Light Breakfast Treats Tastebuds at Tan

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.