The Breakfast Jar

Remember when you were too busy to eat right?  It was 2007, and although you knew that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, you blazed through it with a pre-wrapped, pre-formed tasteless rectangle in hand for rapid consumption at the next red light.  So what's happened since then to break the breakfast bar trend?  It's called a recession, causing more people to reduce, reuse and recycle!  We used to have "3 R's", but we really have had "4" for some time! 

If nothing good has come from the recession, at least we have all found ways to be more resourceful in life.  So many people are putting convenience aside and saying yes to better eating, better health, and less waste in the products we choose.

www.specialtyfood.com 

We can always do more while doing less when it comes to breakfast.  If you check the facts on marketing trends and see what the breakfast bar has fallen to, the list includes yogurt and trail mix.  I am currently so hooked on why that is, and therefore I have found it a worthy topic to photograph and discuss in detail...

The Breakfast Jar

Taking ingredients to work is easy, almost as easy as finding the natural and organic ingredients to start off your day.  Kashi aims to be good, Cascadian Farms brings in organic grains under $4, and Stonyfield has built a local (New Hampshire) world wide enterprise by keeping true to their over 200,000 agricultural acres free of persistent pesticides and other chemicals commonly used on nonorganic farms and known to contaminate soil, drinking water, air and food.

http://www.kashi.com/natural_learning 

http://www.cascadianfarm.com/products/HomeFarm.aspx 

http://www.stonyfield.com/why-organic 

 

The jar is recycled and re-purposed, sturdy and easy to wash.  I can't really remember it's original purpose, but it's dishwasher safe and cost me nothing more than the contents it once carried.  The first display of this breakfast brilliance put on by a coworker set me straight on what it means to make breakfast, even when you can't. 

Fruit is good food, and I can't wait to get to do some picking this year.  Local strawberries will have an open season starting around early June, and the fun never stops there.  As the weeks fly by, grab a basket full of what is local before the pumpkins are picked and the last apple falls. 

http://www.massfruitgrowers.org/page1.html

Here are some helpful tips:

1. Save time by putting the yogurt in the jar, chilled overnight, and make "sides" of cereal/granola, and fruit.
2. Assemble on scene.  If you're really not sure if you will eat before you leave, in the car (never!), on the train, or in a meeting, put it together when the time arrives.  It will still taste fresh and won't get soggy.
3. Pack what you need.  If you don't want to waste it, don't pack too much.  Otherwise, you'll end up eating it just because it's there and you know you can't waste food!
4. Don't forget a spoon!  This yogurt is not squeezable!

There 'ya have it!  Now you know what I'm eating in the morning.  What are you having?

I love the link-up opportunities that I have found, and hope that you will too.
Check out more fresh ideas at:
 http://suburbsmama.blogspot.com/ 
 http://www.serenitynowblog.com/
http://wearethatfamily.com/ 
Monday Funday Link Party:

C.R.A.F.T. // Lines Across // Uncommon Designs // That’s What Che Said // Creatively Living //

An Extraordinary Day