Is cereal a healthy option for my child’s breakfast?
That depends on your cereal choice. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently studied more than 1,500 cereals and found that a child would consume more than 10 pounds of sugar per year if he ate a typical bowl of cereal each day.
Ten pounds per year just from cereal alone! In this study, 181 of these cereals were specifically marketed to children, and every one of those had added sugars. Cereal makers claim this study ignores the benefits provided by a cereal breakfast, including added nutrients and fat free milk, and may, in fact, be more nutritious than other choices a child could make.
The bottom line: make smart choices when choosing a cereal for your child. The EWG says to avoid the ones specifically marketed to children, and instead look for cereal containing six grams of sugar or less.
Our family eats a lot of Cascadian Farms Multigrain Squares. It very healthy and believe it or not, my 3 year old loves it!
I have tried to find cereal with 6 grams of sugar or less but most of them are brands that my children will simply not eat. I think the only one we have success with is Multi Grain Cheerios but I also like to have another option to alternate with. Most of the cereal that the girls as well as us enjoy have about 10 grams or less and I never buy anything with more than that.
Melissa–some of the low sugar cereals might be a little boring, esp if your kiddos are used to more flavorful versions. I stick with Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Kix, Wheaties, etc.
Also, don’t forget that you can sweeten cereal naturally with a topping of fresh fruit; and sometimes I allow a small spoonful of sugar, which is still less than a lot of the sugary versions available.