Plating Tips for Breakfast in Bed

Nothing can make someone feel more special than a beautiful breakfast in bed. Whether it's for Valentine's Day, a birthday, or just because, it's a way to show a loved one you care. 

However, serving a meal to someone in bed can bring up unique challenges. From the meal you prepare to how you serve it, it all needs to be thought out perfectly. The last thing you want is a giant mess of food in bed, after all. 

At Fable, we offer pieces that can give any breakfast in bed experience that extra special touch. We are going to go over the best way to start the day with someone you appreciate.

The Best Meals To Eat In Bed

First things first—before you can begin plating breakfast, you have to decide what you are going to serve.

There are many different meal options for breakfast in bed. You want something that's not super difficult to make and won't be hard to eat while in bed.

A few options are the breakfast basics, pancakes, waffles, or French toast. These are all relatively easy to make and not challenging to eat while in bed. In comparison, something like an eggs benedict may be harder to make for the first time and could be messy to eat. 

Simple Breakfast in Bed Ideas

You can go even more simple if you don't want to wake up and cook. 

A lovely yogurt parfait with yogurt, fresh fruit, and granola can be just as good. Or you can stop by a local bakery and select an assortment of pastries like Danishes and cinnamon rolls. Another option is to bake your own breakfast muffins the day before and serve them with coffee. 

These options are quick and easy and will result in minimal effort and clean-up on the morning of. Find a meal that works for you and that you know your loved one will enjoy. 

Prepare in Advance

Once you know what you will be serving, plan accordingly in advance. 

Create a shopping list of the ingredients you'll need and go to the store the day before to purchase them. When you get home, double-check that you have everything you require. You don't want to wake up early only to realize you forgot something. 

Don't forget drinks. Will you be serving coffee, tea, water, or juice? Try not to get too carried away, but provide something to sip on. If you go with juice, you can go the extra mile and squeeze it fresh. 

For serving coffee or tea, a mug is always the classic option. However, items like orange or cranberry juice also look unique when served in classic dinnerware. 

Remember to include their favorite add-ins for tea or coffee, like milk, cream, sugar, or honey. You can also buy fresh flowers to add next to the meal for a little finishing touch.

How To Serve Breakfast In Bed

How you are going to serve the meal that you make also needs some forethought. Presentation is key and can make even a simple meal look amazing. 

How to properly plate food isn't as hard as it may sound. There are five basic tips you can remember when plating any meal. 

• Tip #1 — Visualize how you want the food to look before you begin plating. You can look online at breakfast food plating pictures to get inspiration. Don't be too ambitious if you've never done it before. You may end up setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration if you aim too high. 

• Tip #2 — Keep it simple, don't try to add too many things onto the plate. Clutter can take attention away from the main elements of your dish. 

• Tip #3 — Create balance using different colors, shapes, and textures. For example, if you are serving pancakes, serve them with strawberries to give a pop of color and provide freshness to the dish. 

• Tip #4 — Serve a good portion size. You don't want it to be too big or too small. If it's too big, it can make the person you're serving feel overwhelmed. Similarly, if it's too small, they could still feel hungry after the meal. 

• Tip #5 — Make sure to highlight the main ingredient. You still want to give some attention to the other elements on the plate, like syrup or garnishes.  

Perfect Dishes for Breakfast in Bed

People usually serve breakfast in bed on a tray with legs. You want a tray small enough that it's easy to carry but big enough for multiple dishes. You can even make a tray if you are feeling extra crafty.

You most likely will want a dinner plate for serving the main meal. You can use a small plate or a small bowl to present a side such as fruit or bacon. 

Fable makes elegant one-of-a-kind pieces that can elevate your breakfast in bed gift. 

Clean Up After Breakfast

One final thing to keep in mind is to clean up after you're done. If you leave the mess and the person you are trying to treat sees it, they may be compelled to clean it up.  The idea is to give them a gift, not more work to do. 

So try to make sure the kitchen is clean before your loved one gets out of bed. If you are cleaning as you cook, it won't be that difficult to achieve. You can leave your loved one to their luxurious breakfast in bed experience while you finish cleaning up. 

Also, remember to come back to the bedroom to remove the dishes from the bed after they are done. Dirty dishes in the bedroom are not ideal.

A Beautiful Start

Serving someone breakfast in bed can be a great way to show appreciation and love for someone you care about. 

Consider what their favorite breakfast foods and beverages are when planning the menu. Think about adding fresh flowers as an extra special touch. 

You can make even a simple meal look like it comes from a 5-star restaurant with a few basic plating tips. At Fable, we offer classic pieces that will help make any breakfast in bed experience one to remember. 

Sources:

Fresh Orange Juice Recipe | All Recipes

Food Plating 101: Mastering the Basics | Unilever Food Solutions

How to DIY a Valentine’s Day Breakfast in Bed Tray | Brit+Co