Breakfast has long been called the most important meal of the day.

Whether you agree or not, eating well in the morning leads to a happier, healthier day at work.

We know that an office breakfast as a group is a fantastic way for teams to build bonds and spark conversations. So today we’ve got a fantastic list of breakfast ideas for you to try out with your work teams.

We hope you’re hungry!

Building team bonds through food

Food has long been incorporated into office activities by companies as a simple yet effective way to bring people together. Everyone enjoys indulging in fancy meals at corporate events and teambuilding dinners, and we all love it when the office canteen is filled with delicious snacks for everyone to enjoy. 

Lunch and learn afternoons are a great way to strengthen bonds, setting up a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere in the office. Team lunches help develop a stronger company culture and let new staff get to know their colleagues better.

But today we’re getting into activities for breakfast. We’ve got a list of fantastic breakfast activities to try out with your teams, followed by a list of some of the most popular dishes to bring that WOW factor into the canteen!

They say the way to a man’s (or woman’s) heart is through their stomach, and we know you’ll be winning their hearts after you try some of these activities out.

12 breakfast activities great for teambuilding

Here’s our list of culinary activities to try out with your teams. Try these on for size:

Group cooking class

Organizing a group cooking class is a great day out that brings teams closer together. From pastry designing to sushi-cutting masterclasses, this is a great chance to let your teams try something new. Combine a morning cooking class with fun little icebreakers, and you’ve got a fantastic teambuilding session ahead! Make sure you take some doggy bags too!

Hire a private chef

One of the most unique ways to brighten up breakfast is to bring in a gourmet chef. You could hire a world-class chef to come into the office and spin up some scrumptious omelets or crepes. The thing is, most offices don’t have a Michelin-star-level kitchen with equipment in the canteen, so why not make the most of it and take staff out for something special? Search for some private chefs near you to bring a touch of luxury to the morning. It’s a great way to treat your teams.

Saturday morning cartoons n’ cereal

Here’s one you certainly can bring straight into the office. Remember back in the day, how you’d spend your Saturday mornings? If you’re anything like us, you stayed in your pajamas until 11 am, watched your favorite cartoons, and had one (or many more) bowls of your favorite cereal. This one’s a tad less formal than the others, but life is short! Stock up on everyone’s favorite cereal, let staff come in in their pajamas for a day, and you’ve definitely made a memorable breakfast experience for all.

Outdoor breakfast cookout

Here’s a showstopping breakfast activity that will fill your staff up while they enjoy the Great Outdoors. Going off-site for breakfast to the local park or countryside breaks up the everyday routine of being in the office. Prepare food storage beforehand, and there’s literally no limit to the kind of food you can treat them to. You might keep it simple with sandwiches for a company picnic, or you might want to bring your gas canister and fire up a Coleman stove, it’s really up to you. This is a great activity to promote some well-being too, with some appreciation for nature. Don’t overlook this one.

Potluck breakfast

Potluck lunches and dinners have a long history with office parties. Countless companies love using potluck meals, where everyone is encouraged to bring in their own “home comfort” food. It’s a great way to start conversations and spark curiosity, especially among more diverse teams. You can do this one in-office, or even consider taking them offsite. If you want to jazz up proceedings, make each dish anonymous and make teams where everyone can guess “Who brought which dish?” Smiles all round for this one!

Smoothie stations

Promote some holistic well-being and appreciation for fruit smoothies with this activity. It’s really not too hard to set up in-office. If you’ve got a few smoothie makers or blenders ready, set up stations in the canteen and bring in some quirky extras to blend into the smoothie. Stock up on fruits, ice, nuts, and yogurts and you’ve got countless combos available. A lot of gyms are setting up these stations, then they add protein powders and syrup flavorings for delicious results. Consider trying this too for some extra protein to burn throughout the day,

Juiced-up mocktails

Of course, none of us ever drink while working. That doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the artistry of a well-made cocktail at breakfast-time, we just don’t condone adding alcohol. There are plenty of mocktail-making places available to brighten up the morning for your staff, so taking them off-site can be a great way to change things up for them. Appreciate the fresh, frosty goodness of a mocktail garnished with fresh fruits and herbs for a unique morning out. 

Mexican breakfast fiesta

South of the US border, a world of mouthwatering food awaits. Mexican food has a deep and rich culture and history and is a fantastic option as you consider brightening up an office breakfast. There’s so much Mexican food to choose from, ranging from quick and easy tortilla fillings to complex chicken mole dishes. There’s something for everyone in Mexico’s culinary options. A vegan twist is easy, as everyone can customize a tortilla or burrito with things like rice, hashbrowns and avocados. We can’t think of a more satisfying way to start the day than arranging a giant Mexican feast. Oh, and don’t forget the hot sauce!

