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Article: "How Breakfast Became a Thing"


JumpyTheFrog
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http://priceonomics.com/how-breakfast-became-a-thing/

 

I guess my family eats more like other parts of the world. What we have for breakfast is the same kind of food we have for lunch or dinner. I suppose eating a salad for breakfast is unusual, but after enough years of eating "regular" food for breakfast, the idea of a non-filling, highly processed bowl of cereal seems weird.

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I have heard that before, that the rise of cereal as a breakfast food was due to ad campaigns. I didn't know Kellogg was such a nut job, though.

 

I was just so happy when I read Paleo Manifesto that the author made a good case for skipping breakfast altogether, or eating it as a brunch. I have never been a big fan of breakfast and I always resented the "most important meal of the day" diatribe.

 

I do like eggs for breakfast, since I have my own hens, but a very large proportion of the time, I dread the thought of having a pan to clean up.

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Interesting. I've come to believe that most of what we "know" to be "true" about nutrition is mainly a by-product of long-term marketing by interested parties.

 

Such as: Dairy is good for you. Marketing by dairy industry.

- Cow's milk is good for baby cows. Human milk is good for baby humans.

 

** I still love cheese, though! ;) I am just under no illusion that my bones will break if I don't eat it.

 

We need a "wide variety" of x,y,or z in our diets. Marketing by x,y, and z industries.

- We need a wide variety of *nutrients* in our diets. In the most bio-available form. Many "good for us" foods have those nutrients, but our bodies can not access them, so the food is useless beyond caloric filler and fiber.

- Many single foods do have a wide variety of bio-available nutrients.

- Historically, many healthy cultures thrived on a non-varied diet. They didn't have ships and planes to deliver out-of-season "must haves" like fruits and vegetables to their huts or igloos.

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I hate breakfast. I hated having to eat it before school as a kid, and hated making it for my kids (the sight and smell was nauseating so early in the morning) and hate suffering through it when we visit people who want to be good hosts and prepare breakfasts even though I've said it is not necessary. I like breakfast food, but I don't like eating before early afternoon or late morning- it makes me feel sick to eat until I've been awake for several hours. 

 

I'm apparently more of a Roman eater- give me 1 good meal a day, a couple small snacks, and I'm good. I'm not advocating that for everyone but I'm happy to see that I'm not the only one and that breakfast mania is associated more with marketing than health!

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I keep seeing these studies that claim that people who eat breakfast regularly weigh less. Maybe this is true, but I have a hard time believing that is "the" factor causing anything.

Yeah, I'd like to see what the actual parameters and controls were in each study. And who funded them.

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I keep seeing these studies that claim that people who eat breakfast regularly weigh less. Maybe this is true, but I have a hard time believing that is "the" factor causing anything. 

 

That's BS. I think those studies must have been funded by cereal companies as well! I noticed a year or so ago that studies were coming out saying that skipping breakfast is actually associated with weight loss (duh) and the previous research was not well supported or replicated or something like that. 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/08/10/the-science-of-skipping-breakfast-how-government-nutritionists-may-have-gotten-it-wrong/

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Such as: Dairy is good for you. Marketing by dairy industry.

 

I have found that the "Got Milk?" campaign was so amazingly successful that there are people out there who actually think it was a government program, an ad campaign paid for by the government to promote nutrition.

 

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I have found that the "Got Milk?" campaign was so amazingly successful that there are people out there who actually think it was a government program, an ad campaign paid for by the government to promote nutrition.

Well, thanks to lobbyists, the FDA, and the food pyramid/plate - there is a link, so I'm not surprised.

Edited by fraidycat
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Well, thanks to lobbyists, the FDA, and the food pyramid/plate - there is a link, so I'm not surprised.

 

You know, what's really weird is half these people are really "omg big government is evil" types, and yet even those guys are convinced that milk MUST be necessary because, after all, "Got Milk?" and the government wouldn't tell you "it does a body good" unless it does, right!?

 

I don't try to understand this.

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That's BS. I think those studies must have been funded by cereal companies as well! I noticed a year or so ago that studies were coming out saying that skipping breakfast is actually associated with weight loss (duh) and the previous research was not well supported or replicated or something like that. 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/08/10/the-science-of-skipping-breakfast-how-government-nutritionists-may-have-gotten-it-wrong/

 

Uh yeah the latest one I've seen claims this is even true for people who eat 2 breakfasts.  LOL

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I love breakfast. It's my fave meal of the day.

