Children Cereals, are they good?

Kids love sweetened cereal for breakfast. I used to see on TV about average American families have for breakfast. They usualy on the breakfast table having the bowls of cereals with milk and a glass of orange juice. And for quite sometimes I thought, this is what normal family need to do in the morning before doing their activities.

Little did I know that not all breakfast cereals are healthy, even though they may seem like they are. I spent sometimes on the research of this issue when I started to walk on the aisle of supermarket figuring out what to serve my family for breakfast. There are many brands of cereals from oatmeal to US cereals dedicated for children. And I thought, let's do some researchs on what is the good brand to choose since I would like to give the best to my family. A good, healthy and sometimes fun breakfast helps children to start the day out right.

One of other reason why I need to know this issue is to be able to explain someday to my kids why it is better not to have sweetened cereals for breakfast. Someday Noelia would probably come back home and request to get the same cereals as her friends have in the morning.

According to US Consumer reports, Cereal companies spend about US $229 million a year advertising cereals to the children, hoping to get them to beg to their parents for their favorite brands. Are they good enough?

Studied have been made that 161 breakfast children cereals from 4 leading manufacturers were high in calories, sodium, carbohydrate, and sugar but significantly lower in fiber and protein. Why not sugars for them?
We need to ensure the children maintain a diet of complex carbohydrates and decreasing simple sugars will help them maintain their energy throughout the day rather than all at once. When children have long days and need to concentrate in school providing unhealthy start to their day can inhibit their development and progress.

Apparently, breakfast cereal is among the worst in the industry, labelling their products being "made from the whole grains" when they are made primarly with refined grains. Those US made cereals such as Kellogg's Honey and Post Golden Crisp, are more than 50 percent sugars and 9 or at least 40 percent sugar. Some of it has high sodium and zero in dietary fiber. Many cereals that have "chocolate" in it actually the chocolate made out of sugars. It is partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and cocoa. I think the real chocolate would have been healthier.

Some of the best cereal for breakfast which could be fun for the kids are;

1. Raisin Bran
Love the organic Raisin Bran. We can find it in supermarket and it is cheaper than US made cereals marketed for children.

2. Granola
This probably consume for most European.

3. Oatmeal
I served organic oatmeal that I found in NTUC supermarket on alternative days for Noelia. Some days she has wholegrain bread that I bought in Cedele as a 'tartine' in french. It is a slice
of bread with the fruit jam. That bakery shop has a good range of healthy diet breads and cake.

4. Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Bite-Sized
I am not bias, although that I do not serve this to my family but according to research this can be a good option for fun breakfast. It has 12 grams sugar per serving but it also very low in sodium and has 6 grams of fiber.

5. Honey Nut Cheerios
If I am forced to have choices I may get this as an alternative for other healthy breakfast

6. Cheerios (all General Mills)
Personally, I want to help and support the products from small farmers not big
manufacter like General Mills. I will have to do more more research on this issue
as General Mills maycontribute to global warming.

7. Kix

Luckily, Noelia is not fussy about breakfast. She loves multi-grain or whole-grain bread with a jam or oatmeal because it contains lots of fiber and iron she needs. She usually starts with Kiwi or other vitamin C fruits and followed by 'tartine' or oatmeal porridge with milk.

Honestly, I prefer not only encouraging the healthy habit to the children but purchasing with consciousness the products we consume everyday. This involves also the whole stakeholders, the farmers, the environment, the distributors and the products.

Remember, check the nutritional value on the box if we have to purchase the cereals. The cereals who have 'a halo effect' such as added iron and calcium need to be examined before purchase.

And Have a healthy breakfast to start your day!