What does colazione mean?
Colazione is the Italian word for “breakfast”. It’s pronounced like “collatzione”, with a hard “c” and a long “a”. It’s usually a quick meal consisting of coffee and a small snack, like toast or a pastry. The word “colazione” comes from the Latin word for breakfast: “colere” (to cultivate).
When you’re in Italy, you can’t miss out on the wonderful food that’s served at colazione. You’ll find lots of different types of pastries and fresh breads on offer at your local bakery—in fact, it’s hard to go wrong!
If you want something with more substance, try one of these options:
What do you eat at colazione?
In Italy, colazione is usually eaten after 7AM, when people go to work or school. Colazione can be enjoyed by itself or with other foods like bread, fruit, yogurt, or cereal. It means “breakfast” in Italian. You can have colazione any time of day, but traditionally it’s a light meal eaten early in the morning. It’s usually served with an espresso or caffé latte and/or a cornetto (a small pastry).
When you go to Italy, you must try their famous espresso and croissants, which are often served with honey or jam. If you’re looking for something savory, try the much-loved panino con prosciutto e melone (sandwich with ham and cantaloupe).
There are many dishes that are common on Italian colazione tables, including croissants (pronounced “crow-zants”), yogurt with honey or jam, fruit salad, cheese and crackers, toast with butter or jam, cereal with milk (in Italy this is called corn flakes), scrambled eggs with basil and tomatoes in a tomato sauce or olive oil with garlic and parsley; pancakes made with flour batter instead of wheat flour; and omelets filled with ham or cheese. Italians also drink coffee along with their food for energy throughout the day.
Ready to discover more food and drinks from the Mediterranean? Read on here!
