Why is cereal so expensive?

toots99
toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
A box of good, healthy cereal is between $4-$5 a box...is it just me or is that crazy? Even junk cereal (which I don't eat anymore) is almost that high! I hate buying cereal but I love eating it! :grumble:

Anyone have ay good ideas to sub instead of cereal? And though I know it's good for you and everyone's going to suggest it...I hate oatmeal. It's just got an icky consistency to it.

Replies

  • ittybittybadonkadonk
    ittybittybadonkadonk Posts: 11,634 Member
    A box of good, healthy cereal is between $4-$5 a box...is it just me or is that crazy? Even junk cereal (which I don't eat anymore) is almost that high! I hate buying cereal but I love eating it! :grumble:

    Anyone have ay good ideas to sub instead of cereal? And though I know it's good for you and everyone's going to suggest it...I hate oatmeal. It's just got an icky consistency to it.
    i buy kashi (healthy cereal) for 2.48 a box and its YUMMY
  • TByrd1325
    TByrd1325 Posts: 920 Member


    i buy kashi (healthy cereal) for 2.48 a box and its YUMMY

    I got a sample of the Blueberry kind the mail and LOVED it.
  • ittybittybadonkadonk
    ittybittybadonkadonk Posts: 11,634 Member


    i buy kashi (healthy cereal) for 2.48 a box and its YUMMY

    I got a sample of the Blueberry kind the mail and LOVED it.
    i love the go lean crunch (honey and flax) very yummy
  • bettersusan
    bettersusan Posts: 240 Member
    I usually pay between FREE and $1 for a box of cereal. Check out SouthernSavers.com, Couponmom.com, Hotcouponworld.com, ...just to name a few. We cut our grocery bill literally IN HALF.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    A box of good, healthy cereal is between $4-$5 a box...is it just me or is that crazy? Even junk cereal (which I don't eat anymore) is almost that high! I hate buying cereal but I love eating it! :grumble:

    Anyone have ay good ideas to sub instead of cereal? And though I know it's good for you and everyone's going to suggest it...I hate oatmeal. It's just got an icky consistency to it.

    Cereal is ridiculously expensive here too. I don't get why. If you don't like that mushy texture of oatmeal (I don't either. I scoop off the excess "goo" as it's cooking, and then let it sit a few minutes after cooking- it greatly improves the texture), what about cream of wheat? I noticed they have a whole grain variety. I haven't tried cream of wheat in years, but loved it as a kid...after I loaded it with sugar, of course.
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    I like Kashi too, but find that to be expensive sometimes as well. Maybe I'm just super cheap! :laugh:

    I'll check out those coupon sites, good idea! :)
  • Advertising. All those TV ads cost $$$.

    Have a great weekend, all!
  • Poison5119
    Poison5119 Posts: 1,460 Member
    Because healthy can be expensive, and something like this can be made when you rally the effort and the initial investment. When we don't don't 'process' it ourself, they 'getcha'.

    So, I'm going to make my own, pretty soon.. I have a basiic 'granola recipe',and I"m gonna add my own favorite ingredients, make sure I add the right additions to oil and honey, maybe add a little brown sugar and cinnamon, raisins, but bake it long enough to carmelize the mixture and when it dries, I break it up into smaller peices, then sprinkle it one half cup of extra bran flakes or heavy corn flakes.

    6 to 8 c. old fashion or quick oatmeal
    1/2 to 3/4 c. sunflower seeds plain unroasted
    1/3 c. sesame seeds
    3/4 c. bran (oat or wheat)
    1/2 c. wheat germ
    1/2 to 3/4 c. honey
    1/2 to 3/4 c. oil

    Mix all ingredients in a baking pan or bowl. Bake 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir to mix and toast. Allow to cool before storing in glass or tin. 1/4 cup (estimate 180cals). Makes great sensible topping on baked fruit, yogurt, ice cream, too.
  • bump
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    I like Kashi too, but find that to be expensive sometimes as well. Maybe I'm just super cheap! :laugh:

    I'll check out those coupon sites, good idea! :)

    Kashi is on sale at Target this week (thanks again for the info, Jess- if you're reading this). It's $2.88 a box, and if you buy 5 Kashi products you receive a $5 Target gift card... which I will be using to go back and get more Kahi before the sale ends! :laugh:
  • tiedye
    tiedye Posts: 331 Member
    Trader joe's has cheap healthy cereal
  • I think of it as inexpensive meal! No?

    Even at $5 per box, if you get 5 servings out of it (which you would most likely get more than that), that's good value in my estimation - approx. $1 per serving.

    For brekky I would have cereal with skin milk and berries, and my berries are by far the expensive part! But still, my whole meal is around $2.
    :smile:
  • lalahawley
    lalahawley Posts: 19 Member
    Have you tried going to Aldi's or Save-A-Lot? Even though they are not the name brand cereals, they are usually pretty good and Aldi's even has a 'double your money back' guarantee if you don't like it! :smile:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    Funny!! I am totally stocked up on Kashi thanks to Target this week. A couple weeks ago I stocked up on Cascadian Farms cereal at Kroger. Watch for coupons and deals!!
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    Trader joe's has cheap healthy cereal

    I love Trader Joe's High Fiber O's...but I don't live near Trader Joe's anymore. :frown:
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    I usually pay between FREE and $1 for a box of cereal. Check out SouthernSavers.com, Couponmom.com, Hotcouponworld.com, ...just to name a few. We cut our grocery bill literally IN HALF.

    Thanks for those links!!
  • You can get healthy generic cereal, too. Shredded wheat, raisin bran are 2 good ones that I know of that are high in fiber, not full of junk and sold by a generic label.

    I love Kashi Golean Crunch, Walmart had on sale a couple of weeks ago for $2.something here in GA, but they were sold out!

    So go with the healthy generic or scope out for when the more expensive ones go on sale, or when coupons are available then stock up.

    Demetria
  • April0815
    April0815 Posts: 780 Member
    Have you tried the steel cut oatmeal. The consistancy is different. It has a crunch to it.
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