NOW CLOSED: MU 100% Cheddar Sticks product test - feedback thread

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the 100 MNers who are trying the new MU 100% Cheddar Sticks from MU cheese with their DC.

If you are a tester please add your feedback to this thread by answering these questions once you've bought and tried the cheese.

MU says "Our new MU Sticks are the perfect little treat to pop into your kids' lunchboxes, or even stash in the fridge as a delicious and healthy snack. Each stick is made from 100% Cheddar and contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk. What's more, they are completely natural - each yummy chunk of smooth and creamy medium cheddar is just MU Cheddar, with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives added."

Everyone who is a tester and who adds their feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one family will win £100 worth of Love2Shop vouchers.

Feedback questions:

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?
When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?
What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  
• Strength of the cheese
  
• Packaging
  

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?
As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?
Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

[Silibilimili]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

My DD tried it and so did the baby. It is like any other cheese really...



When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

as a snack. They are good for picnics but the only problem is as its a cheese, I dont like putting it back in the fridge after being out with us on a picnic if it is not eaten. Maybe instructions on usage and storage would be good? (sorry to sound like a dodo

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  
• Strength of the cheese
  
• Packaging
  

All above is okay, but does not really make it stand out from the others. What is your differentiator? We get the baby bell and the other stick/string cheeses. The baby bell is a hit because of its shape. Same with the strings and the spaghetti cheese etc.

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

Maybe the packaging or the shape of cheese. Make it something different. We tend to go from liking stick to strings to spaghetti to the baby bell.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?

As its not processed cheese. It makes a healthy snack for the little ones and is filling too.

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?

yes. as again it makes me feel that I am not giving junk food to my kids
Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right

very
Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)
Not sure. If there is a deal on, I would buy that cheese, thats what I usually do. The other brands seem to have deals on where you can buy same for £1.00 at tesco.

[lyra41]

Strength of cheese- slightly too strong for my 6 year old, I thought it was tangy and delicious

Packaging - good, the facts were interesting

Improvement - none needed

It appealed to me as it is more like normal, grown up cheese.

It is very important to get the calcium balance right for children.

Yes I would buy the sticks again.

[howiwonder]

Finally got round to buying my cheese sticks this morning - heres my responses:

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?
Me, DS (2 and a half yr old) and DH. I really liked, DS seemed to like more than some similar products we have tried although he still didnt finish, DH not keen - thought flavour was good but wasnt keen on texture


When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?
Eaten at home as snacks, DS had with some other bits as part of his post nursery supper

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  

I was surprised - I was expected all rubbery like cheese string but seemed a bit more natural, DH thought it was a bit cloying

• Strength of the cheese
  

Suprisingly strong but this was good for us, we all like strong cheese

• Packaging
  

good - it definitely stood out on the tesco shelf

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

My DS would probably do better with an even smaller one, a little mini size perhaps.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?

Definitely - feels less processed

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?

Obviously, always keen to get the calcium

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

It is important, but as DS is keen on drinking milk, its not something I worry about him lacking in

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

Yes probably - especially with the current tesco deal, they seemed pretty reasonable

[waps]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? DS1, aged 6, myself and my DH tried one. DS2 didn't fancy it but that's par for the course at the moment.

What was their verdict?
DS1 thought they were nice and ate it with gusto. DH and I agreed that they were very processed cheese. Nobody thought the taste was too strong.

If they didn't go down well, why?
DH descibed them as all the offcuts mashed up and pressed back together. I thought they were rubbery with a paste like texture. But we're adults, what do we know? DS1 really liked it, although he hasn't taken one when they've been offered since.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?
Eaten at the end of a meal, instead of a yoghurt. I like the children to have cheese as it is good for their teeth.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture DS1 thought they were fine but the adults thought they were mushy, like a paste.
  
• Strength of the cheese Fine
  
• Packaging DS1 (6) couldn't open the packet, I had to do it and it was a bit tough. I like the black and white look but the cow facts weren't enticing to the kids. They like cow jokes (even though they don't get them) but that's already been done by Yeo.
  

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?
Less processed texture. Processed food does not seem healthy.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
Don't care about it being cheddar but I do want it to be 100% cheese.

