How you define a traditional Mexican breakfast depends on how far back in history you want to look. Aztecs thought themselves fortunate to have the first meal of the day be a nice grilled Iguana. A Mayan may well have regarded a raw grasshopper as a delicious fat-rich meal in the morning. While Mexican breakfast from the past few centuries may be a little more recognizable to the gringo eye, it will still have a flavor and style distinctive of this colorful land.

The history of Mexican food is a long and diverse one. It is believed that authentic Mexican food might have been derived from the Mayan Indians. They were traditionally nomadic hunters and gatherers. Corn tortillas with bean paste were a common food item; but they also ate wild game, tropic fruits, and fish.