Cheese + Jam.
One of the world’s most perfect pears pairs! If only I had some honeycomb and figs to go with them. And some wine. And toasted almonds 
I have no idea where I got this homemade Italian Plum Jam, but it’s great!!! Nice and chunky with skins. And I am hooked on Organic Valley‘s Sharp Cheddar. They sent me a sample a while ago. Honestly, I probably would not have bought it in the grocery store because it’s rather pricey and I don’t think I would have thought it worth the cost. But it is so rich and delicious tasting – definitely better than many cheddars I’ve tried – that I decided it was worth a little more money to buy a great tasting cheese that is also organic and from a company I like.
I put them between a Great Harvest bun with some spinach for nutrients and color
Homph gomph!
I also packed a row of veggies – and some Apple Cinnamon BBQ sauce (From EarthFare) for dipping
The true perfect pear. Tiny and juicy!
Lastly, for dessert, I packed a little cottage cheese sprinkled with chia seeds and butterscotch chips. Lunch just didn’t feel complete with it out.
Motion to serve this afternoon snack! All in favor say “aye”
NOTE: Cereal held me over to noon with no hunger emergencies But I was hungrier sooner and stronger than normal. Bummer! Must have been this missing nut butter 
Since I took yesterday off, today I’m gonna get my swim on tonight. I’m busy mentally prearing!! Just a few hours to go…
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh you’re so lucky you’re near a pool…my nearest one is a 20minute drive! MAJOR BAH!!
That lunch looks delicious. I think it’s always worth splashing out a little extra for good cheese, cos the difference is so amaze! Have a good afternoon
veggies and BBQ sauce?! sounds amazing! i’m just sad i didn’t think of it first
what a fabulous lunch!
Agreed!! I get so bored with dips and this sounds really yummy
As much as I’ve had cheese, I haven’t had cheese and jam together often =-O
We did make a baked brie with apricot jam for New Years that was out of this wold
Everything looks beautiful, as always.
Lunch looks perfect. I’ve honestly only eaten cottage cheese once and don’t ever really think about buying it at the grocery maybe I need to experiment with it a bit. Have a great swim tonight!
I hope you don’t mind me posting here, because I don’t have a blog. I’m just a follower, and a new one at that. You’re my favorite blog, Kath. But I was wondering what other people’s favorite blogs are beside this one, because I’m pretty new at this whole thing!
Some of my favorites (besides Kath Eats):
carrotsncake.com
eatliverun.com
fitnessista.com
hangrypants.com
peasandthankyou.com
You can also click on many of the names in the comments to reach their blogs, as well as check out Kath’s blogroll here: http://www.katheats.com/consultationsblogroll/
Hi Sarah! Don’t worry, I don’t have a blog either. It’s still ok to comment. Kath’s is my favorite blog too. Two others I love:
1. Chocolatecoveredkatie.com
(She’s always up to something creative and fun. Like right now, she’s doing “Hug a Fat” month. So cute!)
2. Fitnessista.com
(She’s full of energy and zest for life)
3. heathereatsalmondbutter.com Ok, so that’s three, but I couldn’t choose just two! And I check Kath’s every day as well. There are a ton of good blogs out there!
Cheese and jam? I don’t think I’ve ever eaten that combination of foods! :p
Cottage cheese and butterscotch chips sound amazing, you must love that salty/sweet combo thing.
I am also hooked on that cheese!!! They had a HUGE block of it $2 off at WF and a $1 off coupon. Chris and I love it. Seriously it’s amazing…soooo flavorful. Thanks for the suggestion awhile ago. Definitely trust your foodie opinion!! That pear is gorgeous!! Have fun swimming…I might hit the pool today…it’s finally nice outside but waaaay too windy for a bike ride!
Cheddar makes it better!
Sounds like a nice combination for lunch! I feel the same way when I do cereal for breakfast. Oh well, you had a great lunch waiting for you! Enjoy your swim this afternoon!
Hi Sarah!! I post and I am a hot/cold blogger at best! I do it mainly to keep track of things I like/do not like for future reference. I guess I could keep a journal…but whats the fun in that!?
My faves are eatliverun.com
and
iowagirleats.com
I think Kath’s blog is my favorite and thanks to her I amy never eat oatmeal or yogurt without toppins’ ever again!
So many neat combinations! I’ve never tried the jam & cheese combo, and the chia seeds with cottage cheese sounds really good too! Must get on that!
I love the sound of cheese and jam, but I’m kind of nervous to try it!
I just tried the coconut cream pie larabar yesterday and fell in love! Your cheese + jam sammie looks delicious
Aye! Aye!
Cottage cheese is one of those foods I wish I could learn to love. Other than that, your lunch looks yummy!!
That could be the most delicious packed lunch in the history of the world. I don’t even eat that well when I’m at home.
I agree about cereal having staying power, but not providing that satisfied feeling of ‘fullness.’ Quite frustrating! But sometimes a cereal craving is too strong to resist. So, after it has cooked, I always like to mix some (a mix of crumbled and whole) cold cereal (shredded wheat, squares) into my hot cereal to bulk it up and give it that satisfying chew/crunch. Talk about textures! Consider giving it a try.
love your sandwich!
Love the colors of the pear!
Yum! Even though I don’t like cottage cheese, I think I might eat it just to have those butterscotch chips!
