Much has been written about plane food and its associated plights, but not enough attention is paid to the peculiar challenge of hotel breakfasts. As I prepare to embark on my upcoming book tour, the subject keeps popping into my head.
To me, breakfast is the most intimate meal of the day: the one you eat barefoot and in your pajamas, the meal that eases the shift from your sleeping self to your daytime persona and into the outside world. What you choose to eat in the morning reveals a lot about you. There’s an old culinary quip that roughly goes, “You are what you eat for breakfast,” and while aphorisms are rarely literal, there’s a surprising truth in how morning food sets the tone for the day.
The challenges of hotel breakfasts
When you travel for work, breakfast turns into a significant logistical and culinary challenge. Even in otherwise pleasant hotels, the standard hotel buffet often feels like a parade of compromise: oddly shiny fruit, limp pastries, rubbery eggs and a bewildering array of sugary offerings arranged to tempt bleary-eyed guests. Standing by the breakfast spread, you’re reduced to a kind of quick triage—what is the least unappealing option, and which choices will sustain you until your next meal?
My usual approach at hotel buffets is to assemble the most sensible plate I can find: some fresh fruit, preferably seasonal and not too waxed; plain yogurt when it’s available; and a bit of denser bread or whole-grain toast. That combination fills the stomach without launching a sugar crash an hour later. However, hotel buffets are often priced for maximum profit, and the value rarely matches the cost—especially if you’re not the type to pocket muffins and bacon for later trips.
My strategy for dealing with hotel breakfasts
Whenever possible I take breakfast matters into my own hands and keep the makings of a healthy start in my hotel room. The best part is the privacy: you can eat comfortably in your hotel bathrobe and avoid the awkward early-morning small talk that sometimes haunts buffet tables. There’s also a simple pleasure in arranging a modest, nourishing meal just the way you like it.
This approach requires some forethought. For short trips I pack a few of my favorite apples and a small package of wholesome cookies or crackers. For longer stays, or when traveling to places where carrying food through customs is inadvisable, I stop at a local supermarket or a natural foods store to pick up fruit, yogurt and muesli. A small tub of high-protein yogurt and a bag of mixed muesli will keep you satisfied for days and travel easily in a suitcase.
Practicalities matter: if the room has a mini-fridge I store yogurt and fruit there. When it doesn’t, an ice bucket and some ice from the hotel can serve as an improvised cooler for a day. I always pack a lightweight plastic spoon and a knife in checked luggage, or I ask the front desk for cutlery—hotels are usually happy to provide a set. The glass beside the bathroom sink, thoroughly washed to remove any cleaning residues, is perfectly usable for eating muesli and yogurt when a bowl isn’t available.
Coffee remains its own challenge. While good coffee is surprisingly easy to find in many places, a reliable cup in a hotel is hit-or-miss. I often seek out a nearby café or bring instant coffee as a backup if I need a predictable caffeine hit before heading to events.
This room-first strategy achieves two things: it ensures a healthier, more satisfying breakfast and it preserves the gentle ritual of the morning that so many hotel buffets inadvertently erase. Eating well in the morning affects mood, focus and stamina—especially on travel days packed with meetings, signings, or talks.
What’s your strategy for handling hotel breakfasts? Do you embrace the buffet, head out to a local cafe, or keep your own supplies on hand?
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* The image in my mind of the perfect breakfast parfait comes from a stay in Australia where I enjoyed a ripe local mango, a thick natural yogurt and a muesli studded with macadamias and dried cranberries. When you can arrange even a small, thoughtful breakfast in your room, it can transform the start of a day on the road.