Before the first bell rings, how many students at Hingham High School are skipping the most important meal of the day? I hit the hallways to uncover the morning choices of our school to find out whether people are choosing extra minutes of sleep or kickstarting their days with a stack of fluffy pancakes. The results of the comprehensive poll are hot, showing the truth behind the morning hustle at Hingham and revealing the habits of dedicated daily eaters and intentional skippers.
I interviewed fifty peers at Hingham High School across all four grades, asking three questions to get a better sense of Hingham High’s breakfast habits. The first question was simply whether they have breakfast everyday, 1-3x a week, or never. I tallied each of their votes up to put together a pie chart representing the amount of students that make time to eat in the morning. Next, if they answered either everyday or 1-3x a week, I followed up with asking what their “go-to” breakfast is. Finally I concluded the interview with a vote whether they had a preference for pancakes or waffles to determine which was more popular.
By the Numbers: Who Eats and Who Skips?
Despite the overwhelming majority identifying as routine breakfast eaters, the select few answering “Never” attributed their absence of breakfast to lack of time. When asked about his breakfast habits, junior Mason Ross admitted he only has time for a quick bar and replied, “Does a snack count?” While it is most definitely a better option than nothing at all, Senior Madeleine Accettella shared her time saving hack to have “leftovers from dinner from the night before because they make the perfect quick breakfast.” With just a quick reheat, you can enjoy a pre-prepared, balanced meal ready to go. It was no surprise that Starbucks and Dunkin were other popular responses with Dunkin being the top choice for economic reasons as well as the general opinion conveyed by Junior Natalie Shaw that “Dunkin has the better food, but Starbucks has better drink choices.”
The “Go-To” Favorites – 3 most popular “go to” breakfasts:
- Bagel- Whether it be from Dunkin, Starbucks, or Atlantic Bagel, they are a simple yet delicious breakfast staple. Perfect to keep your hands warm on a chilly morning walk from far lot.
- Egg and Cheese- Another frequent response was a bacon egg and cheese sandwich. Either homemade or bought, it makes a great protein-rich option to start off the day.
- Yogurt, Fruit, and Granola- This top pick is a healthy yet delicious fan favorite with very little prep time needed. With so many different flavors and toppings to choose from it’s easy to create different combinations to switch it up depending on what you’re in the mood for.
Honorable mention picks include french toast, eggs, and croissants. Junior Eliza Powers commented that she always appreciates it when her dad bakes homemade banana bread because “It makes for a convenient, delicious breakfast all week!”
Pancakes or Waffles?
To conclude the collective breakfast poll was the age old debate over pancakes or waffles. Despite the claim that waffles are clearly superior in the syrup holding department, it could be argued that pancakes have the same abilities in terms of absorption which leaves the question – which is better? A shocking number of participants sided with pancakes, supporting their arguments with comments regarding pancakes’ unbeatable soft texture and stack-ability.
