Logan Hayes
Bacon and eggs is a classic breakfast pairing that is popular in the United States and beyond. While eggs and meat have been consumed in the West for centuries, the combination of bacon and eggs for breakfast can be traced back to the 1920s and a clever marketing campaign. At the time, most Americans ate light breakfasts, but the Beech-Nut Packing Company sought to increase bacon sales by promoting the idea of a heavier morning meal. They hired PR consultant Edward Bernays, who conducted a study that concluded a heavier breakfast was healthier. The results were published in newspapers across the country, and bacon and eggs became increasingly popular as a breakfast option.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date it became a staple | 1920s |
| Reason for popularity | Marketing scheme, ease of cooking, affordability, and nutritional value |
| Typical breakfast before the 1920s | Coffee, orange juice, rolls, oatmeal, porridge, bread, milk, cream of wheat, grits, corn, cereal |
| People responsible for popularising bacon and eggs | Edward Bernays, Sigmund Freud |
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What You'll Learn
The role of marketing and advertising
Bernays understood that people trusted their physicians for nutritional advice. He hired a well-known New York doctor, who agreed that a hearty breakfast was healthier than a light one. This opinion was then sent to 5,000 other doctors for their signatures. The results were published in newspapers as if they were scientific studies, with headlines like "4,500 physicians urge Americans to eat heavy breakfasts to improve their health". Many of these articles referenced bacon and eggs as the ideal hearty breakfast option.
By promoting bacon as doctor-recommended, Bernays reframed it as essential to good health. This clever strategy of using trusted experts to tell a story, rather than direct advertising, proved highly effective. It not only boosted bacon sales but also contributed to the perception of breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Breakfast became tied to ideas of health, wholesomeness, and virtue, and skipping it was associated with guilt and moral failure.
The success of Bernays' campaign had far-reaching consequences. It influenced future marketing strategies, with products adopting names like "Breakfast Bar" or "Breakfast Biscuit". It also shaped the breakfast habits of Americans, with bacon and eggs becoming an iconic American combination. Even today, bacon remains a breakfast staple, and PR strategists continue to promote it despite growing concerns about its environmental and health impact.
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Religious influences
The idea of eating breakfast has evolved over the centuries, influenced by various factors such as trade, societal norms, and religious beliefs.
In the Middle Ages, religious beliefs played a significant role in shaping breakfast habits. Gluttony was considered a sin, and fasting in the mornings was a common practice. Religious observers would refrain from eating until after morning mass, as fasting was seen as a form of religious devotion. This belief was particularly prominent among theologians like Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century, who frowned upon eating too early in the day.
However, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution and people moving from farm labor to factories, concerns about indigestion arose. This led to a shift towards lighter breakfasts. Interestingly, breakfast cereals first emerged during this period in sanatoriums established by followers of the Seventh-day Adventist religion, reflecting a growing emphasis on health and well-being.
In the 1920s, public relations pioneer Edward Bernays, the nephew of Sigmund Freud, played a pivotal role in promoting bacon and eggs as the quintessential American breakfast. He was hired by the Beech-Nut Packing Company, a producer of various foods, to increase consumer demand for bacon. Bernays, leveraging his expertise in propaganda and public relations, conducted a survey of 5,000 physicians to gather their opinions on the benefits of a heavier breakfast. He then published the results in newspapers, presenting bacon and eggs as the ideal choice for a nutritious morning meal. This successful marketing campaign not only boosted bacon sales but also shaped the American perception of breakfast, making it a staple in the American diet.
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Health benefits
Bacon and eggs have been a staple breakfast for decades, but it was once considered unhealthy due to its high cholesterol content. However, recent studies suggest that consuming cholesterol in food may not be as detrimental to health as initially believed. The US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has even dropped its recommendation to restrict cholesterol in the diet, stating that "cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."
The combination of bacon and eggs offers a high-protein breakfast, which has been linked to various health benefits. Research from the University of Missouri found that participants who consumed a high-protein breakfast (around 35 grams of protein) ate less throughout the day, losing body fat and experiencing more stable glucose levels. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and provide other essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Additionally, a study by the University of Alabama/Birmingham suggested that a high-fat breakfast like bacon and eggs may be the healthiest way to start the day. The research, conducted on mice, indicated that consuming a meal higher in fat after waking up resulted in normal metabolic profiles. According to the study's authors, the first meal of the day seems to program the metabolism for the rest of the day, supporting the idea that eating breakfast like a king is beneficial for preventing metabolic syndrome.
