Tag: Breakfast origin

The word "breakfast" was first recorded in the 15th century, derived from the phrase "to break one's fast". This simple phrase perfectly captures the fundamental reason why we break our fast with breakfast—it is the first meal of the day after a long period without food during sleep.

Historians suggest the phrase 'the most important meal of the day' was not a common belief until the 20th century. This article explores the true origin of breakfast, revealing a journey from a practical necessity for laborers to a highly-marketed household staple.

Historically, humans did not eat three square meals a day; ancient Romans, for instance, often ate only one or two. The concept of three structured meals is a relatively modern phenomenon, with its roots deeply tied to major shifts in human history, including the Industrial Revolution, which gave us the rhythm we still largely follow today.

The oldest documented daily morning meal dates back to Ancient Egypt, proving that a single 'inventor' is impossible to identify. When asking who was the first person to eat breakfast, we are actually tracing a meal's evolution from prehistoric sustenance to an ingrained cultural practice shaped by necessity, religion, and social status.