It’s hard to imagine a world without mimosas, smoothie bowls, and avocado toast. These foods, after all, symbolize all that’s trendy for breakfast and brunch these days. And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with classic foods like bacon, eggs, and pancakes, it’s always fun to enjoy whatever is popular at the moment — while still reminiscing about popular foods that you loved as a kid, of course. With both trendy and nostalgic foods in mind, do you ever wonder what was most popular the year you were born?
Granted, it’s not like you could have eaten the most popular breakfast food when you came into this world. However, knowing about what was popular — breakfast or otherwise — is an interesting way to learn about the year or decade. Besides, much like clothes and art, food is such a strong representation of what was going on at the time.
It also explains why some old food trends seem so strange to us. Much of this had to do with the novelty and technological advancement of processed foods. Needless to say, people had no problem getting creative, which often resulted in super weird retro recipes! (But hey, as long as folks enjoyed them, that’s all that matters, right?)
Let’s take a stroll (er, scroll) down memory lane and look at what breakfast foods were popular during the year you were born. You might even learn something about your favorite foods.
1950 — Cappuccino
After World War II came to an end, “foreign” foods (like Italian cuisine) were adopted by Americans. The cappuccino, a traditional Italian beverage, was especially trendy. These days, it’s just as popular!
1951 — SPAM
SPAM was all the rage in the 1950s. And while it was usually paired with pancakes or eggs for breakfast, people found ways to eat it with literally every meal.
1952 — Pineapple Juice
During the early 1950s, families were loving the convenience (and shelf life) of canned goods. Pineapple juice, along with canned fruit in syrup, were hot during this time.
1953 — Cheez Whiz
On July 1st, 1953, Cheez Whiz went on sale for the first time. Aside from breakfast casseroles and omelettes, people often added it to lunch, dinner, and party appetizers.
1954 — Trix
Trix was one of the first sugary cereals to hit American grocery stores. As you can imagine, it was well-received by children. Over the next few decades, sugar-coated cereal like Trix would only become more popular.
1955 — Dunkin’ Donuts
Did you know that Dunkin’ Donuts was originally called Open Kettle? It was founded in 1948 by William Rosenberg. However, in 1950, Rosenberg decided to change the name to “Dunkin’ Donuts” to emphasize the restaurant’s specialty in both coffee and donuts. In 1955, the first Dunkin’ Donuts location opened. It did so well that the company opened up 100 shops over the next 10 years.
1956 — French Toast
By 1956, bread and pastry dishes like French toast had been popular for quite some time. But by the mid-1950s, these foods were officially in heavy rotation. In fact, French toast was so trendy that it became a staple during breakfast and lunch.
1957 — Bisquick
In 1957, boxed products like Bisquick — a super convenient pre-made baking mix — had stolen the spotlight. It was often used to make family favorites like pancakes, waffles, and biscuits. (However, thanks to clever ads like this one, people also learned how to use it for cookies, doughnuts, and even pizza!)
1958 — Pancakes
Pancakes became even more popular in 1958. On July 18th, the first International House of Pancakes (IHOP) opened in Burbank, California. The rest, as they say, is history.
1959 — Chocolate Cereals
The late 1950s were all about chocolate cereals. After all, aside from tasting like an actual dessert, these cereals essentially turned milk into chocolate milk. It was a win-win for kids everywhere.
1960 — Bacon Pie
Bacon pie was the “it” breakfast (and dinner) of 1960. Basically, if a food manufacturer sold bacon, flour, or eggs, you can be sure that they released a bacon pie recipe.
1961 — Non-Fat Powdered Dairy Creamer
Thanks to the rise of processed food, powdered dairy creamer became an American staple. Pream, a brand of non-fat powdered dairy creamer, was especially popular during the 1950s and 1960s. Coffee-mate was also introduced on February 2nd, 1961.
1962 — PDQ Flavored Beads
Instant drinks were a hot commodity during the 1960s. This included PDQ Flavored Beads, a product that was produced by Ovaltine. These “milk flavoring” beads, which were available in strawberry, chocolate, and eggnog, were discontinued in 1996.
1963 — Grape-Nut Bread
The 1960s was no stranger to the cereal-in-bread concept. Grape-Nuts seemed to be the cereal of choice, but many other bread and cereal companies released their own recipes as well.
1964 — Lucky Charms
On March 20th, 1964, Lucky Charms was introduced. John Holahan, General Mills’ product developer at the time, thought of the idea after combining Cheerios with circus peanuts. (Fun fact: it was also inspired by the concept of charm bracelets!)
