Breakfast

Breakfast is traditionally defined as the first meal of the day, typically consumed in the morning after a period of overnight fasting. The term originates from the act of "breaking the fast" of the previous night. Breakfast is considered an essential meal in many cultures, often associated with improved concentration, metabolism, and overall health.

Breakfast at the Black Bear Diner

Medieval baker

Café na fazenda

A traditional family breakfast in the Isan, Thailand

Traditional Levantine Breakfast with a Variety of Local Delights

Etymology

The word "breakfast" comes from the late Middle English terms breken (to break) and fast (a period of not eating). Thus, breakfast literally means to break the fasting period of the prior night.

Cultural Variations

Breakfast customs vary widely across cultures:

• Continental breakfast – Common in European countries and hotels; typically includes coffee, tea, juice, pastries, bread, and jam.
• Full English breakfast – Includes eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, toast, grilled tomatoes, and mushrooms.
• American breakfast – Commonly features pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, cereal, toast, and orange juice.
• Japanese breakfast – Includes miso soup, grilled fish, rice, and pickled vegetables.
• Indian breakfast – Varies by region, with items like idli, dosa, paratha, or poha served with chai.

Typical Breakfast Foods

Common breakfast items include:

• Eggs (boiled, scrambled, poached, etc.)
• Bread, toast, bagels, and muffins
• Cereal and granola
• Fruit and fruit juices
• Yogurt and milk
• Coffee and tea
• Bacon, sausage, ham

Nutritional Importance

Studies suggest that consuming breakfast:

• Enhances cognitive function and concentration, especially in children
• Helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels
• Reduces overeating later in the day
• Aids in maintaining a healthy metabolism

However, some individuals follow intermittent fasting routines that skip breakfast, a practice subject to ongoing nutritional research.

Breakfast Skipping and Health

Skipping breakfast has been linked to:

• Increased risk of obesity
• Higher incidence of type 2 diabetes
• Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol
• Impaired cognitive and academic performance in children

Breakfast as a Verb

The term breakfast is also used as a verb: "to breakfast" means to eat breakfast, e.g., "They breakfasted at 8 a.m."

Global Breakfast Trends

Urbanization and lifestyle changes have led to more on-the-go breakfast choices like:

• Protein bars
• Smoothies
• Instant oatmeal
• Drive-through meals from fast food restaurants

Gallery

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  Savoury part of sea breakfast on Viking Gabriella

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  Petit déjeuner

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  British breakfast

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  Lumberjacks

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  Egg and cheese breakfast sandwich

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  Cereal with Milk

Glossary of Breakfast Terms

Below is a comprehensive glossary of terms commonly associated with breakfast, including foods, beverages, utensils, and other related terminology.

• Albumen: The white part of an egg, composed primarily of water and albumin; serves as a protective and nutritive layer around the yolk.
• Apple: A common fruit with crisp flesh and red, green, or yellow skin; often eaten fresh or cooked into apple dumplings.
• Apple dumpling: A dessert or breakfast pastry consisting of whole apples wrapped in pastry and baked.
• Asparagus: Edible green shoots often served as a vegetable side during breakfast.
• Bacon: Salted and smoked pork from the back or sides of a pig, commonly fried or grilled.
• Baked goods: Foods such as bread, cakes, and pastries prepared by baking.
• Banana: A soft, sweet, elongated fruit often eaten raw or sliced into cereal or pancakes.
• Beer: Occasionally consumed with hearty breakfasts or brunches in some cultures, particularly when paired with sausages.
• Blueberry: A small, dark blue berry used in muffins, pancakes, and smoothies.
• Bran: The outer layer of cereal grains, commonly found in bran flakes and muesli.
• Bread: A staple food made from flour and yeast, often toasted or served as toast.
• Breakfast: The first meal of the day, typically eaten in the morning.
• Brunch: A meal combining breakfast and lunch, often served late in the morning or early afternoon.
• Buckwheat: A grain used in pancakes, porridge, and griddle dishes.
• Buttermilk: A tangy liquid left over from butter churning, used in pancake and biscuit recipes.
• Cereal: A common breakfast food made from processed grains, often eaten with milk or yogurt.
• Cheese: A dairy product made from curdled milk, used in omelets, quiches, and sandwiches.
• Chocolate: A sweet substance made from cacao beans, often added to pastries or spreads.
• Cinnamon: A sweet spice from tree bark used in rolls, oatmeal, and coffee cake.
• Coffee: A popular caffeinated beverage made from roasted coffee beans, often consumed in the morning.
• Coffee cake: A sweet, crumbly cake traditionally served with coffee.
• Continental breakfast: A light meal including pastries, fruit, and beverages like tea or coffee.
• Corn flake: A toasted cereal made from corn, typically eaten with milk.
• Corned beef: Brined beef often served with hash or eggs.
• Cranberry: A tart berry used in juices or baked into muffins.
• Diet: A regimen of food intake, often adjusted for health, weight loss, or lifestyle.
• Dim sum: A Chinese meal of small dishes, including dumplings, served for brunch.
• Donut: A sweet, deep-fried dough ring, also spelled doughnut.
• Egg: A staple breakfast item from poultry, served in forms such as boiled, fried, scrambled, or poached eggs.
• English breakfast tea: A robust black tea blend often consumed with milk in the UK.
• French toast: Bread slices soaked in egg mixture and fried, often topped with syrup or fruit.
• Frittata: An Italian omelet filled with vegetables, cheese, or meat.
• Granola: A crunchy cereal made from rolled oats, nuts, and honey, usually served with milk or yogurt.
• Grapefruit: A citrus fruit commonly eaten for breakfast or juiced.
• Grits: A Southern U.S. dish of coarsely ground corn, boiled to a soft texture.
• Ham: Cured meat from the hind leg of a pig, often served with eggs.
• Honey: A natural sweetener made by bees, often drizzled on toast, granola, or tea.
• Muffin: A small bread or cake often filled with berries, nuts, or chocolate.
• Oatmeal: A warm porridge made from rolled or ground oats, commonly topped with fruit or syrup.
• Omelet: A dish of beaten eggs cooked and folded around various fillings.
• Pancake: A flat, round cake made from batter, cooked on a griddle, and served with syrup.
• Peanut butter: A spread made from ground peanuts, often eaten on toast or in sandwiches.
• Pineapple: A tropical fruit often eaten fresh or added to fruit salads and smoothies.
• Porridge: A hot cereal made by boiling grains like oats in milk or water.
• Quiche: A savory pie with a custard filling made from eggs, cream, cheese, and other ingredients.
• Raisin: A dried grape used in cereal, baked goods, or granola.
• Sausage: A seasoned meat mixture stuffed into a casing, often served with eggs or pancakes.
• Scone: A slightly sweet biscuit-like pastry, often served with jam and clotted cream.
• Smoothie: A blended beverage made from fruit, yogurt, and/or milk.
• Syrup: A thick, sweet liquid typically made from maple sap or sugar, used on pancakes, waffles, and french toast.
• Toast: Bread that has been browned by heat, often served with butter, jam, or eggs.
• Waffle: A crisp cake baked in a patterned iron, served with butter, fruit, or syrup.
• Yogurt: A creamy dairy product made by fermenting milk, often flavored with fruit or honey.
• Yolk: The yellow center of an egg, rich in fat and nutrients.
• Zucchini: A type of summer squash that can be included in omelets or frittatas.

See Also

• Meal
• Brunch
• Nutrition
• Intermittent fasting
• Dietary guidelines
• List of breakfast foods
• List of American breakfast foods

Nutrition information of Breakfast

• USDA on Breakfast