Alternative to corn flakes?
Thinspirational_Me
Posts: 94
For years I've had a habit I need to get out of. Around 10pm most evenings I'll have a big bowl of cornflakes with full fat milk. I've tried semi-skimmed milk but its so unpleasant I just can't take it. Because of the size of the bowl I have and the amount and type of milk, its about 400-500 cals gone in one short snack.
So I'm looking for ideas to replace this - something lower in cals. Any ideas? I could probably get used to something like a cup of tea and a banana, or something like that, but there is something very comforting about my big bowl of cornflakes :-)
So I'm looking for ideas to replace this - something lower in cals. Any ideas? I could probably get used to something like a cup of tea and a banana, or something like that, but there is something very comforting about my big bowl of cornflakes :-)
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Replies
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Try Silk Unsweetened Vanilla milk with your next bowl of cereal..... And only 30 calories a cup. I just recently started using it and I love it!0
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First about the milk...lots of people who are used to full fat milk have a hard time going to low-fat, BUT find that they eventually get accustomed to it. You could also try a milk alternative like almond or soy milks, but, meh I don't love those with cereal.
However, in your big bowl, I don't think changing your milk is gonna solve the problem. Your problem is portion size.
You could continue with full fat and corn flakes and stick to the appropriate portion size and I believe that will be under or around 250 calories, totally appropriate for an evening snack. Stop using the big bowl! If you put normal portions in a big bowl you'll feel like you're barely getting any cereal. I know ALL about this...I had a favorite cereal bowl, too! (And easily put away 500 cals of cereal and milk without giving it a second thought)
If part of the problem is that you want more than a single serving of cereal and milk, you want the comfort of the act of eating then changing to tea and a banana probably won't help...fewer bites, finish faster. So, if you don't want to train yourself to eat less quantity in the evening, go for snacks that are lower calorie. You can have like 3 cups of popcorn for under 200 calories. Cut up veggies with dip (plain Greek yogurt makes a great base for dip). Apple, cut up into slices, with some cheese (gotta watch that portion though of course). Berries are very low in calorie, you could add them to the single serving of cereal and milk to increase the bulk of the snack.
This is a tough habit to break, I know!!0 -
You could have the smaller bowl of cereal with a cup of tea afterward
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Start using a smaller bowl or use your scale and only do one or two servings.
Try unsweetened almond milk, or just tell yourself you like skim milk for a while until it no longer bothers you. I'm not much help in the milk dept. I don't really notice that big of a change in taste from full fat to skim to even almond milk lol0 -
Not sure if you have it in america, but I mix my Weetbix with corn flakes. It adds more fibre and is much healthier than cornflakes, meaning I get fuller without filling up too much on unhealthy high-carb cornflakes. Cornflakes with milk is a terrible snack, I know because it doesn't keep me full, so I end up going for seconds.
Snack alternatives: low fat greek yogurt with cubed apples OR rye crispbread with low fat cottage cheese and peanut butter.0 -
Start using a smaller bowl or use your scale and only do one or two servings.0
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Maybe have less cornflakes, but add a chopped up banana and/or some raisins to it. That'll make it sweeter too, so you could try semi skim or skim milk.
Or, like Puffingmuffin says, try an alternative, like Greek yogurt.0 -
A decent bottle of beer at night is only about 200 calories.
That's half a bowl of cornflakes.0 -
Start using a smaller bowl or use your scale and only do one or two servings.
Dang, just looked that up. Guess you are right. My goodness! They're so good though lol Even with unsweetened almond milk 2 servings would be like 315-330 depending on how much milk you use.
1 serving corn flakes-150
1 banana/some strawberries- ~100
almond milk- 30
That would be roughly 280, much better but still kinda high for a late night snack. Could you(op) fit that in your calories and maybe cut/substitute something from earlier in the day? Don't want to take your favorite snack away from you0 -
Switch your cereal to something higher in fiber and low sugar. E.g. bran. There's absolutely no way you'll want to eat a huge bowl of bran but it doesn't taste massively different (in my opinion anyway!) and will give you lots of fiber. Therefore lower calories, more fiber, happy body.0
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Uuummm ... a smaller bowl?0
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Uuummm ... a smaller bowl?
This. Get a smaller bowl. Measure out 1 serving of corn flakes (use a food scale). Add a half a cup of milk.
Eat and enjoy.0 -
Are you saying this bowl of cereal is putting you over your calorie limits for the day and causing you to be in a surplus and gain weight??? If not and the cereal fits your intake and you are still losing weight then I don't see the point in not enjoying it as an evening snack.... Best of Luck0
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That's a lot of milk in your cornflakes, close to 3/4 pint. If I were you I'd cut the portion size of the cornflakes down by 5g a week until you get to about 40g and cut back the amount of milk - once you've eaten the cereal is there still a big puddle of milk (that you drink out of the bowl ) If so, measure the leftover milk and take it off the amount you pour over the cornflakes. Doing both of those will cut the calories.
But, to be honest, you seem to be doing OK with your cornflake habit. If you can eat them and still maintain a deficit then why worry?0 -
thanks for all the advice, I'll try it half portion size, reckon I could get used to that.0
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It's not about having no cornflakes and milk at all, but having it in moderation. Cut your serving in half of what you eat now.
I'd be upset if I felt I had to give up my more than one serving of coconut milk frozen dairy desert. No way, Jose.0 -
I have a love of cold cereal but the portions on the box and what reality dictates are two different things. I have found vanilla soy milk to be very creamy and flavorful. My substitute for cereal (after much trial and error) is an apple cut into bite size pieces with a 1/2 banana sliced in with it. Add some cinnamon and you'll be good to go!!! The crisp apple gives the same satisfaction as crunching on cereal. Natural and yummy!!!0
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How about a handful of almonds? 1/4 cup is about 200 calories and is very filling. If you munch on them one at a time, it takes a while to finish even a handful.
I also like to have nonfat greek yogurt mixed with a packet of ranch dressing seasoning. Then I have crunchy veggies with my dip. It's very filling with lots of texture. It also makes a good late night snack and is very low in calories.
*A word to the wise, go easy on the raw broccoli, your tummy will thank you.0 -
How about a handful of almonds? 1/4 cup is about 200 calories and is very filling. If you munch on them one at a time, it takes a while to finish even a handful.I also like to have nonfat greek yogurt mixed with a packet of ranch dressing seasoning. Then I have crunchy veggies with my dip. It's very filling with lots of texture. It also makes a good late night snack and is very low in calories.
*A word to the wise, go easy on the raw broccoli, your tummy will thank you.0 -
kamut puffs0
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