Snack Review: Kellogg’s Special K Blueberry, Special K Crackers, and FiberPlus Antioxidant Bars

In the wide world of snacking, the people at Kellogg’s are definite rockstars. I mean, they make most of the country’s favorite cereals. Sure, cereal is a tasty and simple-to-prepare breakfast. But most people in my acquaintance agree that the crunchy, highly-sugared goodness of Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes are just as satisfying - if not moreso - at three A.M., in the aftermath of a wild party, than before school or work.

Because of this legendary greatness, I was surprised, and flattered, when I heard Kellogg’s wanted to send l’il ol’ me a sampling of their newest products to review. When I received a package from the company’s headquarters in Battle Creek, MI, and accepted that the offer wasn’t a put-on, I began to worry. What if I didn’t like the samples I was sent? Would I be blacklisted by the crunchy conglomerate? Labeled a “cereal killer” and banned from major grocery stores for all eternity? Would I awaken at some ungodly hour to find the Honey Smacks Frog pelting me with poisonous goo while Tony the Tiger mauled me to death?

I gave these loathsome possibilities, and countless others, careful consideration. In the end, I squared my shoulders, gulped, and made the braver and morally sound decision. Supermarket snubbery and killer mascots be darned - in the name of journalistic integrity, I’d offer my honest opinions.

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Snack Review: Fiber One Honey Clusters Cereal

Whenever I speak to people who monitor their dietary lifestyle, they seem knowledgeable about the major components. They track their carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake religiously; however, when I inquire about their fiber intake, I get met with blank stares.

Despite its lack of popularity in dietary discussion, it’s a vital component of maintaining homeostasis. For those who aren’t familiar with what fiber is, it’s a generic term given to the portions of plants that when consumed are not digestible. It can be anything from cellulose to chitin to lignin. Why is this good? Well, for starters, since our bodies lack the enzymes to digest fiber, we cannot convert it to sugar, and thus it has no caloric effect (this is why a piece of celery has so few calories in it, aside from it being mainly water).

Within fiber, there are two delineations: soluble and insoluble fiber. Essentially, soluble fiber conforms to a gelatinous state in liquids, while insoluble remains intact. Each in turn has varying effects on your body from preventing colon cancer (insoluble) to lowering LDL cholesterol (soluble).

Part of the reason I feel fiber is not generally consumed in its recommended dosage is because of the foods that contain them. Since it is a component of plants, you’ll only find them in various grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. And let’s be honest, how many of us snackers out there munch on kidney beans or flax seeds when there are cookies available?

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Snack Review: Golden Grahams Treats Chocolate Marshmallow

When I was a kid, golden Grahams was my favorite cereal. Whenever I saw that my Mom had taken a trip to the grocery store and gotten this delicious cereal, it made my day and all I could think about was having breakfast the next morning. Okay, so I had an unnatural obsession with Golden Grahams. But they were good!

So when I saw that a new Golden Grahams bar had come out, I was excited, but quickly became skeptical. I didn’t know how chocolate and marshmallows would be with my favorite cereal. I didn’t want these other ingredients to change my mind about one of my best childhood memories!

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Snack Review: Honey Nut Cheerios Milk ‘n Cereal Bar

I had a chance to try out the Honey Nut Cheerios Milk ‘n Cereal Bar. I’ve seen these in the stores and always wanted to try them out because hey, what could be better than Cheerios and milk compacted into a little bar? I’m a very messy person and always manage to spill something on myself, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong with this product.

The bar is kind of like a crushed Cheerios sandwich with a thin layer of white cream in between. I assumed this would taste like a bowl of cereal condensed into bar form, but I was sadly disappointed.

The bar is soft, yet the Cheerios are pretty crunchy. I didn’t really taste any honey nut, but it did have a sweet taste to it, although I’m guessing it was from the “real milk” inside. Overall, the milk n’ cereal bar was pretty good, but when you’re expecting it to taste like something and it doesn’t, it kind of ruins the excitement. On a good note though, I didn’t spill anything on myself.

For those of you that aren’t too fond of Cheerios, the bars also come in Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Buy Honey Nut Cheerios Milk ‘n Cereal Bars Online:

• at Amazon.com