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Jordans Porridge Oats Conservation Grade
by dinopoohy8
I never liked porridge, to be honest. The way my family did it - it was gooey and potentially clumpy at the same time, with the sickening taste of milk. However, I came to re-discover porridge oats after I spent a summer in the US, eating steel-cut oats cooked in water everyday and topped with some brown sugar and cranberries. When I ... returned to the UK, I started to look for something similar but could not find steel-cut oats in the supermarket. After having tried several brands including Flahavans and Quaker's, I finally settled on Jordans Porridge Oats (Conservation Grade).
THE BRAND
Jordans is a British brand that prides itself on producing wholesome granolas (those are good stuffs too), muesli and the very popular Country Crisp. I didn't actually know that they had good oats too until I tried it, and I am also at the same time, very impressed at how they use oats which are grown by Conservation Grade farmers around Britain (meaning that these farmers are paid a premium to create nature-friendly habitats on 10% of their farmed land). I believe that they do three main types - the chunky traditional porridge (which this review will focus on), the chunky traditional orgainc porridge (which in my opinion, tastes exactly the same as the former, just that it's organic) and the quick & creamy porridge (never tried that).
PACKAGING
The Chunky Traditional Porridge comes in your typical cereal box packaging. The material of the box is harder than others, which is a good thing if you're prone to touching your cereal box with wet hands - it doesn't morph. I typically reseal the box using a food clip, although I think with oats, leaving it open is not a big problem either.
HOW I PREPARE MY OATS
What I typically do everyday is to scoop out half a cupful of oats into a pot, and then a cupful of water into the same pot, cover the pot and turn on the heat. I find that it takes me about 4 minutes to get it cooked - although it might depend on how well cooked you like your oats to be. I recommend you note the time you take to get the kind of consistency that you like - I like mine thick but with sufficient 'juice' so that it's not clumpy. If you overcook it however these oats may char and stick very badly to your pot - in which case, I find soaking the pot in water + soup and just scrubbing it numerous times throughout the day will do the trick. After doing the same routine every morning I typically just let my pot heat up until I see some bubbles appearing - suggesting that it's boiling and then lower the heat slightly and let the oats cook.. it takes quite a bit of guess-work but you can easily get used to it.
My usual breakfast will be to add a dash of brown sugar and some dried fruits, maybe cranberries, or raisins, as well as a topping of sunflower/pumpkin seeds. The reason why I eat oats is to avoid the sugar rush and to keep me full for the morning - so I tend to avoid putting in too sugary stuffs. Sometimes I add in a dash of cinnamon together with brown sugar, and top it with fresh blueberries - the thing about porridge oats is that there can be so many variations that it's hard to get bored! You can also cook your oats with milk, and I find that doing so will require a slightly longer time because my milk is usually cold from the fridge. It might also tend to bubble and foam so you might need to watch the pot.
TASTE
These are chunky, traditional oats - so don't expect them to be like your instant oats. There's actually quite a 'chew' to it, which is what I LOVE about these oats. You actually feel like you're eating real substances, not just a mush. Also, they taste amazingly healthy to me too - I know healthy doesn't sound yummy to you, but it's a great taste to have in your mouth in the morning, you've just got to try it!
NUTRITION
There are no added salt or sugar or flavouring or colouring to these oats - they are pure, wholegrain rolled oats which can be really healthy if you don't add unhealthy toppings. At 33.3 g of carbohydrates but only 10.3 g of sugar per serving, they are quite filling in the morning but they don't cause you a sugar-rush early in the morning (and then you dip down as you approach lunch) - so that's generally better for sustained energy throughout the morning. These are also high in fibre as well as protein, although the fat content may be slightly more than your typical choice of cereals or bread (with spread). HOWEVER, oats are said to be really good for your heart because of all the soluble fibre that they have - so in my opinion the slightly higher fat content is a reasonable trade-off. After all, all of these are natural and pure - nothing artificial!
PRICE
A box of 750 g costs about 1.10 pounds and it lasts me for about 3 weeks (daily consumption) - definitely very very cheap compared to cereals like Special K or Kelloggs or even compared to their very own granolas. Even as you count the costs of toppings (which tend to be whatever's in your fridge), it really comes up to a very small cost per breakfast serving.
CONCLUSION
These are the best oats that I've had ever - it's both healthy and cheap. I'm even surprised that Jordans produces such great oats. I definitely recommend that you try these if you're an oat-lover (even if you only eat the instant kind- it's time to change your mind!) and if you don't have the habit of eating oats... let me suggest that you do now because it's really good for you!
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Jordans Country Crisp Real Strawberries
by madhatter301
I love cereal and think it's one of the best ways to start the day, and this yummy cereal is no exception!
*Packaging*
I love the simplistic design of the slightly rectangular cardboard box, as it helps the font and text stand out, meaning you actually read all the information on the box! On the front, there is a ... particularly appetising picture of the crispy cluster and juicy strawberries and a simple list of the stuff included in this cereal.
*Product*
The cereal itself has to be one of the most delicious I've ever tasted! I love the fact that it's all natural, healthy ingredients and really makes you feel like you've had a good start to the day. Even though it has quite high calorie content, it gives you a surge of energy and helps curb your hunger so you last without snacking until lunch, on top of giving you one of your 5 a day and giving your taste buds a real wakeup! Plus, it has no artificial nonsense, and no added salt. I never knew healthy could taste this good!
*Price*
I bought this after it appealed to me on the shelf at ASDA for £2.20, which for 500g, the taste and health benefits, I'd say is nothing to sniff at!
*Overall*
A really delicious cereal that I would recommend to anyone needing an energy boost in the morning, I love that it keeps you going until lunch, and knowing that it is also a great source of fibre. As mentioned before, the price is quite reasonable for what you get!
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Jordans Natural Muesli
by sunrisesunset10
Being a university student, I hardly have any time to create my own cereal from scratch in the mornings; my schedule is fast-paced. For quite a while I have been eating cereals such as Bran Flakes and Weetabix, but one day I noticed that they add sugar to their cereals. While I'm not against sugar in its unrefined form, I was somewhat ... cautious about eating the aforementioned cereals as I did not know whether they contained refined sugar, something which is considered very unhealthy.
When I came across Jordan's Natural Muesli I was relieved to find something without added sugar. This was not the only redeeming aspect of the muesli. A wide variety of fruit, nuts and grains result in a wonderful blend that has exactly the right texture. The raisins, sultanas and dates give each spoonful the necessary sweetness that would otherwise make for a very bland bowl of muesli, and the occasional hazelnut and brazil nuts add a pleasing crunch and unique flavour that favourably contrasts with the other ingredients. By adding honey or sugar, you can make up for any sweetness you think the muesli is lacking and further improve the already pleasing taste.
It comes in an aesthetically pleasing bag containing 1kg which tends to last a week and a half to two weeks for me (I have about 2-3 half bowls a day). At a reasonable price of £2.18 in Tesco, I don't think you can go wrong with this natural, wholesome and healthy muesli.
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