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
I have no trouble getting my kids to drink milk, in fact I have to restrict it as DS1 has the remains of a milk allergy. I am more interested in providing them with a 'chunk' of cheese to finish off meals. I think I would prefer them to be smaller for this reason. DS1 had no specific reaction to this cheese.

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?
Meh. I don't obsess about anything foodwise, I don't think its healthy. They eat some of everything, I don't give them a lot of processed food so I'm fairly happy that they have a balanced diet without feeling the need to measure their intake of anything.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)
Probably not, I'd prefer to give the kids proper cheese.

[waps]

Yes, I've just spotted the key phrase - "each stick is made from 100% cheddar". MADE FROM, not it IS 100% cheddar. This seems to have suggested to some people that this isn't processed cheese. If I'm right that's another victory for the double speak department. Oops, there goes my hope of the vouchers!

[BiscuitNibbler]

DH has now tried them and loved them too.

[vincenta]

Hi!
First of all I would like to say thank you to Katie who sorted my problem so quickly.I can't find any MU cheese on my nearest Tesco's and yesterday I received Mu cheese on post Thanks again!

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

In our family Mu sticks tried me and my 3years old son who loves cheese sticks.They didn't go down well as expected, he eated half of cheese stick gave back to me. Was it tasty? I asked "yuck"was his answer.
I loved that cheese sticks have cheddar taste and at the same tame wasn't so hard to bite as proper cheddar.However I completely understand why my son didn't fall in love with Mu cheese.It was tasty but quite strong to eat on its own,I desperately wanted some butter and bread to go with my mu stick.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

We eaten Mu cheese sticks at home as a snack. If weather today will be good i will take Mu cheese sticks with me when we go out for walk to our nearest play area, I noticed that everything that my son don't eat at home, he is eating outside after good run when his tummy is rumbling!
To my mind Mu cheese with it strong cheddar flavor better would taste if it will go as part of meal, for example as addition to ham sandwich.
What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  

I liked the texture it was lovely and if your child don't have a lot of teeth it is easy to take cheese stick outside of the fridge after it will warm up a little bit it becomes very soft.I liked it!

• Strength of the cheese
  

Strength of the cheese are to strong for eating it alone as a snack, and aftertaste of cheese is strong too.that's why I guess not all of children will eat it well.

• Packaging
  

Oh.I loved it, it was so stylish, and this lovely cow looked so sweet! I loved that every pack contained some fact.like no.17 cows produce 90 % of the milk in the world.nearly all of it! also i liked that packaging was easy to open!

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

I think milder strength of cheese stick would be great, at least for us, because usually we use cheese sticks as a snack not part of meal, and for snack it has too strong cheesy taste.

are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
Yes it is appealing, it is good to pay expensive price(all cheese sticks are expensive!) when you know that your child will eat 100 % cheddar.

contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
Yes it is appealing, it is great and tasty way to have one glass of milk. However my son loves milk and drinks it a lot that's why even if this cheese stick contained half of glass of milk, it will still be okey with me.

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

I try my best to ensure that my son is getting enough calcium, because it i so important especially now when he is growing and developing,and healthy strong bones depends on his calcium intake.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

As i said before all cheese sticks are quite expensive but we still buy them, I tried to buy more when sticks are on offer like 1 £ and still buy without discounts too .
I think i will buy mu cheese stick at least to give them another go. I don't mind paying such price when my little one is eating these stick, because to be honest it is very easy to take them with you and it when you are on the go.
If my son will not eat them, than i better buy Mu cheese block, which works out cheaper and are delicious too! :)

[OddGoldBoots]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

My children (dd 9, ds 13) ate them, they both enjoyed them.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

They had them as part of a light meal with crackers, cucumber and tomatoes.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  
• Strength of the cheese
  
• Packaging
  

The texture was good, dd thought they were a bit strong but she says that about a lot of cheese and she was happy to eat them with other food. The packaging was good, it was properly sealed while still easy to open - the children loved the facts.

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

I really can't think of anything.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?

Being cheddar specifically is neither appealing nor unappealing but it is good that they are 100% cheese. Calcium is very appealing.

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

Very, they are both growing like runner beans at the moment so I want to support their bone development.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

I would for picnics etc although I usually get a block and cut some off for eating at home.

