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Let's Dish: What Was Your Favorite Cereal as a Child?

partysugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:50:06 -0700

In a special ad campaign that gears towards a consumers need for comfort, General Mills has brought back its old cereal box designs. Target shoppers may have noticed that Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, and Trix are sporting retro boxes taken directly from the company's archives.

The promotion has made me nostalgic and I can't help but think of the cereal I enjoyed as a child. While I consumed Cheerios on a regular basis, my absolute favorite was Lucky Charms. How about you reader? What cereal did you devour as a child? Do you still eat it today?

What Sugar Free "O" Cereal Do You Recommend?

Lil Community — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:00:38 -0800

This question comes from the group The Children's Table from member chab.

Does anyone out there know of a sugar free "O" cereal? I used to get Cascadian Farms "O" cereal because it was organic and sugar free, but it seems like they changed their product as it now has sugar. I compared old and new and they are definitely different looking, too, in addition to having different ingredients. Any recommendations out there?

Do you have a favorite product or recipe that your tots love? Share it with other lunch making mamas in The Children's Table group over in the LilSugar Community!

Yummy Link: What's Your Favorite Cereal?

YumSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 01:29:32 -0700

Over on TeamSugar, team member buggyslice wants to know: What's Your Favorite Cereal?

Personally I'm on a current Raisin Bran Crunch fix (for some reason my mom had like 10 boxes, so I took some off her hands the last time I visited), but my all time favorites would have to be Basic 4 or some kind of granola. How about you? Take the poll or let us know below. - TeamSugar

Top 6 Tech Moments From the Melrose Place Premiere

GeekSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:47:08 -0700

The series premiere of Melrose Place delivered an abounding dose of drama and some flashy tech toys and references. I was thrilled to see the show upgrade from the giant car phones of the original series (naturally - it's been a while), and make some legitimately geeky references. Could this be the new trendy tech show of the season?

To see my favorite tech moments from the show (spoilers ahead), just read more.

Textual tension: The premiere opened with David's phone ringing during a hot and heavy makeout scene. "Don't even think about it!" whispers the gal. "Oh course not, baby!" And then he looks down his iPhone and sees the message "In serious trouble. Come now!" Doesn't David know it is rude to text while on a date?
Geeky proposal: Jonah pretends to forget his fifth anniversary with Riley, casually pours himself a bowl of cereal and sits down at the TV. When he turns the flat screen on, it plays a video montage of cute couple moments, which ends in Jonah kneeling at Riley's side to propose to her. Of course, true to Melrose drama, they quickly hear a scream outside....
Twitter chatter: After he is questioned by police, David sneaks up on Ella at the police department, who admits she gave an alibi to cover his story. "5:30 in the morning?," asks David. "Everyone is going to think we hooked up!" Ella quips back, "So it gives them something to tweet about!"
Gadget love: Mr. Swarley recognizes Jonah's camera is a $10,000 EX3, which makes Jonah geek out. "Yeah! This thing is sick! You can choose 60 frames per second...swap this out for the film lenses...it's my dream camera! I love it!"
Geek dreamboat: Riley considers whether she should say "yes" to Jonah: "I love him more than anything...the guy has a box of Legos in the closet he still plays with...he watches Saturday morning cartoons before going off to play laser tag." If that's not a geeky guy, I don't know what is!
The camera doesn't lie: Jonah mistakenly catches Mr. Swarley locking lips with a much younger girl on his fancy camera, which makes Swarley spaz out. Jonah's reassurance? He says as soon as he is done editing the recording will be deleted and sent into the "digital ether." Oh, if only such a place existed. The camera never lies and files never die.

Photo courtesy of The CW

Free Sample Alert: Bear Naked Grain-ola Bars

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Bear Naked is one of my favorite natural food companies because its products are not only made with wholesome ingredients, but they're all so boldly flavorful and delicious. If you've never tried any of Bear Naked's foods, now's your chance, and you won't even have to spend a dime.

While supplies last, Bear Naked is offering free samples of its Grain-ola bars and cereals. Just choose the sample you want, fill in your info, and get excited for your free sample to arrive in the mail within four to six weeks.

Healthy Eating Tip: For Breakfast, Don't Forget the Protein

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Toasted bagels, blueberry muffins, and warm waffles with fruit are some of my favorite choices for breakfast. Although they're tasty, they don't offer much protein. This essential nutrient makes you feel full and gives you sustained energy. So after eating a breakfast that's low in protein, you'll end up feeling hungry and sluggish soon after, and are more likely to reach for an unhealthy pick-me-up before lunch. If weight-loss is your goal, or you just want to prevent unnecessary weight gain, a high-protein breakfast can help.

Since the average woman needs between 40 and 60 grams of protein a day (depending on your weight and activity level), eating 10 to 20 grams of protein per meal is a great way to make it happen. To see which high-protein foods I recommend keep reading

Delilicious: After School Snacks That Won't Spoil Dinner

LilSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:00:34 -0700

Breakfast was a brain-stimulating balance of eggs, fruit and whole-grain cereal, their lunch bags may have been filled with sandwiches cut into fun shapes. But once the children walk in the door from school, all they can think about is their growling stomachs.

Satisfy your hungry students with after-school snacks that provide nourishment without killing their dinner appetite. Skip the cartoon character decorated, pre-packaged snacks and give them something inspiring. The key to keeping it healthy and exciting is having fresh ingredients on hand – be it leftovers or an assortment of fruit and vegetables that are already washed, cut and ready to go. Try some of these ideas.

