Monday, August 30, 2004

Food For Thought

Do cereal companies still end commercials with the tagline "[insert name of cereal] is an important part of this balanced breakfast"? In my many hours of cartoon watching as a youngster, all of the cold cereal ads ended that way. They always showed a bowl of cereal, glass of milk, glass of orange juice, and two slices of toast with butter. No matter if they were selling sugar-coated marshmallow cocoa-bombs, the cereal was "an important part of this balanced breakfast." Now, for fun, let's break down that balanced breakfast with the USDA's searchable nutrient database.

Cereal: 119 calories (that's Rice Krispies, but the calorie count is pretty average)
1/2 cup 1% milk, for cereal: 51 calories
8 ounce glass orange juice: 112 calories
8 ounce glass 1% milk: 102 calories
2 slices whole wheat toast: 138 calories
1 pat butter, unsalted: 38 calories

So the "balanced breakfast" weighs in at 558 calories, or 31% of the daily caloric needs of the average 4-6 year old. Also, it is 71 calories more than a sausage, egg, and cheese McMuffin. No wonder we're a chunky generation.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Good research. Now take into account that an average 4-6 year old should be drinking no less than 2% milk, preferrably whole milk, does not drink 16 ounces of fluid in a sitting, more like 4-6 ounces and where is the protein in that meal? Growing bodies need protein!!! Realistic cereal breakfast: 119 calories for cereal, 150 for whole milk on cereal, and 85 for 4 ounces juice. That's 354 calories sans whole fruit and protein needed for a balanced meal. Then they eat it while watching God knows what on the boob tube and we wonder why the upcoming generation is "chunky." (I saw a 9 month old that weighed 45 pounds and wore a 2T! No Joke!) Ann O.