You pour yourself a second cup of coffee from the office Keurig, adding two dulce de leche creamers because, you know, substance. Your mind wanders back to the banana that you hastily grabbed this morning while sprinting out the door and ate just two minutes into your morning commute.
Sure, technically it was breakfast, but now that it’s 10 a.m. you could really use a second breakfast.
This is slowly and dangerously becoming your morning routine, surviving off your three main food groups: Water, coffee, and anything that can be consumed with one hand on the wheel. You barely get through your morning inbox before your stomach starts growling, looking for something to tide you over until lunchtime.
“Oh, right… lunch,” you think. “Well, maybe I’ll just eat half of my wrap now and save the rest for later. Or, maybe…”
But we know how this is going down. You’ll eat half your lunch at 10 o’clock, “saving” the rest for later. But come 10:06 a.m., you’ll finish your supposed-to-be-noon meal in its entirety, and end up heading over to Chipotle at lunchtime.
We totally understand your pain. And this is where second breakfast comes in.
We Wish We Could Take Credit for Second Breakfast, But Alas, We Can’t
We wish we held the patent to the wonderful invention that is second breakfast, but we didn't think of the idea first (although we like to think we perfected it).
You probably first heard of second breakfast on “The Lord of the Rings,” where J. R. R. Tolkien placed heavy emphasis on mealtimes (we salute you, Mr. Tolkien). Even if you didn't make it through the written version of the series, you might remember this scene from the movie, “The Fellowship of the Ring.”
Aragorn: Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall.
Pippin: What about breakfast?
Aragorn: You've already had it.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?
Merry: I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.
Pippin: What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?
Merry: I wouldn't count on it.
If you tally them up, that comes out to not three, not four, not five, but six meals. If Middle Earth got one thing right, it's mealtimes.
The Hobbit Meal Schedule
Since Aragon — and most humans for that matter — didn't know about second breakfast, allow us to do a little breakdown for you with this so-called Hobbit Meal schedule.
Breakfast: 8 a.m.
Far more substantial than your measly banana, Bilbo Baggins enjoyed traditional breakfast foods for the most important meal of the day, including quiche, scrambled eggs, omelets, savory biscuits, and coffee or tea.
Second Breakfast: 10 a.m.
Think of a second breakfast as a slightly delayed dessert to first breakfast. You might enjoy a few scones, bread with jam, fresh fruit, or French toast or pancakes.
Elevenses: 11 a.m.
Appropriately named for 11 o'clock, "elevenses" is mid-morning tea time. You can enjoy a spread of tea, jam, lembas bread, cakes, and muffins.
Luncheon: Noon
After such light meals throughout the morning, lunch should be hearty. Filled with thick, meaty stews, warm pieces of bread, or fish and chips, it should tide you over throughout the afternoon (for at least a few hours).
Afternoon Tea: 3 p.m.
Not to be confused with the early morning tea time (elevenses), afternoon tea is a time to gossip and chit chat. Always enjoyed with guests, you'll serve a collection of pies, cakes, and cookies.
Dinner: 5 p.m.
Dinner is a hobbit's largest meal of the day. It typically contains a full spread of meat, cheese, warm pretzels, roasted vegetables (but nothing green), and soups.
Supper: 7 p.m.
Supper has to be substantial enough to keep a hobbit full until the next morning. While not as large a meal as dinner, supper will include several dishes such as savory pies, roasted chicken, and stews.
Middle Earth Isn't the Only Place You'll Find Second Breakfast
Hobbits aren't the only ones enjoying a second breakfast. The “I'll eat half my lunch at 10 o’clock in the morning” conundrum seems to be a global issue.
In Germany, second breakfast is referred to as zweites frühstück. In Spanish, it’s called almuerzo; in Hungarian, tízórai; and in Polish, drugie śniadanie. In Austria you'll refer to it as gabelfrühstück, while you call it brotzeit in Bavaria.
Germans serve second breakfast three hours after their first meal of the day. In some regions, second breakfast consists of a simple pastry, while others may serve a full-blown meal.
In Mexico, el almuerzo is a second breakfast, or brunch, eaten anytime between 9 a.m. and noon. It's usually quite a heavy meal, featuring anything from enchiladas to eggs and meat. The first meal in Mexico (desayuno) is much lighter and sometimes consists of just coffee.
In Poland, second breakfast comes after śniadanie, or first (and more traditional) breakfast. Drugie śniadanie, as its called, is served between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and reflects a morning tea time of a snack, fruit, or yogurt.
This Polish repast is often compared to the British meal elevenses (see, the Hobbits did teach us something!), a late-morning break involving muffins, scones, and tea or coffee.
Why Second Breakfast Should Become a Thing in the United States
Consider this our official petition to make second breakfast a legitimate meal in the United States.
But how can we get our never-stop, always-on-the-go, eating-while-commuting selves to slow down for a fourth meal of the day? Our type-A, go-go-go nation won't be willing to warm up a tea kettle or bake a batch of fresh biscuits.
For second breakfast to work in our American lifestyle, it would have to be portable and convenient — you need to be able to store it in a desk drawer, gym bag, or oversized purse.
As it turns out, this is exactly how we designed Cereal School. As the kings and queens of snacking, technically we’ve been eating (and making) second breakfast this entire time without fully realizing it was a thing.
Available in your favorite flavors, including Cocoa, Cinnamon Bun, Fruity, Peanut Butter, Cookies & Cream, and Berries, Cereal School is deliciously sweet — the way a proper second breakfast should be. And it’s ridiculously convenient.
Just grab a bag on your way into your morning meeting, and enjoy your impromptu (and incredibly nutritious and filling) second meal of the day.
Cereal School Is the Second Breakfast You've Been Waiting for
Listen, we're not about to start a Change.org petition over making second breakfast an official meal or anything. We're just saying we totally stand behind you and your mid-morning snack break.
And since we know you're a busy bee, we made a delicious second breakfast snack food that can be carried into meetings and conference calls, through your morning commute, and into your morning work sesh. Save your packed lunch for actual lunch (or elevenses, if you so desire), and munch on Cereal School at 10 a.m. instead.
We ship Cereal School straight to your front door, making it incredibly convenient to enjoy your soon-to-be-favorite midmorning snack. So grab your favorite flavor and rip open a bag, because second breakfast is where it's at.
Then grab a second helping for afternoon tea.