Health-conscious yogurt customization

If you’ve got staff in your teams that are totally in the zone and focused on their health and well-being, they’ll be thankful for an office breakfast that lets them customize bowls of yogurt. They’re trendy, fun, and most of all, a really positive way to start the day.

Set up yogurt stations with as many yogurt flavors as you can find, and don’t skimp out on the extras. Bring in dried fruit, nuts, granola, and seeds like chia, and you’re setting the stage for some great combinations. It’s the freedom that comes with customizing your own that makes this breakfast stand out, and it sets everyone up for the most productive and healthy day possible. Win-win!

Donut decorating

Here’s a slightly more quirky and unique activity. Donuts might not be the healthiest breakfast in the world, but they sure are delicious. If you’re up for it, start searching for donut-making and decorating classes near the office, as there are a lot of them cropping up recently. Staff get to decorate their own bright little round treat and take some home for their loved ones. If you’ve got the resources, you can set it up in the office canteen too. Prepare some standout ways to decorate a finished donut, with frostings and glazes, fondant, choc-chips, and sprinkles. You’re definitely going to be brightening up the day for your teams with this one!

Worldwide pastries!

Pastries were originally created in Egypt. They made a paste of flour and water and then wrapped it around meat to soak up its juices as it cooked (we always knew it tasted divine!). Today, the list of places that make their own unique pastries is endless. Why not make an activity out of celebrating pastries from all over the world? Pastries come in so many shapes and sizes, from Italian cannoli to Japanese mochi, so turn breakfast into a delicious quiz for your teams. Have them guess where each pastry comes from, they’ll be having fun while eating until they’re full, and they’ll thank you for it.

Breakfast bake sale

A breakfast bake sale is the ultimate way of getting teams together. It gives your teams the chance to make special food and sell it for a great cause. Take your teams to a group bakery class and bake as many floury treats as you can. You can put them into teams and have them sell them off-site, or just around the office! It’s a great way to stroll down memory lane, reminding everyone of childhood memories of eating cakes straight from the bakery.

13 of the best dishes for an office breakfast

So we’ve laid out some of the best activities for your teams to try for an amazing office breakfast. Now you might just be wondering: what are some of the coolest and most popular office breakfast foods trending now?

We’ve got you covered with some fantastic dishes you can order into the office if you want your teams to enjoy something special at breakfast time.

Chinese “Jian-bing” pancakes

Here’s an absolutely sumptuous breakfast option that’s massively growing in popularity worldwide. A Chinese “Jian-bing” is similar to a crepe, but is savory and traditionally adds some “Loa gan ma” chili oil and a crispy fried cracker inside. They have to be eaten to be believed, and are one of the most consumed breakfasts in the world. 

A Jian-bing is guaranteed to satisfy your staff and get conversations flowing as they try something new.

The classic New York bagel

Now who doesn’t love a breakfast bagel? They originated in Poland ages ago, but there’s no doubt that the New Yorkers took the breakfast bagel to new heights. The glory of a bagel comes from its versatility. 

Every morning millions of people eat bagels loaded with salmon, cream cheese, scrambled eggs, or even chocolate spread (just don’t put those four together!). Bring some bagels to the office breakfast table for some HOLE-ly goodness!

Fruit platter

The classic fruit platter is a treat everyone can enjoy. Fruit platters are the optimal way to provide healthy sugars and energy for your teams to burn for the rest of the day. They usually include all of our favorites, like pineapple, strawberries, grapes, honeymelon, and bananas.

A vibrant and colorful fruit platter gets the office brightened up and promotes well-being. Just remember not to make your fruit platter too far in advance, or you’ll end up serving something terrible!

Custom omelets

A healthy and hearty way to get staff energized in the morning is with omelets. A breakfast containing eggs has been used for millennia, but why not spruce up your omelets with unique twists?

The Mexican omelet has been soaring in popularity in recent years, adding tangy salsa and avocado into the mix. Indian omelets are popular too, with a pinch of masala powder and chilies for a kick! Japanese omelets are served with Kewpie mayo and have rice packed inside. There’s a world of possibilities in the humble omelet! 

Chicken and waffles

A surefire hit coming from the Southern US, chicken and waffles pack a punch. This one’s a little heavier than most of the breakfast ideas on our list, so make sure your stomachs are empty (brunch time works best!).

