It’s hard to believe that summer is quickly approaching and breakfast programs will soon be winding down! In preparation for this hiatus, consider the following tips to use up any ingredients you have left or to store food properly over the summer months.

5 Tips to Use What You Have Left Before Summer

• Plan — Find recipes that use the ingredients you have on hand. For example, you can make pancakes with leftover applesauce and oats. If you have extra eggs, why not whip up some breakfast sandwiches!
• Adapt — Swap the fruits or veggies called for in a recipe with what you have. You can do this with other ingredients as well, such as different types of flour or oil.
• Make smoothies, sauces and compotes — They are the perfect way to use leftover fruit! Freeze any fruit that hasn’t been eaten at the end of each breakfast. When you have enough set aside, throw it into a smoothie, sauce or compote.
• Hold a theme day or celebration breakfast — It will help you use up ingredients in new recipe and menu ideas!
• Cook big batches and freeze them — In order to buy less food as summer approaches, cook big batches and freeze them. You’ll see your inventory of fresh ingredients get smaller and smaller as you do.

Don’t forget to use your egg coupons before summer, too!

If you’re not able to use everything before school ends, think about ways to store food properly:

• Milk and yogurt can be frozen. This may affect their texture, but they are still safe to consume and can be used in smoothies and baking.
• Cheese can be frozen, either whole or grated. Ensure that it is well wrapped or sealed to maintain quality.
• Vegetables can be blanched and frozen. Place in boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into ice cold water. Open freeze as explained below.

Open freezing allows you to store fruits and veggies without them clumping together. This also allows you to use only the amounts you need without having to defrost a whole batch. Open freeze fruit and blanched veggies by spacing them out on a non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer until solid, then transfer to freezer-safe bags or containers. Don’t forget to label them clearly, complete with the date!

Looking to avoid food waste in your breakfast program? Want to ensure that your fruits and veggies stay fresher and tastier for longer? Here are eight great ideas on how to make the most of your produce!

1. Remove any elastic bands from your vegetables after buying them. They can damage and break vegetables, especially leafy ones.
2. Remove leaves from your root vegetables (radishes, carrots, parsnips, beets, etc.). Leaves tend to absorb all the water and decrease the shelf life of root vegetables.
3. Punch holes in the plastic wrap of vegetables that come in trays to let them breathe. You may have noticed that the plastic wrap on mushrooms, for example, is already perforated. This helps prevent them from becoming slimy.
4. Put your bananas in the fridge before they are too ripe. Their peels may turn black, but the fruit inside will stop ripening. You can make delicious banana slices now or store them in the freezer for subsequent use.
5. Freeze your leftover fruit and use it later. Any fruit can be frozen. Tip: Spread the fruit or fruit pieces out on a large baking sheet and put in the freezer for an hour. Then transfer to an airtight container to store. This way, the individual pieces will freeze separately, so if you need a certain quantity, you won’t have to defrost the whole batch. Frozen fruit can be added to yogurt, porridge, muffins, smoothies — anything!
6. Add lime or lemon juice to your fruit salad to keep it fresh. This will stop the fruit from browning and keep your salad appetizing.
7. Put a paper towel at the bottom of berry containers to absorb moisture. This will increase the shelf life of your berries and prevent the formation of mould.
8. Freeze any “ugly” fruit and make compote out of it when you have enough. This works with apples, pears, peaches, berries or an assorted mix! Check out our cookbook for a simple berry compote recipe that can easily be adapted to any fruit you have on hand.

Recipe by Anick Lamothe – Une mère poule un peu dingue

The same rich, creamy taste of the traditional holiday beverage and easy to make at home!

Yield: 5 cups (1.25 L)| Preparation time: 15 minutes | Chilling time: 24 hours or longer

Ingredients

• 1 c. (250 mL) raw cashews
• 4 c. (1 L) water
• 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) flaxseed meal
• 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) milled white chia seeds
• 4 pitted Medjool dates
• Maple syrup or honey* to taste
• 1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) cinnamon
• ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) ground cloves
• ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) ground turmeric, or to taste

*Stick with maple for a truly vegan treat!

Preparation

1. The night before, place the cashews and water in a bowl and soak in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Discard the water the next day. Place the softened cashews in a blender with fresh water and the flaxseed, chia seeds, dates, syrup or honey, and spices. Blend for several minutes or until silky smooth. For a brighter colour, add more turmeric.

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Recipe by Anick Lamothe – Une mère poule un peu dingue

It may be better to give than to receive — but not necessarily when it comes to this hearty and filling soup.

