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Is it really bad to eat Special K cereals? Are these types of "healthy" cereals really processed and possess little to no nutritional value? I could buy the better option of organic kashi cereal. However, I find the Kashi cereals to come in smaller boxes and more expensive. I particularly love Special K cereals such as Red Berries because they come in big boxes, and I do need to eat. Any help is appreciated thanks.

It's best to east as little unprocessed food as possible, due to the manufacturers loading them with chemicals to extend the shelf life.

Be careful of things like Special K and other processed cereals as they are full of salt. Though I don't suppose eating a bowl of cereal will do any harm if you hasve a balanced healthy diet.

Loz

Oatmeal is very cheap, quick to make, delicious and very nutritious. I cook mine with skim milk and flax seed along with some combination of dried apricots, raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, pecans and diced apple.

For processed cereals, I'm a big fan of Kashi Go Lean, Uncle Sam and Grapenuts and usually eat them mixed with yogurt and berries.

Well I already eat oatmeal all the time, but I would like to have variety in my foods. So I guess what I'm wondering now are cereals like Special K bad for your health or for a person like me trying to lose weight? Like I said I love Kashi, but the boxes they have are way too small.

well healthy food is sometimes more expensive...
so why not buy it?
oh wait most people would rather spend their extra money on cars and other material bs...

straighten out your values and then you wont put a price on your food.

but your right, special K sucks as compared to kashi. the lil decisions add up

If the boxes of Kashi are too small, buy two.

Next to Kashi Go-Lean, Special K is crap. It has twice the sodium, half the protein, and none of the fiber.

Special K is probably better than a PopTart

I eat oatmeal with dried fruit, nonfat dried milk, and a multivitamin.
It probably comes out more cost effective that Special K

I recently changed cereals to Multi Grain Cheerios. I've seen a couple of different reports on the Today Show and another outlet that gave these criteria for picking a cereal:

The first ingredient should say some combo of Whole Wheat/Oat Flour or Bran
There should be 3g or more of fiber per serving
There should be 8g or less of sugar per serving

They suggested: Go Lean (but not the crunch variety), Wheaties, Multi Grain Cheerios, Smart Start, among others.

You can't go wrong with oatmeal. I almost always cook a bowl for breakfast. Recently, I've been cooking steal cut oatmeal; it's a bit more expensive compared to regular oatmeal, but good.

I do however keep two kinds of cereal around for when I am not hungry for oatmeal, if I'm in a hurry or hungry for a snack; MultiGrain Cheerios and Honey Kix...they're kid Tested and Mother approved after all.

Its okay to splurge on cereals once in a while. I have 2 types of Frosted Mini Wheats, Count Chocula, and FranknBerry in my cupboard

MunchingZombie saidIf the boxes of Kashi are too small, buy two.

Next to Kashi Go-Lean, Special K is crap. It has twice the sodium, half the protein, and none of the fiber.

Agreed, Kashi is the best. From cereal to oatmeal to waffles, the Go Lean products are delicious.

I have been in love with Kashi's "U" cereal lately. MMmmmm :3

Rujock saidIts okay to splurge on cereals once in a while. I have 2 types of Frosted Mini Wheats, Count Chocula, and FranknBerry in my cupboard

Well I am not talking about Frosted Flakes, I am just wondering about so-called "healthy" cereals like Special K. I mean is eating cereal really considered splurging? Again, I eat oatmeal ALL the time, I just want variety in my diet. Although I wish Special K cereal was healthy, I suppose Kashi-type cereals are better.

I think the Special K is lower in protein quantity and quality than the blends of whole grains with soy that are in Kashi cereals. I sometimes eat Fibre One whole wheat which has 5g of protein. Kashi Go Lean has 13g protein/serving, Kashi Go Lean Crunch has 9g and more sugar, but is more palatable to my tastes. I like oats with raisins, eggs with whole grain toast. Oranges are common for breakfast. Whole grain, some protein such as milk or soy, fruit=pretty good breakfast. I am not shooting for perfect nutrition, just pretty good. That means vegetables throughout the day, quality protein, fruit, and whole grain + some low-fat dairy.

I sense a contradiction in your goals. On one hand you say you need to eat so you don't want to go with the smaller Kashi boxes. On the other hand you want to lose weight. So, why not go the healthier method of the Kashi in smaller boxes and eat smaller portions to lose the weight?

At the end of the day, read the labels. Eat foods with natural ingredients and low refined sugar and low sodium. It's that's simple. If it is the larger boxes you need, then look for the ones with better ingredients than the others.

EastCoastNAZ saidI sense a contradiction in your goals. On one hand you say you need to eat so you don't want to go with the smaller Kashi boxes. On the other hand you want to lose weight. So, why not go the healthier method of the Kashi in smaller boxes and eat smaller portions to lose the weight?

At the end of the day, read the labels. Eat foods with natural ingredients and low refined sugar and low sodium. It's that's simple. If it is the larger boxes you need, then look for the ones with better ingredients than the others.

Losing weight does not mean have a very low caloric diet. I stick to at least a 2000 caloric diet, which has been working for me so far.