Breakfast is an important meal ... any time of the day. That was an important conclusion by The Food Channel, Chicago, which partnered with CultureWaves and the International Food Futurists on The Food Channel's "Top Ten Breakfast Trends for 2011." 

"In our breakfast survey of Food Channel readers, one thing quickly became clear.  Most of us still recognize breakfast as the most important meal of the day," said Kay Logsdon, editor of The Food Channel.  "It's all new, though.  Now it's OK to eat chocolate for breakfast, and we are eating our morning meal in two parts-grabbing that first cup of coffee at home and adding to it with something at the office."

The Food Channel Top Ten Breakfast Trends in 2011

1. Oatmeal in Overdrive-oatmeal is becoming a real mainstream staple

2. Chocolate for Breakfast-with its healthful benefits, chocolate is being promoted as a breakfast product

 3. Fast Foods Battle Over Breakfast-the breakfast daypart has become the key battleground in the quick service restaurant category

4. Haute Coffee Comes Home-to save money, caffeine-seekers are opting to brew their own coffee at home
  
5. Ethnic Invasion-global influences start to creep into the morning meal
 
6. Beverage Choice Choke-breakfast drink menus keep expanding beyond coffee and O.J.

7. Hot Pizza in the A.M.-pizza is predicted to be one of the hottest menu items for breakfast

8. Breakfast Ingredients All Day Long-breakfast ingredients work their way into other parts of the daily menu

9. The Breakfast Two-Step-a pattern of people fueling up with caffeine and protein in a two-stage process

10. Eggs Crack the Top Ten-eggs to hatch a big comeback this year