TYPES OF MEALS

TYPES OF MEALS
BREAKFAST
Breakfast is the first meal of the day, typically eaten in the
morning. The word derives from the idea of breaking the
involuntary fast due to sleep. Breakfast is considered by many
food experts to be a most important meal of the day.
Traditionally, breakfast is a large cooked meal eaten before
work and designed to carry people through a large part of the
day. The erosion of the cooked breakfast has been an
ongoing trend in the Western world.
Breakfast in hotels may be served in the hotel restaurant or
dining room, in a breakfast room set aside for this one meal,
or in the guest's bedroom or suite. The current trend is that
most of the hotels are offering breakfast as complementary.
TYPES OF MEALS
TYPES OF BREAKFAST
Continental Breakfast or Cafe’ Complet
Continental breakfast is a light meal meant to satisfy breakfaster
until lunch. A typical Continental breakfast consists of the following:
Juice :- Mango juice, pineapple juice, tomato juice, orange juice or
grapefruit juice
Bread Toast :- (white bread / brown bread), rolls, croissant, brioche,
muffins, doughnuts, Danish pastry served with preserves, jam,
honey, marmalade and butter
Beverage :- Hot beverages such as tea or coffee.
The continental breakfast may also include sliced cold meats, such
as salami or ham, and yogurt or cereal. Some countries of Europe,
such as The Netherlands and those in Scandinavia, add a bit of fruit
and cheese to the breakfast menu, occasionally even a boiled egg or
a little salami.
TYPES OF MEALS
If tea is served as a beverage with the above breakfast then it is known as ‘The
Complet’. If coffee is served with the above breakfast then is it is known as ‘Café
Complet’. On the other hand, if the guest exclusively takes coffee alone (with nothing to
eat), then it is known as ‘Café Simple’. If the guest takes tea alone then it is known as
‘The Simplé’.
The current trend in the continental breakfast menu includes a wide variety of choice
of food items as detailed below:
Juice- Mango, pineapple, orange, apple fresh,
Stewed Fruit
Cereals- Cornflakes, muesli, rice Flakes, porridge.
Yoghurt- Natural or fruit, regular or low fat
Fish -Fried or grilled , poached smoked , grilled herring, fried or grilled sole, smoked fish.
Eggs- Fried, poached, scrambled, boiled, omelette, eggs Benedict
Meats- Bacon in various styles, various sausages, kidney, steak, gammon
Potatoes and Vegetables - Hash browns, sauté potatoes, mushrooms, baked beans fresh
or grilled tomato
Pancakes and waffles- with maple syrup or other toppings.
Cold buffet- Hams, chicken, smoked cold meats, cheeses
Bread items -Toast, rolls, croissants, crisp breads, plain sliced white or brown bread,
Danish pastries, muffins, doughnuts.
Preserves- Jams, marmalade, honey
Beverages Tea, coffee , chocolate, beverages, milk, mineral waters
TYPES OF MEALS
English Breakfast or Full Breakfast
Somerset Maugham once said, "The only way to eat well in England is to
have breakfast three times a day". An English breakfast is an elaborate
breakfast quite substantial in size and variety. The traditional English
breakfast comprises of ten courses.
Fruit Juice - Pineapple, Orange, Apple, Grapefruit, Tomato
Stewed Fruits - Apples, Figs, Pears etc. are cut into small pieces and
cooked in sugar syrup flavored with clove and cinnamon. It is served in a
cocktail cup.
Cereals – Oatmeal, cornflakes, wheat flakes, rice cereals, porridge are
served with cold or hot milk in a soup bowl.
Fish - Herring, Haddock, Sardines.
Eggs - Boiled, Fried, Poached, Scrambled, Plain or Masala Omelette.
Meats - Fried or Grilled bacon, sausages, ham, salami.
Rolls and toast - Toast white or brown, croissant, muffins, doughnuts,
Danish pastry.
Butter and Preserves - Butter, jam, jelly, marmalade, honey, maple syrup.
Fruits - Fresh fruits like melon, papaya, mango, orange, grapefruit, pears.
Beverages - Tea, coffee or hot beverages like Bournvita, Horlicks with hot
milk.
TYPES OF MEALS
This traditional cooked breakfast has largely
been replaced by simple, light foods and
much varied choices have been added to suit
today’s customers. The course also varies
from two to ten depending on the customer
and the establishment.
English breakfast is much heavier than a
continental breakfast.
TYPES OF MEALS
American Breakfast
Traditional breakfast in the United States and
Canada derive from the full English breakfast and
feature predominantly sweet or mild-flavored food.
Restaurants that serve breakfast typically around
egg dishes and meats such as sausage and bacon.
Pancakes and waffles are also popular. It is
commonly known as a country breakfast consists
of eggs or omelette, sausage or bacon, hash
browns, coffee, toast with jam or jelly and fruit
juice.
TYPES OF MEALS
The American breakfast comprises of the following courses:

