The Best (Unconventional) Breakfast -

By Elias Widmer

This is an independently submitted op-ed and does not reflect the views of The Tower.

The best way to start the day: an awesome breakfast.

It has been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I must say I emphatically agree. I believe a key component of breakfast is its ability to keep you going till lunch. You need to eat something that is filling, but won’t weigh you down for the first hour after you eat. Due to this I will not be recommending a full English breakfast. Another factor plays into my choice as well and that is school, which at this point of my life is college (ignore the fact that CUA is in fact a university and not a college). College is a busy full time occupation, so speed of preparation also weighs into how I plan my meals. You make eggs, bacon, and pancakes in a short period of time. So now that I have laid out my parameters, what is my solution?

My solution is, drumroll please: Peanut butter and cheerios. Now before you run screaming, hear me out. This meal answers both of my requirements: it is filling and quick and easy to prepare. A long list of additional benefits accompany this meal. Along with being quick and easy it is cheap. A pack of two jars of Kirkland peanut butter and twin pack of Cheerios cost $11.99 and $8.49 respectively from Costco. That’s a lot of bang for your buck. It is also relatively healthy, especially compared to daily consumption of eggs or sugary breakfast cereal. It is also dry, requiring no liquid, so the Cheerios stay crisp and firm.

Now what about preparation? How does one ‘make’ this amazing meal? Here is how I do it:

I start with a little under 2 cups of Cheerios and about two spoonfuls of peanut butter.

I first pour the Cheerios into a bowl then spoon in two to three medium sized spoonfuls of peanut butter. With the last spoonful of peanut butter I begin to stir the bowl, mixing the peanut butter in with the Cheerios. I also use chopping movements to make sure the cheerios don’t clump up around larger gobs of peanut butter. The whole thing is pretty straightforward. After a little bit of trial and error you can figure out what method of mixing works for you.

This is just the base version of the breakfast; there are many things you can add to enrich the taste. Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and cashews all work to varying extents. I have not personally tried it, but I am sure you could add bananas or berries (dried or fresh). You can also use different types of peanut butter, and even mix different types together to create a blended taste.

So now you know how I start my day and I encourage you to try it for yourself. In the words of Marcus Aurelius “A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions.” So, I implore you to partake in the grand ambition of a great breakfast to start off the day.