A snap-cracking pop-tastic cereal! (Kellogg's Rice Krispies)

Member Name: AmyAmy

Product:	Kellogg's Rice Krispies
Date:	28/01/08 (1555 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: tasty, healthy, appealing, variable

Disadvantages: can turn soggy

If I were asked what my all-time favourite food was, without a doubt I would provide them with an answer of 'cereal'. There's something about the taste locked in each variety that I cannot get enough of. Because of this, I have sampled quite a large selection of different cereals in my life! I'll eat basically any breakfast cereal put in front of me, though I can be very choosy when it comes down to selecting the perfect bowl! I'll go through phases when I'll devour the same brands for a few weeks; and one of the varieties I have been enjoying on an alternate basis for the past week now is the traditional Kellogg's Rice Krispies!


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The Kellogg's company was set up in the late 1800s in the USA by a man name William Keith Kellogg, which started to produce Cornflakes cereal. This company became one of the most successful cereal manufactures around, providing breakfast cereals globally. By the 1950s, they had came up wit a wide range of different cereals to suit peoples' tastes, including Rice Krispies; a delicious and healthy breakfast cereal aimed at children.

Rice Krispies are little puffs of rice, less than one centimetre in length, each packed with goodness. They look quite simple, not too exciting in colour or texture. I find that they are quite crunchy and crumbly, until the milk is absorbed, when they become incredibly soggy and stick together.

The taste of Rice Krispies is quite phenomenal. There is not much flavour in each grain, but all the same, they have such a delicious taste locked inside them. Quite rich in a bland taste too; it amazes me! As I get down to the bottom of the bowl, where the last of the milk has been absorbed and it seems to be nothing more than a soggy mess, the taste turns quite sweet though, and I can only assume this comes from the milk itself! I don't really eat Rice Krispies on their own; I always add in a portion of raisins to give that extra flavour - a great way to pack in one of my five-a-day! You do not need to add these though, I'm sure plenty of fruit would go down a treat with the little grains!

Of course, one of the things that Kellogg's Rice krispies have achieved is helping children eat a healthy breakfast packed with nutrition. So what is it about these that appeals? Well, the fact that they are small in size could be seen as beneficial; not too big for children to manage. One of the more attractive things about this though is the 'fun factor' it provides. Simply adding in the milk can be an amazing event for some children, as they listen intently to their 'musical' breakfast snapping, crackling and popping away! The three characters, which ironically go by the names of Snap, Crackle and Pop, can be seen on the front of the cereal box, wearing their bright coloured clothing. This provides a further element of fun for children too. This is definitely a cereal that appeals to the target market, despite it having such a simple taste!



oOo Recipes oOo
I'm sure there isn't a person around who has not tried a Rice Krispies cake! They have to be one of the most popular sweet treats people provide for school parties or bake sales; so simple to make and delicious at taste!

In order to make Rice Krispies cakes, you do not need anything more than a pan, cooking chocolate, a few cake cases, and a nice big box of Rice Krispies! I never seem to measure out a certain amount or anything, I just melt the entire bar of chocolate on a low-medium heat on the ring, and add in Krispies as needed, predicting the quantity by eye.

Once all is mixed up, it can be quite a nice idea to add in some baby marshmallows to add to the taste and texture. Though, in case you are catering for others than yourself, you may wish to simply pop these on top of a few of them, once you have spooned the mixture into the cases. At this stage, you can leave them out to set before eating!

Have you tried melting Mars Bar chocolate instead? It gives the cakes a sweeter, more caramel taste to them; something I first discovered via a school bake sale! The one problem with this is the aroma it lets off when melting in the pan...it's so addictive, and kick-starts all sorts of unfortunate cravings!



*oOo* Other Products *oOo*
Rice Krispies do not just come in the original cereal option any more; Kellogg's have extended the variety in which we can enjoy this delicious cereal!
In the terms of breakfast cereals, they now offer a Rice Krispies: Muddles choice; a sweeter option packed with nutrition in various shapes, such as trees and fish! Then there's the Rice Krispies cereal bar too; a delicious chewy bar with a layer of 'milk' along the bottom! As a sugary snack, there are also the Rice Krispies Squares bars in two flavours; original marshmallow, and chocolate caramel! I find these much to sickly and sticky though!




===Quick Facts===
Packaging; _standard blue cardboard_
Appearance; _dull in colour, small_
Smell; _slightly sweet_
Texture; _crunchy at first, then soggy_
Taste; _bland, turning slightly sweeter towards the end_
Price; _£1.85 from Asda_





===Nutrition===
Rice Krispies are a basic cereal, with a simple content and striking nutrition value;

Each 100g contains;
381 calories
87g carbohydrates (10g sugars)
1g fat
1g fibre


The main ingredients include; Rice, Sugar, Salt, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Barley Malt Flavouring, Niacin, Iron, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin (B1), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12.


Looking at that, all seems fine to me! Perhaps the sugar level could be less, but if you eat the recommended portion size of 30g, then that's only 3g sugars; not too bad! The fat content is phenomenal too! The ingredients seem quite decent, compared to a lot of breakfast cereals aimed at children!



===Would I Recommend?===
Although this cereal is aimed at children, I'd be quite happy enough to recommend it as a great breakfast cereal for anybody to enjoy! It may have a bit of an uneasy texture, but if you are like me and do not mind soggy cereal much, then there are no issues there! Yes, this cereal may have a basic taste, which may not appeal to all, but this can easily be sorted! When I was little, I used to have a small sprinkle of sugar across the top to sweeten it up slightly (not something I could do now!), which may make eating a bit easier for those with an enormous sweet tooth! Or you can add fruit into the bowl; I opt for raisins every time as that is one fruit I am addicted to and have been since a young age, but I'm sure fruits of any sort would fit in well! This is definitely a cereal I would recommend you eat as part of a healthy, and balanced breakfast to kick-start your day!


*****
I have been eating Rice Krispies for years (not non-stop, of course!), so it is a taste I have kind of grown up with. I think, if I were trying them for the first time just now, I may not be as fond of them, but you never know! They are practical in the sense that pretty much any fruit can be added to give them an even more unique flavour, and I am impressed by their nutritional values too! Kellogg's have certainly put a lot of work into the packaging and making this cereal appeal to younger children too in order to encourage them to eat a healthy breakfast!

When I compare this to the other cereals I currently adore, it seems to weigh up quite nicely. The recommended potion size is quite hearty, and the nutrition information is generous! Although, I don't think I could eat Rice Krispies every day, I would still have to alternate! My box is almost empty, and I don't think I shall be purchasing another one straight away, I fancy sampling something new, but soon enough, I can almost guarantee that I will crave their unique taste again, and will be 'trolleying' yet another box to munch my way through!


© Amy 2008

*To find out more about Kellogg's and their products, visit www.kelloggs.co.uk/.

Summary: A tasty breakfast cereal to kick start the day!