Indonesians make art out of bread and meses


Most of us have probably already lost count of the number of days we’ve spent indoors. But COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, so there’s no real choice other than to deal with cabin fever head on.

With nowhere to go – except maybe the grocery store – and plenty of time at our disposal, at this point, we have most likely settled on a specific quarantine hobby. Some might have turned to video games, others to yoga, or even art or baking.

But a number of Indonesian netizens have decided to cope with the loneliness and boredom of quarantine by making masterpieces out of bread and meses, or chocolate sprinkles. The results will make you see these two common ingredients in a new light.


Quarantine art made out of bread and chocolate sprinkles


Indonesians love chocolate sprinkles, or meses as they are usually referred to here. They give an interesting texture to soft bread, and anyone of any age can enjoy it for breakfast or as a snack. It’s definitely tasty, but it’s not exactly what you would call special.

But we are living in interesting times, and we are seeing the things we took for granted from a different perspective – including good ol’ meses on bread.

Abstract art made from bread and meses
Image credit: @MRTNZIG_

A photo of a slice of bread topped with perfectly arranged meses was posted by Twitter user @MRTNZIG_ and of course it immediately went viral. It looked so pretty that one would think it was made just for show, but the half-eaten masterpiece shown in the post following it proved that it was not.

Abstract art made from bread and meses, half eatenImage credit: @MRTNZIG_

Meses and bread know no age restrictions, but the combo might remind many Indonesians of their packed lunch as a child. Twitter user @FOOD_FESS uploaded a photo that sent netizens down memory lane. 

Meses landscape drawing on bread
Image credit: @FOOD_FESS

Unlike the abstract masterpiece by @MRTNZIG_, this one features a stereotypical landscape, with mountains, a paddy field and birds, that Indonesian children used to be asked to draw at school.

Meses and bread art to honor fallen healthcare workers
Image credit: @PutuWardhani

Another user jumped on the bread art bandwagon to honor the healthcare workers who passed away on duty. @PutuWardhani used meses to “draw” impressive portraits of some of the doctors’ faces.


At the end of the day, bread is bread, or is it?


Normal bread with meses
Image adapted from: @budakyesus

Every trend is bound to meet criticism in some shape of form – even if it’s just for laughs. Twitter user @budakyesus uploaded a photo of what she thinks bread with meses should look like to remind netizens of the popular food’s original form.

Tweet by @budakjesus
Image adapted from: @budakyesus

Her tweet can be translated to, “I’m making you see bread and meses in the right way again.”


Meses-on-bread art during quarantine


Even if you’re not one to spend hours perfecting this new “bread art” trend, you now know at least that people’s creativity knows no bounds, especially when they feel like they have too much time on their hands. The quarantine bread art trend proves that bread isn’t just bread, but it can be an edible canvas too.

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Cover image adapted from: @MRTNZIG_

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