Avery Collins
Breakfast, the first meal of the day, has not always been a custom. From the ancient Romans to the Middle Ages, people often did not eat until the afternoon, with the Romans believing that it was prudent to only eat one large meal a day around noon. During the Middle Ages, eating in the morning was considered gluttonous and even sinful, and only the working class, children, the elderly, and the sick ate breakfast. The concept of breakfast as we know it today is a recent invention, gaining popularity during the Industrial Revolution as more people entered the workforce and required nourishment to sustain a long day's work.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time of origin | 15th century Europe |
| First meal of the day | Yes |
| Origin of the word | Refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night |
| Ancient Egyptian breakfast | Fūl, soup, beer, bread, onions, eggs, butter, curds, clotted cream, stewed beans |
| Medieval European breakfast | Beer soup, rye bread, cheese, ale, cider, stale bread |
| 1920s American breakfast | Coffee, orange juice, rolls |
| Current breakfast in India | Roti, dosa, spiced potatoes, chutneys |
| Current breakfast in Japan | Miso soup, white rice, fish, green tea |
| Current French breakfast | Apple turnovers, brioche, croissant, pain au chocolat, bread, cold cuts, cheeses, sweet toppings |
| Current breakfast in the Middle East | Iftar, the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during Ramadan |
| Health benefits | Better nutrition profiles, possible link to better academic performance |
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What You'll Learn
- The Ancient Egyptians ate a breakfast of fava beans, bread, cheese, eggs, butter, curds, clotted cream and stewed beans
- In the Middle Ages, breakfast was associated with poverty and low status
- Beer soup was a common breakfast in medieval Europe
- Breakfast became more common during the Industrial Revolution
- In the 1920s, a PR campaign pushed bacon and eggs as a healthy breakfast option
The Ancient Egyptians ate a breakfast of fava beans, bread, cheese, eggs, butter, curds, clotted cream and stewed beans
Breakfast, the first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning, has evolved over time and varies across cultures. In Ancient Egypt, peasants typically consumed a daily meal, likely in the morning, consisting of soup, beer, bread, and onions before commencing their labour in the fields or other work commanded by the pharaohs.
The traditional breakfast cooked in ancient Egypt included fūl, made from fava beans, which is believed to be the ancestor of today's ful medames, along with baladi bread, crafted from emmer wheat. This meal was often accompanied by cheese, eggs, butter, curds, clotted cream, and stewed beans. Fava beans are an established national breakfast dish in Egypt, and ful medames is considered one of the country's national dishes.
Baladi bread, also known as aish baladi, holds a central place in Egyptian cuisine, with its name deriving from the Arabic word for 'life' (aish). Prepared from whole-wheat flour, it resembles pita bread and is freshly baked in communal ovens, delivered daily to households by bicycle. This bread is perfect for scooping up ful medames or other Egyptian breakfast foods.
In addition to fava beans and bread, ancient Egyptians enjoyed a variety of other breakfast items. They consumed eggs from ducks, swans, and geese, and they were also innovators of the delicacy foie gras, with the technique of gavage dating back to 2500 BC. While there is some debate about the inclusion of fish in their daily diet due to their proximity to the Nile River, wall reliefs indicate that fishing was practised, and certain fish were consumed after being roasted or dried and salted.
Meat was considered a luxury in ancient Egypt and was not a regular part of the diet. The wealthy indulged in pork and mutton, while beef was reserved for special occasions. Wild game, such as cranes, hippos, and gazelles, was also hunted, and small animals like mice and hedgehogs were consumed. The ancient Egyptians also had a penchant for garlic and green scallions, which were commonly used for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
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In the Middle Ages, breakfast was associated with poverty and low status
In the Middle Ages, the consumption of breakfast was associated with poverty and low status. During this period, the upper classes avoided partaking in morning meals, and only two formal meals were consumed per day—one at midday and the other in the evening. This two-meal system remained consistent throughout the Middle Ages.
The belief that eating too early after waking was unhealthy or gluttonous was prevalent among the nobility and wealthy. As a result, eating breakfast was considered informal and more common among laborers who required the extra energy to sustain their morning labor. The morning meal typically consisted of a piece of rye bread, cheese, and low-alcohol beer.
The ancient Romans and people from the Middle Ages often did not eat until the afternoon. The Romans believed that it was prudent to consume only one large meal a day around noon. This perspective carried over into the Middle Ages, where eating in the morning was viewed as gluttonous and sinful.
The modern concept of breakfast emerged during the Industrial Revolution, as more people entered the workforce and began to prioritize nutrition and health.
