Give a little Cheer! (Nestle Cheerios)

Member Name: AmyAmy

Product:	Nestle Cheerios
Date:	30/01/08 (695 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: tasty, nice size and texture, variable, basic flavour

Disadvantages: pricey

When I looked to see how many 'Cheerios' reviews had currently been posted on DooYoo, I was quite surprised to be faced with such a little amount! Perhaps I am giving too much credit to the cereal, but I thought that a lot more people would enjoy them greatly that they would want to review them! They are so delicious and 'good for you', I simply had to add in my say!


*****
Nestle first started as a food production company is Switzerland way back in the 1960s, and made its way to the UK in the early 1900s. Though, they did not start to churn out Cheerios until 1941. Over the years, it has gradually changed its image, with new and exciting packaging to appeal to the target-market and decade, as well as becoming increasingly healthy! Now with their most recent promotions and great flavour, they are not only enjoyed in the UK, but globally too, and I am proud to admit that I am just one of the many people who tuck into a scrumptious bowl of Nestle Cheerios for my breakfast!


Cheerios are made from four different whole-grain cereal grains, and are in the shape of 'O's. They are slightly varied in colour; a range of pale browns and beige. Being a breakfast cereal, they are generally served up in a bowl with milk (!), though it is quite known, especially when shown on their promotional television adverts, that these are enjoyed by the handful, dry.

It's food; of course the whole eating experience is important! Normally, the first thing you can notice about cereal is the aroma let off, but Cheerios do not have much of a smell to them. If you sniff really hard, really concentrating, you can get a slightly sweet whiff, but nothing extreme! The taste itself is quite unique; nothing overly powerful, yet they are not dull either! Each 'O' is packed with flavour, slightly sweet but not too sugary. They do have a slightly bland taste at the same time, it really is phenomenal! As for the texture, well I know a lot of people can be fussy when this issue is raised! I seem to be one of the few people I know that actually enjoys soggy breakfast cereal, though I do like it fresh and 'crunchy' too! To start with, Cheerios are exceptionally dry and crisp, creating such a noise when munching away. As you get nearer to the bottom of the bowl though, they do turn slightly softer, but never seem to go too soggy that they cannot be stomached! Once finished and you are left with that little dribble of milk, I wouldn't advise you slurp this up; it's far too sweet and revolting!

In my opinion, the over-all experience of devouring a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast is fantastic, and is a delicious and healthy way to start the day!




*oOo* Other Products *oOo*
This is a review on the traditional Cheerios breakfast cereal, but Nestle have also provided the nation with a more sweet Honey Nut Cheerios option; little 'O's much darker in brown, made with honey and almonds. I'm not a massive fan of this one, but it's certainly not the worst! There are also snacking options available to purchase; Cheerios cereal bars with a thin 'milk' layer across the bottom, in a traditional and Honey Nut range. I've tried the traditional ones of these, and they are delightful!



===Quick Facts===
Packaging; _white background. Cardboard box_
Appearance; _pale browns and beige 'O's_
Smell; _not too strong, slightly sweet_
Texture; _crunchy at first, then soggy_
Taste; _slightly sweet, basic and delicious!_
Price; _£1.78 from Asda_




===Nutrition===
Branded as a healthy cereal, I did not expect there to be much in the way of nutrition in Cheerios, but was I right?

Each 100g contains;
369 calories
75.2g carbohydrates (21.6g sugars)
3.9g fat
6.6g fibre


The main ingredients include; Whole Grain Cereal Grains (74.3%)(Whole Grain Maize, Whole Grain Oats, Whole Grain Barley, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Rice), Sugar, Partially Inverted Brown Sugar Syrup, Wheat Starch, Rice Flour, Salt, Tripotassium Phosphate, Vegetable Oil, Colours: Caramel and Annatto, Antioxidant: Tocopherols.


There seems to be more ingredients than I expected, and I think the sweet sensation has been explained there! The calorific content is reasonable, but the sugar level is quite high! I am truly amazed by how much fibre is present, not what I expected at all! A recommended portion size is 30g, so dividing it up, the contents is not that extreme!



===Would I Recommend?===
The target-market for Cheerios aims the cereal at the whole family, and I could not agree with Nestle more! Because the taste is so basic, it would apply to those who do not really like chocolate cereals etc (such as myself), but because there is a slight sweet and sugary flavour hidden there too, it's great for younger children, or those with a sweet-tooth!

A bowl of Cheerios in the morning is a great way to kick-start your day, providing you with plenty of energy to keep you in motion and 'activate' your brain! Also, we as a nation do not intake enough fibre on a daily basis, which is important to ensure healthy bowel movement, so not only will Cheerios make you feel fuller for longer and prevent snacking, but it will ensure your 'insides' are happier too!

I would most definitely recommend Nestle Cheerios to everybody!


*****
I didn't eat a lot of Cheerios when I was younger; I was more a fan of the smaller cereals like Rice Krispies and Coco Pops. As I have aged though, I find myself eating more of them, my tastes moving further and further away from sweet cereals. They aren't a cereal I have often, but when I do get a craving for them, it does not take me long to munch my way through a box with addiction! Though, I'm not a lover of eating they dry; I prefer them served up in a bowl with milk!

The Honey Nut ones are ok too, but I find them quite sugary and too much for me as a morning cereal. Though, I can eat them later on in the day a lot more easily! As for the cereal bars, again not ones I'd have much as they are far too full of sugar, and are incredibly sickly and sticky!

When I compare Cheerios to the other cereals I enjoy at this moment (i.e. Branflakes, Special K, Rice Krispies), there does not seem much difference in the way of nutrition and health. Though based purely on taste, Cheerios come quite near the top of the list! I am almost finished my box now, but I don't think I will purchase another straight away; I fancy sampling something new. Perhaps in a months' time I shall be finding myself cramming yet another box into the shopping trolley!

Cheerios are truly a delicious and healthy breakfast cereal; Nestle have ticked all the right boxes for me with this one!

© Amy 2008

*If you want to find out more about Nestle and their products, visit www.nestle.co.uk/

Summary: A fantastic nestle cereal!