British Brunch Things I have happily adopted during my time there (and hope to never forget)

Suddenly, this week, frying myself some simple fish fingers (all very sustainable and proper), chopping capers and a gherkin for a makeshift remoulade and toasting a bio brötchen for lunch, it hit me. Living in Britain for eight years has freed me from the Dutch Days of Bread. You see, the Dutch eat bread and bread only, twice a day, at least six days a week. Board an average commuter train at 8am and you'll spot them, the businessmen, expectantly opening their lunchboxes (yes, the Dutch businessman carries a lunchbox, I kid you not). Inside you'll find sandwiches. Nothing too spruced up, just sandwiches, sometimes as many as eight of them, for breakfast and for lunch. Of course there are many different toppings for sale, from cut meats to chocolate sprinkles, from jam to coleslaw. But it's still a sandwich.

I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have escaped this fate. Although I would never become a businessman, let alone one carrying a lunchbox, living in Holland means it is hard to escape the Bread Brigade. You need a few firm beliefs up your sleeve. Like: bread is not the be all and end all, no matter what the Voedingscentrum (Food Standards Agency) says. And a selection of quick alternatives to replace your Daily Bread. For me, they are:

1 fish finger butties, as described above (I know, it's a buttie, so there's bread in there somewhere, but it's only serving as a base to serve the remoulade and fish fingers on, not my whole reason for existing)

2 porridge with mashed banana and maple syrup stirred in

3 pancakes (also work well with mashed banana, but if you don't want to feel like a toddler in the morning, you could try blueberries, sugar and cinnamon, or bacon and maple syrup instead)

4 lentil and tomato soup, preferably with a bit of goat's cheese in it

5 smoothies! Frozen red berries, yoghurt, milk, some granola maybe... delicious