 

I honestly don't think marketing executives invented porridge.

Why not eat porridge for supper, though? :)

 

Marketing executives invented the idea that you NEED porridge first thing in the morning to be healthy.

 

 

From the article:

 

"It’s always a good idea to remain skeptical of the claims made in advertisements and the ideas expressed by organizations with vested interests. But with breakfast foods, skepticism is particularly necessary. Since advertising is the foundation of the entire ready-to-eat industry, the incentives for deception are strong.

 

Be vigilant. Breakfast is the most marketed meal of the day. "

Edited by fraidycat
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I'm not even sure what porridge is. LOL

 

Is this oatmeal?

Yes. Or Cream of Wheat. Or Cornmeal.

 

Basically cooked grain mush.

 

"Porridge is a dish made by boiling ground, crushed, or chopped starchy plants – typically grain – in water or milk. Wikipedia"

Edited by fraidycat
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I keep seeing these studies that claim that people who eat breakfast regularly weigh less. Maybe this is true, but I have a hard time believing that is "the" factor causing anything.

I saw an article recently that debunked this myth. Apparently, breakfast skippers DO eat more at subsequent meals, but the increase doesn't add up to an entire extra meal, so they eat LESS in the course of a day.

 

I'm a breakfast skipper. I just want tea before noon until my stomach wakes up. I'm just not a morning person and have no desire to cook or eat in the morning. I'm so glad my kids are older and I'm no longer required to make eggs at 9 a.m.

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I have heard that before, that the rise of cereal as a breakfast food was due to ad campaigns. I didn't know Kellogg was such a nut job, though.

 

I was just so happy when I read Paleo Manifesto that the author made a good case for skipping breakfast altogether, or eating it as a brunch. I have never been a big fan of breakfast and I always resented the "most important meal of the day" diatribe.

 

I do like eggs for breakfast, since I have my own hens, but a very large proportion of the time, I dread the thought of having a pan to clean up.

I knew Kellog was one of the early proponents of circumcision because it would prevent what he said cereal would prevent. I did not realize he thought having cereal instead of meat also would prevent it. He was a total nut job and it is sad the influence he has had.

Edited by MistyMountain
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Did anyone else see the Kellogg story on Drunk History? That was one of the funnier episodes.

 

I didn't eat breakfast at all growing up. It made me ill. Now, I eat cereal more often than not. It's quick and easy and I don't get hungry again for hours. If I eat meat for breakfast, I'm hungry 30 minutes later. If I have something sweet like cinnamon rolls or pancakes, I'm nauseous all day. So, I eat a high fiber cereal or yogurt. Mostly cereal, though, because I really don't like yogurt.

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My kids eat cereal because I cannot bring myself to make breakfast, and none of them like eggs, well one might like them but he's allergic. I've always hated breakfast foods and breakfast itself. If I eat in the morning I'm much more likely to have leftovers or cheese and crackers. I prefer a brunch 5-6 hours after waking and another small late lunch and a normal dinner. Doing the Whole 30 finally convinced me that breakfast foods are unnecessary, pure social conditioning. Whole 30 requires that you eat a full meal within 30 minutes of waking, I did not enjoy that aspect at all.

 

When I was in Thailand we would have fruits, some meat, and maybe sticky rice for breakfast, it was so much more satisfying to me.

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I'm not surprised it's linked to marketing but what about before that? I'm thinking of old timey rural farm work where one needed to eat breakfast to sustain them though morning hard chores. Obviously it wasn't cereal, but wasn't it porridge and eggs and bacon type stuff? Then a larger meal at noonday? I don't know. My impressions have been formed by watching tv and movies which we all know isn't always realistic.

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Even cultures in which there is no marketing eat breakfast. 

When I was growing up, breakfast in our home was quick oats with milk, or bread with jam. Something quick to make and easy to digest. We did not have corn flakes or fancy cereal, those were not available. Traditionally, back home breakfast is not cooked - who wants to cook at 6 am anyway? I cannot eat anything heavy that early in the morning, even fried eggs would be too much.

 

I used to love breakfast, and it was my largest meal of the day for years. Since I can not longer eat bread, I have lost all appetite for breakfast and will just have some yoghurt a few hours later. 

Edited by regentrude
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I saw an article recently that debunked this myth. Apparently, breakfast skippers DO eat more at subsequent meals, but the increase doesn't add up to an entire extra meal, so they eat LESS in the course of a day.

