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Thinking of giving your kids Twinkies cereal? Might as well give them a bowl of sugar for breakfast

By brockywilson // 2021-03-19

The cereal aisle has recently gotten more crowded with the addition of Twinkies Cereal, one of the latest product offerings of Twinkies maker Hostess Brands. Launched in 2019, the cereal is basically the miniature version of the golden-colored snack cake. Twinkies are not exactly health foods. And if you think things are different with Twinkies Cereal, then you're seriously mistaken. Experts say that the breakfast puffs are just as high in sugar as the cake. Kids like snacking on sweets, so it only makes sense that most children's foods are high in sugar. Twinkies Cereal is no exception. Its first two ingredients are dextrose (sugar made from corn) and plain sugar, which means it contains more sugar than flour, according to Dr. Dyan Hes, medical director of Gramercy Pediatrics in New York City and director of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. The nutrition label of Twinkies Cereal says that a cup of it contains 180 calories and 16 grams of sugar. Compared to a pair of Twinkies cakes, which packs 270 calories and 33 grams of sugar per package, the puffs may seem like a better choice. But you have to consider how much children eat on average. "What child or teenager only consumes one cup of cereal? Most kids consume 1.5 to two cups of cereal in the real world," said registered dietitian Nicole Magryta. Per meal then, a child would consume as much as 360 calories and 32 grams of sugar from Twinkies Cereal. That sugar content is seven grams more than the maximum amount of added sugar that the American Heart Association recommends kids have in a day. Besides sugar, Twinkies Cereal is also loaded with fats. A cup of it has seven grams of total fat, six of which are saturated fat. Meanwhile, a pair of Twinkies cakes contains 9 grams of total fat, half of which are saturated fat. But the cereal does have an edge over its pastry counterpart, in that it is fortified with vitamins and minerals. A cup contains 60 percent of the recommended amount of thiamine, 25 percent of the recommended amount of iron, and 10 percent of the recommended amounts of niacin, vitamin B6 and zinc, among other nutrients. But that doesn't make them any better. "Never feeding them to your children is the better option," Hes said. Magryta agrees: "The ingredients in both Twinkies Cereal and cakes are doing absolutely nothing to benefit our health and, if anything, are damaging it … We don’t need more products like this on grocery store shelves."

Healthy breakfast alternatives for kids

For parents, the main allure of boxed cereals is that they're quick and easy to prepare – just shake out a handful of cereals into a bowl and pour milk. Children can practically do it by themselves, saving you valuable time. But don't let that get in the way of a healthy meal. There are several ways to prepare a quick morning dish without resorting to boxed cereals. Try the following fast breakfast ideas for a filling, nutritious breakfast for your kid:

• Egg burrito with fruit on the side
• Fruit kebabs and yogurt
• Greek yogurt topped with nuts and berries
• Homemade trail mix consisting of nuts, raisins and the like
• Quesadilla with beans and low-fat cheese
• Raisin bread with cottage or ricotta cheese
• Whole-wheat bagel or toast with nut butter and bananas

Easy baked eggs recipe

If you got a bit more time on your hands, tie an apron and try this easy Sunday morning baked eggs recipe. For more or less 20 minutes, you can put together something that's truly nutrient-rich and delicious. Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup finely shredded red cabbage
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Divide the butter into two ramekins and place them in the oven until the butter is melted and sizzling but not browned.
3. Carefully remove the ramekins to a heat-proof surface. Sprinkle the cabbage, tomatoes and basil into them, then crack two eggs into each ramekin.
4. Return to oven and bake the eggs for 10 minutes or to the desired level of doneness.
5. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Serve.

Breakfast doesn't have to be confined to boxed cereals and other quick but unhealthy foods. Serve your kids with these simple breakfast alternatives for a healthy morning meal. Sources: Healthline.com Heart.org VeryWellFamily.com VeryWellFit.com

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