[TheTempest]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

Me, DP and DD1. DN1 doesn't eat very much! DP and I enjoyed it, but ti was too strong for DD.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

all snacks here, except for an emergency in which I put one on top of a chicken breast.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture- good, slight grainy texture which I really liked.
  
• Strength of the cheese- good for DP and I but not for DD
  
• - Packaging- good, looks classy and modern but felt 'cheap' to the touch.
  

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

Not as strog, seems to be aimed at children but appeals to more grown up tastebuds.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?Yes, the less unnatural rubbish in my body the better!
~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
Not really- we are all milk fiends in my house!
Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?
It's not something I worry about as we going through 16 pints a week!
Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)
Probably not, as they were quite expensive and seem to have taste dyspmorphia as to who they are aimed at!

Thank you very much for letting us taste them though!

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Other piece of feedback is that I found the print had come off the outer packaging and transferred onto my fridge. It cleaned off easily, but irked me a bit.

[sjs152]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks?

All of us tried them (myself, husband and 3 year old son) Son ate the rest!

What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

All of us enjoyed them, we left them to son as we felt they were more useful for his lunches when we went out due the individual packaging. We did buy larger slab of Mu cheese for at home however.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

They were taken on holiday to Butlins, they were very useful as we Were having breakfast and dinner in the main restaurant and therefore only had a room, they were perfect for our sons lunch as we didn't need a knife to cut portions and they fit in a tiny fridge.

They also have been taken on various trips to the zoo and other picnics.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  

The texture was nice as it was the texture of 'proper' cheese rather than the rubbery bland cheese strings type cheese.

• Strength of the cheese
  

Seemed quite strong but my son likes strong mature cheese.

• Packaging
  

Easy to open.

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

None really, I like the fact that it is gimmick free.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?

Yes, it is just simply cheese, no gimmicks.

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?

Yes, my son doesn't drink milk on its own.

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

Very important, my son doesn't drink milk and it worries me that I don't get enough calcium into him.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

Yes when we are going out for picnic etc. In general I will give him block cheese however.

[nancerama]

I eventually managed to get hold of my cheese after a frustrating "computer says no" experience at Tesco. The cheese was on special offer for £1 a pack and they were unwilling to let me use my voucher for less than it was worth. 4 cashiers and a trip to customer services later, I finally left with my prize.

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

Me and DS (15 months). I liked them, although they did have a slightly slimy, sweaty texture. DS liked the first couple of nibbles and then gave up, but he is a fussy kid.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

We nibbled them as a snack whilst preparing dinner.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  
• Strength of the cheese
  
• Packaging
  

The texture was ok, but a bit slimy. Not as rubbery as many cheese snacks though.

I really liked the strength - it was tasty, but I suspect many kids would find it a bit too strong.

The outer packaging was really tricky to get into, but the sticks themselves were easy to unwrap. I liked the logo and cow print design.

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

I would prefer them to be slightly less slimy.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?

Being cheddar means little to me - it's a generic cheese, but I'm pleased that it isn't packed full of additives and preservatives.

The milk content equivalent is food to know. DS doesn't drink a lot of cows milk, but he does like cheese.

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

Very - I want him to have strong healthy bones.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

Possibly for a snack when out and about, but it's an expensive way of buying cheeses. I'm more likely to chop a chunk off of a big block.

Thank you for letting me taste these cheese sticks.

[DeepPurple]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks?
My 2 year old DD

What was their verdict?
She happily ate them!

If they didn't go down well, why?
N/A

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?
Half were snacks and the others were as part of her meal when she was having her favourite ham sandwiches.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  

Slightly slimy

• Strength of the cheese
  

Not too strong and not bland

• Packaging
  

Easy to open

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?
Less slimy texture

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
Yes as I don't like additives

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
I like DD to drink milk but she doesn't always drink as much as I like so this is appealing to me.

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?
Very as I want her to have strong bones and healthy teeth.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)
I would buy them again. I do usually just chop some cheese off a big block.

Thank you for letting me try your cheese!

[diamanteasbigastheritz]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

My children ate them. They enjoyed them.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

As a snack

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  
• Strength of the cheese
  
• Packaging
  

The texture wasn't the same as they were used to - usually the DCs eat small pieces from a bigger block of cheese - but they were happy to eat them. The strength was about right and the packaging was nice and easy to get into.

