Cereal makers offering some favorites with less sugar
The kids are heading back to school and you want them to start the day with a nutritious breakfast; they want to eat three bowls of super-sugary cereal before bouncing out the door.
Now there’s a compromise: Cereal makers have reduced the amount of sugar in some of the favorite breakfast cereals. Kellogg’s is making Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops with one-third less sugar than the original versions of the cereal. The cereal does not contain any artificial sweeteners.
“Consumer research indicates that parents value the fact that Kellogg was able to maintain great taste without adding artificial sweeteners,” the company said in a news release.
General Mills has reduced-sugar versions of its Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Trix and Cocoa Puffs. General Mills replaced some of the sugar with Splenda, a low-calorie sugar substitute. “Parents now have an option of serving reduced sugar-cereals, while still giving their kids the same great taste and popular breakfast they love,” according to the company.
The Spokesman-Review reader food panel and a group of young guests recently tasted two of those new cereals: Kellogg’s Froot Loops with one-third less sugar and Reduced-Sugar Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
The food panel members and their guests thought the cereal tasted fine. They tested it both with and without milk. Each cereal received three stars for taste (a “fair” ranking) from both groups.
“The poor man’s Cinnabon,” panel member Andy Hoye said of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch. “Good stuff.”
“Tastes like Froot Loops, not too sweet, good smell; good crunch and stays crunchy in milk,” said Nancy Robinson of the reduced-sugar version.
It passed the kids’ test too, although a couple of them said they wouldn’t want it for breakfast everyday.
“It has a lot of cinnamon on it,” said 10-year-old Stephen Gese, of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.
Gage Prior said the reduced-sugar Froot Loops were OK. “I’d like it for breakfast occasionally,” the 9-year old said.
Two of the adults guessed the cereal was lower in sugar, and some said they found the lower-sugar Froot Loops pretty bland. One panel member said there was an unpleasant aftertaste to the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal made with Splenda.
Kellogg’s Froot Loops, 1/3 Less Sugar
Price: $3.59 for a 13.3-ounce box
Nutrition per 1 1/4-cup serving: 120 calories, 1 gram fat (.5 grams saturated, 8 percent fat calories), 2 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 180 milligrams sodium.
Kids
Taste: • • •
Comments: “I like the colors.” — Drew Kazanis, 6
“They taste like Froot Loops. They taste very good.” — Stephen Gese, 10
“Very crunchy. Poor.” — Sydney Williams, 8
Adults
Taste: • • •
Value: • • •
Comments: “The color alone would wake you up.” — Donald Clegg
“When it looks this fun, who cares about taste, which is pretty bland.” — Andy Hoye
“Not too sweet when eating without milk… Pretty sweet in milk.” — Marilyn Moore
“Too ‘fruity’ for me. I can almost taste the colors. Does taste less sugary.” — Larry Inman
“The great thing about sugary cereal is, it tends to stay crunchy in milk. The bad thing is, they go for sweet over flavor.” — Skip Hubbard
Reduced-Sugar Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Price: $4.59 for a 13.75-ounce box
Nutrition per 3/4 -cup serving: 130 calories, 3 grams fat (no saturated fat, 21 percent fat calories), 1 gram protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 180 milligrams sodium.
Kids
Taste: • • •
Comments: “This one’s good, even with milk.” — Pierce Hubbard, 4
“It’s very cinnamony. I like the squares.” — Drew Kazanis, 6
“This one has more taste than the other one (Froot Loops). Good.” — Sydney Williams, 8
Adults
Taste: • • •
Value: • • 1/2
Comments: “Crunchy even with milk. Just the right amount of flavor; tasty but not overpowering.” — Larry Inman
“Funny aftertaste; not too sweet. Once the coating is gone, (it’s) kind of bland.” — Nancy Robinson
“Too fried tasting. The cinnamon was the only flavor.” — Peggy Kazanis
“Crunchy cinnamon-sugar overkill, but actually a pleasant flavor along with the buzz.” — Donald Clegg