Why Donuts Are Considered Breakfast Food In The US

Donuts are a breakfast staple. Served in early office meetings, at the Sunday morning table, or picked up on one's morning coffee run, there is no escaping the pastry's breakfast associations. The fried pastries, which have either a yeast or cake base, are often covered in icing. On the surface, they more closely resemble a dessert. So then, how, exactly, did donuts become a breakfast staple? 

Let's go back to the beginning. After all, donuts were not always a breakfast food. What we now know as donuts originated in Holland in the 19th century. Back then, donuts were called olykoeks, which translates to "oily cakes" in English. These cakes were brought to the United States by Dutch immigrants and quickly became a hit state-side as a snack food. It wasn't until the mid-20th century that the food became a breakfast treat, thanks to the invention of donut machines. 

These machines made donuts a bakery staple. Because many bakeries relied on selling coffee in the mornings along with their daily bread, soon, coffee and donuts became inseparable. Shops like Dunkin' focused almost exclusively on selling the bitter-and-sweet pairing. A morning donut paired with coffee soon became a quick and easy breakfast for those on the go, and from there, the pastry became a breakfast classic. 

It seems that the core of donuts' breakfast ties lies in its association with coffee, the caffeinated beverage that is a morning staple for many across the globe. However, donuts aren't the only pastry heavily associated with coffee. In France, for example, coffee (or espresso, or a foamy noisette) is often served alongside a croissant (which Marie Antoinette actually didn't bring to France) or pain au chocolat. In Mexico, conchas, sweet bread in the shape of sea shells, are a popular breakfast food that is often served with coffee. So it seems that sweet treats and coffee are a match made in heaven. And it's easy to see why.

Donuts (and other pastries) make a great contrast to bitter, acidic coffee beverages. The sugar and fat content of donuts contrast these flavors well and balance them out. The texture of donuts is also a perfect match for coffee, as the texture (whether cake or yeast-based) absorbs coffee well, making it perfect for dipping into your drink. Beyond flavor, donuts are a great base for your morning coffee. Coffee tends to be harsh on the stomach, and drinking a cup without food can cause an upset stomach. Donuts and other pastries form the perfect cushion to help prevent any coffee-caused stomach aches. 

There might also be another reason that donuts (and the donut/coffee pairing) is such a popular breakfast choice: energy. The combination of caffeine and carbs provided by coffee and donuts gives diners a fast jolt of energy that perks them up in the morning. The sugar and bread in donuts is rich in simple carbohydrates, which provide fast energy. Caffeine, too, provides quick energy, which can help those who love this combination to feel awake in the morning.

Of course, the energy provided by this combination is short-lived and may end up making you feel tired after a few hours. This is opposed to more filling and sustainably energizing foods such as protein-rich eggs or fiber-rich oatmeal, which are less likely to cause an insulin spike. So maybe reconsider that donut breakfast if you're looking to stay awake and alert all day. Still, this doesn't mean that you should avoid donuts entirely. After all, they are a breakfast classic, and there is no denying the simple pleasure of indulging in a morning cup of coffee paired with the perfect, hot-off-the-conveyor-belt glazed donut. And isn't life about the small things? There is no need to poke holes in such a delicious food, no matter what time of day you choose to eat it.