Juice - Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Grapefruit, Tomato

Cereals - Oatmeal (meal), cornflakes, wheat flakes, rice crispies,
porridge are served with cold or hot milk.
Eggs - Boiled, Fried, Poached, Scrambled, Omelette, served with
bacon, ham or sausages.
Breads - Toast white or brown, rolls, brioche croissant, with
preserves like butter, jam, jelly, marmalade and honey.
Beverages - Tea, coffee or hot beverages like Bournvita, Milk,
Horlicks
American breakfast usually consists of fewer courses than English
breakfast.
American breakfast is lighter than English Breakfast.
TYPES OF MEALS
 Indian Breakfast
An Indian breakfast varies from region to region and is mostly
vegetarian. In East India (Orissa, Bengal) the most popular breakfast
are Idly, Bara, Puri and Upma. These are served with Ghuguni (Peas
curry) or potato curry and also sweets like Rasogula, chenapoda
etc. In South India, the most popular breakfast is an assortment
with several possible main dishes, such as idlis, vadas, dosas and
chapatis. These are most often served with hot sambar and one or
two kinds of chutney items in Tamil Nadu.
The usual North Indian breakfast consists of stuffed paratha or
plain parathas with fresh butter, Aloo sabzi. Popular
accompaniments include sweets like jalebi, halwa, and sweetened
milk. In Maharashtra, Poha, Upma or Shira (similar to Kesaribath) is
frequently eaten in breakfast. In urban areas, omlettes and simple
butter sandwiches are becoming a popular breakfast food.
Types Of Meals
 Juice - Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Grapes, Tomato
 Fruit - Salad Fresh, seasonal fruit accompanied with yoghurt or
honey
 Sweet dishes - Rava Kesari, Basmati rice, sweet porridge, jalebi,
halwa, and sweetened milk.
 Eggs - Boiled egg, omelette, scrambled eggs on white or whole meal
bread toast served with crumbled homemade paneer cheese &
chopped spinach.
 Breads - Toast or plain white / brown breads, butter sandwiches
 Indian speciality breakfast items - Idlis, vadas, dosas and chapatis
served with sambar and chutneys. Bara,Puri and Upma, Pongal, Poha,
or Shira (similar to Kesaribath) Stuffed paratha breads or unstuffed
parathas with spicy vegetables especially aloo sabzi.
 Beverages - Tea, coffee or hot beverages like Bournvita, Milk,
Horlicks
TYPES OF MEALS
 BREAKFAST TABLE SETTING
Table setting is an art. A meal however
simple or elaborate, the laying of a table can
make a whole lot of difference. Each meal can
have a classy look with a little touch of
thought. A basic table setting, suitable for
breakfast should be arranged as follows:
 A’ la carte cover
The A’la carte cover follows the principle that the
cutlery for each course will be laid just before each
course is served. There should not be more cutlery on
the table than is required by the customer at any time
during the meal, .
 Classic or basic lay-up
There is now a variety of approaches to what is laid
for the A’la carte form of service. This can include
using large decorative cover plates and a side plate
and knife only, or replacing the fish
knife and fork with a joint knife and fork. This is
sometimes known as a classic or basic lay-up.
A’ la carte cover
 Table d'hôte cover

The table d'hôte cover follows the principle that the cutlery for the
whole meal will be laid before the first course is served. The traditional
cover is as follows.
 Joint knife
 Fish knife
 Soup spoon
 Joint fork
 Fish fork
 Sweet fork
 Sweet spoon
 Side plate
 Side knife
 Napkin
 Water glass
 Wine Glass
Table d'hôte cover
 Breakfast covers
The breakfast cover may be divided into two types: a continental
breakfast cover and a full breakfast cover.
Cover for a continental breakfast
For a continental breakfast consisting of hot croissant/brioches
or hot toast, butter, preserves and coffee or tea, the cover would
be as follows:
 napkin
 side plate with side knife
 table number.
 sugar basin and tongs or individual sugar packets in a bowl
 tea or breakfast cup and saucer and a Teaspoon
 Under plate for coffee/tea pots and hot milk/hot water jug
If the beverage is tea and loose leaves are used then a slop basin
and a tea strainer will be needed.
Cover for a continental breakfast
 Cover for a full breakfast

