How Breakfast Got Its Name

Breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day — it sets the tone for whatever your day holds. From enjoying a large spread of pastries, homemade buttermilk pancakes, eggs, and bacon to grabbing a granola bar to eat at your desk, breakfast looks different and holds varying levels of importance for everyone. Some people prefer to skip the meal entirely, while others meticulously prep their morning meal for maximum nutritional impact. In America, there is perhaps no meal more important than breakfast, with research from General Mills demonstrating that three in five Americans list breakfast as their favorite meal. But with all of this love for the first meal of the day, have you ever wondered where it got its name from?

The answer is pretty straightforward. Breakfast is a compound word, combining the words "break" and "fast." Simply put, breakfast is the first meal you eat in the day. This meal breaks the "fast," or period of time spent without eating, that typically follows dinner. The term originated in 15th-century Europe, at a time when meal timing and contents were highly regulated by the Catholic Church. Fasting until after Mass was common, and the first meal of the day therefore took on added importance. 

Breakfast seems almost sacrosanct. It is a practice that might seem eternal. However, breakfast, at least as we now know it, is a relatively new invention. For many centuries, and within many cultures, breakfast did not exist. Take the Romans, for example. In ancient Rome, it was common to only consume one meal per day, around the middle of the day; it was considered overly indulgent to partake in additional meals. It wasn't until the later Middle Ages in Europe, around the 15th century, that the term "breakfast" came into existence in the English language. And even then, consuming a meal before midday was a practice often only reserved for the elderly or those with additional medical needs.

It wasn't until the 17th century that breakfast became a more common practice, especially among the wealthy, who would have rich dishes like scrambled eggs alongside coffee and tea in the morning. The Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries saw a big boost in breakfast consumption, as many workers and school children sought a meal distinct from supper to fuel them. Additionally, there were growing movements in America, particularly among religious individuals, advocating for a shift in breakfast to simpler, blander, whole grains (think Kellogg's cereal, graham flour, and graham crackers). 

In the 20th century, breakfast became an American staple, when a man named Edward Bernays orchestrated an intensive marketing campaign hoping to encourage Americans towards heavier breakfasts, using the input of doctors to back his claims. This campaign was successful, to say the least, with breakfast still holding the title of "most important meal of the day."

Breakfast wasn't always the most important meal of the day, at least historically speaking. So why is it now considered a vital part of the daily diet? Let's start where we left off, with history. The title of "most important meal of the day" is often thrown around about breakfast, with many citing it as gospel, guidance for those hoping to lead a balanced, healthy lifestyle. However, its origins are not medical so much as commercial. In fact, the slogan is believed to have originated from a 1940s ad campaign for cereal. This, combined with the influence of Edward Bernays' push for heavier breakfasts, led to a stronger cultural focus on the meal. Bernays, who was Sigmund Freud's nephew, even helped spearhead bacon and eggs as a staple breakfast food.

The fact that breakfast's status as the most vital meal comes from advertisements doesn't mean that there isn't some truth in the slogan. While there is no universal guidance as to whether or not you should consume breakfast, or what you should have as a part of the meal, it is in general recommended to eat breakfast in the morning, as it can help fuel you throughout the day (NASA astronauts love steak and eggs as a pre-launch meal, for what it's worth). This, of course, is not universal guidance. And if you're someone who simply prefers to skip breakfast, there is nothing wrong with letting your own needs and preferences guide your meal planning.