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Original poster

Sugary Cereal portion size (rantette)

26 replies

slipperlove · 19/06/2017 20:27

Reminded how cross I feel about this.

Sugary cereals named and shamed by Liverpool health bosses
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-40301978

The amount of sugar in popular cereals upsets me whenever I think about it, what makes it worse though is the stated portion size. "For fun" try weighing out the stated portion and see how small it is. My SSs eat nearly double that and they are overweight. They and their father mocked me when I showed them a "kellogg's portion". I think it sets them up for a day of sugar cravings. I just wish sugary cereals weren't the norm. At one time we got a free cereal bowl from Kellogg's it easily held over twice the stated portion. Why is this OK?

OP posts:
bakedbeansandtuna · 19/06/2017 20:29

You are best to stick to weetabix / shredded wheat although I know not all kids would like that- I believe those are the safe options though.

bakedbeansandtuna · 19/06/2017 20:29

Or porridge?

wickerlampshade · 19/06/2017 20:29

Don't buy them. You're the parent. We only have shredded wheat and weetabix, I won't buy others except variety pack for sleepovers as a treat. Just say no.

BikeRunSki · 19/06/2017 20:30

Eating sugary cereals is not compulsory!

bakedbeansandtuna · 19/06/2017 20:30

Oh I didn't realise Rice Krispies were so bad (love them ) 😩

harderandharder2breathe · 19/06/2017 20:31

I read this earlier and all I could think was do people really think coco pops and Frosties are a healthy choice? It's hardly news that they're sugary!

Myrubbershoes · 19/06/2017 20:51

We only have porridge and weetabix as a regular choice here too. I do have some rice krispies and cheerios for occassional, but DD (4) is so used to porridge and weetabix, she wont touch them.

It actually makes me irrationally cross when i see coco pops and other chocolately cereal - why oh why do parents feed that shit to their kids for breakfast?!!

CheshireChat · 19/06/2017 21:05

Most plain bran flakes are a pretty good option and less disgusting than weetabix (which my son eats happily).

bakedbeansandtuna · 19/06/2017 21:07

Leave is one of those that's obviously a bad choice - it's full of chocolate goo ...

ceceliajames · 19/06/2017 21:14

I didn't think sugary cereals were the norm? We have weetabix, porridge and bran flakes, I just wouldn't buy anything else.

harderandharder2breathe · 19/06/2017 21:19

I don't think they are the norm for everyday tbh

I've never had Brownies ask for them when we offer boring choices of cornflakes, rice crispies or wheetabix. We're meanies who don't let them add sugar either. (They're not forced to have cereal. They have cereal or toast or both. They all have to have something).

As a child I had weetbix with a tiny bit of sugar, or cornflakes or rice crispies with no sugar most days. Sometimes porridge with a little bit of jam. And occasionally those packs of individual boxes which did include sweet ones. Although I do remember lucky charms so they must've been an occasional treat too Grin

Original poster
slipperlove · 19/06/2017 21:29

Sadly I'm just the step parent, dad decides he wants to be as popular
as their mother so we have to have Cocoa Pops et al. . But I have a child too and feel dammed either way.

I just wish breakfast cereals didn't have the faux healthy glow about them, unrealistic portion sizes (seriously try weighing it out!) and the fake "we care about the kids" veneer. I sometimes think I'd rather take the East is East (film) approach and hand over the Maryland cookies. Less washing up.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 19/06/2017 21:38

Can you sell it to him in a "they won't be so cranky mid morning if they have something else"

?

I stopped buying cereal a while back and honestly I wish I'd dine it years before. Of all the arguing and faffing that goes on at the very least moaning about being hungry when they get to school isn't part of it.

Out2pasture · 19/06/2017 21:45

Bran Flakes I believe uses salt as a preservative rather than sugar.
There are so many different varieties of cereal you should be able to find something suitable. I was fine with my teenagers eating as much multigrain cheerios as their heart desired but they were extremely active.

bakedbeansandtuna · 19/06/2017 22:18

Krave sorry blooming auto correct

Witchend · 19/06/2017 22:20

I think the portion sizes are fine. But my dc have the sugary ones as a garnish rather than the main cereal.

OhtoblazeswithElvira · 19/06/2017 22:21

I just came here to thank the OP for the word rantette Grin

NachoAddict · 19/06/2017 22:23

Oh it is hard being the step parent and not having a say over the crap they eat.

We have porridge, weetabix and shredded wheat and I don't have sugar in the house. (DS1 is T1 so we have to make good choices) and my dsd often comments about how her mum doesn't have cereal without sugar.

SuperBeagle · 19/06/2017 22:24

Stop feeding them those cereals then. Confused

You can still choose what is and isn't in the house. He doesn't get to dictate everything. If it isn't in the house, they can't eat it.

MrsWooster · 19/06/2017 22:24

Try diluting the sugary cereal with a slightly less dreadful one- we dish out half coco pops and half rice crispies or half fake sugary cheerios with half sugarfree real cheerios not looking at the nestle label when it's a sweet cereal day and they are used to it and will swap pretty easily between porridge, weetabix, cornflakes and the sugarier ones. Plus you get to use tupperware cereal containers, like the Queen.

Intransige · 19/06/2017 22:27

Cereal isn't great for breakfast regardless of the type; protein-oriented breakfasts keep you full for longer and don't mess with blood sugar as much.

I've been told that cereal as a "healthy" breakfast option was started as an advertising gimmick in the 50s in the US by cereal manufacturers.

Pariswhenitdrizzles · 20/06/2017 13:23

Ohtoblazes Grin I came on here because I thought Rantette was a new type of breakfast cereal!

So is 'rantette' a little rant?? Grin

Original poster
slipperlove · 21/06/2017 07:48

That Huffpost link is pretty interesting, I agree with it.
Sorry that Rantette isn't a new protein rich, sugar free cereal - indeed I was aiming for a small rant.
I like the idea of the tupperware cereal mash-up in Queenly manner.

OP posts:
Fatbird71 · 21/06/2017 13:39

On this semi related subject, my daughter this morning had 6 weetabix (chocolate ones) for breakfast. Blush

She asked if she could have seconds (having had 3) so I wrongly assumed she meant another 1.

I told her that she was being greedy but DH reckons it's fine. I should point out that she is normally picky in what she eats and is borderline underweight. I reckon she does it in case she doesn't like the school dinner (in which case she just won't eat it). I think DH is just grateful there is something she will eat.

guess we are going to disagree on that one!