When I was growing up, Mom had breakfast on the table every morning. As sure as the sun rises in the east, you could count on my mom to have breakfast on the table. I could always count on something good to eat before heading off to school that would keep me from getting hungry before lunchtime. And in the summer when school was out, breakfast was on the table to help give me the energy needed to fuel a full day of bike riding and exploring.
Rain or shine, warm weather, or freezing cold, Mom always made sure we got a great start to the day. Whether it was my dad’s favorite of biscuits and gravy, or a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast, a warm bowl of oatmeal, or just a bowl of some tasty cereal, we were always fed well.
Perhaps the most frequent breakfast featured on our table back in those days was scrambled eggs accompanied by hot Hungry Jack biscuits and Kraft Grape Jelly. Eggs were a staple at breakfast, as you could almost always count on a big pile of them being a part of any breakfast you were having. And whenever biscuits were served, there was a 95% chance they were Hungry Jack biscuits. And on top of that, if there were Hungry Jack biscuits on the table, then Kraft grape jelly would never be far behind.
While I’ve never been the world’s biggest fan of canned biscuits, Hungry Jacks were about as good as you would find back in those days. Once Grands came along and started getting all of the love, Hungry Jack’s started to take a backseat. But I can tell you for certain, as I lived through those days, that once upon a time Hungry Jack biscuits were the Cadillac of the canned biscuit world.
And while I may have preferred White House Apple Butter or Mom’s homemade strawberry preserves over the Kraft Grape Jelly, the image of Kraft Grape Jelly on the table alongside those Hungry Jack biscuits is etched into my memory as a staple. We would even have the combo for supper too. A lot of the time, Mom would through those biscuits and jelly on the table kind of as a dessert to whatever dinner we may be having.
I doubt that either one was very expensive back in the day, which is probably why we had them so much. Or maybe it was just the fact that my Dad was a big fan of the combination. Whatever the reason, it’s hard for me to think back on breakfast when I was young and not see those Hungry Jack Biscuits and Kraft Grape Jelly in my mind.
And it’s comforting to know that both are still on the market to be enjoyed by modern generations as well. Maybe I need to pick up a can of those biscuits and a jar of that jelly and make the centerpiece of my breakfast table a few times and see if it helps fulfil some of the nostalgia I have for those good old days.
