Breakfast Cereal

Shadowcub

In the morning I need something relatively quick and easy that will also fill me up without breaking the bank.

Any suggestions as to an inexpensive breakfast cereal that is nutritious, lower in sugar and sodium, higher volume (ie, not granola), that I can buy in a regular grocery store with food stamps?

I've been getting large bags of generic Honey Nut Cheerios, but they are so loaded with sugar, especially since I normally have 2-3 cups of cereal w/ 3/4-1 cup of skim milk. I know I can get super-mega organic nutrition flakes, but they are SO expensive. I need to find a decent compromise and I'm open to any/all suggestions.

dlbredesen

I eat multi-grain cheerios (generic/store brand) mixed with a different flavor of nonfat yogurt every morning. Really yummy!!

MsPudding

Porridge.

momzeeee

Boil a dozen eggs for under $2 and grab a couple on your way out the door every morning. If you keep the shells on they'll keep in the fridge for a week. Two large eggs only has 150 calories

nvpixie

I like raisin bran. Always fills me up, and the regular kind (unfrosted) isn't bad on sugar. I buy the store brand most of the time.

wilsoje74

Big canister of oats (regular or steel cut although steel cut take longer to cook). Regular can microwave in 2 min

kganc001

I am OBSESSED with original chex cereal. They have the generic at Walmart (which is what I buy, darn student loans). I not only eat them for breakfast with some cinnamon sugar, but I munch on them.

Jaulen

Generic Total cereal or Grape Nuts with half a banana and milk.

Oatmeal (I usually eat with a banana. milk cinnamon and some walnuts)

And I'll add in a couple of hardboiled egg whites for some extra protein

ErinRibbens

IMO breakfast cereal isn't filling at all. Raisin bran probably the most so out of all cereals because the fiber keeps you full, but a couple scrambled or hardboiled eggs are much better and cheap too.

ladyn05

I like raisin bran. Always fills me up, and the regular kind (unfrosted) isn't bad on sugar. I buy the store brand most of the time.

Raisin bran also

ApocalypticFae

Regular cheerios (or generic) with skim milk and raisins = my favorite. Just try to avoid the "puffed" cereals, as they are high glycemic and will leave you hungry minutes later. Wheaties and its generic versions tend to keep me feeling full a little longer than many of the others.

DawnieB1977

Porridge. I cook it in the microwave with a bit of milk and the rest water. I usually put a bit of golden syrup with it, and this week I had blueberries with it. You can add any fruit though.

Eggs are also a good breakfast. Poached eggs are easy and quick to prepare.

rlbreman

Breakfast cereals are one of the reasons America is overweight. They are loaded with all kinds of sugar and things that are difficult to pronounce. Yes, they are easy but soooo bad for us, even the so-called healthy ones. Hard boiled eggs are a very good healthy and fast breakfast food. So are old fashioned rolled oats if you cook a pot the night before, add your own cinnamon and raw honey and you are good to go.

michellekicks

I'd never be full on cereal. I use it only as a pre-run meal or late night snack.

Hard boiled eggs or oatmeal with banana and nuts, or cottage cheese with jam, or greek yogurt with berries. If it has to be cold cereal, bran flakes is probably your best bet calorie-wise with the lower sugar and highest fiber.

Lleldiranne

I often get Cheerios (I can only eat the name brand of Cheerios, call me weird) or the generic version of Wheat Chex or Honey Bunches of Oats. I generally have 2 servings, or close to it, but for the Cheerios that's only about 220 cal plus 80 for the 1 cup of skim milk. Adding in fruit makes it more satisfying - a sliced banana or a handful of berries.

Another favorite of mine is to get Bran Flakes and add in 1/3 c of Craisins (to my 1 1/2 - 2 c of flakes) - Craisin Bran! and probably less sugar than the store-bought raisin bran which always seems to have sugar sticking to the outside of the raisins. (Also good for staying regular).

I generally plan on having a light snack about 2 hours after breakfast - a boiled egg, a piece of fruit, or a yogurt. There's nothing wrong with that. 200-300 calorie breakfast and ~100 calorie snack still has me under 500 before lunch, well on track for my 1600 calorie goal.

Ivyzmama

If you can find a generic All-Bran to mix into your cereal of choice, it will add some bulk. 1/2 cup of All-Bran has only 60 calories and no fake sugars.

Can you get fruit with food stamps? Adding fruit to cereal really helps people feel fuller. Good fruits include banana, strawberries, blueberries and peaches. Some farmer's markets take food stamps, especially in cities, and they might have local strawberries right now.

I make oatmeal ahead of time and put it into disposable tupperware cups in the fridge. My favorite way is to have some chopped fresh apple (another fruit you might be able to get with food stamps) in 1 tupperware, heat up the oatmeal and dump the hot oatmeal on the cold crispy apple and eat a little of both with each bite. This way I can leave the skin on the apple for extra nutrition but not have to deal with soggy apple skin, since the apple skin is still crisp (but cut into little pieces so its easy to chew). The combo of hot and cold is delicious and makes the oatmeal more palatable in the summer. I do pour a little milk on top if I'm at home. I find that I can slice or chop apples, put them in baggies in the fridge, and they really don't go brown until they've been in there a week. Having apples go brown is something my mother always worried about but I don't really see that happening nowadays!

Quick and regular oatmeal in the big cardboard canisters is one of the healthiest cheap filling foods there is. I'll never really like oatmeal, but I eat it as a tribute to my Scottish ancestors. Also the fiber in it is good for cleaning out those cholesterol-clogged arteries, and helps prevent diabetes and cancer, too.

You are right about granola - granola has a whopping amount of calories.