Breakfast Food Without Boundaries

PALATE POST

Breakfast Food Without Boundaries

Breakfast food is the fastest-growing daypart in today’s everchanging culinary world. When choosing from convenience store grab-and-go’s, home delivery, and sit down meals, consumers gravitate towards new breakfast foods. Breakfast sandwiches range from the simple Egg McMuffin to Panera Bread’s healthy Avocado, Egg White and Spinach breakfast sandwich.

Global foods and flavors have become commonplace on lunch and dinner menus. They have now made their way on to the breakfast scene. Consumers crave ethnic food in the morning making the most important meal of the day more multi-cultural than ever. Bacon and eggs will never be compromised. However, Latin, Asian and Indian flavors have broadened what America eats in the morning. Breakfast burritos and tacos are commonplace. The Indian dosa has become a carrier for bacon, eggs, sausage and potatoes. Asian porridge, ramen bowls and okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) now appear on menus. Shakshuka, Middle Eastern baked eggs in tomato sauce, has quite a following.

With the consumer’s concern for healthy foods, restaurants offer breakfast and brunch items that incorporate many healthy and flavorful ingredients. Overnight oatmeal with fruits and nuts, avocado benedicts and ancient grain bowls with greens and eggs lure the health-conscious diner in for breakfast.

Then, there’s the all-American favorite, the doughnut! Today’s doughnut is not your regular everyday variety. These are artisan, hand-crafted doughnuts made fresh daily. There are Thai doughnuts made with toasted coconut, fresh ginger kaffir lime and roasted chilis at Donut Savant in Oakland, California. Poutine varieties topped with potato wedges, gravy and cheese curds are made at Tim Horton’s. Varieties are | endless!

FACTS: Here’s what you need to know about breakfast food

  • At Rice University in Houston, Texas, the number of students eating breakfast has risen by 30% to 40% by promoting freshly made breakfast sandwiches and tacos for grab-and-go making the morning meal faster and more convenient.
  • Hispanics are among our nation’s most influencial “breakfast believers.” Their taste for breakfast dishes is rubbing off on the general public, especially Millennials looking for new flavors. Packaged Facts, NRN, Breakfast Journal, 10/2018
  • Chilaquiles are up 36% on menus over the past four years. Datassential 2018
  • Shakshuka, Medterranean baked eggs, are up 326% over the last four years.

“Consumers are finding themselves more interested in ethnic flavors, as they’ve been more exposed to them than ever before via social media.” Cheg Dale Beauchamp, Half & Half, Clayton, MO

“There’s a big shortage in the breakfast segment. There’s a lot more room for fun and creativity.”Johan Engman, co-owner and founder of Rise and Shine Restaurant Group

“More and more guests are looking for healthier options especially during the weekdays. However, we know that for many guests, going out to breakfast on the weekend is a special treat,” John Dillon, Denny’s

“They’ve gone gangbusters (plant based protein breakfast bowls), since we started serving them a couple of years back. They are hearty and warming but also supremely healthy.” Tony Rosenfiels, B. Good, Boston

THE PROS: What they are saying

“This is not something (Hispanic flavors), you only see in Florida or Texas or Arizona. It’s happening in all our restaurants, from Philly to Alabama to West Virginia and everywhere in between.” Chef Shane Schaibly, First Watch

IN CONCLUSION

As the breakfast food daypart continues to grow, the definition of what breakfast food is has shifted as well. The category now welcomes flavors from around the globe. Smoothies and savory breakfast bowls promote good health, energy, and comfort. Convenience and grab-and-go is a must in restaurants and school cafeterias.

Breakfast food delivery is becoming standard with new to go packaging for perfect taste and temperature. Overall, it is modern sensibility and a taste for flavor building that promises success!

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Tony Lagana

Chef Tony is a 42-year veteran of the food industry and is often known by his peers as “The New Product Guru.” Throughout his illustrious culinary career, he’s earned several notable titles and positions including Acquisition International’s “Most Influential Product Development Expert, U.S.” in 2019.

In 1997, Tony also founded Culinary Systems Inc., a group of culinary consultants that assist with culinary training, restaurant start-ups, concept development, and more. Since then, Tony and his team have generated over two billion dollars in sales for their clients in restaurants, retail, and manufacturing.

The strategic, technical, and culinary skills of Tony and his team can be seen on the menus of national chains, in the portfolio of national food manufacturers, and on the grocery shelves of products produced by major retail companies.