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[1] An omelet is one of those dishes that works for any meal of the day (photo © Bonefish Grill).
[2] How about eggs on top of waffles, pancakes, or French toast, with savory garnishes: smoked salmon, bacon, ham, caramelized onions, fresh herbs…(photo © National Honey Board).
[3] How about these BLT pancakes? Here’s the recipe (photo © Tiegen Gerard for Wisconsin Cheese).
[4] Savory oatmeal with cheddar, bell pepper, onions, and a fried egg Here’s the recipe (photo © Lisa Lin | Healthy Nibbles).
[5] Shakshouka is a Middle Eastern breakfast dish of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce. Here’s the recipe. In Israel, it’s eaten for dinner as well (photo © Zavor).
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Can it be true that 9 out of 10 Americans enjoy Breakfast Night—breakfast foods for dinner, a.k.a. brinner?
After a long day of tasting foods for THE NIBBLE, we often welcome a simple dinner of cereal, eggs or French toast. But we are not alone; we’re part of the 90 percent!
Krusteaz, maker of premium pancake, waffle, cupcake, and other baking mixes, has just released the results of its annual breakfast survey, a national poll conducted by an independent research firm*.
Based on the results, Krusteaz suggests a new food-focused night on the order of Meatless Mondays and Taco Tuesdays: Wednesdays, Breakfast Night.
> Check out all of the focus nights, below.
> February 3rd is National Breakfast Day, just one of 115 breakfast holidays.
> The history of breakfast.
> The history of all meals in the Western tradition is below.
WHAT MAKES BREAKFAST NIGHT SO POPULAR?
Breakfast for Dinner continues to be a popular trend in the U.S.
More than half of the survey participants enjoy Breakfast Night dinners once a month or more, with nearly 25% eating Breakfast For Dinner once a week.
Those with children at home are somewhat more likely to eat breakfast for dinner (94% vs. 88% without kids in the house). For 30% of families, Breakfast Night is a weekly affair that’s either “very enjoyable” or their “absolute favorite.”
In a shift from 2014, more kids are helping out in the kitchen. Thirty-nine percent of responders said that Breakfast Night preparation is a “joint effort,” compared to just 17% of last year’s survey participants.
In our house, reason #2 is the big winner.
Thirty-eight percent of survey participants noted that having all the ingredients on hand is the main appeal.
Thirty-five percent cite the “love” of breakfast food (the comfort food factor?).
Thirty-one percent like that it is easier and faster than preparing a traditional dinner.
Families with children at home are more likely to use Breakfast Night as family night, when Dad’s in charge, and for celebratory occasions such as birthdays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
THE HISTORY OF MEAL TIMES
The history of meal times could fill a large book. The number of meals consumed per day differs greatly from culture to culture, by era and by socioeconomic status.
In Europe alone, the name of the meal and time of day vary widely. Depending on the era, dinner could be in the morning or late afternoon.
In the millennia before electricity, people lived differently than we do, typically retiring at nightfall. In the winter, that meant the last meal of the day was what we might call a late lunch.
Thanks to FoodTimeline.org for most of this information:
In ancient Greece meal times were variable, but a midday meal was usually called ariston lunch… and an evening meal deipnon, dinner. The latter was typically the biggest meal of the day, and for some of the poor, the only meal.
Ancient Romans typically ate one main meal (cena) in the afternoon or evening, with a light breakfast (ientaculum) and sometimes a midday meal (prandium).
In Christian countries, the times and number of meals were originally derived from the hours of devotions of the Church. For lay people, to break one’s fast after devotions was the general procedure.
In medieval times, the very poor ate when they could (as was true since the beginning of mankind), but the slightly better-off peasants ate three times a day: breakfast at a very early hour, dinner at about 9 a.m. and supper before it got dark, which could be as early as 3 p.m. in the winter.
Monks, on the other hand, commonly ate two meals a day—a late morning meal and an evening meal. Monastic life was based on self-discipline and moderation, following the Rule of Saint Benedict (6th century), which stated that monks should eat one meal a day during fasting periods (like Lent) and two meals a day at other times to avoid excess (eating more than necessary encouraged gluttony, a sin).
Monks ate their main meal (“prandium”) after the celebration of nones, which was nine hours after daybreak—some time between midday and 3 p.m. The evening meal (cena) was taken after vespers, around sunset.
Through the Renaissance, the larger meal was the prandium, or dinner, at ten or eleven in the morning. Supper, coena in Latin, was served around six in the evening. Most authors agreed that two meals a day were sufficient, although the English vehemently defended their custom of taking breakfast.
Breakfast was not a popular meal elsewhere. Writings suggest that it was only eaten by children and laborers. But by the 15th century it was commonly consumed by everyone. However, a 1478 household ordinance of Edward IV specified that only residents down to the rank of squires should be given breakfast, except by special order (sounds like budgeting).