Ants on a Log mixes protein and vegetables and look fun on a plate.
A brown paper bag filled with air popped corn is healthy and reminiscent of a trip to the theater.
Left over sloppy joes can be added to small whole wheat rolls for some fun-to-eat sliders.
Rachael Ray's Banana-sicles are as fun to make, as they are to eat.
Homemade smoothies can be made with frozen fruit, making them a perfect treat year round.
Open the freezer and have your children munch on frozen grapes or yogurt tubes.

What is your child's favorite after-school snack?

Food Review: Me & Goji Customized Cereal

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:30:00 -0800

I start every day with breakfast - it's the most important meal of the day - so cereal is a staple at my house. We mix types of cereals here to create personalized blends, so when I read about customized, artisanal cereal blends from Me & Goji, I was more than intrigued. The cereal makers were kind enough to indulge my curiosity and sent me a couple of their favorite creations, plus one of my own - FitSugar's Berry Trifecta featuring raspberries, blueberries, and mulberries.

You begin the process of customizing your blend by selecting a cereal base (about $5), from granola and museli to several types of whole grain flakes. Then you can choose from over 30 add-ins, like more grains, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, spices, even chocolate or cacao nibs.

To see what I thought of the cereal and some nutritional information read more.

I really like the "flaxed and flaked" cereal base (corn flakes fortified with sesame, flax, and amaranth seeds) used in Wintry Wake Up and pictured above. This cereal flavor includes goji berries, dried cranberries, dried apples, golden raisins, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon, and these add-ins are plentiful. I never took a bite of plain flakes, and the cereal is tasty from flake to fruit. Mixed with plain yogurt, a 3/4-cup serving kept me full until about 10:30, my morning snack time. One serving of this cereal is 184 calories, with 4.8 grams of protein and 4.7 grams of fiber. The sugar content is 9 grams, due to sugar used to sweeten the cranberries and apples, as well as the natural sugars in the raisins. But the cereal doesn't taste sweet.

Each ingredient you add to your customized mix increases the price of the cereal, and a tube of Wintry Wake Up is $13. This seems pricey, but the stylish tube the cereal arrives in holds 15 servings of cereal, which is almost twice that of a normal box of cereal.

If you've ever had a hankering to design your own cereal, you should head on over to the Me & Goji website and play around. I might not be able to afford this cereal all the time, but it is a healthy indulgence I believe in. Have you ever ordered cereal from Me & Goji? If yes, describe your custom cereal below.

Burning Question: Are Traditional & Instant Oatmeal the Same?

YumSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:00:55 -0700

My guy and I are both big fans of oatmeal for breakfast, and on a recent morning, the two of us got into a discussion about the differences between old-fashioned oatmeal, quick-cooking oats, instant oatmeal, and steel-cut oatmeal - all of which are in our pantry. What makes each one distinctive? And do they all have the same nutritional value?

All types of oatmeal are made from groats, or ground oats that have been hulled, or dehusked. Traditional, old-fashioned oatmeal - the kind most commonly seen in cereal, granola, and muesli - is made from groats that have been steamed, rolled flat, and then flaked. Quick-cooking rolled oats, sometimes called "quick oats," are cut into small pieces before being steamed and rolled. Irish oatmeal is my personal favorite; also known as steel-cut oatmeal, it is made up of groats that have been chopped into small pieces instead of flattened. It has a chewier texture and takes longer to cook. Instant oatmeal is generally precooked and then dried.

The nutritional profile across all varieties of oatmeal is the same - although certain types are often portrayed as nutritionally inferior. Instant oatmeal, for example, is still a whole grain, but it has a higher glycemic index and is more likely to contain sweeteners or sodium.

Got a burning question? Contact us.

Source: Flickr User Muffet

Food Review: Bear Naked Cereals

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Bear Naked Fit Granola is a staple in my house, along with other cereals, since I like to mix cereals to reap the nutritional benefits of them all. So when I heard this company was making two new varieties of cereal - Banana Nut and Cranberry Raisin- I had to try them.

To find out what I thought and see how much fiber each serving contains read more.

Both flavors have satisfyingly thick flakes made from wheat and rice that taste hearty with a hint of sweetness. You see those little oat clusters? They add a nice crunchy texture that compliments the soft dried fruit. The Banana Nut cereal contains tons of sweetened banana chips, dried apples, and walnuts. The Cranberry Raisin cereal is full of raisins, sunflower seeds, cranberries, pepitas, and also has dried apples.

I can't really say which is my favorite, since they're both so full of bold flavor and texture. I was surprised that they both have eight grams or less of sugar per serving because the flakes taste so very sweet. I love how this cereal is high in fiber and protein, but low in calories and sodium. It's set to hit stores in mid to late June, so definitely look for it. Each 12.5 ounce bag costs $4.49. Since the ingredients are 100 percent natural, and the taste is 100 percent delicious, it's definitely worth it.

	3/4 cup Banana Nut	3/4 cup Cranberry Raisin
Calories	220	210
Total Fat	5 g	4.5 g
Saturated Fat	2.5 g	1 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	210 mg	140 mg
Carbs	43 g	41 g
Fiber	7 g	4 g
Sugar	13 g	15 g
Protein	5 g	5 g