Why I make my own granola

“I’m responsible for my own happiness? I can’t even be responsible for my own breakfast.”

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Every day when you sit down for that meal, you’re setting the tone for the rest of the day. Sitting down to a bowl of my homemade granola nourishes me physically, but also mentally.

Let’s start with the sad truth. Breakfast cereals aren’t as good as they used to be. As a kid, there were all kinds of weird and wacky cereals - Ricicles, Sugar Puffs, Golden Grahams. One by one they all fell victim to the campaign to get kids eating more healthily. Sugar Puffs limp on under a new brand name, with a different recipe. The cereals of today are bland and lifeless. Cheerios, Shreddies, Corn Flakes. These utilitarian workhorses get the job done, but they’re certainly not an inspiring way to start the day.

Granola offers a better balance of health and excitement. The fruit gives you a sugary boost to perk you up, while the oats and nuts will see you through until lunchtime. The mix of textures gives a little more depth than the bland slush of soggy Weetabix or Rice Krispies.

Here’s the kicker, though. Supermarket granola is never quite right. Too many nuts. Not enough fruit. Clusters are too small. Freeze-dried berries that disintegrate immediately.

Making your own ensures you get the balance that you want. Each morning I’m not just eating oats and seeds and fruit, I’m eating a bowl of my own identity. For me, that means a generous scoop of cranberries, and a dash of allspice. You might want some ginger, chocolate chips, maybe even tiny marshmallows. I’m not here to judge.

The preparation itself is an event. Taking the time to mix your own is a statement about who you are. You aren’t the kind of person who will settle for dull supermarket-own-brand mix that is all oats and no trousers. Nor are you willing to be taken for a ride, paying over the odds for the luxury brand with a couple of lumps of salted caramel. You’re the kind of person who takes action. You’ve got to stand up and say, “I’m a human being, goddammit, my breakfast has value!”

Once a fortnight, take half an hour to stir ingredients together, spread them over two baking sheets, and cook gently until deliciously golden brown. There’s no need to weigh out the ingredients perfectly. A handful of this, a splash of that. You’re free from the tyranny of homogenised lowest-common-denominator cereal. Each hand-crafted batch is unique, as you gradually refine the recipe to suit your individual tastes. You can be responsible for your own breakfast. Once you’re responsible for breakfast, happiness can’t be far behind.