If Taiwanese breakfast is new to you, start with a few familiar words. Danbing is an egg cooked with a thin flour wrapper; fan tuan combines rice with fillings; toast usually places egg or other ingredients between slices of bread; a breakfast burger uses bread, egg and a choice of fillings; and soy milk is a common breakfast drink. Each shop may prepare these items differently, so ask about the options that match your taste.

A simple way to order is to choose one main item first, then decide whether to add egg, vegetables or a drink. Tell the shop whether you want takeaway or to eat in. This mini dictionary is an introduction for first-time readers, not a ranking or a fixed menu standard.

For a general way to think about a meal, see Taiwan’s Health Promotion Administration My Plate guide and adjust choices to your own needs.

Further reading: Taiwan Health Promotion Administration My Plate — https://www.hpa.gov.tw/3821/ebc

Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Daderot, CC0 — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Breakfast_at_Tung-hai_Hua-yuan_Bie-shu_-_Taichung,_Taiwan_-_DSC01797.JPG