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

Slightly firmer texture

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

The DCs generally get a good intake of calcium and drink lots of milk/eat cheese and yoghurts, so I wasn't especially concerned about the milk content. It was more important to me that the sticks were 100% cheddar.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

Probably - as an occasional convenience rather than a regular purchase though.

[TheSkiingGardener]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?
Me and DS(2). We both enjoyed them.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?
Lunches for DS, after dinner cheese snack for me.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  

DS was ok with it, he played with it a bit. I didn't like the fact it's obviously moulded into the packet. What have you had to do to cheddar to make it do that!

• Strength of the cheese
  

Good. Hate mild tasteless cheddar, as does DS.

• Packaging
  

Good, DS couldn't open it, but wasn't far off at 2.

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?
Texture. Cheddar is solid with sharp edges!

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
I wouldn't buy anything that wasn't.

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
I make sure DS has enough milk. Cheese is extra.

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?
Important, but not something I stay awake at night worrying about.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again?
Possibly not, because of the texture.

[UmamiOrange]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

DS 3.5 was the one who tried them (DH doesn't like cheese at all, and I don't really like it to snack on!). He seemed quite keen on trying them, and had seen friends with similar. He sucked them for a while, gradually broke them into pieces, but I don't believe he actually ate any of the cheese. I think it was the texture he didn't like.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

I offered them as a snack.

What did your family testers think of the:
- Texture - I think this is what DS disliked. He said the sticks were 'sticky'. They certainly felt (and looked) quite rubbery
- Strength of the cheese - well, he sucked them for quite some time, so they can't have been overpoweringly strong!
- Packaging - I liked the packaging; easy to spot in the supermarket, and the individual packets were very easy to open. Plus, old, half-sucked sticks can be conveniently placed back in the packet

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

The texture needs to be more like 'normal cheese'.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?

Yes, because cheese products aimed at children can often be quite spooky and un-cheeselike. DS loves cheese, and happily eats 'proper' cheddar by the handful.

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?

Yes, because ways to get extra protein into him are always helpful. I do wonder, though, is it referencing full-fat or skimmed (in terms of calcium content, calories etc).

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

Very important, though dairy products are one of the few things DS will reliably consume, so it's not something I worry about massively.

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)
I doubt it - the shiny appearance/ rubbery texture were off-putting, and for me it doesn't give any major advantages over a standard lump of cheddar.

[UmamiOrange]

And thanks again to MrsJohnDeere, without whom we would have had no cheesy sticks at all!

[cazboldy]

my dc ate the cheese sticks, and I tries one/finished one when my youngest dc didn't like it. Apart from her they all liked them. Tastewise they were fine, although oldest dd commented on the texture.

they were taken in a cool box as a part of a picnic when we were competing with our cattle at a local agricultural show.

as I said dd1 was not a fan of the texture, and dd2 didn't like the taste, but the boys all liked them. we all thought the packaging was fun, and eye catching.

I would like them to be a bit easier to open.

I like the fact tat they are cheddar, and real cheese, and contain calcium. It is important to me that the dc eat well, but often they are drawn to horrible plastic cheese because it is aimed at them and then they feel hard done by when just given a hunk of cheddar - this kind of thing could well be a compromise for pic nics etc, so i may buy again.

[notasausage]

The cheese sticks were tried by DD1 (3.10) DD2 (1) DH and myself.

DD1 took one nibble screwed her face up and said no thanks so I finished hers and agreed that it was far from the nicest cheese we'd tried. DD2 munched about 1/2 and then threw it on the floor. DH didn't comment much but the fact there are still some in the fridge 2 weeks later probably isn't a good sign.

We ate them as part of a snack and they would have been used in lunch boxes if they hadn't bombed so badly.

I didn't like the texture - it was too smooth and gooey. Taste was fine, you could taste the cheese but I like strong cheese and it may not be great of kids this strong. Packaging was good DD1 liked the look of it and could open it herself.

I wouldn't buy prepacked cheese like this and worry about the milk content or that it was 100% cheddar so I'm afraid that side of the marketing is lost on me. It is important that by DC get their calcium intake but they both eat good diets and tbh i wouldnt buy prepacked cheese like this to improve their diet.

Sorry MU but I wouldn't buy this product again or recommend it because it's so gooey when you eat it. thanks for letting me try though and sorry my feedback is a little late.