Yield: 6 to 8 jars | Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• ½ c. (125 mL) brown lentils
• ½ c. (125 mL) dried mixed vegetable flakes
• ¼ c. (60 mL) rice
• ¼ c. (60 mL) pearl barley
• ¼ c. (60 mL) spelt
• ½ c. (125 mL) sundried tomatoes, cut in thin strips*
• ¼ c. (60 mL) vegetable bouillon powder
• 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) nutritional yeast
• 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) mixed Italian herbs

*Do not use oil-packed tomatoes for this recipe!

For cooking

• 10 c. (2.5 L) water
• 1 28 oz (796 mL) diced Italian tomatoes

Preparation

1. Spread the lentils out evenly at the bottom of a mason jar, then continue layering with the vegetable flakes, rice, barley, spelt, dried tomatoes, bouillon powder, nutritional yeast and Italian herbs for a striped effect. Seal the jar and keep upright.
2. To make the soup, pour the contents of the jar into a stock pot. Add the water and diced tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

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A sneak peek at some of the healthy, varied recipes prepared by more than 3,500 breakfast programs across the country, all of which meet the recommendations of Canada’s Food Guide.

Gray & Son joining forces with BCC to fight food insecurity in children

Breakfast Club of Canada is excited to welcome a new partner! L.H. Gray & Son Ltd. has decided to align with a national cause that is directly linked to their mission of good nutrition is available to every Canadian. This partnership will help ensure a growing number of students receive a healthy meal before each school day.

A $150 000 contribution has been made to the Club through their 3 main business units – L. H. Gray & Son, EggSolutions and EggSolutions-Vanderpol’s Eggs – which will support increased demand for breakfast programs across Canada. As a result of COVID-19, Breakfast Club of Canada has seen increased attendance at breakfast programs of at least 30 percent.  “Funds from L.H. Gray & Son Ltd will help us ensure that children do not start their school day hungry. This partnership will be incredibly impactful in helping Breakfast Club of Canada address the issue of food insecurity here in Canada.” explains Stephanie Ashton-Smith, Director of Corporate Partnerships at Breakfast Club of Canada.

A great mission alignment

Created as Gray Ridge Egg Farms in 1934 in Ridgetown, Ontario, the local Ontario egg grader has evolved into L.H. Gray & Son, a major player in Canada’s egg industry, known for focusing on eco-sustainability and community engagement.  In Ontario, their eggs are sold under the Gray Ridge and Conestoga Farms brands.  Over the last 25 years, L.H. Gray & Son (LHG) has taken their commitment to local beyond Ontario, working with local egg farmers in B.C and Alberta to bring local eggs to Western Canada under the Golden Valley, Rabbit River and Sparks Eggs brands.  LHG has also moved beyond grocery stores into foodservice and food ingredient markets across Canada and around the world. “Eggs are natural and nutritious, and one of the most versatile foods available,” says Mike Walsh, President at LHG. “Children are literally our future and too many Canadian children aren’t getting the complete nutrition they need. No child should be disadvantaged in a country as advantaged as ours.”

Like LHG, BCC operates locally, in neighbourhoods across Canada, connecting people around a common cause. Said Ashton-Smith “There is great mission alignment between BCC and L.H. Gray & Son, since eggs are known to be an excellent source of protein and a great way to start one’s day!” The funds provided will be instrumental in helping the Club reach the increased number of Canadian children facing food insecurity.

To celebrate this new partnership, L.H. Gray & Son Ltd. offered to share their recipe of the Game-Changer Egg Muffins, perfect to fill up children lunch boxes before they start their day!!

Game-Changer Egg Muffins

Ingredients for 12 muffins

• 1 cup (250 ml) broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 cup (250 ml) red pepper, diced
• 1 cup (250 ml) yellow pepper, diced
• ½ cup (125 ml) sweet onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• 9 Farms Free Run Omega-3 Eggs, whisked
• ½ cup (125 ml) cheese of your choice, grated
• ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
• ½ tsp (3 ml) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (grease if using foil).
2. In a large bowl, toss together the broccoli, red pepper, yellow pepper, onion, minced garlic, and olive oil.
3. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the edges of the broccoli are browned.
4. Line 12 muffin cups with silicone or parchment muffin liners.
5. When the veggies are done, remove from oven but keep oven on. Divide vegetable mixture between the 12 muffin cups.
6. Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and bake for 15-20 minutes until the eggs are set.

Help Breakfast Club of Canada and our partners make a difference in the lives of even more children. Give today!

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