Jodi Anasta Pauls Supports Foodbank Interview

#BreakfastWithPauls

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, however research from Foodbank has revealed that one in five children in Australia have experienced food insecurity in the last year, with 18% going to school without eating breakfast at least once a week.

To help more families start the day with a nutritious breakfast, mum and actress Jodi Anasta has teamed up with Aussie milk brand Pauls to encourage people to support Foodbank.

A new survey, conducted by Pauls, found that Australian families are so busy in the morning that they don't have time to eat breakfast together and only one in five families sit down to eat breakfast every day.

Launching the #BreakfastWithPauls campaign with some of Jodi's own family breakfast snaps, Pauls is giving all Australians the chance to support Foodbank by simply sharing their breakfast moments – enjoyed with friends, family or housemates – on social media.

For every image shared using the #BreakfastWithPauls hashtag, Pauls will donate $1 to Foodbank. The funds raised will be used to help Foodbank distribute much needed meals to people across the country.

Mum to four-year-old Aleeia, Jodi says she can relate to the morning rush: "Mornings in my house are always a busy time, and I know a lot of parents, like me, find it difficult to even spare a minute to sit down for breakfast! It's important for everyone, especially growing children who need energy to concentrate at school, to get a healthy and nutritious breakfast to start the day."

But while some struggle for time, there are Australian families who also have to worry about how to put food on the table each day. The #BreakfastWithPauls campaign is about getting families to enjoy breakfast together and share this moment on social media to make a real difference to those in need. Jodi says: "It's heartbreaking to know there are Australians who are struggling to put food on the table each day, which is why organisations like Foodbank are so important. I'm proud to be working with Pauls, who have supported Foodbank for over 18 years, and I'm encouraging everyone to get involved by sharing their #BreakfastWithPauls."

Other key findings from the research include:
37% of parents spend less than five minutes each weekday sitting down to eat breakfast and 10% are so busy they eat standing up.

Many parents are distracted in the mornings and eat their breakfast while packing lunchboxes (32%), scrolling social media (28%), watching TV (45%) or getting dressed (21%).

As many as one in five parents say breakfast is being eaten while family members are getting dressed and 11% while commuting to work or school. Perhaps unsurprisingly, an overwhelming majority of parents (80%) agree that mornings are more chaotic than evenings.

Mornings are so chaotic that parents and kids are becoming forgetful; almost two thirds of parents (64%) admit that they sometimes forget to pack essential items for school for their kids. On average, parents who forget to pack essential items for their kids do so at least twice a week.

Last year, Pauls donated 378,750 litres of fresh milk to Foodbank – enough to provide 682,430 meals for people in need.

Pauls will donate $1 to Foodbank on behalf on behalf of families for every #BreakfastWithPauls image shared during July and August 2018.

Interview with Jodi Anasta

Question: What inspired you to team up with Pauls for Foodbank?

Jodi Anasta: I love the fact that Pauls are combining the elements of breakfast, engaging in family morning time and giving back to charity. It's so important to sit down, in the morning, and take a moment to enjoy time with your family whilst also having appreciation for the food, on your table.

The Pauls campaign is fun whilst also including these important elements to showcase how easy it is to give back to the charity, Foodbank.


Question: What's breakfast time like, in your household?

Jodi Anasta: Chaotic (laughs)! Like everyone we're always in a rush to get out the door and get to where we need to be – there are lots of early mornings! For me, I joined this campaign to encourage myself to take a moment to sit down and enjoy breakfast time and to allow myself to connect with those I'm sharing breakfast with, whoever that is. It's a reminder to enjoy the time together and be appreciative of what you've got.


Question: What advice do you have for parents who are distracted in the morning whilst their family is eating breakfast?

Jodi Anasta: If I want the morning to run smoothly I am really prepared – I have breakfast and our outfits organised and laid out for after a quick bath. I know exactly what I'm doing from the moment we get up when I'm prepared. If the morning is planned and prepared for I find I'm much more efficient with my time.


Question: What's your most common breakfast food?

Jodi Anasta: Definitely porridge! Porridge and pancakes (laughs)!


Question: As a Mum to Aleeia, do you find the topic of food insecurity even more important?
Jodi Anasta: Yes, it's very important to me to make sure Aleeia is fed and she has snacks throughout the day especially taking into consideration the nutrition she needs to get through the day.

1 in 10 kids don't eat, all day and those statistics alone are so very scary which is why we need to do whatever we can to raise money to provide meals for Australian children and their families. We can all participate in this campaign - it's not just me, it's up to each individual to make something that's beneficial for ourselves and in turn help someone else by doing that.

#BreakfastWithPauls is something we can all take part in.


Question: How will you be getting involved with the #BreakfastWithPauls campaign?

Jodi Anasta: We will be making some porridge or making pancakes together, which is something Aleeia and I like doing and having time out, together and then we'll take a selfie or photo of our breakie and upload the photo with the hashtag: #BreakfastWithPauls and then a $1 from every photo taken is donated to Foodbank. It's a great initiative!


Interview by Brooke Hunter