The Amish are a group of traditional Christian church fellowships that formed during the late 17th century in Switzerland, Alsace, and southern Germany. The Amish moved to Pennsylvania in the early 18th century to escape religious persecution in Europe and eventually spread out to other parts of North America.
The Amish live simple lives and avoid most modern technologies. They have their own distinct culture and traditions, including their traditional Amish breakfast foods. An Amish breakfast is hearty and filling, featuring foods like eggs, meat, bread, cheese, fruit, and more.
Some key things that characterize an authentic Amish breakfast include:
- Eggs – Eggs are a breakfast staple in Amish homes. Amish chickens provide a steady supply of fresh eggs that can be prepared fried, scrambled, poached, or as an omelet or quiche.
- Meat – Bacon, sausage, ham and scrapple are common Amish breakfast meats. Scrapple is a loaf made of cornmeal, flour, and pork scraps.
- Breads – Homemade breads are a centerpiece of an Amish breakfast. This includes breads like cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and more.
- Preserves – The Amish often grow fruits and make jams, jellies, apple butter, and other fruit spreads to enjoy with their breads.
- Dairy – Raw milk and cheese from their dairy cows are Amish breakfast staples. Cottage cheese, yogurt, and butter may also be served.
- Fruits – Fresh, seasonal fruits like berries, peaches, apples, or melons are typically included.
- Hot drinks – Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate accompany an Amish breakfast.
The exact foods can vary by season and individual preferences, but these are the core components of a traditional Amish breakfast.
What are some typical Amish breakfast foods?
Here are some of the most common foods found on an Amish breakfast table:
Eggs
Eggs are one of the most ubiquitous parts of an Amish breakfast. Amish chickens provide a regular supply of fresh eggs. Eggs can be cooked in various ways:
- Fried eggs
- Scrambled eggs
- Poached eggs
- Hard boiled eggs
- Omelets – Filled with meats, vegetables, and cheese
- Quiche – Egg custard baked in a pie crust
Eggs are affordable, nutritious, and versatile – ideal for keeping Amish families fueled up in the mornings.
Meats
Bacon and sausage links are Amish breakfast classics. Ham or chicken sausage may also sometimes be served. Scrapple is a unique regional pork dish that is commonly found on Amish breakfast plates in Pennsylvania and the Midwest.
Scrapple is made from cornmeal, flour, spices, and pork scraps that are boiled down into a loaf and then sliced and fried. It has a rich, savory flavor.
Breads
A wide array of homemade breads are baked fresh by Amish wives and served warm at the breakfast table. Some examples include:
- Pancakes – Buttermilk or sweet milk pancakes
- Waffles – Made in waffle irons over the stove
- Doughnuts – Fried sweet dough rounds dusted with sugar
- Cinnamon rolls – Yeasted rolls with cinnamon swirls
- Biscuits – Flaky quick breads perfect for breakfast
- Toast – From homemade breads
- Morning rolls – Like cinnamon buns without the cinnamon
- Sticky buns – A breakfast treat
Breads and grains are valued for providing long-lasting energy to start the day.
Fruit Preserves
What sets an Amish breakfast apart is their array of homemade fruit preserves. The Amish grow fruits like strawberries, peaches, cherries, apples, grapes, and berries to make:
- Jams
- Jellies
- Apple butter – Slow-cooked applesauce
- Compotes
- Fruit syrups
These sweet spreads are served with breads, pancakes, or biscuits. Peach, strawberry, grape, and raspberry are popular flavors.
Dairy Products
Raw milk and products like butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, and cheese are Amish breakfast staples thanks to their dairy cows. Popular options include:
- Whole milk
- Buttermilk
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Swiss cheese
- Colby cheese
Dairy adds protein, calcium, and creaminess to balance out Amish breakfast plates.
Fruits
Whatever fruits are in season often make an appearance at Amish breakfasts. Some examples include:
- Sliced peaches
- Berries – Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
- Melons – Cantaloupe, watermelon
- Apples – Sliced or cooked into a compote
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Citrus fruits – Oranges, grapefruits
Fruits add freshness, vitamins, and sweetness to the meal.
Hot Beverages
No Amish breakfast is complete without a hot drink like:
- Coffee
- Tea – Herbal or black
- Hot chocolate
These warm drinks help wake up the body and complement the hearty foods. Amish-style coffee tends to be strong and brewed in a percolator.
