Restaurant operators are adding or expanding their breakfast options in the hopes of tempting consumers out of their homes for the morning meal and tapping into a growing daypart.  More than 75% of American consumers eat breakfast at home and another 10% skip it entirely, according to research firm The NPD Group. Only 8% of consumers eat breakfast in restaurants.  The key, say breakfast believers, is finding the right mix of quality, convenience , affordability and health to convince consumers that their next dining-out occasion or business meeting should be at morning meal.

About 60% of restaurant business growth over the past five years has come from the breakfast daypart, NPD data indicates. “And breakfast will continue on a strong growth path over the next decade, “ Bonnie Riggs, restaurant analyst for NPD predicted.  For the year ended in June 2010, American consumers made about 13 billion visits to restaurants, up 18% from about 11 billion in 2005, NPD said.

Consumers generally believe that eating breakfast is a healthy way to start the day, but we don’t really have time to fix breakfast in the morning.  Breakfast has become a traffic driver in the quick-service world, a segment that NPD predicts will see double-digit growth in breakfast sales over the next decade.

Sales for dine-in breakfasts at QSRs grew by 13% over the past five years, while sales of breakfasts ordered to go increased by 9% during the same period, NPD said.  QSRs that have been expanding or testing breakfast menus include Wendy’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonald’s, Jamba Juice,  and Starbucks.

Source: Nation’s Restaurant News, 5/16

Key points

• Over a quarter of families have eaten breakfast at a restaurant as a family on a weekday during the past month, with fast food restaurants being the most widely used restaurant segment.

• Some 26% of families dine out together for weekend breakfasts; fast food is still the most popular choice. However, it seems that families are more diversified in their selection of restaurants, as the differential in usage across restaurant segments is incremental.

• Although few pizza restaurants offer breakfast, this daypart offers significant potential, as consumers would appreciate the ability to have a hot breakfast delivered, especially as family members get ready for their school/work days or relax in their pajamas on weekends.

 Weekday breakfast

The growing ability for parents to work from home creates more opportunity for families to eat breakfast together at a restaurant, given that there’s no need to rush off to the office. This is perhaps one reason why more than a quarter of families have eaten breakfast at a restaurant as a family on a weekday during the past month.

The ability for families to run out and pick up a convenient breakfast via drive-thru likely increases usage of fast food restaurants, with 18% of families using fast food restaurants for weekday breakfasts.

Weekend breakfast

The incidence of family usage for weekend breakfast at restaurants remains near weekday usage, with 26% of families dining out together for this meal.

Fast food is still the most popular option. However, it seems that families are more diversified in their choice of restaurants, as the differential is incremental. The time afforded on weekends certainly gives families greater flexibility to choose a meal where service takes longer.

• Few casual dining players actively participate in the breakfast daypart. Opportunities exist for casual restaurants within this daypart, because families have more time to dedicate to dining out. Offering late breakfast/brunch might be a way for casual players to attract families while building sales through an underutilized daypart. In particular, casual restaurants would be an enticing option for Sunday church-goers looking for a nice family dining experience.

Source: Mintel

New Study Shows Large Eggs are 14 Percent Lower in Cholesterol & 64 Percent Higher in Vitamin D

According to new nutrition data from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), eggs are lower in cholesterol than previously thought. The USDA-ARS recently reviewed the nutrient composition of standard large eggs, and results show the average amount of cholesterol in one large egg is 185 mg, 14 percent lower than previously recorded. The analysis also revealed that large eggs now contain 41 IU of vitamin D, an increase of 64 percent.

“We collected a random sample of regular large shell eggs from 12 locations across the country to analyze the nutrient content of eggs,” says Dr. Jacob Exler, Nutritionist with the Agricultural Research Service’s Nutrient Data Laboratory. “This testing procedure was last completed with eggs in 2002, and while most nutrients remained similar to those values, cholesterol decreased by 14 percent and vitamin D increased by 64 percent from 2002 values.”

The collected eggs were sent to a laboratory at Virginia Tech University to be prepared for nutrient analysis at certified nutrient analysis laboratories. The samples were randomly paired for the testing procedure, and the analysis laboratories tested samples to determine composition of a variety of nutrients including protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. Accuracy and precision were monitored using quality control samples.

According to Dr. Exler, this procedure is standard for the National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP), the program responsible for analyzing the nutrient composition of a wide variety of foods and making nutrition information publicly available. This information is available on the nutrient data lab Website at www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata. The new nutrient information will also be updated on nutrition labels to reflect these changes wherever eggs are sold, from egg cartons in supermarkets to school and restaurant menus. 

Cracking Egg Myths

Over the years, Americans have unnecessarily shied away from eggs – despite their taste, value, convenience and nutrition – for fear of dietary cholesterol. However, more than 40 years of research have demonstrated that healthy adults can enjoy eggs without significantly impacting their risk of heart disease. 

“My research focuses on ways to optimize diet quality, and I have long suspected that eliminating eggs from the diet generally has the opposite effect. In our own studies of egg intake, we have seen no harmful effects, even in people with high blood cholesterol,” says Dr. David Katz, Director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center.

Enjoying an egg a day can fall within current cholesterol guidelines, particularly if individuals opt for low-cholesterol foods throughout the day. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that eating one whole egg per day does not result in increased blood cholesterol levels and recommend that individuals consume, on average, less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. A single large egg contains 185 mg cholesterol.  

Some researchers believe the natural decrease in the cholesterol level of eggs could be related to the improvements farmers have made to the hens’ feed. Hens are fed a high-quality, nutritionally balanced diet of feed made up mostly of corn, soybean meal, vitamins and minerals. Poultry nutrition specialists analyze the feed to ensure that the natural nutrients hens need to stay healthy are included in their diets. Nutrition researchers at Iowa State University are compiling a report to outline potential reasons for the natural decrease in cholesterol in eggs. 

Nutrient-Rich Eggs

Eggs now contain 41 IU of vitamin D, which is an increase of 64 percent from 2002. Eggs are one of the few foods that are a naturally good source of vitamin D, meaning that one egg provides at least 10 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium absorption, helping to form and maintain strong bones. 

The amount of protein in one large egg – 6 grams of protein or 12 percent of the Recommended Daily Value – remains the same, and the protein in eggs is one of the highest quality proteins found in any food. Eggs are all-natural, and one egg has lots of vitamins and minerals all for 70 calories. The nutrients in eggs can play a role in weight management, muscle strength, healthy pregnancy, brain function, eye health and more. At less than 15 cents apiece, eggs are an affordable and delicious breakfast option.  

For more information on cholesterol and the nutritional benefits of eggs, visit www.incredibleegg.org.  or www.eggnutritioncneter.org; and for Foodservice recipes and information visit www.aeb.org/Foodservice.