According to recent investigative reports, the most popular breakfast cereals (as opposed to the dinner ones, you know) are the dietary equivalent of either a bag of potato chips or a doughnut.
A recent study by Consumer Reports of the 27 brands of cereal most heavily marketed to kids showed that 11 had as much sugar in a regular serving as a glazed doughnut. Interestingly, both Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles scored better than Post's Golden Crisps (not that the Pebbles are doing your kids any favors).
Major cereal companies have been responding to parental concern by giving cereals new names, thus the Sugar Smacks and Super Sugar Crisps of our wayward youth are now Honey Smacks and Golden Crisps (although the sugar content is the same).
The only ones that Consumer Reports investigators will let you serve your kid without a disapproving glare are Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Life, and Kix (as long as you serve them with a glass of milk, a piece of fruit, some broccoli, and a multivitamin).
Meanwhile in England, consumer groups are charging that when the big cereal companies create reduced sugar varieties, they end up boosting the salt content to the point that they equal that of potato chips (or "crisps").
So that's it. From now on we're skipping the middle man and are just taking Cinderella to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast.
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