I wish I liked cheeses like that. Maybe one day I will!
You should have come over for lunch.. we have honeycomb, cali figs, dates, and marcona almonds in the house right now! When we have people over I love making a big cheese tray with all those goodies plus cheeses and crackers.
Homph gomph! (love that!)
That is seriously THE BEST cheese!!!
I had a coconut cream Lara with lunch today, too. Yummm!
that bread looks amazing!
If there’s one thing that is worth spending extra on it’s definitely organic cheese.
That sandwich looks awesome, too! Those buns REALLY make it.
Jenn
Glad your cereal held you over! It never does for me
Yummm….Cheese and jam is delish! Your meal looks especially tasty today!
I am convinced nut butter has magical satiety properties. When I have that bottomless pit hunger feeling a tsp or two of nut butter is the only that that takes it away.
enjoy your swim! i still have yet to try cheese and jam together! gah!
i love cheese and jam too! especially fig jam!
Hi Kath! Your lunch looks deeeelish
How do you feel about carrots and weight loss? I just started including them in my lunchbox and have been given a hard time from my coworkers because of their high sugar content!
Whaaaaaaaaat!? Ask your co-workers if they ever eat dessert!? Carrots may be high in sugar relative to a leaf of romaine lettuce, but they are certainly a great nutritious food to eat! Send them to NutritionData.com!
I have yet to pair cheese and jam together but the more I see it the more appealing it is. When it comes to the kind of cheese, what works best (flavor-wise)?
Sharp cheddar!
PLEASE! Tell us how the Lara Coconut Cream Bar tastes. Since first reading your blog, I have purchased, consumed, and fallen in love with Lara Bars, but have yet to try this beauty.
Love your blog, Kath!
It’s awesome!! My second favorite behind PB Cookie only because of the texture.
Isn’t cheese + jam an awesome combo?!?
I often wonder if my love for this mix stems back to my childhood days, when my grandma used to make me the BEST cream cheese and grape jelly sandwiches!! They don’t appeal to me as much now, but back then, they were the BOMB!
Cheese and jam is SUCH a good combo. Loveeee your lunch, as always:)
I’m finally convinced. For dinner this evening: jam, cheddar, and spinach on toasted gluten-free bread.
I love a good sharp cheddar! I had a pear + cheddar sandwich for lunch today… soo good!!
Kath,
Love your day of quality over quantity which you began yesterday. One great workout vs. two mediocre, followed by today with a quality cheese in a smaller portion. Enjoy your day.
THANK YOU for saying cheese and jam go well together!! I grew up with jam on grilled cheese (on top of the bread, not between with the cheese) and my husband thinks it is the strangest thing! He often brings it up when we’re having a conversation with others about ‘weird food pairings.’ He just doesn’t get it and I haven’t gotten him to try it yet. Divine!
Your lunch looks fantastic!
Enjoy your swim!
New follower and I love you already. I never heard of this bread but it looked amazing so I clicked on the link and there is a bakery 3 miles from my apartment! I can’t believe it… thanks a ton, I will be trying it this weekend!!
Thank you Rachel! Hope you enjoy some Great Harvest!!
Give me a little salt, a little sweet, and I’m happy guy.
You got me hooked on jam, sharp cheddar & spinach sammies! =]
Now, don’t start calling me Hannibal Lecter, but I love me some skins in my jams as well!
I love your food combos; I always learn something new about pearing, excuse me **pairing** foods together from your beautiful site!
Speaking of pairs, do you happen to know what kind that is?
Haha. I love it when you guys joke back at me.
I think it was an Anjou pear?
My parents eat a lot of cheese and fruit or jam…and quince paste with cheese.
Lovely lunch, I had a pb and j larabar for my a.m. snack!
I am yet to try the cheese + jam combo in a sandwich! Looks good though!
Yum! Such delish looking eats and treats!
Grapes and cheese are SO good together. It seems natural that cheese and jam would be!
And now I’m craving it! lol
I just discovered your blog recently…your meals always inspire me & they look gorgeous.
The first time I had cheese & jam together I was in love. I was at a wine tasting, and they were serving these little brown toasts topped with goat cheese and blackberry jam. It was amazing. And the best part about it was that it was so easy to replicate.
Veggies and BBQ sauce? Brilliant! Can’t wait to try.
I love the way you set up your lunches. There is something so peaceful and relaxing about them.
I had a super similar lunch with cranberry spread, spinach and turkey. Wow, butterscotch chips and cottage cheese sounds like a fantastic mix!
Cheese and jam… I’ve never tried it, but if you think about it, it sort of makes sense! I know what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow morning… (Yes, I eat sandwiches for breakfast!
)
I’m a bit iffy about cottage cheese… It has a rather, um, “unique” taste. (Not quite like cheese, and not quite like cream either!) Any ideas on how to spruce it up?
Have a great night!
Wei-Wei
I had the same Larabar today, I like that one with the yummy coconut. I like the butterscotch chips added to the cottage cheese.
I think cheese is definitely one of those foods where you get what you pay for. I’m waiting for a rather expensive blue in my fridge to ripen to its best at the moment
Intrigued by your chia and butterscotch with cottage cheese too – I just can’t get my mind around cottage cheese as a sweet thing!