It’s the most wonderful time of the year again: awards season. In anticipation of the Academy Awards at the end of this month, many of us will be catching up on the nominated flicks, planning Oscar-themed viewing parties, or snuggling up on the couch watching some all-time favorites. No matter what your plans are, there will no doubt be food involved.
All of this eating and watching has us thinking about our favorite food scenes in movies, specifically those involving the most important meal of the day: breakfast. So feast your eyes on this collection of cinema's most appealing morningtime spreads from the past twenty-five (plus!) years of popular American film:
Matilda (1996)
There are many noteworthy food moments in Roald Dahl’s book-turned-movie classic, but watching the four-year-old cook perfectly golden pancakes for herself steals our hearts every time. Plus, she sets the table and reads the newspaper so charmingly.
A Little Princess (1995)
Basked in an orange sunrise glow, the spread in this touching movie about a girl banished to a life of servitude in a boarding school is a Sunday morning dream—from the plates of fresh croissants and tropical fruit to the silver tray of steaming hot sausages.
Wedding Crashers (2005)
As Owen Wilson’s character John Beckwith tries to convince Vince Vaughn’s character Jeremy Grey to stay on and be his wingman at the post-wedding retreat the pair just crashed, Jeremy piles his plate shockingly high with bacon, scrambled eggs, waffles, home fries, and scones, all topped off with a healthy drizzle of maple syrup. Jeremy’s mountainous portion size is not surprising, considering the insane amount of wedding cake he consumed in the opening scene.
Groundhog Day (1993)
Once Bill Murray’s character Phil realizes he is stuck in an existential time loop, living each day over and over again, he throws caution to the wind and lives out our food-ordering fantasies by getting every item on the breakfast menu, free of guilt. Rita, played by Andie McDowell, sits and watches in disgust as Phil shoves an entire piece of cake in his mouth.
Elf (2003)
The breakfast spread in this holiday comedy looks delicious—but in a disturbing sort of way. There is an enormous platter of spaghetti from which Will Ferrell’s character Buddy serves himself a healthy portion topped with marshmallows, Smarties, maple syrup, chocolate sauce, and Pop Tarts. It’s every kid’s junk food dream.
No Strings Attached (2011)
This friends-with-benefits flick ends exactly like we’d want our own romances to: with a smorgasbord of traditional diner breakfast dishes. Amid the feasting, Ashton Kutcher’s character Adam endearingly notes that Natalie Portman’s character Emma eats like a small prehistoric animal. Don’t try that line with a loved one.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
The breakfast in this iconic Sofia Coppola film is not only memorable for the awkward, first date sort of silence, but also for the elegant spread of dainty pastries, the fine tableware, and the asparagus tower.
Casper (1995)
Here’s one of the creepier breakfasts on this list—and it’s courtesy of a friendly ghost. We’re still haunted by the strange contraption that cracks and fries eggs, by Casper's translucent hand that strains the orange juice, by the steaming stack of pancakes, and by the way his uncles rapidly demolish the pastries.
Pleasantville (1998)
Imagine waking up in a completely different decade, a time when gluten-free bread and superfood smoothies don’t exist. (Hooray!) That’s exactly what happens in Pleasantville: Teenage siblings Jennifer and David, played by Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire, are presented with a breakfast spread that is an absolute carb fest: pancakes, eggs, sausage, crisp bacon, a ham steak, and a mountain of biscuits, all flooded with maple syrup.
The Parent Trap (1998)
Young Lindsay Lohan, who plays twins Annie and Hallie (and, in this scene, she plays Annie playing Hallie), wakes up to a stack of humongous chocolate chip pancakes, french toast, bacon, a tall glass of OJ and crispy toast in a classic Nancy Meyers’ kitchen. What’s memorable is not what she eats but what she doesn’t eat: She takes a single bite of said toast and completely ignores the delicious feast laid out before her.
The Vow (2012)
As much as Channing Tatum himself has won our hearts in this scene (and in every movie he has ever been in), the breakfast his character Leo has prepared is not so bad either. In this romantic drama based on a true story, there is a sleek industrial table covered with sugar-sprinkled french toast, a plate of colorful cut-up fruit, and an adorable planted pot of rosemary.
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Even though it’s set in the early nineteenth century and based off of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this film’s breakfast wins the award (in my book) for all-time most relatable movie meal: the hangover cure. What really seals the deal is the immaculate spread of freshly-baked biscuits, a haunch of roast meat, tea sipped from delicate china, and an egg cracked into a glass of milk.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
In the opening scene of this R-rated comedy, Jason Segel’s character Peter tries to get over his ex with a giant bowl of Fruit Loops. Jason plays out every adult’s secret fantasy (but also, reality) of consuming sugary cereal while wearing sweatpants and watching TV, milk slurping included.
What's your favorite breakfast scene in a movie? Tell us in the comments below.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.