Thousands of Victorians took a
step in a healthier direction, ditching the Sunday morning fried food for a
light breakfast on the go at Diabetes
Australia’s Breakfast around the Tan.
Five breakfast stations scattered
around the Tan, catered for health enthusiasts, vegetarians and the four per
cent of Victorians living with diabetes.
The event, catered by HealthyBYTe catering, was a lighter addition
to the indulgent Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
Fresh
produce sprawled across one of five breakfast stations
From a
spongy sweet potato frittata, to a fresh, crisp pear, the breakfast was a
welcome relief from sugar and salt filled breakfast regulars.
The yogurt and muesli was
bitter compared to what is normally on the breakfast table. But the light
crunch of muesli, creamy texture of yogurt and hint of vanilla and cinnamon
flavour brought this breakfast favourite to life.
HealthyBYTe’s
signature fresh spinach and roma tomato ‘Breakkie Burrito’ featured
a thick herb infused omelette folded inside a light barley wrap. Combined with
zesty lime and pepper avocado puree and subtle chilli coriander salsa, this
dish had my taste buds watering from first bite.
Some food stations were less
appetising. The vinegar-drenched ‘marinated mushrooms’ clashed with the paprika
and cayenne pepper spices in the ‘Boston baked beans’. And the sickly sweet
reconstituted orange and carrot juice overpowered the softer flavours of the
sweet potato frittata.
Redeeming the pre-packed juice
was the ‘Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Ruby Cabernet’, which had the right
combination of bitter, sweet and bubbly.
Despite huge crowds swarming
through the Tan, lines moved quickly and staff were helpful in directing people
the right way with a smile.
Hats off to HealthyBYTe for presentation. Keeping
food together while on the go is a difficult task, but the finely bound burrito
wrap and conveniently sized recyclable containers made the process easy.
It wasn’t all about food at
the Tan. The breakfast came with a side of morning yoga, talented musicians and
a sea of lycra dressed joggers and cyclists.
A human
mushroom joins in yoga and stretches to kick off the breakfast
Walking between food stations
was a friendly reminder that healthy food should be accompanied with regular
exercise. With a friend by my side and buoyant buskers begging for my attention,
I hardly felt I had walked the 3.8km Tan at all.
At $35, the breakfast was in
budget for your average Melbournian.
It was a morning of fun, food
and friends; and with five percent of proceeds going to Diabetes Australia, there
was little to feel bad about.