What does a typical Amish breakfast plate look like?
Now let’s look at what a typical Amish breakfast plate might look like with all of these components combined:
- 2 fried eggs
- 2 sausage links
- A wedge of homemade scrapple
- A buttermilk biscuit with butter and jam
- A bowl of fresh strawberries and peaches
- A glass of milk
- A mug of coffee
This represents a classic Amish breakfast with eggs, meat, bread, fruit, dairy, and coffee. Family members can customize their plates by selecting their preferred egg preparation, fruits, breads, jams, etc. Portion sizes are often generous to power the body through a hard morning’s work.
While this is a common combination, Amish breakfasts are open to creativity based on what ingredients are available. The key is including a balanced meal with protein, carbs, dairy, and fruit.
When and where do the Amish eat breakfast?
The Amish tend to be early risers to maximize their daylight working hours. Breakfast is served shortly after waking up, around 6-7am in most Amish homes.
Breakfast is eaten together as a family in the kitchen or dining room. Some Amish families have a summer kitchen separate from the house where meals are prepared and eaten in warmer months.
Prayers are typically said before the meal. Breakfast is an important time for the family to gather before dispersing to do their chores and work for the day.
How do the Amish make their breakfast foods?
Many of the Amish breakfast foods are made from scratch using traditional methods:
Eggs
Eggs are gathered fresh daily from the family’s chickens. They are cracked individually and cooked in iron skillets, saucepans, or baked into goods like quiche.
Meats
Pork products like bacon, ham, and sausage come from pigs raised on the farm. Scrapple is made by the Amish in large batches following traditional recipes.
Breads
Breads are always made from scratch using starter doughs. Baking begins early in the morning so fresh bread is ready for breakfast. Most Amish households have wood-fired ovens to bake their bread.
Preserves
Fruits for jams, jellies, apple butter, etc. come from the family’s orchard or garden. Preserves are cooked in huge pots on the woodstove and then canned in glass jars.
Dairy
Raw dairy products are from the family’s herd of cows or goats. Milk is gently pasteurized at low heat. Butter is churned and cheese is pressed in the home.
Fruits
Fruits served at breakfast are grown on the family farm whenever possible. Surplus fruits are preserved for enjoyment all year long.
Overall, the vast majority of Amish breakfast foods are made completely from scratch at home using traditional methods and family-grown ingredients. This homemade style adds to the hearty, comforting nature of an Amish breakfast.
How does an Amish breakfast reflect their culture and values?
An Amish breakfast provides some important insights into their unique way of life:
- Self-sufficiency – Most of the food comes from their farms and gardens.
- Community – Families often work together to slaughter pigs, press cheese, etc.
- Tradition – Recipes and cooking methods passed down for generations.
- Resourcefulness – Making use of every edible part of farm animals for dishes like scrapple.
- Stewardship – Valuing the abundant gifts of the soil and animals.
- Family bonds – Breakfast is a time for the family to reconnect over shared food.
In many ways, the Amish breakfast embodies the core values of family, community, hard work, and responsible living that the Amish strive to uphold in all aspects of their lives. Their breakfast traditions reinforce their cultural identity each morning.
Other interesting facts about Amish breakfasts:
- An Amish breakfast is sometimes called “dinner” since it’s the biggest meal of the day.
- Weekend breakfasts may last up to 2 hours after church as a time for family and socializing.
- Amish children often help by cracking eggs, milking cows, harvesting fruits, etc. for breakfast foods.
- Breakfasts are large to sustain long hours of manual labor until the lighter “lunch” meal.
- Cooking is from scratch and there are no packaged convenience foods.
- Recipes are passed down orally rather than using cookbooks.
- Food waste is minimized – extra food is repurposed, stored, or fed to animals.
Conclusion
An Amish breakfast offers a glimpse into the unique cultural traditions and daily rhythms of Amish life in earlier centuries. It revolves around staples like eggs, meat, bread, fruit, and dairy that come straight from their farms and gardens. Families come together each morning over hearty homemade foods prepared by traditional methods before embarking on a full day of hard work. Scrumptious breakfasts provide the fuel and energy Amish families need as they maintain their faith-based, simple way of living.