DH thinks rice crispies are a suitable breakfast

[thisismyheart]

That's it really, DH would happily send children (3&6) off to school/childminder on one bowl of rice crispies and a bit of fruit in the morning. I feel very strongly about filling kids tummies properly before school, and while i have no problem with a bowl of rice crispies now and then, that they are ultimately just puffs of air, and the children need something more nutritionally dense.

We argued about it properly this morning, and now he's in a huff about me undermining him. I just want to guage what others think - is a bowl of rice crispies and a bit of fruit enough to keep a child's energy levels up all morning?

I agree op. There is nothing nutritious abut cereal at all, its empty carbs/sugars and will leave them hungry.

Eggs are the way to go.

It's ultra processed and has added sugar and salt so different to a bowl of rice.

I’m a nutritionist

So not a dietitian, then.

Obviously it’s fine to have a bowl of sugary cereal from time to time but it isn’t an adequate every day breakfast. Anything with a sugar content over 10% is considered ‘high’. Sugar puffs contain 22% sugar. A 100g portion of sugar puffs would exceed the NHS recommended daily limit for sugar intake in a child under 10.

Who said anything about sugary cereal? Read the labels. Rice Krispies are not sugary. And if you're really giving your kid 100g of cereal for breakfast (which is loads, not a normal helping) then it shouldn't be Sugar Puffs - the clue is in the name.

Personally, I’d never give my DC something like rice crispies and would rather they had something more nutritious and filling. For years this was weetabix or toast. If it was up to me, I’d force them to have porridge every morning!

This. It’s actually one of the lowest sugar cereals. My kids hate me for only allowing them boring cereal.
They get ‘treat’ cereal on holidays though so I’m not a complete ogre!

And by the way, for anyone saying ‘it wouldn’t fill me up but it’s ok for kids’.

Children need much more energy and especially fat than an adult, because their brains are still growing and the brain is made of mostly fat. Sending a child off to school on a bowl of Rice crispies with milk isn’t going to meet their energy needs. It’s empty fuel.

Also, consider that habits are instilled in children for the rest of their lives. It’s much better to start them off with good habits now, than teaching them habits which they will then have to use a lot of effort and energy to try and change in the future.

Op, you are right but your DH can’t be blamed for not knowing better because the sugar and cereal companies have done an incredible job of marketing cereal as ‘healthy and nutritious’ for the best part of 40 years, so everyone believes this lie.

I love a pop tart 😋

I thought milk was the most important thing for babies anyway.

I agree with you OP. Always wholemeal toast or porridge here. With fruit. Cereal is full of sugar and refined carbs. You want slow release energy, which this cereal isn’t

We had this for years before school (and maybe on weekends) with no fruit and maybe toast and marmite. Somehow we survived.

It's...... A bowl of rice? It's fine?

What about a pop tart 🤔

Why is toast better than cereal with milk and fruit? Toast is just bread. Why is a slice of bread more ‘nutritious and filling’ than a bowl of cereal with milk and fruit?

Mine all had cereal and toast - but a more nutricious cereal such as weetabix with a bit more substance.

Rice Krispies are considered to be 'medium' in terms of amount of sugar so not super high but certainly not low in sugar either. I would definitely call them sugary. That's why they taste so sweet.

Oh baby gets milk too! Has a full bottle first thing then a while later has solids. :)
3 bottles and 3 solid meals a day.
used to be 6 bottles.

No, I am not a dietitian. Dietitians predominantly work in hospitals with people who are already sick - for example those with T1 diabetes or chronic kidney disease. Nutritionists are more concerned with optimal health and nutrition, and preventing disease, which is surely what we all want for our children and society as a whole. The NHS is on its knees, mainly due to entirely preventable disease caused by lifestyle choices perpetuated by the ‘Big Food’ industry - think Nestle, Coca Cola etc. And by the way, those companies are sponsors of dietetic education.

I’d be careful with that attitude on dietitians vs nutritionists.

But it isn't. It's ultra processed rice with added sugar and salt.

OP I think you are absolutely correct.

This thread has made me add Rice Crispies to my shopping list. I used to love them but haven't bought any since the DC had them for breakfast a couple of decades ago.

omg I remember pop tarts!

You can give muesli without a lot of sugar plus there is fibre etc in fruit not just added sugar like in rice Krispies. Also you can give plain yogurt.

I agree. Rice crispies are not nutritional. The same can be said for a lot of cereal.

Our kids have porridge with nut butter, seeds and fruit. If they’re still hungry they can have some Greek yogurt.

As an overweight person who was overweight from 4 years old back in 1960s , I’d be very carefully to think your kids “need more” than x or y
feed nutritiously and with wide variety. Cereal only with milk and some fruit is pretty good, won’t harm them, and if in course of week they get variety then you’re doing pretty well.
I was bought up on a must have a clean plate, must eat x or y amounts and clearly my body didn’t need it. It is way better to feed smaller meals or amounts to your kids and have healthy snacks like veg, fruit and nuts to fill up any spare corners, than to present them with one bigger serving, or multiple courses in a single meal. Particularly when breakfast and often lunch can be a rushed along meal with people still doozy - the brain takes at least 10 minutes to recognise you’ve eaten enough - due to the way the appetite suppressing hormones work. If they’ve eaten cereal, a glass of orange juice, and a slice of toast in that time it’s not great and they’ll be learning to eat without relying on their appetite signalling when to stop.
I think best ways, based on what I learnt with my kids, I’d feed as small a meal as you can, ensure they eat very slowly and never ever make them finish stuff on their plate ..in fact if they leave carbs I’d be praising them to have realised they’ve had enough and stopped.

The argument was actually started by him, when I mentioned that I usually fed them more, I wasnt picking a fight about cereal!

Criticising him isn't picking a fight?

There's no self-reflection in any of your posts, despite nearly everybody disagreeing with you. You must be hell to live with.