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Beer soup was a common breakfast in medieval Europe
Breakfast is the first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night. In medieval Europe, beer soup was a common breakfast dish. This was a period when diets and cooking changed less compared to the early modern period that followed. Cereals were the most important staple, and wheat was considered the most nutritious of all grains. However, wheat was also more prestigious and expensive. Barley, oats, and rye were consumed by the poor. Beer was a common beverage in medieval times, and it was also used in cooking. It was seen as a safer alternative to water, especially in towns located near or on rivers, which were often polluted with human waste. Beer soup was likely a hearty drink or restorative broth rather than a meal, and it was served to children as a way to give them energy for the day. The basic definition of beer soup is a "soup of brown (probably dark) beer, cream, fat, and flour or egg yolk." Various recipes included different ingredients, such as costly spices, onions, and cheese. Beer soup was likely served with bread, which was a crucial daily staple in medieval Europe.
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Breakfast became more common during the Industrial Revolution
Breakfast as we know it today is a fairly recent invention, with the roots of the modern conception of breakfast going back to the Industrial Revolution. During this time, more people were entering the workforce and putting in a full day's work. The Industrial Revolution also saw the wealthy begin to find more time for the pleasures of life, and nutrition and health science started to realize that eating before starting work was beneficial.
In the European Middle Ages, breakfast was commonly eaten by working people, children, the elderly, and the sick. The upper classes did not participate in morning meals, and eating breakfast was associated with being poor or a low-status farmer or laborer. The medieval period also saw claims among the nobility and wealthy that eating too early after rising was unhealthy or gluttonous, and eating was restricted to two formal meals at midday and in the evening.
By the 1550s, there were multiple sources claiming that breakfast was an important meal. The term "breakfast" itself came into use in written English in the 15th century to describe a morning meal, although eating in the morning did not become a daily ritual in Europe until the 1600s when many people began to go to work each day.
In the 1920s, Americans typically ate light breakfasts of coffee, orange juice, and rolls. In an attempt to increase bacon sales, Edward Bernays wrote to 5,000 physicians asking whether a heavy or light breakfast was better for health. 4,500 physicians responded that a heavy breakfast was better, as the body is depleted of nutrients after sleep. This "study" was published in newspapers across America, presenting bacon and eggs as the ideal breakfast choice.
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In the 1920s, a PR campaign pushed bacon and eggs as a healthy breakfast option
Breakfast has evolved over the centuries, with the meal taking on different forms in various cultures. In the European Middle Ages, for instance, breakfast was commonly consumed by working people, children, the elderly, and the sick. The upper classes, however, did not participate in this morning meal, associating it with poverty and low status. During this period, breakfast often consisted of a piece of rye bread and cheese, with no meat included. Beer was also a common beverage.
In the 1920s, breakfast in the United States was typically light, consisting of coffee, orange juice, and perhaps a roll or cereal. However, this was about to change due to a groundbreaking PR campaign. The Beech-Nut Packing Company, which had bacon as one of its main products, wanted to boost bacon sales. To achieve this, they hired Edward Bernays, the "father of public relations" and nephew of Sigmund Freud.
Bernays, a pioneer in using psychology for marketing, devised a strategy to promote bacon as a healthy breakfast option. He consulted the company's physician, who agreed that a more calorie-dense breakfast could be beneficial. Bernays then asked the doctor to contact 5,000 other doctors to confirm that a heavier breakfast was indeed healthier. This resulted in 4,500 physicians endorsing the idea that a substantial morning meal improved health.
Newspaper headlines proclaimed, "4,500 physicians urge Americans to eat heavy breakfasts to improve their health," with many articles specifically mentioning bacon and eggs as the ideal hearty breakfast. This PR campaign was incredibly successful, and it transformed the breakfast landscape in the United States. Bacon and eggs became synonymous with a typical American breakfast, and bacon sales soared. This campaign also set a precedent for the meat industry, which would later market meat as healthy and sustainable, despite growing evidence to the contrary.
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Frequently asked questions
Breakfast became a daily ritual in Europe in the 1600s when many people started going to work each day. However, the term "breakfast" dates back to 15th-century Europe.
In Ancient Egypt, peasants ate a daily meal consisting of soup, beer, bread, and onions before they left for work. In the Arab world, Bedouins often had locusts mixed with butter for breakfast, spreading the mixture on unleavened bread. In medieval Europe, breakfast was commonly consumed by working people, children, the elderly, and the sick. It usually consisted of low-alcohol beer and a piece of rye bread with cheese.
In the 1920s, Americans typically ate light breakfasts consisting of coffee, orange juice, and rolls. To increase bacon sales, Edward Bernays wrote to 5,000 physicians, asking if a heavy breakfast was healthier than a light one. 4,500 physicians responded, confirming that a heavier breakfast was better for health as the body is depleted of nutrients after sleep. This "study" was published in newspapers across America, presenting bacon and eggs as the ideal breakfast choice.
