Are French Toast Sticks Actually French Toast?
At the very least, we know these sticks are actually French.
On the rare occasion I got the hot breakfast provided to me by my grade school, the French toast sticks were what I always hoped was on that day's menu. Something about this breakfast item in stick form made them better than their traditional version. Maybe the dippable version was just more appealing to little child-sized hands, but regardless, French toast sticks are an underrepresented breakfast gem.
What is French toast?
Lots of people have their own special ingredient or little trick that likely makes their French toast just a bit more special than others, but at the most basic level French toast is a slice of bread dipped and coated in a mixture of egg and milk then sauteed.
The dish itself, unlike French fries, does actually come from France. Historically, it was referred to as pain perdu, or "lost bread," in France because old or stale bread was used to make it.
Are French toast sticks still considered French toast?
While you could easily slice your bread at home into sticks and proceed to make French toast as you normally would, fast food chain varieties of French toast don't seem to follow that logic.
Hands down the most underrated fast food breakfast item out there to me are Burger King's French toast sticks. They're super portable, soft, and just all around delicious. Some might describe them as soggy, but I enjoy their chewy nature and a good dip in some maple syrup makes them even better.
However, in looking at the ingredients list for this BK breakfast item, you'll notice that eggs and milk are not part of the line up. If we're going based on the basic definition of what French toast is, then BK's sticks technically don't qualify. On the bright side, because the sticks lack eggs and milk, the offering can actually be classified as a vegan option. Similarly, Sonic also offers French toast sticks on its breakfast menu. Unlike Burger King, Sonic's sticks do contain milk but they also lack egg. Without the egg mixture that French toast is usually dipped in, I don't think these sticks can fully qualify as French toast.
Unfortunately, my favorite French toast sticks aren't authentically French toast at all. This is a harsh hit to take, but it doesn't change my opinion that they're one of the most underrated breakfast options at fast food restaurants.