The Food Channel has released its Breakfast Trends report, leading one editor to do a little thinking about that most important meal of the day.
. For the full trends report, check it out here. 

If it were up to me, I’d just have breakfast all the time. When people talk about breakfast being the most important meal of the day, I have to agree—although not necessarily because of anything to do with nutrition, blood sugar levels, or weight control.

No, I think it’s important because I have a lot of memories built around breakfasts.

When I was a child, we were a pretty traditional family, actually sitting down to breakfast or at least greeting each other as we passed through the kitchen on our way to school and work.

As a college student, I was one of the few who got up for breakfast, and I enjoyed having a quiet start to the day that included a cup of coffee and conversation with a few other early risers. It even led to a date or two with a nice guy who was another early riser!

On weekends, my grandparents would pick me up from my residence hall and take me out for pancakes. We’d go to Village Inn, where I’d get chocolate chip pancakes, or to a local dive called Hamby’s, where the waitresses were rude and the biscuits and gravy were delicious.

As a full-fledged adult, I enjoy leisurely breakfasts with my family. Some Saturdays we cook at home, making waffles and bacon with homemade syrup. Sometimes we go out, where someone else makes our hash browns extra crispy and our eggs perfectly over easy.

I’m a fan of breakfast in bed, with a husband who knows how to make gorgeous, fluffy, perfectly seasoned scrambled eggs . . . complete with a rosebud plucked from the bushes in our yard.

And, I’m a fan of breakfast for dinner. A quick scramble, a protein-filled crepe, a little fruit, and it’s on the table.

Breakfast can be one of the easiest meals of the days. Egg casseroles that can be made ahead and just popped into the oven. Beautiful loaves of bread, nicely browned coffeecakes with toasted almonds on top, muffins. And don’t even get me started on coffee.

Breakfast foods are great for entertaining, too—whether you call it breakfast, brunch or dinner. We laugh with friends about the time I invited them over for stuffed french toast (see recipe) and he thought I said something about “fresh roast.” So his expectations had to he quickly adjusted when the meat and mashed potatoes didn’t appear, but raspberry glazed brioche stuffed with creamy cheese and covered with toasted walnuts did. (Trust me, there were no complaints).

See? Memories. A good breakfast is like starting the day with a celebration. So bring on the do-ahead casseroles, the poppy seed bread, and the depth of a rich, dark espresso.

I’ll be here, waiting to start the most important part of the day.

Be sure to check out The Food Channel’s 2011 Breakfast Trends report, here.