10 Unbelievable News Headlines Surrounding Breakfast

Breakfast is often called “the most important meal of the day” for good reason. Whether you choose a savory breakfast such as scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, a sweet breakfast such as pancakes, waffles, or french toast, or a more health-conscious option such as yogurt, oatmeal, or a smoothie, the choices we make for our morning meal can set the tone for the entire day ahead.

While breakfast is a meal meant to energize and nourish us, both the meal itself and individual breakfast foods have also been at the center of some intriguing news headlines, but not for the reasons you might think. Rather than highlighting new recipes, showcasing studies detailing health benefits, or informing of an important food recall, these breakfast-related stories don’t fit into any traditional newsworthy categories.

Instead, what has been known as the most important meal of the day has found itself at the heart of crime, tragedy, absurdity, and heartwarming news stories that are anything but ordinary.

Related: 10 Weird Court Cases Featuring Supernatural Beings

10 Fatal Spoonful: How One Man Used a Bowl of Cereal to Conceal a Murder

On the morning of September 29, 2014, Jason Harris dropped his two children off at daycare before heading to work. Later that day, he asked a neighbor to check on his wife, 36-year-old Christina Ann Thompson Harris, who wasn’t responding to his calls or texts. When the neighbor arrived at their Davidson, Michigan home, she found Christina unresponsive in bed—cold to the touch, with foam coming from her mouth and nose.

The neighbor called another local woman, a registered nurse, who rushed over and dialed 911. But it was too late—Christina was already dead.

Jason arrived shortly before the police. He claimed he had prepared Christina a bowl of cereal the night before, but she had trouble holding the spoon and passed out mid-meal. He said he helped her into bed, and they both went to sleep. That morning, he recalled, she was coughing and in a restless sleep, supposedly battling a bad cold.

Her death was initially ruled an accidental heroin overdose—a finding that stunned her family. Just two days later, relatives went to the police, insisting Christina never used drugs. They pointed to the frozen breast milk she’d saved for their eight-month-old baby. Lab tests confirmed there were no traces of heroin in any of the samples.

Investigators began digging deeper. Jason had been messaging other women around the time of Christina’s death, and two of his siblings said he’d talked about wanting to “get rid of” her. He didn’t want a divorce because he feared paying child support or losing custody. At one point, he even tried hiring a hitman—who was caught and sent back to prison while surveilling Christina.

When that plan failed, Jason allegedly asked a coworker to kill his wife. Eventually, authorities believe, he decided to do it himself—by lacing her cereal with heroin.

Christina’s cause of death was reclassified as a homicide. On August 27, 2019, Jason Harris was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, solicitation of murder, and delivery of a controlled substance causing death. In 2021, he was sentenced to life in prison.^[1]

9 Community Rallies with Sweet Form of Support

John and Stella Chhan came to Orange County, California as Cambodian refugees in 1979. After years of hard work, they opened Donut City in Seal Beach, where they served fresh donuts side-by-side for over three decades. But everything changed in 2018.

While attending a pre-wedding party on September 22, Stella suddenly felt dizzy. She went home to rest, but when John couldn’t wake her later, he rushed her to the hospital. Doctors discovered she had suffered a brain aneurysm, which left her partially paralyzed, unable to speak, and in need of long-term care at a rehabilitation facility.

John was suddenly alone at the shop. Though he needed to keep the business running, what he wanted most was more time with Stella. So, each day, as soon as he sold out of donuts, he would close the shop and head straight to be with her.

When customers heard what had happened, they wanted to help. Some offered to start a GoFundMe, but John declined. He didn’t want donations—he just wanted more hours with his wife. So the community found another way: They rallied to help him sell out faster.

Word spread quickly—online, in local newsletters, and through good old-fashioned word of mouth. Customers began lining up early and buying more, with some coming from across the country. Thanks to the outpouring of support, John started selling out by 7 a.m., freeing up more time to be at Stella’s side.

At first, it wasn’t clear if Stella would survive—let alone return to work. However, in February 2019, the 64-year-old made a remarkable recovery and began working limited shifts again. John and Stella both credited the community’s kindness with helping her heal.^[2]

8 The Festival of the Giant Omelet

France is known for its wine, cheese, and vibrant food festivals—but one of its most eye-catching events is the Fête de l’Omelette Géante (Giant Omelette Festival) in Bessières, a small village northeast of Toulouse. This annual three-day Easter event includes parades, egg hunts, and performances—all leading up to the main attraction: cooking a 15,000-egg omelet.

