Breakfast with Confidence

I know that it is only the second week in grad school, but I am still really excited about meeting new people and listening to new ideas. Although I am proud to be accepted into grad school, I am quite humbled. I feel like I am starting all over again, but what is great is that I can express my ideas in a collaborative effort that might actually help others. Currently, I am reading, reading, reading. Most of what I read is well, dry. So much of it is filled with scholarly jargon and I too have been guilty of writing this way. It is embarrassing to admit. I am so glad that the authors of my research design textbook think so too. They actually make light of it and I am so glad because I give a little chuckle while I read.

I did come across some very interesting but alarming articles that discussed food insecurity. Food insecurity not only affects the poor, it affects all of us. Think about it. In the past few years, our country’s supposedly trusted food producers underwent the largest recalls in U.S. history because of contamination or the company’s failure to inspect their products. Spinach, beef, candy bars, peanut butter, and eggs were the largest. As a result, Congress passed a food safety and inspection bill of 2009 in September, which gives the FDA the power to initiate recalls instead of asking the companies to do so after people get sick. Additionally, this bill requires that food processors and producers pay a fee for inspection services. Sounds good right? I thought so until I read that this would adversely affect small farmers and these small farmers are not the folks guilty for poisoning us. Thankfully, the bill was revised to exclude smaller producers. Thankfully for me since I am planning to sell my produce this summer and the last thing I want to do is poison anybody. We take food security for granted, but these past few years have been eye openers.

Food insecurity is also the fear of being unable to afford access to uncontaminated nutrient dense foods. This is especially true for the poor. I like to buy organic foods that are in season. When I do this, I know that I don’t have to worry about pesticides or hormones. I also know that I am purchasing foods that are more likely to be local so my carbon footprint won’t be so darn big. Most importantly, I am purchasing food that tastes better and are at their peak nutritional value. I prefer to support Community Supported Agriculture like Los Poblanos Organics or Beneficial Farms. However, I notice that my grocery bill is higher when I do this and I will pass on these foods because they are often too outrageously priced for our working class income. For the poor, it is more cost effective to get more for the money. Sometimes this means buying high caloric processed foods like those terrible 99 cent Totinos pizzas. Unfortunately, a can of asparagus is cheaper than fresh asparagus. This bothers me because access to fresh healthy food is a privilege rather than a need. It has been this way for centuries, but haven’t we progressed since the mid ages?

Purchasing and preparing healthy food for my family is a way that I show love and caring. I know I am not alone in this. I would feel inadequate if all I could afford to feed my family is baloney sandwiches on white bread, but there are some who do this because they feel they have no other choice. I think this hurts culturally as well. Have you heard the term, “Mexican steak sandwich?” This is why I feel so strongly about community gardening and finding ways to make a little go a long way but there are roadblocks and I will talk more about that later.

As much as I don’t want this to be a preachy blog, I am going to suggest some good ways that I eat breakfast on the cheap. My favorite is oatmeal. For the most part is cheap for a large canister and in bulk form. It has nutrient dense calories and plenty of fiber. One has the choice to dress it up with versatility. I also really enjoy eggs because they are cheap, versatile, and nutrient dense. Beans, yes, beans for breakfast!

Here are some of my favorite, fast, and cheap breakfast ideas. Please share yours.

Peanut butter oatmeal (Add 1 tablespoon of any nut butter to instant or regular oatmeal, with ½ cup of milk and a tsp of sweetener of choice, I like honey.) It tastes like a peanut butter cookie. This doesn’t even cost a dollar. 2-5 minutes tops. Add bananas to make it sweet and omit honey.

My version of migas (two corn tortillas fried up in olive oil, pour in one beaten egg, pour ¼ cup of salsa or chile, a small handful of cheese) Add a glass of juice or a piece of fresh fruit and you hit all the major food groups.This is less than a dollar and takes about 5-10 minutes to make.

Whole wheat toast or tortilla with a slice of tomato and a fried egg in olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and tobacco or chile powder. This takes 5 minutes is also less than a dollar.

Plain or vanilla yogurt with a handful of walnuts (I don’t mind them if they are not toasted) a teaspoon of honey or agave nectar and fresh fruit like banana. This is actually more than a dollar unless you buy the yogurt in bulk. This takes the less time.

Refried beans in olive or canola oil dished up on a whole hard roll or even a bagel topped with ¼ cup of salsa and small handful of cheese w/ fresh fruit. Less than a dollar and about 10 minutes to make.

Remember that breakfast means breaking a fast and we are blessing ourselves when we give our body something healthy and be part of the quest to help end food insecurity.