My little cereal problem

I feel like we're close enough now to talk about some of our biggest issues.  It's really time I got something off my chest.  I'm not proud of it...

*sigh*

My name is Annie and I have a cold cereal problem.

I'm not kidding - I love it.  Given the opportunity, I could eat it for every meal.  I've given it up many times, have endured much teasing from my husband (who knows exactly how many boxes I can go through...since he takes the recycling...dang planet in need of saving) and resist the cereal aisle all together in the grocery store.  

However, during a *slight* moment of weakness, I now have four boxes of Cheerios, four boxes of Special K and one box of Rice Krispies in my stock pile.  Now, my kids don't eat bowls of cereal yet...they have dry Cheerios and that's about it.  So normally, I'm able to just have what they're having.

But the other morning, pancakes really didn't sound that good to me and Special K is diet food, right?  What would it hurt?  So...pouring my bowl, I caught site of the nutritional information and pulled out my handy-dandy measuring cups and what I saw may have just scared me silly enough to make the rest into treats for Scott's office. 

Ok, here was the nutritional information, so just for grins, I poured a cup = 1 serving size.

Um...no.  This is not what I eat.  I have always filled up the bowl to the rim...so when you add the milk, you spill most of it on the floor to the way to the table.  My mom loved this little habit of mine growing up.

Ah, this is more like it.  But this was two cups = 240 calories...and I haven't added milk yet.

Added, one cup of 2% milk = 120 calories and 1/2 banana = 50 calories.

So all in all, my breakfast was about 400 calories and around 15 grams of protein.  The protein part isn't bad, but 400 calories for cereal?!  And this wasn't even whole grain!  

Grrr...so let's compare to my normal oatmeal breakfast (sorry, no pictures for this one)...

1/2 cup oatmeal = 140 calories

made with water = 0 calories

2 egg whites = 100 calories

1 tbsp honey = 60 calories

1/2 banana = 50

So calorie-wise, my oatmeal breakfast is about 350...maybe a little more when you add wheat germ and ground flaxseed (which we do).  But NUTRITIONALLY, you're dealing with a lot more good stuff than the processed, cold cereal.  In my oatmeal breakfast, my body is working with whole foods (which is a lot easier to breakdown and use than food that is processed).  My oatmeal has more fiber - almost 6 g compared to Special K's less than 1 g.  (Now, let me say here that I use the oatmeal out of the big container...not the little packets.  In order to make it faster-cooking, they have to break it down, which takes some of the nutrient content out.  So opt for the longer-cooking oatmeal when you can.)

Why does fiber matter?  Because that's what fills you up.  And it's what cleans out your arteries and your intestines.  Two egg whites give me almost 20 g of protein, which is the perfect little boost my muscle cells need since they are practically starving after a good night's sleep.

If you have little kids (like mine) you can always add a little unsweetened applesauce for a little more fruit.  Elizabeth and Rachel like theirs with just a little natural maple syrup.

Therefore, the oatmeal wins, hands down...and I really need to retire my cold cereal.  Wow...fastest cure of an addiction ever.  ;)

Let me know YOUR food weakness and how you solved it!!  Or maybe you're still looking for a solution?  We're all in this together, friends!!