Breakfast trends influencing Canadians' morning meals
For Canadians, the so-called most important meal of the day might also be the most conservative. While consumers are becoming increasingly adventurous with lunches and dinners, inspired by global flavours and popular social media recipes, breakfast in Canada remains more bound to long-standing staples.
According to a 2025 category survey from Innova Market Insights, bread is the most widely purchased breakfast food, with 92% of Canadian consumers bringing it home on a typical grocery shop. More than 50% buy meat and eggs and about 25% purchase breakfast cereals.
But, this doesn’t mean everything about the morning meal occasion is set in stone. Research from Ipsos Five indicates 51% of Canadians are altering their overall purchasing behaviours to mitigate cost of living—breakfast products included. And convenience has become even more important as more people return to on-site work.
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On top of that, not everyone’s breakfast is the same. “Younger consumers, particularly gen Z, are much more fluid in how they approach breakfast,” says Angie Sell, communications manager at Nature’s Path Organic Foods. “They’re more likely to skip a traditional sit-down meal in favour of something portable or snack-like.”
Millennials—particularly those with young children—are navigating a balancing act, says Sell. “They want products that meet their own standards for organic, clean ingredients, but that their kids will actually eat,” she explains, adding that older consumers are more loyal to traditional staples and breakfast routines.
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David Alexander, vice-president, snacking, meal solutions and grocery at Maple Leaf Foods, says Canada’s ever-changing demographics are also fuelling shifts.
“Population growth is coming from increasingly diverse communities, which brings different dietary needs, food preferences and flavour expectations.”
With all of this in mind, here are the trends making an impact on Canadians’ breakfast tables:
The quest for convenience
In waging the morning battle to get out the door, Canadians are increasingly looking to foods that can be consumed quickly at home or on the go. They’re also expecting these items to provide enduring fuel. “Consumers are looking for products that pull double duty,” says Sell.
“Something that’s affordable, filling and versatile enough to work as both breakfast and a snack.” She highlights Nature’s Path’s EcoPacs line of cereals as an example of her company addressing this need.
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Recognizing that consumers are seeking convenience and don’t want to default to foods that don’t provide satiety, Maple Leaf launched a line of savoury frozen breakfast products, which include Schneiders Breakfast Sandwiches and Schneiders Breakfast Bites.
“We’ve taken what has historically worked in QSR and brought it into retail with more value, more flexibility and less friction,” says Alexander. “What we offer keeps the parts people love—great taste and convenience—while removing the pain points.”
Other food companies such as Burnbrae Farms are also getting into the act, offering breakfast items in a variety of convenience-oriented formats. Burnbrae’s portfolio includes Egg Creations sandwiches, Egg Bakes and Eggs2go, the latter consisting of hard-boiled eggs in portable packaging.
“There are more of those ready-to-eat options in the freezer section—better and healthier options than there used to be,” says Evan Hall, senior category manager for Goodness Me! Natural Food Market, adding that customers are also purchasing more frozen fruit and vegetables in bulk.
Beyond protein
A desire to start the day healthy with foods that offer functional benefits is nothing new for consumers, but what that means is in the eye of the beholder and influenced by prevailing trends. In recent years, for example, just about every product that can reasonably claim to be high in protein has shouted it from the grocery shelf tops.
Of course, protein has always had a seat at the breakfast table, being that it’s a meal long rooted in staples such as eggs and yogurt. But Hall says protein isn’t the only health game in town.
“The protein conversation got people thinking about what they’re deficient in, but most North Americans get enough protein,” Hall says, while claiming fibre is a more commonly missing ingredient.
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“Gut health seems to be more of a focus,” Hall continues, listing Truely Cereal and Farm Girl Cereal among the breakfast products that balance protein, fibre and low-sugar benefits. Sell agrees, noting that while Nature’s Path has expanded its offerings of protein-rich granola products featuring plant-based sources, the company has also noticed a heightened emphasis on digestive aids.
“We’re seeing growing interest in fibre and gut health, particularly as shoppers think about breakfast as the foundation for their day,” she says, naming the manufacturer’s Love Crunch cereal brand as a prime example. “In the year ahead, we’re prioritizing fibre-rich, whole grain ingredients that support digestive health.”
Sell adds that it’s important to communicate these benefits “in a way that feels approachable and familiar—not overly functional or clinical.”
New Canadians, new needs
As Maple Leaf’s Alexander noted earlier, Canada’s changing demographics are bringing change to the breakfast occasion. “There are many consumers who don’t eat pork, who are looking for vegetarian options or who want flavours that feel culturally relevant,” he says.
Witnessing this trend prompted Maple Leaf to launch Musafir, a South Asian-inspired brand with vegetarian and chicken products including Masala Omelette Bites. “It’s not about reinventing breakfast, it’s about expanding it so more Canadians can see themselves in the category,” Alexander says. “We’re innovating with inclusivity very deliberately to reflect the diversity of Canadians and the bold new flavours that people seek.”
READ: Canadians have a growing appetite for global cuisines
At Burnbrae, meanwhile, newcomers to Canada are demonstrating that our country doesn’t rule the roost in terms of egg consumption. According to Margaret Hudson, president and CEO, countries such as Mexico and China have much higher per capita egg consumption than Canada, underscoring room for growth here at home.
“As our demographics continue to shift towards countries with higher egg consumption, Canadians continue to consume more eggs on average,” Hudson says. “To support this, Burnbrae is working to make larger pack sizes more readily available across the country, such as the 18-pack and trays of 24 and 30 eggs.”
Merchandising the morning
Extending across product categories and from the bakery to the frozen section, breakfast provides both opportunities and challenges for effective merchandising.
Evan Hall of Goodness Me! says his store engages in cross-merchandising efforts such as placing cream cheese in proximity to bagels. “But [product] demos are really the biggest thing for us,” he says.
Clear communication, from packaging to signage, is also critical, according to Angie Sell of Nature’s Path. “Secondary placements and endcaps can be especially powerful when they intercept shoppers who are on a quick, routine mission,” she says.
Sell also notes that timing can mean everything. “We work closely with retailers on seasonal moments like back-to-school or New Year resets, when breakfast habits are being re-evaluated.”
Burnbrae Farms engages in this strategy, too, with special packaging that acknowledges annual cultural traditions such as Lunar New Year.
READ: Demand for Asian cuisines extends from restaurant menus to grocery aisles
For David Alexander of Maple Leaf Foods, recent trends have led to loftier goals. “For many people, egg bites and breakfast sandwiches were historically drive-thru foods … Our goal is to help build a new routine where consumers know exactly where to find these products every week,” he says.
This article was first published in Canadian Grocer’s February 2026 issue.
