October 3, 2002

Prairie Fare: Which Cereal Do You Pick?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

Strolling down the cereal aisle in a large grocery store is quite an experience. A wall of brightly colored boxes greets you. Some cereal boxes contain toys or music CDs and others have "free offers" and contests. Some boxes feature sports stars on the front panel and some boxes actually sparkle.

Some cereals promise to color your milk like the rainbow. Depending on what the current popular kids’ movies are, cartoon characters may beckon you to add the box to your shopping cart.

If you can get past all the marketing, how do you decide which cereal is most nutritious – and also tastes better than Styrofoam packing peanuts? It’s best to pick up the box and take a close look at the ingredient label and nutrition facts label.

Breakfast cereals contain wheat, oats, rice, corn, barley or some other grain. Some contain a variety of added ingredients such as dried fruit or nuts. As a clue to nutritional content, look for "whole grain," "whole wheat" or "whole grain oats" either on the box or as one of the first ingredients on the ingredient list.

A cereal labeled "whole grain" has had to meet specific U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations for nutritional content. Whole grain foods contain the bran, germ and endosperm (starchy part) of the grain along with all the phytochemicals (plant chemicals) shown to have health benefits.

Most cereals are fortified with a variety of vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin C and minerals such as iron and zinc. A cereal that provides 100 percent of the daily value for several nutrients is like getting a vitamin/mineral pill in your cereal bowl, which you may or may not need. Some cereals are fortified with calcium which can help fill nutrition gaps for those who do not drink milk or eat other calcium-rich foods.

Researchers have shown that breakfast cereals are a major source of vitamins and minerals for children. In a study of 4,000 children ages 2 to 18, researchers reported that breakfast cereal contributed 22 percent of the vitamin A, 10 percent of the vitamin C, 30 percent of the folic acid and 27 percent of the iron.

Iron deficiency remains a nutritional issue for many children. Children of all ages can benefit from the iron contained in fortified cereals. Nutrition specialists generally recommend that parents of infants choose iron-fortified cereals.

A serving (about one ounce) of ready-to-eat cereal may contain added sweeteners, which improve taste and provide calories but little else. Check out the "sugars" section of the nutrition facts label and remember that a teaspoon of sweetener weighs about 5 grams.

Instant oatmeal, for example, may contain the equivalent of 3 teaspoons of sweetener while plain oatmeal contains none. Try flavoring oatmeal and other cereals with apple sauce, dried fruit like raisins or cranberries or just a sprinkle of brown sugar.

Here’s a tasty snack mix from the North Dakota State University child care center. Many children have enjoyed this mix over the years. It’s tasty and nutritious, too.

Snack Mix

1/2 c. butter or margarine (1 stick)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 c. bite-size rice squares cereal
2 c. tasted oat rings cereal
3 c. bite-sized wheat squares cereal
1 c. cashews (or peanuts)
1 1/2 c. dried fruit (raisins or cranberries)
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

In 4-quart microwave-safe bowl, place butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until melted. Stir in sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. Add cereals and nuts. Stir in dried fruit. Microwave on high 3 minutes, stirring each minute. Cool completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Store in tightly covered container in cool, dry place.

Makes about 11 cups (approximately 20 servings). Each serving contains 200 calories, 10.6 grams fat, 2 grams fiber and 23 percent of the daily recommendation for iron.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu