Eggs are one of the most iconic breakfast foods around the world. From scrambled and poached to fried and boiled, eggs have become synonymous with the first meal of the day. But have you ever stopped to wonder how eggs became such a breakfast staple? The story is a fascinating journey through history, culture, and practicality that reveals why eggs cracked their way onto our morning plates.
Ancient Beginnings: Eggs as a Food Source
Humans have been eating eggs for millions of years, originally gathering them raw from wild bird nests. As civilizations developed, people began domesticating birds, especially chickens, making eggs a more reliable and accessible food source. By around 1500 BCE, people in Southeast Asia were harvesting chicken eggs regularly, and ancient Egyptians included eggs in their morning meals alongside bread, soup, and even beer.
In ancient Rome and Greece, eggs were also part of the diet, and omelet-like dishes were known as early as the 4th century BCE. However, breakfast as a formal meal was not always common or socially accepted.
Breakfast’s Rocky Start and Eggs’ Early Role
For much of history, breakfast was viewed with suspicion or even disdain. In medieval Europe, many believed eating early in the day was gluttonous. Religious scholars like Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century equated morning meals with indulgence, and the Ancient Romans often skipped breakfast or ate very lightly.
Despite this, manual laborers, children, and the elderly needed energy early in the day, so they often ate something light, including eggs. Eggs were cheap, easy to prepare, and packed with protein and fat, making them ideal for sustaining physical work. In fact, early working classes like farmers and laborers were among the first to eat eggs for breakfast, as they needed fuel for their demanding days.
Why Eggs? The Practical Reasons Behind Their Breakfast Popularity
Several practical reasons helped eggs become a breakfast staple:
– Morning Freshness: Chickens tend to lay eggs in the morning, so farmers naturally collected and ate them fresh at the start of the day.
– Nutritional Powerhouse: Eggs provide high-quality protein and fats that give slow-burning energy, perfect for workers needing stamina throughout the day.
– Affordability and Availability: Compared to meat, eggs were cheaper and easier to produce, especially for rural households with limited resources.
– Ease of Preparation: Eggs cook quickly and can be prepared in many ways, which suited the busy mornings of laborers and families alike.
The Rise of Breakfast and Eggs in Europe
Breakfast as a widely accepted meal began to take shape in England around the early 17th century. In 1620, English physician Tobias Venner recommended eating eggs for breakfast, specifically poached eggs with salt, pepper, and vinegar, as a healthy way to start the day. This advice helped popularize eggs as a morning food.
One of the earliest English cookbooks, The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened (1669), also promoted eating two eggs for breakfast, often poached or scrambled. As dinner times shifted later into the afternoon and evening-sometimes as late as 5 p.m.-breakfast grew in importance as a distinct meal, cementing eggs’ place on the plate.
Eggs Cross the Atlantic: Becoming an American Breakfast Staple
In Colonial America, breakfast was initially dominated by cornmeal-based foods like Johnnycakes and corn pone. Eggs were not yet the star of the morning meal. However, as American society evolved in the 19th century, breakfast menus diversified and eggs became more common.
The Industrial Revolution played a key role in this shift. Factory workers needed hearty, energy-rich breakfasts to sustain long, hard days of labor. Eggs, with their protein and fats, fit the bill perfectly. Iconic dishes like Eggs Benedict emerged in the late 1800s, showcasing eggs as a versatile and celebrated breakfast ingredient.
Eggs and the Full English Breakfast
By the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Full English breakfast-a hearty meal featuring eggs, bacon, beans, toast, and more-became a symbol of a substantial morning meal for workers and the nouveau riche alike. The inclusion of eggs in this meal further solidified their reputation as a breakfast essential.
Eggs Today: A Global Breakfast Icon
Today, eggs remain a breakfast favorite worldwide, appreciated for their taste, nutrition, and versatility. Whether it’s a simple fried egg on toast or an elaborate eggs Benedict, eggs continue to fuel mornings in homes, diners, and restaurants everywhere.
Eggs became a breakfast food because they were fresh in the morning, nutritious, affordable, and easy to prepare. Their rise from a humble laborer’s meal to a beloved morning staple reflects changing social attitudes and the practical needs of workers through history.