While bacon and eggs can be part of a healthy breakfast, it is important to practice moderation. As with any food, excessive consumption can lead to negative health consequences. Additionally, the quality of the bacon and eggs can make a difference; opting for organic, pasture-raised, or unprocessed options may provide additional nutritional benefits.
In conclusion, while the pairing of bacon and eggs as a breakfast staple was influenced by advertising and cultural factors, there are potential health benefits to starting the day with a high-protein, high-fat meal. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings, especially regarding potential effects on heart function and long-term health outcomes.
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The influence of Edward Bernays
Bacon and eggs as breakfast can be traced back to the 1920s when it was popularised by Edward Bernays, the "father of public relations", through a marketing scheme. At the time, Americans typically ate light breakfasts consisting of coffee, orange juice, and rolls.
Bernays was hired by the Beech-Nut Packing Company, which wanted to sell more bacon. Bernays, inspired by his uncle Sigmund Freud's work, was a pioneer in the use of psychology in marketing. He understood that people trusted the opinions of experts such as doctors, so he devised a clever strategy to promote the idea of a heavier breakfast being better for health. He had the company doctor write to 5,000 physicians asking if a larger morning meal would be beneficial for people's health. The responses confirmed that a heavier breakfast was indeed better, as the body is depleted of nutrients after a night of sleep.
Bernays then had this "study" published in newspapers across America, presenting bacon and eggs as the ideal choice for a substantial breakfast. This campaign was a success, and bacon sales for Beech-Nut Packing Company soared. The pairing of bacon and eggs was further strengthened by the discovery of umami in the early 20th century, as the combination of bacon and eggs maximized the flavour attributes of glutamate and nucleotide molecules, making it a tasty as well as a nutritious option.
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Breakfast in the Middle Ages
During this time, the primary food source for the poor was bread, which was eaten alone, with butter, or with something sweet like jam. It could also be accompanied by cold meat or fish. Porridge, pottage, and other hot cereals were also common breakfast foods, especially for those who were extremely poor, as they were cheap, high in calories, and easy to store. These meals could be cooked the night before and left over the fire to be eaten the next morning.
Bread was also a staple food for the wealthy in the Middle Ages, but their breakfasts were more elaborate and included foods that would later be considered non-breakfast foods. For example, in the 14th century, the wealthy enjoyed elaborate breakfasts that would later become the full English breakfast, including eggs, ham or bacon, beans, toast, mushrooms, tomato, and blood sausage. Fried potatoes may also be included.
While bacon and eggs are now considered a classic American breakfast pairing, this combination reflects a history of meat and eggs as a meal going back to Medieval times. In ancient Rome, soldiers ate a porridge of roasted spelt wheat or barley, similar to Italian polenta, for breakfast. Eggs were also consumed by the Romans for nutrition and cognitive-enhancing effects.
The inclusion of eggs with breakfast goes back even further to the Ancient Egyptians, who ate eggs, bread, cheese, butter, curds, clotted cream, and stewed beans. Jungle birds were domesticated for egg production in India by 3200 BC, and Ancient Egypt and Ancient China were the first societies to domesticate hens. Bacon can be dated back to 1500 BC.
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Frequently asked questions
Bacon and eggs became a staple breakfast meal due to a PR stunt by Edward Bernays, the nephew of Sigmund Freud, in the 1920s. He was hired by the Beech-Nut Packing Company to increase consumer demand for bacon. Bernays surveyed 5,000 physicians to find out whether a heavy breakfast was better for health than a light breakfast. The results, which confirmed that a heavy breakfast was better, were published in newspapers across America, with bacon and eggs being presented as the ideal breakfast choice.
Yes, eggs and bacon have been consumed together for centuries, especially in France and England. In the 17th century, doctors started to recommend morning meals, and a physician even recommended bacon, poached eggs, buttered bread, and wine as a good breakfast.
Before bacon and eggs became a staple breakfast meal, people ate lighter meals such as coffee, orange juice, rolls, oatmeal, porridge, bread, milk, cream of wheat, grits, corn, or cereal.