At some point, there were four meals a day: breakfast, dinner, nuntions or nuncheons (eaten by workmen around noon) and late supper.
With the advent of oil lamps, the evening meal was served later in the day. In southern Europe, where the evening meal was the largest of the day, breakfast did not become important—merely coffee and perhaps a piece of bread or a pastry.
In England and northern Europe, by the 18th century breakfast was the norm, eaten around 9 or 10 a.m. In the 19th century breakfast emerged as a full and sumptuous meal with bacon, eggs and even steaks for those who could afford them. Afternoon tea, as a snack between lunch and dinner, was created in 1840 by Anna, Seventh Duchess of Bedford (here’s the history of afternoon tea).
Thus, the three-meals-a-day practice is a relatively recent phenomenon—and of course only relates to those who could afford three meals a day.
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The Emergence Of Three Meals A Day
In the 16th and 17th centuries, in Europe and Colonial America), the idea of breakfast, dinner (the midday meal), and supper (the evening meal) became more common, especially among the wealthy.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, which saw the Industrial Revolution, factory work schedules led to a shift toward a structured breakfast, lunch, and dinner pattern. “Lunch” replaced the old term “dinner” as a lighter midday meal.
The word “lunch” came from the older English word luncheon, which originally referred to a small snack or light meal eaten between larger meals. “Luncheon” itself likely derived from the nuncheon, a Middle English term for a light midday snack.
The word “dinner” derives from the Old French disner, meaning to dine or break a fast. It originally referred to the biggest meal of the day, regardless of when it occurred. “Supper” derives from the Old French souper, meaning a lighter evening meal that was often a bowl of soup.
The 20th century saw a global standardization of meals. With urbanization, work hours, and school schedules, the three-meal structure became widely adopted as the norm in many cultures—as has been in the United States from the beginning.
As urban areas grew and people shifted their main meal to the evening, they started to call it “dinner,” since dinner was always the largest meal of the day. Some people still use the word “supper,” as passed down in their families and communities.
MODERN TIMES: FOCUS ON “FOOD NIGHTS”
Through popular culture, certain nights has been designated to celebrate certain foods. While Meatless Monday may seem like a modern concept, it is a revival of an idea that originated with the need to ration certain foods during World War I (the history of Meatless Monday is in the footnote†).
Some religious groups have particular observations, such as Fish on Fridays‡.
Some countries have evolved traditions, like Gnocchi Day in Argentina (Día de Ñoquis), celebrated on the 29th of every month (it originated in the late 19th century with Italian immigrants).
With the growth of the Internet, it’s relatively easy to create a viral movement. We now have:
Meatless Monday
Taco Tuesday
Waffle Wednesday
Wing Wednesday
Thirsty Thursday (often drink specials)
Pizza Friday
Stir-Fry Saturday
Sandwich Sunday
Seafood Sunday
Internet/social media-created themes include:
Wine Wednesday (#WineWednesday)
Throwback Thursday (#TBT) (which can include nostalgic/retro food posts)
Foodie Friday (#FoodFriday)
Some are alliterative fun that provides a marketing boost. Others try to create a positive action.
For example, Sushi Monday has been promulgated by Japanese restaurants to counter a belief perpetuated by Anthony Bourdain, whose book “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly” advised restaurant-goers not order fish on Monday.
He explained that Friday is the last day of the week when restaurants can order fresh fish from their suppliers, so anything served on Monday is not fresh.
However, this does not apply to raw fish, whether served at Japanese restaurants (sushi, sashimi) or elsewhere (salmon tartare and yellowtail crudo, for example). By law, this fish must be frozen as soon as it arrives fresh.
Food Code (3-402.11-12) of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), requires that all fish that is served or sold either raw or under-cooked must be first frozen to destroy any parasites. This requirement includes the serving and sale of “Sushi” in restaurants, bars and retail food stores.
So feel free to enjoy sushi any day of the week.
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*The Breakfast for Dinner survey was conducted by ORC International on behalf of Krusteaz. Findings are based on an online survey of 2,033 U.S. adults ages 18 and older in August 2015.
†The history of Meatless Monday: Originally, Meatless Monday began in 1917 during World War I as a U.S. government campaign to conserve food supplies. It was revived during World War II for similar reasons. However, in the 21st century, the campaign shifted focus to health benefits and environmental sustainability, encouraging people to reduce meat consumption to lower their carbon footprint, conserve water, and improve overall well-being.
The modern Meatless Monday movement was launched in 2003 as a sustainability and health initiative by Sid Lerner (1930–2021), an American advertising executive and public health advocate, in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Since its revival, Meatless Monday has spread globally, with participation from schools, restaurants, and governments promoting plant-based eating at least once a week.
‡“Fish on Fridays” is a Christian practice that involves abstaining from eating warm-blooded animals on Fridays. The practice honors the sacrifice of Jesus, who died on a Friday. The practice is observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Methodist churches.
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