The full breakfast consists of a number of courses, usually three or

four, with a choice of dishes within each course, as shown in Table
8.1. The cover will therefore include some or all of the following:
 napkin
 side plate and side knife
 fish knife and fork
 joint knife and fork
 sweet spoon and fork
 tea or breakfast cup, saucer and teaspoon
 sugar basin and tongs or individual sugar packets(sachets) in a bowl
 slop basin
 tea strainer
 stands or under plates for teapot/coffee
 pot and hot water jug/hot milk jug
 salt and pepper
 Cover for a full breakfast

The majority of the items listed above for the two types of
breakfast cover are often placed on the table as part of the
mise-en-place, before the customer is seated. A number
of items are then placed on the table once the customer
has been seated:
 Butter dish, butter knife, with butter and alternatives
 Preserve dish with preserve and preserve spoon
 Jug of cold milk
 Toast rack with warm toast and/or bread basket with hot
rolls
 Teapot, jug of cold milk and hot water jug or pot of hot
coffee and a jug of hot milk or cream
 Other items according to the customer’s choice.
Cover for a full breakfast
Types Of Meals
Food and beverage service is
about serving the customers when
they are hungry. However F&B
outlets offer a typical variety of
food depending on customers
demand, type of operation,
location etc. The most important
meals of the day are:
Types Of Meals
1. Early morning tea [EMT]
Most often these orders are placed with the
room service and it consists of a choice of tea
and coffee served with cookies or biscuits.
Service is expected to be fast and timing of
this meal is from 4.am to 6.am in the
morning.
Types Of Meals
2. Breakfast
Breakfast is considered as one of the most
important meal nutritionally. It is commonly served
through the room service or coffee shop. Modern
hotels offer complimentary breakfast on a buffet in
the coffee shop to avoid rush early in the morning.
Breakfast is extensive yet it offer to be fast as the
guest has his daily routine to take-up and
complaints can easily come if not managed
properly. 7 am to 10.30 am is the normal breakfast
time.
Types Of Meals
3. Brunch or elevenses:
The word 'brunch' comes from a combination of
lunch and breakfast. It refers to a heavy meal eaten
around 11 am by guests who wishes to skip lunch or
those who hate missed breakfast. Today brunch has
become very popular in coffee shops and multi-
cuisine restaurants. Brunch consists of all breakfast
items such as juices, cereals, eggs and special dishes
like baked beans and toast, sausages, hamburgers,
fresh fruits, along with some lunch choices like
noodles, pasta with sauces, Indian breakfast options
are also available with a large choice.
Types Of Meals
Elevenses are the British version of American
brunch. However it is lighter in nature, had
around 11am, usually offered in coffee shop
and contains tea, coffee, cookies, cakes and
breakfast rolls like muffins, donuts, Danish
pastries, tarts and tartlets.
Types Of Meals
4. Lunch and Dinner:
These are main meals of the day. All F&B
outlets cater to these meals. The variety of
service differs from buffet and pre-plated in
coffee shops, silver service in multi-cuisine
restaurants. They hate separate courses to
offer like starters, soups, main course,
accompaniments, deserts and beverages.
Usual meal timing for lunch is 12.30pm to
2.45pm and dinner 7.30pm 10.45pm.
Types Of Meals
5. Afternoon tea:
It is normally served around 4pm in the
coffee shop or in lounges to provide an
informal atmosphere. It has a large choice of
tea, coffee with cookies, pastries, canopies,
cocktails, sandwiches to offer. Usually these
meals are restricted to the in-house guests.
Types Of Meals
6. High tea:
A heavier meal served between 5.00pm to
6.45pm. It is centered around children and
offers juices, milkshakes, ice-cream, shakes,
sandwiches, cutlets, French fries and Indian
options like bhatura, dosa, pav bhaji
alongside with a variety of non-alcoholic
beverages.
Types Of Meals
7. Supper and mid-night snacks:
Both these meals are not popular in Indian food habits.
Supper is traditionally a household meal served in coffee
shops and restaurants located near theatres, pubs &
discotheques. It offers limited dishes at high prices.
Dishes like spaghetti bolognaise, chicken stroganoff,
grilled mushrooms, steaks, pulao with chicken butter
masala and a variety of salads and deserts may be offered.
Suppers are served between 11.30pm to 1.30am. Midnight
snacks are limited to finger chips, fish fingers,
sandwiches, canopies and such small easily prepared
dishes along with tea, milkshakes, aerated drinks which
can be served by a limited staff throughout the night.