73 Years Ago, A Beloved Frozen Breakfast Food Was Added To The Aisles

Some American brands are so integrated into everyday life that it's hard to imagine an era prior. Among frozen breakfast items, such a celebrated status belongs to Eggo waffles. Both online and in-store, the brand remains among the best-selling options around. In parallel, its signature cursive label has been imprinted into media culture for years. From memorable 1980s commercials to a resurgence thanks to product placement in "Stranger Things," it's a beloved item with a long-lasting cultural grip.

Incredibly, the origins of the food trace back over seven decades, all the way to 1953. Debuting just a year after diet soda, it's an item that fits right in line with 1950s food trends. As the American economy boomed, convenient frozen foods, such as TV dinners, proliferated during the era. Simultaneously, fridge ownership rapidly increased, expanding the array of prepackaged options alongside it.

Eggo waffles catered to precisely such a niche. The company originally started in 1930s San Jose, California, by brothers Anthony, Samuel, and Frank Dorsa, who devised a dry waffle mix ideal for quick restaurant preparation. Nearly two decades later, Frank innovated a unique rotating waffle iron, which could freeze the almost-ready breakfast food for later enjoyment. First called a "Froffle," it was a convenience-minded food that has remained a breakfast classic since.

Interestingly, Eggo waffles didn't instantly rise to American all-star status. In the beginning, the brand only distributed in nearby West Coast states. A name transition to Eggo waffles occurred in 1955, and for over a decade, the company released its frozen products independently. Into the late 1960s, the frozen waffle industry started to change. In 1968, Aunt Jemima (now known as the Pearl Milling Company) released a competitive frozen waffle. Just two years later, in 1970, Kellogg's acquired Eggo, kicking off nationwide distribution.

It's during this decade that Eggo rose in American culture. In 1972, famed advertiser Leo Burnett came up with the iconic "L'Eggo my Eggo," a catchphrase still in use today. A television advertisement featuring the motto quickly followed, bolstered by an appearance from actor Gordon Jump. The marketing worked — Eggo expanded, releasing an ever-increasing array of products. Today, you can find the brand's frozen waffles in a multitude of varieties, ranging from fruit to extra fluffy, as well as Belgian-style waffles. Whether you enjoy Eggo on its own or upgrade your frozen waffles with creative toppings and seasonal flavors, it's a product embedded in the American culinary canon, unlikely to fade anytime soon.