How Yogurt Became A Staple Of American Breakfasts

When you think of American breakfast, what comes to mind? Most likely, you'll imagine eggs, toast, bacon, pancakes, and sausage. These are the classics, served at your favorite breakfast diner — but American breakfast at home often looks quite different, since we don't all have time to serve up extravagant sweet and spicy French toast breakfast sandwiches every morning. Breakfast at home is often simple and filling: Think bagels and cream cheese, oatmeal, smoothies, or our personal favorite, yogurt. Whether you like it plain with a little bit of honey or with some protein-packed granola, a bowl of yogurt — especially Greek yogurt — is one of the healthiest ways to start your day. But it didn't always have its own separate section in the grocery store; in fact, yogurt didn't truly take off in the U.S. until the 1980s.

Yogurt dates back to ancient times. For thousands of years, yogurt has been a culinary staple in cultures across the world, from India to Turkey to Saudi Arabia. It didn't reach the U.S. until the 1940s, though. At first, yogurt's tart, acidic taste wasn't the most appealing to Americans, who were used to dairy products that were loaded with sugar. Then, in 1977, a Dannon commercial called "Georgians Over 100" changed Americans' view of yogurt forever. The commercial essentially claimed that the company's low-fat yogurt helps people live longer, and this narrative led to a shift in people viewing it as a health food. From then on, the yogurt industry began to grow exponentially; by the early 1980s — a decade fueled by the desire to eat a low-fat diet — yogurt sales were seeing a 19% growth each year.

Although Americans were beginning to view yogurt as a healthy food, much of the yogurt that grew popular in the '80s and '90s ironically featured a ton of sugar. Dannon's yogurt with fruit at the bottom of the cup was invented to appeal to Americans' need for sweets. And yet, it was still seen as a healthier alternative to eating a stack of pancakes. However, come the 21st century, more and more people were seeing the importance of protein and the not-so-great qualities of sugar with the rise of Greek yogurt.

Of all the differences between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt, perhaps the most crucial is that the former has more than twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt does. Companies used this to their advantage in popularizing the sub-category of yogurt, which allowed it to become the breakfast food it is today. Greek yogurt has more protein than an egg, and all it requires is a simple peeling of an aluminum lid: No cleanup necessary. What more could on-the-go Americans want from breakfast food?

Today, the yogurt aisle has everything from almond milk yogurts to Icelandic skyrs — and there are still plenty of options for those who prefer to start their day with a handful of M&Ms too. No matter the variety or the sugar content, yogurt has certainly made its mark as an American breakfast staple, and it's sure to remain that way for a long time.