Fruit Salad

Total meltdown in the cereal aisle this weekend…it has become my nemesis.

“Mom, can I have Captain Crunch?, Apple Jacks?, how about Fruit Loops?  I would really like to try (fill in the blank here, there are too many to mention….)”  Ummm….how about NO?  “But this one is “healthy”!”–yeah right!  So, we had a lesson this weekend in the middle of the cereal aisle…one of us ranting, the other  ignoring.

I felt that it was time to really explain, to the best of my ability, the reasons why I won’t buy cereal at the grocery store.  I am not sure how much she paid attention to, but I do know that I heard a little “Oh, I see” during part of my rant in the store.
Here are a few of the reasons why I won’t buy cereal…this is a general list, and each item certainly does not apply to all cereals, but you get the drift…

*too much sugar
*have you looked at the ingredient listing?  If it has more than 5 ingredients  and/or more than one I can’t pronounce or don’t know what it is, it won’t make it into the cart
*artificial colours and/or flavours
*too many preservatives and additives
*too much sodium
*sneaky marketing tactics–directed towards our children  Have a look here Cereal Marketing
*”health” cereals that have more sugar, sodium and derived fibres than necessary
*little nutrition (breakfast is the most important meal–do you really want to start it with little or no nutrients?)

So, all that being said–what do you have for breakfast that is healthy, that is good for you, that is tasty, that is quick?
If you haven’t already, you can try:
Breakfast Pita’s
Granola
Oatmeal
or
pancakes
Granted, the pitas granola and pancakes take a little forethought in preparation–but the granola will keep for weeks in a sealed container, and the pita’s and pancakes freeze like a dream to reheat in the toaster.

Fruit Salad
(enough for 2-3 breakfasts–will keep for a couple of days in the fridge–you can substitute just about any fruit or berry that you like!)

1 apple chopped into chunks
1 banana sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries sliced
2 peaches sliced
Squeeze of lemon and zest from half a lemon or orange
1-3 tsp  of your favourite jam

Add all fruit together, toss well and determine if you need more jam.  Allow to sit a bit before eating to allow the juices to mingle–in fact you can make it the night before if you like–although if it is going to sit overnight or for a couple of days, I will omit the banana and substitute an orange or more berries)  🙂 
Serve with yogurt, top with nuts or a bit of granola–what could be easier or better for you?