The tradition began in 1973 and is organized by a group called the Global Brotherhood of the Knights of the Giant Omelette. On Easter Monday, the town square is blocked off, and volunteers in yellow and white gather to crack eggs into large bowls. Meanwhile, 18 gallons (68 liters) of duck fat heat in a 13-foot (3.9-meter) wide frying pan over an open fire.

Once the eggs are prepped, they’re whisked in giant aluminum pots using mixers typically meant for concrete. Chives, salt, pepper, and piment d’Espelette—a mild chili pepper—are added before the mixture is poured into the sizzling pan. Volunteers then stir the mixture with massive wooden paddles until the giant omelet is cooked.

After about 30 minutes, the omelet is ready to be served. Festival-goers receive paper plates and wooden forks, and everyone eats for free. Thousands attend, and the event has become a beloved culinary celebration for locals and tourists alike.

Legend has it that the tradition was inspired by Napoleon, who once enjoyed an omelet so much at a nearby inn that he asked for a giant version to feed his troops. Whether or not the story is true, the festival has taken on a legendary life of its own—bringing people together through food and folklore.^[3]

7 Ma’am, This Is not McDonald’s

At approximately 10:12 a.m. on March 16, 2018, 44-year-old Lizabeth Ildefonso rolled down the window of her 2007 Nissan and asked for a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich. While this request might not seem out of the ordinary, unfortunately for Ildefonso, there was just one problem with placing her order—she was at the county jail.

It seems Ildefonso had driven up to the security office at the Riverhead Correctional Facility on the north shore of Long Island, New York. Deputy Sheriff Yvonne DeCaro then informed Ildefonso that she was outside a jail. Ildefosno, however, didn’t quite seem to comprehend the mistake and “insisted that she really wanted a sandwich.”) Aside from mistaking the medium-to-maximum security facility for a McDonald’s, DeCaro noticed that Ildefonso had dilated pupils, glassy eyes, and a “white powder residue in her left nostril.”

Ildefonso was asked to step out of the vehicle and was later arrested after performing poorly on standardized field sobriety tests. She was charged with felony Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs and driving without a license.^[4]

6 The Wednesday Breakfast Club

Freshman Sam Crowe, his cousin Owen, and seven friends from Bishop DuBourg High School in St. Louis, Missouri, had a tradition: breakfast at a local diner every Wednesday, thanks to their school’s late start. But in October 2021, Sam told his friends that his grandma’s cooking was way better than anything on the menu.

Sam’s grandmother, Peggy Winckowski, offered to cook for the group the following week. After one taste of her eggs, pancakes, and bacon—nicknamed “dawn delights”—the teens were hooked. Thus, the Wednesday Breakfast Club was born, and they gathered at her house each week to eat and laugh together.

The weekly breakfast grew into something more than just a meal. But in July 2022, tragedy struck. Sam was killed in a hit-and-run accident. Many assumed the Breakfast Club would quietly end.

Instead, it became a space for healing. Peggy kept her doors open, offering comfort and food to Sam’s grieving friends. Attendance grew—now around 30 teens regularly show up. On the second anniversary of Sam’s death, the group even hosted a breakfast-for-dinner in his honor.

Despite caring for her husband, who suffers from dementia and Parkinson’s, and living on a fixed income, Peggy continues the tradition. With help from local families and businesses supplying groceries, she’s determined to keep Sam’s spirit alive—one Wednesday breakfast at a time.^[5]

5 Pop Tart Theft Ends in Tragedy

Pop-Tarts, the frosted, ready-to-toast breakfast pastry, have been a pantry staple since their 1964 debut. With dozens of flavors and endless nostalgia, they’re beloved by many. But in 2024, a petty argument over one of these snacks turned deadly.

On April 4, emergency responders were called to the Ozark, Alabama, home of 63-year-old Billy Joe Maynard. He’d suffered three broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. While in the hospital, Maynard told investigators that his roommate, 59-year-old Daryl Miley, had assaulted him with a metal pipe during an argument a few days earlier.

Maynard died the next day from his injuries. His death sparked a manhunt for Miley, with Ozark investigators working around the clock to find him. When they finally did, Miley admitted to striking Maynard with the pipe—over a stolen Pop-Tart.

He was arrested and initially charged with manslaughter. However, the charge was later reduced to criminally negligent homicide. Miley received a sentence of 12 months in jail.