1965 — Kream Krunch
As the 1960s rolled by, sugary cereal like Kream Krunch continued to pick up steam. A lot of this had to do with the evolution of processed food and freeze-dried technology.
1966 — Carnation Instant Breakfast
By 1966, Carnation was a household name. They were best known for their instant breakfast product, which allowed folks to consume a “complete breakfast” in a single glass. It was also commonly enjoyed as a snack.
1967 — Pop-Tarts
As food became more convenient and less perishable, products like Pop-Tarts popped up. (See what I did there?) In fact, Pop-Tarts were so popular that Kellogg’s had a difficult time keeping up with production. (The original version, which didn’t have frosting, was released in 1964. The frosted version was first introduced in 1967.)
1968 — Eggos
Eggos was first introduced in 1953. However, it rose to fame when Kellogg’s acquired it in 1968 and gave the product its famous slogan, “Leggo My Eggo!” Clearly, Kellogg’s made the right move, because the phrase is still popular today.
1969 — Tang
In 1957, Tang was first released. It was marketed as an instant breakfast drink rich in vitamins A and C. But when the Apollo 11 crew landed on the moon in 1969 — and brought Tang with them — the product became super trendy.
1970 — Quiche
Bell-bottoms and ponchos aside, the 1970s was all about quiche. It wasn’t just enjoyed for breakfast, though. Quiche was also served at lunch, dinner, and parties. Simply put, quiche defined the 1970s.
1971 — Eggs Benedict
In 1971, Eggs Benedict became a breakfast and brunch staple. Originally, it was a popular dish at the famous Waldorf-Astoria New York hotel. But when the Chicago Tribune released an article called “Adventuring with Eggs” in 1971, folks were finally able to make it at home.
1972 — Refrigerated Biscuits
Another convenience food? You bet. In the early 1970s, refrigerated biscuit dough gained popularity as people became busier and had less time to cook.
1973 — McDonald’s Egg McMuffin
By 1973, Eggs Benedict was so trendy that McDonald’s created their own version: the Egg McMuffin. The sandwich was so successful that it set the tone for on-the-go breakfast culture.
1974 — Granola
Prior to the early 1970s, granola was eaten throughout the country, as it was brought to America by German immigrants. However, when Heartland Natural Cereal released the first mass-produced granola in 1972, the crunchy snack stole the show. By 1974, granola was considered a super trendy health food. (Crepes were “in” during this time, too.)
1975 — Carnation Breakfast Bar
Carnation, who was already known for their instant breakfast drinks, launched their convenient breakfast bars in 1975. They were such a hit that some say they sparked the energy bar trend. (Carnation Breakfast Bars were discontinued in 1996, and folks were not happy. There’s even a Facebook page dedicated to bringing them back.)
1976 — Breakfast Squares
In 1976, the breakfast bar trend continued in the form of breakfast squares. By now, it seemed like every packaged food company had produced some kind of on-the-go breakfast bar.
1977 — Denny’s Grand Slam Breakfast
Denny’s introduced their legendary Grand Slam Breakfast in 1977. Today, the restaurant chain is still known for this exact meal.
1978 — Croissants
Before World War II, croissants were primarily made by French bakers. But after the war came to an end, the evolution of food manufacturing helped bring croissants to the masses. They became especially popular throughout Europe and the United States in the late 1970s.
1979 — Slim Fast
While Slim Fast was created in 1977, it became a fad in 1979. Much of this had to do with society’s obsession with dieting and weight loss. The product, which was available as a powder and as pre-mixed shakes, was designed to be a breakfast and lunch replacement.
1980 — Cottage Cheese
The diet fad continued well into the next decade. By 1980, cottage cheese — a popular diet food of the 1930s — was all the rage once again. It became so trendy during this time period that it’s still known as “’80s diet food” today.
1981 — Quaker Chewy Granola Bars
Up until 1981, the popularity of granola prompted food manufacturers to produce crunchy granola bars. In 1981, however, Quaker Oats shook things up and produced chewy granola bars. They were an instant hit!
1982 — Yogurt
While yogurt had been around for ages, it saw a resurgence in 1982. A 1983 article in The New York Times stated that the year was full of new yogurt products, like Dannon’s yogurt for children and General Mills’ breakfast yogurt with fruit, nuts, and grains.
1983 — Chocolate Milk
According to a 1983 article in The New York Times, there was “a $363 million-a-year market for premixed chocolate milk.” Hersey and Nestle, who were known for their chocolate products, were at the forefront of this trend.
1984 — Cinnamon Toast Crunch
The trend of fun cereal lived on through the 1980s. In fact, it was just the beginning! In 1984, General Mills and Nestlé first launched Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Since then, it’s been one of America’s favorite cereals.
