Healthy Breakfasts / In Love with Consumer Reports

Several years ago, TDH fell in love...

with Consumer Reports.

The obsession began much to my dismay, as everything I wanted to purchase had to be filtered through his "Consumer-Reports-brain." You might think buying a hair dryer would be left up to me and my female expertise, but I was literally running from TDH the moment he started asking, "Did you go online to see which one would last the longest?"

It wasn't until a rotten thief at the zoo stole my digital camera and video camera (out of my double stroller... it was awful) that I found myself in desperate need of TDH's Consumer Reports expertise. For him, a priceless moment.

To make a long story short, I must say I fell a little in love myself.

SO, now that I actually read Consumer Reports magazine instead of throwing it in my husband's pile, I came across their recent ratings of kids' cereal.

Here are the cereals rated VERY GOOD (relatively low in sugar, some fiber, high in iron, source of calcium)...

Cheerios (General Mills)
Kix (General Mills)
Life (Quaker Oats)
Honey Nut Cheerios (General Mills)

And now, just because I know you're curious, the big fat losers...

Froot Loops (Kellogg's)
Golden Crisp (Post)
Honey Smacks (Kellogg's)
Corn Pops (Kellogg's)

If your little one is addicted to a sugary cereal, it would be in everyone's best interest, i.e. you, kid, teacher, bus driver, to put him or her through a little low-sugar therapy. If they resist, try compromising by mixing half sugary cereal and half low-sugar cereal.

I truly believe it is absolutely essential for kids to start off their day with a low-sugar breakfast. Sending kids off to school with a breakfast like oatmeal in their tummies will help them have more energy and improve their learning capability.

Here are what my kids choose from in the morning (5 year old and 2 year old twins)...

Cheerios/milk/fruit

whole grain waffle/frozen blueberries (when you defrost them in the microwave, they create a kind of syrupy juice that will substitute for unhealthy syrup)

yogurt/fruit/granola

Flat-Out wrap (whole grain)/ turkey/cheese

oatmeal/raisins

eggs/toast with feta cheese (I know, most kids don't like feta, but mine are half Greek, so there you go)

What are some healthy options you choose for your kids in the morning?

**DISCLAIMER** It is important to note here that I am not perfect, even though after I reread this post I appear to be. Not only am I not perfect, but there are mornings where my children will not only throw their oatmeal on the floor in protest of the wrong color spoon, but shoot me a look to kill for even thinking yellow was better than red. I also have been known to give my kids bowls of dry Cheerios to eat in the car on a particularly hurried morning. I also have been known to put M&M's in oatmeal when out of raisins to avoid meltdown. So, again, there you go.