Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Refusing to buy certain cereals for my DC?

373 replies

Ricekrispie22 · 15/09/2018 16:38

Does anyone else refuse to buy Coco Pops, Krave, Cookie Crisp and such like for their DC on the principle that 11g of sugar (more than a Freddo) for breakfast is just wrong?

OP posts:
SoyDora · 16/09/2018 18:54

^ exactly this. I’m not depriving them of cereal, just as I’m not depriving them of almonds for example, which they’ve also never had because I don’t like them and don’t buy them.
They have all sorts of other breakfasts (including even banana and Nutella pancakes 😱 sometimes). I just don’t buy cereal because I don’t like it and it doesn’t fill me up.

Bluelady · 16/09/2018 19:19

This thread is making me wonder why supermarkets have entire aisles of cereal. Who on earth is buying it all?

The sugar content of orange juice is horrendous and the acid attacks tooth enamel, it's the last thing I'd give a child.

1981fishgut · 16/09/2018 19:45

Yup me

The only cereal we buy is weetabix
Porridge
And if I am feeling generous shedded wheat

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 17/09/2018 08:11

Can I just ask, those of you who eat porridge - do you put anything on it? Surely it tastes like wallpaper paste if you don't?

DD and I like ours with a teaspoon of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Does that make me a bad mummy for adding evil sugar, or an ok one because it's a lot less sugar than most cereals.

(DS gets a drizzle of honey on his Weetabix. Should I be expecting a call from social services?)

Miladymilord · 17/09/2018 08:14

My children are too old for me to really care what they have for breakfast (and they themselves have realised that if they eat a bowl of frosties they are starving by 10am) but this sounds absolutely disgusting, sorry

Yes. I give them porridge with a tiny bit of cereal of their choice sprinkled on top. It makes them feel like they're having a real treat, meanwhile probably only 2g of sugar!!

YeTalkShiteHen · 17/09/2018 08:15

Can I just ask, those of you who eat porridge - do you put anything on it? Surely it tastes like wallpaper paste if you don't?

Salt and milk if it’s for me and DP.

Much to my Grannie’s disgust (if she were still here) honey or jam for the bairns.

YeTalkShiteHen · 17/09/2018 08:16

I love shredded wheat, I’ve never met anyone else who does!

Miladymilord · 17/09/2018 08:21

We put maple syrup on porridge.

Strugglingtodomybest · 17/09/2018 08:25

Bananas and cinnamon stirred into the porridge while it's cooking, chopped strawberries on the top.

Bimgy85 · 17/09/2018 08:56

I put bananas on porridge. With a small sprinkling of sugar or sweetener! Sooo good and filling

Bimgy85 · 17/09/2018 08:57

@Miladymilord you must be very very fussy if you think something as basic as porridge with a sprinkling of cereal on top sounds disgusting! 😂 how can something as beige as cereal be 'disgusting' my kids all seem to love it they are quite young.

PermanentlyFrizzyHairBall · 17/09/2018 09:00

I love overnight oats - (banana and coco, apple and cinnamon or strawberry and vanilla). Make a batch that will last a few days. Eat it hot or cold. Alternatively banana muffins (use 50% wholemeal flour, add coconut and oats instead of some of the white flour as well and take out 90% of the suggested amount of sugar) super easy to make and freeze well. Or banana pancakes - also freeze well. Failing that, fruit cheese and crackers.

DS has cocopops etc on holiday - it's exciting for him "Hotel breakfast!" but no way for every day especially if he's meant to be sitting at school concentrating.

ZanyMobster · 17/09/2018 09:24

I buy coco pops. They are allowed them once in the week and once a weekends. They have healthy lunch and dinner every day so I don't mind. They do lots of exercise too.

LaurieMarlow · 17/09/2018 09:38

@Miladymilord you must be very very fussy if you think something as basic as porridge with a sprinkling of cereal on top sounds disgusting!

I'm with Milady. There are lots of delicious things you can put on porridge but cereal as a topping is totally unappetising. Just why?

Fine if you like it obviously, but it holds no interest for me.

SoyDora · 17/09/2018 09:45

I think cereal on top of porridge sounds a bit rank too. And I’m not fussy at all, I eat most things. Just doesn’t appeal.

Miladymilord · 17/09/2018 10:27

Yes I'm fussy, I prefer my porridge without a sprinkling of cheap sugary cereal going sludgy on top (boak)

Barbayagar · 17/09/2018 13:26

I hate cereal. My DH and DC like it, so we get oatibix, oatiflakes, shreddies, and rice pops/crispies. I know these are the not so sweet options but they taste very sweet to me. They also like toast, eggs, crumpets, and I sometimes make breakfast muffins.

I prefer rye porridge with coconut flakes, a bit of almond butter, chia seeds, and sultanas - it's heaven in a bowl for me and sweet enough without any honey or sugar. But that's me, and my DC wouldn't eat it!

Confusedbeetle · 17/09/2018 13:30

Don't but breakfast cereals. They are nutritionally rubbish. Very few are sugar-free. Maryann, do you really believe that bread is worse than that list of a dentists nightmare that is in your cupboard. We got sold this ridiculous marketing from America. You don't see much breakfast cereal in Europe

jauntynomates · 17/09/2018 13:33

YANBU for not buying them. I will admit that for a while the DCs had sugary cereal every day for breakfast (usually one of the honey flavoured ones as that was their preference). Both DCs have SN and went very restrictive with food for a year or so, I was just glad they ate something. I used to roll my eyes at the anti cereal talk, mainly because for me I was just tired and desperate for them to eat!

I don’t judge kids being given those cereals, but I do think that the sugar in them really should be significantly toned down. Now that our DCs are much more open to food we moved onto Ready Brek - no sugar or salt, but a consistency that they can get on with. It only took a couple of days for them to get used to not having a sweet breakfast. Occasionally DC1 asks if he can have sweet cereal as a snack on the weekend, we treat it the same as any treat so he can certainly have it occasionally, usually an afternoon/evening snack. I won’t give them sweet cereal for breakfast even as a treat though as it really knocks their behaviour out of whack Confused but doesn’t seem to have as much of an effect later in the day once they’ve eaten other foods.

LadyKyliePonsonbyFarquhar · 17/09/2018 13:45

All of you people eating cornflakes , porridge, weetabix etc. Do you not put a bit of sugar on them along with the milk? I think they taste horrible without.

whiskybysidedoor · 17/09/2018 13:47

You don't see much breakfast cereal in Europe

One of the best thing about living in various different countries in Europe is the amazing choice in utterly terrible sugar filled cereals they have!! The UK is quite restrained tbh.

Meh. Cereal is the devils own when your kids are little. They grow up a bit and you realise it’s not a big deal.
Be careful with the porridge made with milk though- tiny portions only as hugely calorific (with or without the devils candy dustWink)

Spacezombies · 17/09/2018 13:50

@LadyKyliePonsonbyFarquhar

I have my porridge with milk and salted.... not loads if salt but probably still not the best!

Camomila · 17/09/2018 13:54

In (Northern) Italy we dunk biscuits into warm milk/cocoa/coffee for breakfast so we don't need unhealthy cereal too...
In the South you get granita and a bun for breakfast...

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 17/09/2018 13:55

My 12 yo dd is allowed chocolate cereal (chocolate pillows from aldi) on the wends, she doesn't eat any other cereal as doesn't like it and understands it's a treat. During the week she has toast/crumpets. Tbh she is not a fan of breakfast and always needs encouragement to eat it.

Barbayagar · 17/09/2018 14:01

@LadyKyliePonsonbyFarquhar some sultanas and cinnamon on my porridge is enough sweetness for me.