Cheerios: Real Or Fake?
After seeing all those generic cereals on supermarket shelves, we had to wonder: How hard is it to make a Cheerio?
Well, maybe harder than you might think, according to The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel.
We served panelists samples of both the real thing and an imitation Albertson’s store brand. While the Janet Lee toasted oat rings were dead ringers for Cheerios nutritionally, the panel could tell the difference right away.
The impostors were puffier, and had more holes on their surface; the Cheerios had a cleaner oat taste, and, according to some scientific-minded panel members, floated better in milk.
But by the time the milk was added, the taste difference was much harder to detect. And the price difference - real Cheerios cost twice as much - left some panelists pondering whether they could fake out their families.
(As asides, one panel member said she actually likes generic raisin bran better, but another said her household could really tell the difference with faux corn flakes.)
Just for fun, we followed up with Frosted Cheerios. Several panelists thought they were frosted fakes - they did resemble the imitation Cheerios in appearance - and almost all considered them way too sweet. (At least the sugar coating cuts the fat content in half, to only 1 gram per cup - although if you sit around worrying about the fat in Cheerios, you’ve got real problems.)
To make sure panel members got a full breakfast (even if it was dinner time), we also offered frozen blueberry waffles and reduced-calorie syrups., The waffles weren’t a huge hit (it’s definitely worth making them from scratch, or at least using a decent mix). Krusteaz edged another Janet Lee product, with Downyflake coming in last, which - purely coincidentally, we suppose - also follows their order of fat content.
Among the “lite” syrups, Aunt Jemima, which actually contains a smidgen of real maple syrup, was the clear winner over Log Cabin (by far the cheapest of the three) and Mrs. Butterworth’s. Which, according to some scientific-minded panel members, was also the reverse order of how fast they dripped off a plastic fork.
General Mills Cheerios
Price: $3.35 for 15 ounces.
Nutrition: 110 calories (16 percent fat calories); 280 milligrams sodium per cup.
Taste: ****
Value: **
Comments: “What can I say? They are what we all grew up on.” - Ken Peters.
“Condensed, cute little rings that float well.” - Jan Robison.
Janet Lee Toasted Oats
Price: $1.69 for 15 ounces.
Nutrition: 110 calories (16 percent fat calories); 280 milligrams sodium per cup.
Taste: ***
Value: ****
Comments: “These don’t look like real Cheerios. They seem more powdery than real Cheerios when you chew them … quickly turn to mush in milk.” - Meagan Coffey.
“Very, very close to the real thing, more air - probably could fool the kids.” - Jim Eggers.
General Mills Frosted Cheerios
Price: $2.99 for 14.25 ounces.
Nutrition: 120 calories (7.5 percent fat calories); 200 milligrams sodium per cup.
Taste: ***
Value: ***
Comments: “These are awesome, without milk. Pretty impressive with milk, too. I’d buy this product.” - Helen Span.
“Here’s one for kids. VERY sweet - makes my tongue burn!” - Susi Faville.
Krusteaz Blueberry Waffles
Price: $1.59 for 13.4 ounces (8 waffles).
Nutrition: 230 calories (31 percent fat calories); 420 milligrams sodium in 2 waffles.
Taste: ***
Value: ***
Comments: “Thicker, more substantial. You can taste and smell the blueberries; although somewhat doughy, good flavor.” - Sandy Davidson.
“Crunchy on the outside, but not dry in the center. Has both some crunch and chew, a little more flavor than the others.” - Madilyn Hutchison Foco.
Janet Lee Blueberry Waffles
Price: $1.39 for 11 ounces (8 waffles).
Nutrition: 210 calories (26 percent fat calories); 520 milligrams sodium in 2 waffles.
Taste: ***
Value: ***
Comments: “Crispy, light and airy - not very berry-y - kind of like eating a rice cake.” - Jan Robison.
“Too dried out. Even the syrup didn’t help.” - Ken Peters.
Downyflake Blueberry Waffles
Price: 99 cents for 12 ounces (10 waffles).
Nutrition: 180 calories (20 percent fat calories); 480 milligrams sodium in 2 waffles.
Taste: **
Value: ***
Comments: “Very bland. Blueberries look like dye spots!” - Sandi Kessler.
“The texture is fine, but no flavor. Serve with lots of good syrup.” - Madilyn Hutchison Foco.
Aunt Jemima Lite Reduced Calorie Syrup
Price: $2.99 for 24 ounces.
Nutrition: 100 calories (no fat); 160 milligrams sodium in 1/2 cup.
Taste: ****
Value: ***
Comments: “Good maple flavor. Surprised it was a ‘lite’ syrup.” - Cheryl Caudill.
“The best of the three - I like it well enough to fill all the little wells in a waffle with it.” - Helen Span.
Log Cabin Country Kitchen Lite Reduced Calorie Syrup
Price: $1.55 for 24 ounces.
Nutrition: 100 calories (no fat); 160 milligrams sodium in 1/2 cup.
Taste: **
Value: ***
Comments: “Not very tasty, must be ‘lite’ - slight aftertaste, no maple flavor.” - Jim Eggers.
“Ewww! It was awful, awful, and really awful! It smells awful as well.” - Meagan Coffey.
Mrs. Butterworth’s Lite Reduced Calorie Syrup
Price: $2.99 for 24 ounces.
Nutrition: 100 calories (no fat); 100 milligrams sodium in 1/2 cup.
Taste: **
Value: **
Comments: “Sweet, sort of watery fake taste.” - Sandi Kessler.
“Really fake flavor, like butter rum Life Savers.” - Susi Faville.
, DataTimes