Typical of previous Flash Quizzes, this one was weighted towards the US Midwest with 32% of respondents residing there. Ohio, at 22% of total responses, had the largest share. The US Northeast was a close second with 27% of respondents calling these states home. 13% of respondents were from the US South and 10% from California and Hawaii. Not to be completely outdone, 15% of responses came from outside the United States – Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and South Africa. In cases where a resident of one locale was visiting another during the time of the Quiz, her/his response was tabulated as coming from the vacation spot. This only impacted two responses however – two bi-coastal Californians, one visiting New York the other in Boston.
Unlike prior Flash Quizzes this one skewed feminine - 60% of respondents were women.
Judging from the responses, I'm glad to report that a majority of this group had a healthy breakfast. Only two respondents indicated that they ate nothing for breakfast. One Ohio gentleman is exempt from our scorn however as he was having blood work that day and was instructed by his health care providers not to eat. Ironic, eh?
Tea was consumed by 14% of respondents while 12% had juice – most typically orange – with their breakfast. One third of respondents had coffee. A few had only coffee. One Chicagoan downed "a medium coffee from White Hen. It was their house blend, which tastes pretty similar to Dunkin Donuts', the most wonderful coffee on Earth. Unfortunately, the Chicago Health Dept keeps shutting down the Dunkin Donuts that is by my office." The excitement of the day in Kentucky was a free venti coffee at Starbucks. The respondent doesn't indicate what he did to deserve the free coffee. But a perusal of the Lexington police blotter turned up nothing unusual.
Many respondents indicated that their breakfast choices are selected to help them with something. One tea drinker noted that she drinks ginseng tea as it is supposed to help with fatigue. A banana eater indicated that it helps her memory. She also couldn't remember what else she ate.
Among solid foods, cereal and oatmeal were enjoyed by 21%. One oatmeal eater admitted to sprinkling his with white wine – Dry Catawba from Heineman's Winery specifically.
Another Ohio oatmeal eater admitted to having it twice in one day, "since I was too lazy to go get anything else" she wrote.
Two respondents ate Raisin Bran. One in Hawaii bemoaned the $6 price while admitting she "couldn't resist the magnetic pull of the pretty new box." On the flip side, one Canadian enjoyed his "generic no name Raisin Bran", which I'm guessing cost less, even after the dollar conversion.
Fruit, waffles, and yogurt were also popular choices. Bananas, berries, and nectarines were mentioned most. One New England yogurt eater had to halt her breakfast halfway through due to the recent heat wave. "I was sitting on the front steps of my house to utilize the free wireless internet connection from some unknowing, benevolent neighbor. Eventually the yogurt grew a bit runny and I didn't finish it. Still hungry, I went inside for the yummy petit ecolier cookies with hazelnut chocolate frosting someone recently brought me from Paris. But she brought them on a 100+ degree day and they were all melted so I put them in the fridge. Today, needing a bit more in the belly and having no bread, I pulled the cookies out of the fridge and tried to eat them but three were stuck together. Trying to eat a triple decker of those things is difficult because there is a lot of crumblage."
Speaking of France, two Canadians on their final morning in the Alps enjoyed "coffee in a fancy espresso maker" and a frantic search for bread. "It was Sunday, and August, which means most shops have closed for vacances/fermerture annuel." Happily, croissants were located before the coffee cooled.
Eggs in one form or another were consumed by 14% of respondents, either over easy, scrambled, as part of a potato, egg and onion taco, a Burger King croissanwich, in an omelet, or fried with two slices of toast "with some DELICIOUS marmite on". (For the record, marmite is anything but DELICIOUS. I believe historically it's been used as roofing tar and flat tire sealant. It's also the primary ingredient in artificial fireplace logs. True.)
In the "Just Can't Get Enough" category, an Ohio respondent wrote "They just built a new Sheetz right around the corner from my work so I have had a hashbrown, bacon-egg-cheese Shmiscuit, a custard filled doughnut, a 'Red eye' coffee (large) and a diet A&W Cream soda... so far. I expect to go back for a frozen mocha and possibly a bagel. Note: Since the Sheetz opened 3 weeks ago, I've gained 9 pounds." My guess is if they made a marmite filled donut the pounds would just fall off.
Curiously, a woman in Massachusetts had "Barbie Pop Tarts and a Kool-Aid Jammer. Seriously." Seeing as Barbie is widely regarded as a tart, I guess it was only a matter of time. Wedgy potatoes from KFC and a chicken patty burger (from Ohio and Taiwan respectively) were other odd selections.
Four people had protein shakes or smoothies for breakfast. A visitor in New York had a "no longer frozen Grapefruit & Aloe Freeze with tapioca pearls." She made the observation that "easy access to bubble tea is the primary differentiator between Harlem and Mountain View, California." I would have thought the difference was somewhere closer to access to jazz, Popeye's Chicken, and Chuck Rangel. But I live in New Jersey.
A state of inebriation the night before was influential for two respondents. One in Virginia had "four bites of garlic chicken stuffed pasta with Alfredo sauce and a handful of peanuts." The other, a South African, "needed some grease" to make up for his night on the town. A Michigan respondent, who didn't mention a night out, had "pasta with grilled chicken, spinach, and dried Michigan cherries." He goes on to add that his "bowels emptied shortly after."
Among those alluding to diet concerns, granola, Rice Krispies (because they have lower Weight Watchers points than other cereals), and a "fat free blueberry muffin and a glass of fat free lactose free milk" (why not just eat water with unbleached flour?) were mentioned. One respondent in search of a diet wrote "Being overwhelmed by images of Desperate Housewives and also extremely vain, I am following Jared's advice and eating fresh! I had Subway around 1pm. I heard Meth is a good diet enhancer, got kitty litter? Just kidding!" Shocking, but sad, I hear that Jared also uses kitty litter as a Subway enhancer.
The Atkins diet was referenced by two respondents. "Toast with a side of Atkins disapproval" from Illinois and "a lemon French donut muffin – the new Atkins!" from Vermont.
Two respondents included Diet Coke in their breakfasts. An Ohioan said it was "not very satisfying" while another followed hers with a cigarette. Which, I hesitate to point out, usually follows a different activity.
And there you have it. The non-scientific, anecdotal polling of what you ate the week of August 4-11.
© 2005
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