In an increasingly fast-paced world, the sit-down breakfast may well be a thing of the past. Studies done by Dalhousie University have shown that while breakfast is still a key meal for 90 percent of the population, it is the manner in which people are eating breakfast that is changing.
"People still want that big breakfast, but they don't want to have eggs, bacon and toast, separated on a plate, as a sit-down meal," said Kair Ginakos, corporate chef at health food restaurant chain Good Earth. "They want to get it on the go, to get it when they want it, but also get all the components in one."
The rise of on-to-go breakfast solutions has given restaurants the opportunity to adjust the menu accordingly, with a new emphasis on whole grains, vegetables and proteins. A quick breakfast solution means that not only can customers spend an extra few minutes in bed, but a bought breakfast is almost guaranteed to be more interesting than a self-prepared bowl of cereal or piece of toast. In this vein, porridge is making a comeback. Cheap, quick and easily transportable, younger generations are embracing the previously unfashionable staple. Furthermore, porridge taps into the bowl trend – smoothie bowls and poke bowls were ubiquitous in 2017, and with the emergence of popular breakfast spots like Cali Press in the New Zealand market, it doesn’t seem to be a trend likely to end anytime soon.
Milk was identified as a key offender in the study conducted by Dalhousie. "As a fluid, when mixed with something else, like cereal, the end product becomes less portable and messier,” said Sylvain Charlebois, who led the study. “You see more and more products that are ready to eat – granola bars and other snack solutions are entering the market that offer consumers a convenient way to consume breakfast on the go, without the mess."
