I've seen, real French people eat only a small piece of baguette (or, for a splurge, a pastry) and drink a cup of coffee. Sometimes they will spread jam on their baguette and have fresh squeezed juice. Everything to eat in the morning is either bland or sweet (I've never seen so many chocolate covered cereals in my entire life). Salty or savory foods are not considered breakfast items. Eggs are a big no no!

Even the children eat very small breakfasts. They are sent to school with just a piece of baguette with some Nutella spread on it in their bellies. I don't think the idea, "breakfast is the most important meal of the day", translates at all.

Zachary's breakfast is large by adult American standards. But this kid wakes up after his twelve to thirteen hours of sleep ready to eat me out of house and home. I laugh every time I make his breakfast, shaking my head and telling him how "un French" it all is. But I crave protein for breakfast as well, so he gets his love of eggs from his Mom.

Here is his American breakfast in France:

First, he begins with a whole banana.

After the banana, Zachary will hand his empty plate to me and grunt repeatedly for his next course.

Next up, eggs. Zack will eat two scrambled eggs. Today I made him special eggs with pieces of bacon in them.

And he's still going. After the eggs he will finish an entire yogurt cup. After the three courses, he retires to the family room where he proceeds to fill his diaper with a huge poo...it's all very predictable. C'est la vie.