 

I'm a breakfast skipper. I just want tea before noon until my stomach wakes up. I'm just not a morning person and have no desire to cook or eat in the morning. I'm so glad my kids are older and I'm no longer required to make eggs at 9 a.m.

 

I don't think of it as skipping breakfast but just delaying it till I'm hungry.   It's breakfast - breaking fast - even if it's at noon, and no matter what the food is.

 

If I eat before I'm hungry, I'll overeat all day.  If I delay breakfast till I'm actually hungry, I'm better able to control my eating throughout the day.  I don't know why that is, but it is the only way I can lose weight. 

 

 

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I think it is more accurate to say cereal was invented but eating a morning meal is not some new thing. Porridge or hot cereal isn't unusual, although not all cultures eat that. I wake up early but don't eat for about 3 hrs after I wake-up. Got up at 5 today, it is 8 now and I still haven't ate. I used to eat a lot of bacon and eggs w/ toast but I'm off eggs and most bread so breakfast is who knows what. Fruit and veggies w/ some meat, maybe soup, homeamde nut granola if I'm on nuts, I save my leftovers for lunch usually.

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I keep seeing these studies that claim that people who eat breakfast regularly weigh less. Maybe this is true, but I have a hard time believing that is "the" factor causing anything. 

Well, it certainly hasn't worked that way for me!

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I'm not surprised it's linked to marketing but what about before that? I'm thinking of old timey rural farm work where one needed to eat breakfast to sustain them though morning hard chores. Obviously it wasn't cereal, but wasn't it porridge and eggs and bacon type stuff? Then a larger meal at noonday? I don't know. My impressions have been formed by watching tv and movies which we all know isn't always realistic.

 

Porridge was awfully common. Eggs were seasonal -- summer yes, winter no. Bread or biscuits was pretty common too, or pancakes (but pancakes with less sugar than we would customarily see, sugar being expensive and difficult to come by). Leftovers in general weren't at all uncommon and quite often fried into something like bubble and squeak, or hash. 

 

It'd also be quite common for the women of the house to be cooking breakfast while the men would milk and care for animals, so breakfast would be taken after an hour or two of work would already have been done. 

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I'm not surprised it's linked to marketing but what about before that? I'm thinking of old timey rural farm work where one needed to eat breakfast to sustain them though morning hard chores. Obviously it wasn't cereal, but wasn't it porridge and eggs and bacon type stuff? Then a larger meal at noonday? I don't know. My impressions have been formed by watching tv and movies which we all know isn't always realistic.

 

Interesting article on breakfast:

 

http://www.historyextra.com/feature/tudors/how-tudors-invented-breakfast

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TC Boyle's book The Road to Wellville was an interesting read (as a high school sophomore, at least), about Kellogg's craziness. I always wonder what current health fads will be looked upon with the sense of "silly people with their psuedoscience" in 100 years time. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_to_Wellville

 

 

I keep seeing these studies that claim that people who eat breakfast regularly weigh less. Maybe this is true, but I have a hard time believing that is "the" factor causing anything. 

 

 

After I started taking Synthroid, began skipping breakfast. (Not intentionally, but you're supposed to fast for a few hours after taking the med, and by then the kids have started life and who has time to sit back down for breakfast?) I found not only did I eat less all day, but skipping breakfast amped up my metabolism. I think I started intermittent fasting accidentally. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_fasting

 

Although, correlation =/= causation,and I did start treating underactive thyroid at the same time...

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That Kellogg dude was IN-SANE

 

He was a strict segregationist and Eugenicist!!!!!...he put carbolic acid on baby girl's clits...he achieved orgasm with bowel movements (this does not make him crazy! But he drew all kinds of insane conclusions from his own sexual rarity)

 

Just. Unreal. how much this guy has influenced us!

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That Kellogg dude was IN-SANE

 

He was a strict segregationist and Eugenicist!!!!!...he put carbolic acid on baby girl's clits...he achieved orgasm with bowel movements (this does not make him crazy! But he drew all kinds of insane conclusions from his own sexual rarity)

 

Just. Unreal. how much this guy has influenced us!

 

ewww

 

wasn't liking because I like it...

 

just ewww

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I have heard this before.

Kellog was a bit of a nut job.

Personally, I have always liked leftovers for breakfast.  Even as a kid.

I do also enjoy the occasional bowl of rice krispies.

Edited by kewb
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