How to Make a Full English Breakfast in 4 Easy Steps

Family life is relentlessly hectic, which means breakfast is usually quick and on the go. So sometimes it’s nice to take a bit of time to cook a hot breakfast for everyone to tuck into. And if you’re looking for something that’s simple to make yet incredibly delicious, look no further than a full English breakfast.

This flavoursome dish is said to have its origins in the Middle Ages, when aristocrats would provide guests with a traditional breakfast that also showcased the produce of their estates. That’s why you’ll find meat and vegetables in a typical full English breakfast. Today, key ingredients include sausages, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms, all sizzled together in a pan, which is why it’s colloquially known as a “fry-up”.

For a full English breakfast, you’ll need these eight items:

• Sausages - usually made from coarsely ground pork and seasoned simply, like Cumberland or Lincolnshire. Avoid spicy sausages or hot dogs. 
• Bacon - back rather than streaky.
• Bread - from a white loaf, preferably a little stale so that it’ll soak up all those yummy meat juices when you fry it. 
• Baked beans - you can make your own, but canned baked beans in a tomato sauce are usually the way to go. Try Heinz or Branston.  
• Tomatoes - classic round ones, or if you want to be fancy, you could also use cherry tomatoes on a vine.
• Mushrooms - white or chestnut mushrooms. 
• Eggs - these will be fried sunny side up, so try to get fresh ones with rich yolks.
• Black pudding - this blood sausage, made with grains and spices, fries up deliciously crispy on the outside.

The key to success is to make sure everything is ready to cook. Take the meats out of the fridge around half an hour before cooking, so that they can come up to room temperature. Wash the veg. Slice the tomatoes in half (if using classic ones) and do the same for the mushrooms. Slice the black pudding into coins of about 1 cm thick.

Get your pans ready. You’ll need two large frying pans, plus a saucepan to heat up the beans.

It couldn’t be simpler. Everything cooks on the stove, and all you need to do is turn the food, stir the beans, and savour the delicious aromas that you’re creating. The sausages, bacon and black pudding go into one pan, and the tomatoes, mushrooms and eggs into the other. Empty the baked beans into a saucepan on a medium low heat – this is a great time to get the kids involved with the stirring. When the meats are cooked, remove from the pan and put the bread in, frying in the drippings until it’s crispy and golden on both sides.

Serve your full English breakfast on a sharing platter so everyone can help themselves, or stick with tradition and plate everyone up individually. Either way, make sure the ketchup and brown sauce (a sweet-sour condiment made from tomatoes and tamarind extract) are close to hand. Wash it all down with tea or coffee, and juice for the kids.

There’s no denying that a full English isn’t the healthiest of meals, being high in salt and fat. Here are some ways you can enjoy the pleasure without as much of the guilt.

• Swap out the frying: To cut down on the overall fat content, grill your meats or use an air fryer. Rub your black pudding on both sides with just a touch of olive oil before cooking. 
• Poach your eggs: This gives you that gorgeous runny yolk without the oiliness. Boil a pot of water until it’s gently bubbling. Crack the egg into a bowl. With a spoon or whisk, stir the water until it’s swirling, then drop the egg in. It will take about 2.5 to 3 minutes to cook.   
• Use wholemeal or sourdough: These are healthier alternatives to regular white bread (and taste better too). Toast instead of frying.
• Go veggie: Swap the sausages for halloumi and the bacon for avo.

If having a traditional breakfast is on your list of things to do on your family holiday to England, book into one of these kid-friendly hotels. Kickstart your mornings with a full English breakfast buffet in convenient Canary Wharf before heading out to explore the vibrant capital. If you’re in the southwest, Bristol city centre is an ideal base for everything from countryside walks to kid-focused entertainment. And in the home of the Fab Four themselves, what could be more English than the breakfast spread at this contemporary hotel?

However and wherever you choose to have your full English breakfast, remember to indulge in this precious family time eating together. Enjoy!