[WhenDoISleep]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?

DH and DS1 (3.5yrs) both tried them. DH thought they were OK, DS thought they were fine.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?

DH ate them as a snack, DS as part of his lunch or tea.

What did your family testers think of the:
- Texture
- Strength of the cheese
- Packaging

DH thought the texture was a little rubbery and the strength was quite mild. DS thought the cheese was not as tasty as we sometime have (generally I buy a extra mature cheddar). Both DH and I liked the packaging of the sticks - it is easy to open and get the cheese out.

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?

It might be nice to have something other than cheddar as there are similar products already on the market

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?

It is good to know the sticks are pure chesse with a good amount of calcium

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?

It is important to me as DS1 doesn't drink milk, so cheese and yoghurts are his main sources of calcium

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)

Possible if they are on offer, but I think they are a little expensive when I could just buy a block of cheese and cut a hunk off

[Squiglettsmummy2bx]

Myself & my children aged 7, 9 & 7 months ate the cheese at a picnic in the park.
They all enjoyed it. The texture was good for all, my daughter commented that it was 'real cheese'. They liked the strength although I prefer my cheese stronger. The packaging was nice & easy to open & the older children could do it themselves.
I would prefer a stronger cheese option.
It is very appealing to me that this is 100% cheddar rather than processed cheese.
It is also appealing that they contain a good amount of calcium as my 9 year old daughter doesn't like milk so I am always looking for other ways to get her to have the right amount of calcium.
It is important to me that my children get the right amount of calcium.
I may buy these again if they are on special offer but otherwise I would probably just cut up a piece of cheese.

[GracieGirl]

I've been to my tesco in Derby twice and can't find them. I asked the staff who couldn't find them either.

Emailing Katie (if I can find the email address)

[BlueGuinefort]

None in our local TescoExtra - although DH was in charge of finding them, so who knows?

Will check smaller local Tesco....

[MonsterBookOfTysons]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?
The dc ate them, 2 and 4 years old, dd was not so keen but can be fussy with cheese and ds loved them and wants them in his lunch box from now on.

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?
They were eaten as part of a picnic lunch at home to see if ds could manage the packaging on his own, he could so had them in his lunch box today.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture- I found the texture reasonable for the style of cheese, dc didn't mind it.
  
• Strength of the cheese- I think the strength may of been what put dd off, ds didnt mind though.
  
• Packaging- good packaging, easy to spot and open.
  

If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?
I would want them in a pack of at least 5 as to do school lunches for the week.
As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
I feel I would be feeding the dc something good.

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
My dc drink a lot of milk so this wouldn't be a selling point but it is not a bad thing.
Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?
Very important
Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)
Yes but more likely in a pack of 5.

[llynnnn]

Who in your family ate the MU Sticks? What was their verdict? If they didn't go down well, why?
My daughters ate the majority of them, we had a nibble to try them. We all love cheese and we all enjoyed these!

When did they get eaten - on what type of occasion - eg did they go out on a picnic, in a lunchbox or eaten at home? As a snack or part of a meal?
I put them in dd's packed lunches and they also ate one with their lunch at home.

What did your family testers think of the:

• Texture
  
• Strength of the cheese
  
• Packaging
  

We all enjoyed the texture and strength of cheese, it makes a refreshing change to have a product like this that is a stronger, more tasty cheese. We liked the packaging as my 3 year old could open it herself!
If you or your DC could make one improvement to MU sticks what would it be and why?
No changes (maybe cheaper!) we enjoyed them.

As stated above MU sticks:
~ are 100% cheddar - is this appealing to you? Why?
Yes, I much prefer products which don't have lots of extra additives

~ contain the equivalent of one 210ml glass of milk - is this appealing to you? Why?
Very important, my eldest dd doesn't drink milk on its own anymore so I always give her cheese for calcium

Overall, how important it is to you to ensure your children get their calcium intake right?
It is important to me as I try my hardest to include everything they need in their daily diet, this is an easy way to tick off calcium!

Lastly do you think you would buy MU sticks again? Why? (RRP £1.35 for a pack of 4 sticks)
I would buy them, although a cheaper (per stick) pack of 8 would be good! 4 don't last long!

Thank you to all concerned for giving us the opportunity to try these :)