The latest Incredible Breakfast Trends from American Egg Board (AEB) chronicle Millennials, Daypart blurring and Creativity, exploring their effects on morning fare. Here’s what’s driving breakfast options:

Millennials: Taking over

The Millennial generation is slowly pushing its way to dominance as the most important consumer group influencing food marketers. Eighty million strong, Millennials differ from previous generations in their attitudes about food:

• Whole foods are preferred over processed foods
• 80 percent want to know more about how their food is grown
• Food is seen as an opportunity for exploration
• Customizing food options is seen as a need, not a luxury
• Value is very important to them, yet it includes factors beyond cost

Daypart blurring proteins

The Millennials’ habit of eating whatever/whenever they want is eroding daypart boundaries. One current trend is to mix up proteins and introduce pulled pork, prosciutto or even lobster alongside eggs in the breakfast segment. Yet at the same time, eggs are migrating beyond traditional breakfast offerings onto burgers, sandwiches and even pizzas, which are suitable for serving any time of day.

Another winning equation for anytime dining is the breakfast sandwich. Its easy to follow pattern—egg, cheese, secondary protein option and bread—leaves plenty of room for creativity with unexpected ingredients or popular sauces like Sriracha. The blending of favorite breakfast and traditional lunch/dinner foods creates new and exciting meals, and is well suited to today’s lifestyles.

Creativity makes economic sense

A huge factor in consumers’ choice of restaurants is the ability to customize their food. According to Mintel, this is true for more than 80 percent of all consumers, and 85 percent of Millennials. That feeling of control comes with a certain satisfaction and makes consumers less price sensitive. Getting creative with options for customizing breakfast gives consumers the choices they crave and avoids taste fatigue.

“Eggs’ versatility makes them the ideal ingredient to pair up with other proteins, trendy sauces or even exotic spices to meet the demand for blurred daypart meals and appeal to the Millennials’ desire for customization,” says Elisa Maloberti, AEB director of egg product marketing. “And this versatility isn’t limited to the foodservice sector. Front and center as the main ingredient in a freezer case handheld sandwich application or in a supporting role within a formulation, eggs are extremely functional and contribute to a clean ingredient label, naturally.”