# What do you put on bagels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 5, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551 "2012-01-05T22:06:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/61 "2012-01-06T13:32:11Z")
Tuna pizza bagel. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/62 "2012-01-06T14:22:17Z")
Being as this is a foodiocentric thread, I’m moving it to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/63 "2012-01-06T14:38:13Z")
Butter. Or, when I’m feeling adventerous my (Veggie) Sammich O’Death: a salt bagel with butter and (veggie) bacon. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/64 "2012-01-06T15:52:13Z")
Usually, cream cheese. Occasionally, butter or peanut butter. Ideally, cream cheese, raw onion, tomato, and lox. Never in a million years, jelly or jam. (I should note, however, that I hate jelly or jam on anything. Not even on peanut butter sandwiches. I won’t even touch the stuff.) ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/65 "2012-01-06T15:58:46Z")
> [@Frosted\_Glass](#): > > I’ve mostly had mediocre bagels since I left NJ so I am curious. I’m a Long Islander, and I haven’t had a decent bagel in years. A real bagel should be dense and extremely chewy. But in the past twenty years or so, I’ve found nothing but soft, airy bread donuts. If it springs back when you pinch it, it’s not a true bagel. For that matter, if it’s soft enough that you can pinch it at all, it’s questionable. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/66 "2012-01-06T16:11:48Z")
My favorite is cream cheese and red pepper jam. Mmmmm. Or lox. Lox is good too. **Frosted Glass** , in SoCal you should look for Western Bagel. If they haven’t changed, they have the best bagels around. Also they have an adorable [cowboy logo.](http://careercampscv.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/western-bagel-logo.jpg?w=200&h=107) ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/67 "2012-01-06T17:30:45Z")
> [@Frosted\_Glass](#): > > **Diosa** , Are there a lot of good bagels in SoCal? I’ve mostly had mediocre bagels since I left NJ so I am curious. Well, I am of California, so I probably only know subpar bagels ;). That said, Einstein’s is a chain that I think has pretty tasty bagels. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/68 "2012-01-06T22:37:07Z")
You can put just about anything on a bagel, including jelly. In fact, I think there are more things you can put on a bagel than things you CAN’T put on a bagel. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/69 "2012-01-06T23:23:49Z")
Phlly cream cheese and smoked salmon. Sometimes i add a little sliced onion. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/70 "2012-01-07T00:12:01Z")
Jalapeño cream cheese and hot sauce. Mmmmmmm.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/71 "2012-01-07T01:40:29Z")
I have been known to spread strawberry preserves into the cream cheese but I’d never just dollop jelly on a bagel. It would seep through that hole and make a mess! ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/72 "2012-01-07T04:43:09Z")
Toast an onion bagel. Spread cream cheese on it and top it with sliced pickled jalapenos or Huy Fong Sriracha (or both). Bliss, I tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/73 "2012-01-07T04:58:04Z")
Cheese. Cream cheese is the standard. Regular cheese with something else (ham, egg, whatever) is good too. I’ve never used jelly. They probably do taste good with jelly but when I think of bagels I think of savory, not sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/74 "2012-01-07T05:06:58Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > You can put just about anything on a bagel, including jelly. We live _in a society here!_ ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/75 "2012-01-07T17:00:36Z")
Everything bagel with a shmear and a slice of nicely ripened tomato, if you please. I’ll add some scallions if it’s for lunch, leave 'em off if it’s breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/76 "2012-01-07T19:23:41Z")
Jelly isn’t an absurd thing to put on a bagel, but it’s far from the primary topping, and I can’t ever see it being the only one. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/77 "2012-01-08T16:55:46Z")
Actual exchange with my three-year-old daughter this morning: “I’m hungry.” “Want some cereal?” “No, I want a bagel.” “Okay. Do you want cream cheese on it, or peanut butter?” “Uhhh…” “Or how about some grape jelly?” “NO! _THAT’S NOT GOOD!_ I want cream cheese.” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/78 "2012-01-08T19:24:09Z")
Clearly, you are raising that child correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/79 "2012-01-08T19:41:36Z")
I put all kinds of things on bagels, but as I’m more a savory than sweet person, and never get sweet bagels, I’d never put jelly on it. Today, because of this thread, and just to irritate the purists, I had an everything-bagel with grape jelly. And, as always, it was delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551/80 "2012-01-08T19:46:41Z")
Cream cheese, or honey butter. Nothing else fits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-put-on-bagels/608551.md?page=5)