Its combination of sweet and savory makes chicken ‘n’ waffles a great choice for the office breakfast table. Honey-fried chicken is our specific recipe of choice. De-lish!

Creme brulee French toast

If your teams are ready for a bit of (more like a lot of) indulgence, imagine creme brulee’s crunchy-sugary goodness mixed with fried French toast. The toast’s signature crispy cinnamon flavors mix perfectly with the vanilla custard of traditional creme brulee. 

Serving this one is sure to quickly fill staff up to the brim, so don’t serve up this specialty if your teams have anything physically demanding to do straight after. That would be bad.

Cream cheese-filled banana bread

More indulgence ahead. Recent recipes that combine banana bread with new sweet fillings have been cropping up recently, and this one stands out the most. Sweet, delicious cream cheese inside fluffy banana bread is an absolute winner, and while it might not be the most healthy breakfast in the world, it certainly is one of the happiest. Try this one for smiles in the office.

Granola

Lighten things up a bit and promote physical health and well-being with an array of granola and yogurts for a productive morning. Millions of people who are working their way to being more energized and productive sing the praises of granola. It’s a mix of rolled oats, nuts and a sweetener like sugar or honey. Served with dried fruits and sugar-free yogurt first thing in the morning, you can be sure of a productive day ahead.

Breakfast burritos

Burritos are fantastic, aren’t they? The best thing about them is that you don’t need to be super-fussy about what you can put in them. We’ve seen corn tortillas packed with eggs, hashbrowns, rice, steak and chorizo. Their versatility means everyone’s a winner as they customize them to their heart’s content. Oh, don’t forget the hot sauce too!

The full English

Here’s our most hearty option for the office staff with a real appetite. The traditional full English breakfast has sausages, bacon, eggs, beans, hashbrowns, and fried mushrooms. Some variations in England have the breakfast come with fried bread (or just toast) as well as “black pudding,” which is fried pig’s blood. You might start some interesting conversations about the way it tastes. Personally, we love it! Just remember the amount of calories in this dish before serving.

Poke bowls

Springing up in popularity over the past few years is the quirky and satisfying Poke Bowl (no, not the ball from Pokemon). Poke means “slice” or “cut” in Hawaiian and was traditionally made with chunks of raw, marinated fish, like tuna. It’s tossed over rice and topped with fresh veg, dressing, and seasoning. 

The recent rise to fame for Poke Bowls is justified, we’re a big fan of it. They have high nutritional value and can be customized nicely for a well-rounded choice of breakfast. 

Vegan parfait

Similar to our granola recommendation, but just a bit fancier, is the parfait. The joy of these for breakfast is how easy it is to make them completely vegan-friendly. Parfait is traditionally served in a tall, thin glass and is layered with ice cream, fruit, and parfait cream. Granola, seeds or spices, allow for plenty of customization. Keep the creams vegan-friendly and boom, you have a beautiful and bright breakfast that has everyone in the office feeling chirpy. 

Coffee and cocoa

Our final recommendation is an assortment of coffees and cocoas to provide some relaxation and reenergizing during breakfast times. Sure, you might already have the office box of powdered coffee, but when was the last time you gave them new options of specialty coffees and hot chocolates? 

So many countries celebrate coffee culture. “Artisinal” coffee can be designed as an experience and a way to deeply appreciate the history and heritage of coffee, instead of just seeing it as a kickstarter for a workday. Combine these with early-morning energizer activities to get the office buzzing at breakfast time.

Group breakfasts are perfectly suited to work retreats!

All of our breakfast activities are designed to bring teams together in new and memorable ways. Imagine the bonds you’ll build if you combine them with an unforgettable off-site work retreat!

Here at Surf Office, organizing team retreats is our bread-and-butter. A twice-annual retreat develops teambuilding skills, and for new members of staff, it’s an amazing way to break some ice too! Here’s what we offer:

• Stress-free transfers? We got you! ✅
• Quality-assured accommodations? Check! ✅
• Engaging team-building activities? Our speciality ✅
• Restaurant reservations? That's on us! ✅
• Expert retreat planning assistance? Of course, we have this covered! ✅
• Onsite support, tailored to your needs? Absolutely ✅

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Not only this but we also have access to 160+ locations around Europe, APAC, the US, Latin America, and now Africa, meaning the sky is your limit when it comes to choosing the right location for you and your team.

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Your goal is to find unique ways of bringing your teams together and get the company culture right, so make the most of a work retreat that your teams will never forget. 

Let us sort out the tricky logistics for you. Spaces are very limited, so get in touch now!