Breakfast Best Sellers Aren’t Just for Breakfast Anymore

Supply chains that are spurred by carefree anything and anytime-goes dining habits, while much improved, can still be erratic, and by growing interest in global foods, lunch and dinner menus are finding room for items based on three favorite carryovers from the morning meal.

Consumers are more than accepting of the breakfast for dinner trend and while it doesn’t mean a bowl of cereal suffices, at least in foodservice settings, they’re fully on board with daypart mixing and matching. In fact, a 2022 consumer poll reported that 65% of respondents pretty much said, “Heck, yeah, bring it on!” when asked if they like breakfast foods for later-day meals.¹

From highbrow fare to cozy, comforting, and familiar, here are some buzzy menu items that wake up lunch and dinner menus with egg-, bacon-, and sausage-enhanced offerings. Some are built from the ground up while others gain “value-added” appeal with simple-to-execute reworks of standard items. Mac and cheese, meatloaf, burgers, salads, wraps, and pizzas count among familiar foodservice fare that can be leveled up by grabbing from the breakfast pantry.

Eggs for Lunch and Dinner

• Broccoli rabe, burrata, and roasted garlic frittata
• Appolonia pizza with Parmesan, buffalo mozzarella, salami, extra-virgin olive oil, basil, garlic, and eggs
• Bibimbap with vegetables, gochujang, bulgogi, and a soft-fried egg
• Uovo ravioli with soft egg topped with pancetta, sautéed pea shoots, and carrots
• Salade Lyonnaise of mixed greens, lardons, croutons, and mustard vinaigrette topped with a poached egg
• Okonomiyaki savory Japanese cabbage and egg pancake with octopus, honey-chili gastrique, bonito, and sriracha mayo
• Oeufs mimosa of deviled eggs with smoked trout roe and Espelette pepper
• Turkish cilbir garlicky yogurt with Aleppo chili butter, tomato achaar, soft poached eggs, and torn fresh herbs

Bacon for Lunch and Dinner

• Grilled chicken wrap with Applewood smoked bacon, mixed greens, cilantro, Tajin, avocado, and crispy tortilla strips
• Bucatini carbonara with pancetta, egg yolks, cream, onion, smoked bacon, parsley, and grana padano cheese
• Seared bacon-wrapped sea scallops with scampi sauce
• Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with grilled asparagus, roasted artichokes, crispy potatoes, and charred tomato emulsion
• Two smash burger patties with bacon, provolone cheese, tomato, cured pork belly, pickled onions, taro stem, cilantro, and Thai jaew bong mayo on a pub bun
• Applewood bacon-wrapped meatloaf with prime beef, Kurobuta pork, Jidori chicken served with truffled mac and cheese, mushrooms, and sherry reduction

Sausage for Lunch and Dinner

• Red beans seasoned with tasso ham, served over rice with smoky sausage and cornbread
• Mexican hash with potatoes, chorizo sausage, onion, bell peppers, jalapeños, queso fresco, sour cream, and salsa
• Greens and beans with escarole, cannellini beans, roasted garlic, and sausage sauced with chicken stock
• Orecchiette pasta with tomatoes, onion, wood-fired peppers, grilled sausage, and pecorino d’Sardo
• Risotto del boscaiolo with Arborio rice, sausage, peas, mushrooms, spinach, and diced tomatoes with creamy demi glace
• Lemongrass pork banh mi sandwich with sausage, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, jalapeños, and lemon fish sauce

_{Source: Breakfast for Dinner? 65% of Americans say, “Yes, Please!” (Happy Egg Co., 2022)}

^{The information provided is based on a general industry overview and is not specific to your business operation. Each business is unique, and decisions related to your business should be made after consultation with appropriate experts.}