What began as a fight over a snack ended with one man dead and another behind bars—making it one of the most senseless breakfast-related tragedies on record. ^[6]

4 Seven-Pound French Toast Challenge

In the village of Diggle in Saddleworth, England, an old textile mill has been transformed into Diggle Lock, a cozy café with stone walls, high ceilings, and fairy lights strung overhead. Its canal-side charm and standout menu have made it a local favorite—but one item, in particular, has turned heads around the world.

Owner Jamie Collins turned their signature cuboid French toast into a food challenge. Made from an entire Pullmans loaf, the giant slab is soaked and baked, then topped with mascarpone, macerated berries, maple sauce, white chocolate, and almond crumbles. The finished dish weighs 7 pounds (3.5 kg) and clocks in at 10,000 calories.

Finish the whole thing in 30 minutes, and it’s free—along with a Diggle Lock goodie bag and a custom winner’s spoon. Fail, and it’ll cost you $38 (£30). Competitive eaters were quick to take up the challenge.

In June 2023, YouTuber and personal trainer Adam Moran, aka BeardMeatsFood, conquered the dish in 22 minutes. But later that year, Leah Shutkever—Great Britain’s top female competitive eater—devoured it in a jaw-dropping 9 minutes and 31 seconds. The toast may be heavy, but bragging rights are sweet.^[7]

3 Hungry Home Invader

At approximately 3:20 a.m. on June 23, 2018, Toledo Police responded to the home of two women in Sylvania Township, Ohio, after reports of a bizarre home intruder. Unfortunately, the house’s front door had been left unlocked, and one of the women woke up to find a man eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes cereal in her bedroom.

The man reportedly said “hi” to the woman before simply walking out of the bedroom. The woman then went to wake up her mother, who found the man sitting in their kitchen eating their cereal. The man was asked to leave, and he did so peacefully, but not before taking one of the women’s IDs from her wallet.

Police eventually identified the man as Gerald John Conger, thanks to an adult entertainment store clerk who recognized him from a police description. The clerk apparently had kicked Conger out of the store for falling asleep in a viewing booth, but in the process, Conger forgot his wallet which just so happened to have the woman’s ID still inside.

Police then showed the burglary victims Conger’s ID, and they confirmed he was the man who broke into their home. Conger was later arrested on June 28, 2018.^[8]

2 Frying an Egg Claims Woman’s Life in Freak Accident

While cooking eggs might seem like one of the most basic culinary skills, unfortunately, a simple breakfast mistake while frying an egg claimed one woman’s life in Brazil. On February 16, 2024, 33-year-old Elisângela Oliveira de Jesus heated oil in a frying pan. Then he cracked an egg into a glass to ensure it hadn’t gone bad. However, Oliveira de Jesus didn’t realize that the glass had some water in it, so when she went to empty the contents of the glass into the frying pan, a huge flame rose, hitting her in the face and burning her T-shirt and bra.

Unfortunately, introducing water to hot oil is a recipe for a violent reaction. Due to the immediate vaporization of the water upon contact with the oil, the water expands rapidly, turning into steam at an exponential rate. This rapid expansion can then lead to the oil being forcefully ejected from the pan, causing it to splatter or explode, leading to burns and kitchen fires.

Oliveira de Jesus was taken to a local hospital near São Paulo, Brazil, and later transferred to a burn unit. Sadly, 10 days after the accident, she suffered cardiac arrest and died, leaving behind her husband and one-year-old daughter.^[9]

1 Trading Favors for French Toast Sticks

Breakfast cravings led to an unusual arrest in Wichita Falls, Texas. In March 2019, the local police department was conducting a prostitution sting. During the operation, an undercover officer reached out to Kaylee Ryder through Facebook.

Ryder replied, saying she needed money for a motel room and food. On March 17, she agreed to meet the officer at a motel in exchange for $70—and a serving of French toast sticks. She insisted on getting the food first and asked the officer to take her to a fast-food restaurant before heading to an abandoned parking lot to complete the deal.

But when they reached the parking lot, backup officers staged a fake traffic stop to keep the officer’s identity hidden. They told Ryder the officer was being arrested for an outstanding traffic warrant, then escorted her back to the motel for questioning in another investigation.

Ultimately, Ryder wasn’t arrested. Due to shifting COVID-19 booking procedures, the jail was not taking in certain low-level offenders. And so, while she never made it to that parking lot deal, the record still shows one of the strangest breakfast-related busts ever documented.

Nineteen-year-old Ryder, who had four previous arrests with 10 different charges since 2018, was later arrested on October 5, 2020, and charged with prostitution.^[10]