Either way, who doesn’t love a big ‘ol bowl of crunchy
deliciousness that can whisk us away to flavor-land and make all of our
troubles go away?
Of course, like all tasty things that exist, there can be
some choices that are healthier than others, but let’s look at the bowl half
full and identify the five cereals you should have in your pantry, for your kiddos
and family.
But this list has a twist, we are going to live in reality
and realize kids do value a little bit of flavor, so we are removing Cheerios,
Kix, Corn flakes, Rice Krispies, and basically anything that has to be dressed
up by slicing an orchard of fruit on top. That’s not cereal, that’s a fruit
bowl with some cereal sprinkled in.
We’re looking for low sugar, flavorful choices packed with
fiber or other vital vitamins and minerals, so grab a spoon and let’s dig in!
Honey Bunches of Oats
You’ll be hard pressed to find a better combination of
flavor, touch of sweetness, and crunch combined. Boasting a bit of healthy fats
courtesy the sliced almonds, you’ll get 1g of fiber and just 6g of sugar in
each serving. Even better, the cereal is sweetened by honey and natural flavors,
so very little added sugar is present.
Plus, it’s easy to find bulk boxes of this stuff, so you can quickly
build up your war chest of honey bunches of oats for any impending zombie
apocalypse.
Kashi® Heart to Heart® Oat Flakes and Blueberry Clusters
The name is a mouthful, and so is the cereal, but thankfully
it’s delicious, healthy, and one of my absolute personal favorites. This is a
great alternative to eating a nap-inducing blueberry muffin from Costco (fun
fact, the muffins are so big you can nap in the uneaten half as you eat it).
3g of Fiber, just 11g of sugar, most of which is again
natural or cane sugar, plus a little kick of 5g of protein will leave your
kiddo feeling full and satisfied.
Cinnamon Life
Life is meant to be exciting and flavorful, so we’ve found a
Life Cereal that doesn’t taste like cardboard and feel like a 3-hour sales
meeting at 2pm.
Cinnamon and cereal are a match made in heaven, and Cinnamon
Life is able to pull off this flavor combination without overloading your
kiddos with sugar. Just 8g of sugar, accompanied by 2g of fiber and low sodium
make Cinnamon Life an excellent addition to any pantry.
Frosted Mini-Wheats
We’ll admit, we are dancing awfully close to the line of too
much sugar with this next offering, and while typically anything with the word
“frosted” in it isn’t usually a good decision (hello frosted tips and 1999),
Frosted Mini Wheats make up for its 10g of sugar (still low when you consider
Froot Loops has 12g of sugar) with 100%
whole grains, 5g of fiber, and low sodium, plus a surprisingly high amount of
Iron.
Cascadian Farm Organic Fruitful O’s
For our last entry into our fabled five cereals for kiddos,
we offer you a much healthier version of a fruity, ringed cereal that your
kiddos will still find delicious and inviting.
Cascadian Farm Organic Fruitful O’s (you may finish a whole
bowl by the time you pronounce the name) have just 8g of sugar per serving
while providing 3g of fiber, and will boast a bevy of organic ingredients. It’s
about as organic putting on some Birkenstock's with socks and cruising down to
the local farmer’s market to select your ingredients, there’s high quality
stuff in this cereal sure to leave your kiddo fueled and satisfied.
There you have it, a short list of ideal cereals for your kiddo that can help you make healthier choices for that quick breakfast or snack as they head out the door. What do you think? Have you tried any of these cereals? Agree with our list, or do our choices make you want to sling your cereal bowl across the room and raise questions? Either way let us know!
Also, if you’re looking for something that’s organic,
healthy, and adds flavor to life, make sure to check out a Jordan Kent SkillCamp this year! (That was the only way I could make a connection between cereal
and a youth sports camp, I’m trying here folks.)
Have a great day and we’ll catch you next time!