1985 — Granola Bars
Granola bars… again? Yup. Seriously, people were obsessed with the stuff. A 1987 Los Angeles Times article shares that granola bar sales peaked at $377.3 million in 1985. That’s a lot of granola bars, you guys.
1986 — Grapefruit
Like cottage cheese, grapefruit was a popular diet food of the 1930s. It returned in the 1980s and became so trendy that “The Grapefruit Diet” was created. Aside from eating half a grapefruit with every meal, the diet encouraged foods like bacon, eggs, and black coffee for breakfast.
1987 — Healthy Cereal
The obsession with dieting prompted many food manufacturers to release “healthy” cereals. Popular 1987 releases include Common Sense Oat Bran, Nutrific Cereal, and Pro Grain Cereal from Kellogg’s.
1988 — Oat Bran Muffins
By 1988, oat bran muffins took the health world by storm. A New York Times article published in 1988 even referred to the trend as “oat-bran-muffin mania.” There was such a high demand for oat bran muffins that many bakeries couldn’t keep up with production.
1989 — Frozen Meals
As manufacturers perfected the art of producing convenience food, frozen meals were created for literally every meal. By the late 1980s, it was possible to buy frozen breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks.
1990 — Slim Fast
In 1990, sales of meal replacement shakes grew 28%, according to a 1991 article in the Los Angeles Times. It was also a $1.3 billion business! Due to this popularity, Slim Fast saw success once again.
1991 — Quaker Instant Oatmeal with Dinosaur Eggs
Sugar, junk food, and artificial coloring saw its peak in the 1990s. And when it came to breakfast, Quaker’s Instant Oatmeal with dinosaur egg candies was especially trendy. Once cooked, the eggs “hatched” into dinosaurs. Kids loved it.
1992 — Bagel Bites
Thanks to the Bagel Bites theme song, pizza suddenly became an appropriate breakfast food. “Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at supper time…”
1993 — TV Show-Inspired Cereals
Novelty cereals were at it again during the 1990s. This time, however, they were often based on well-known characters from TV shows and movies. Popular cereal mascots included the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, C-3PO from Star Wars, and The Flintstones.
1994 — Trix Yogurt
By 1994, food coloring had even made its way into yogurt. A still-popular product was Trix Yogurt, the brainchild of Yoplait and General Mills.
1995 — Starbucks Frappuccinos
The Frappuccino was created by George Howell of Coffee Connection, a coffee shop in Boston. However, in 1994, Starbucks bought the Coffee Connection chain and adopted the Frappuccino recipe. When Starbucks launched Frappuccinos in 1995, the drink became a nationwide sensation.
1996 — Kudos Bars
Despite America’s obsession with granola bars, Kudos Bars were actually created in response to candy bars. Specifically, the product was designed to be a healthier alternative to candy bars that could be enjoyed as breakfast, lunch, or snacks. And while Kudos Bars were invented in 1986, they became exceptionally trendy during the 1990s.
1997 — Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
For several decades, Krispy Kreme was popular in the South. But by 1997, the doughnut chain had opened up locations in the North and West. In the same year, Krispy Kreme’s sales increased by 20 percent.
1998 — Oreo O’s
Oreo O’s were first introduced in 1998. The cereal was popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but was discontinued in 2007. However, when Post Cereals brought it back in 2017, ’90s kids everywhere rejoiced with happiness.
1999 — Go-Gurt
The trend of bright and colorful food continued to grow in the late 1990s. This prompted the launch of Go-Gurt, a kid’s yogurt that was designed to be eaten straight out of a tube.
2000 — Uncrustables
In 1998, Smuckers invented (and patented) Uncrustables, a sealed sandwich filled with peanut butter and jelly. By 2000, the product brought in $10 million in annual sales. (Today, Uncrustables is a $200 million business and is just as popular.)
2001 — Smoothies
Despite the food coloring and sugar of the 1990s, health food began to pick up steam in the early 2000s. Smoothies were especially trendy, as more and more people looked for new ways to eat more fruits and veggies. These days, smoothies are so popular that smoothie bars have become the norm.
2002 — Organic Produce
The organic food movement started in the early 1990s. Folks were learning more about pesticides and fertilizers, and they were not happy. This demand for organic produce filtered into the early 2000s, and by 2002, organic food had totaled $23 billion in sales. (That number doubled by 2016, when organic food sales totaled $46 billion.)
2003 — Lattes
By 2003, lattes were the “go-to” beverage of the coffee world. To top things off, Starbucks first introduced the almighty pumpkin spice latte this year. Since then, lattes (and autumn) have never been the same.
