How To Eat A Croissant Without Making A Huge Mess

A croissant may be the most iconic French food of all time (if you think it could beat out the baguette for the top spot, that is). The flaky pastry is perhaps one of the most enjoyable breakfast foods one can have — whether you prefer slathering the buttery layers with fresh jam, salty butter, or a slab of funky cheese, or even just eating the food au naturale.

However, it's no secret digging into the crackling layers of a fresh croissant can be a bit of a messy process. And honestly, who wants to start their day cleaning up crumbs? While we all may want to dive in head first, there are a few tips to help you eat the French breakfast staple while avoiding any unnecessary mess. While you won't be able to avoid crumbs entirely (hey, that's the nature of croissants, and we would never suggest giving up the perfect sky-high pastry in the name of tidiness), hopefully, you can make clean-up minimal.

If you always find yourself surrounded by a pile of crumbs after tearing into a fresh hot croissant, you're not alone. Plenty of people have been eating the decadent dish in all kinds of ways that may not be considered the neatest approach. But, if you want to do as the French do and avoid crunchy shrapnel, then listen up.

According to The School of Etiquette SA, the first step to a proper croissant breakfast comes with gathering all your ideal toppings. Whether you like butter or jam, you should take a bit of the item and place a spoonful on the side of your breakfast plate. Then, tear a bite-sized piece of the croissant and slather a bit of your chosen topping onto it with a butter knife. Finally, you can neatly place the topped croissant into your mouth and enjoy the perfect bite over and over again.

Another necessary step, as per The Guardian, is to have a decent size plate to eat over, as croissant crumbs are known to travel. The site also recommends adding a cup of coffee alongside the meal for dunking, which could also help with crumb control. The site recommends alternating between taking a bite of a cold, buttered piece and then dunking the roll into the hot, creamy beverage. This sweet-and-salty, hot-and-cold combination truly makes this an ideal French breakfast.