I'm trying to work out which is the best value for money, and the best for your body in terms of nutritional value. The bran flakes are 88p for 750grm and corn flakes are 31p for 500grm. There are more calories in the corn flakes, and more sugar and salt. There is more fat in the bran flakes and more saturates. The ingredients in both are almost identical, except one has maize in it and the other has wholewheat and wheat bran.
Now comes the tricky bit, working out which has the better nutritional value. They both have the same added vitamins and minerals, that's easy enough. The bran flakes have more protien, less carbohydrates, less calories, more sugar, more fat, more fibre, and less salt. So now I'm baffled. I think I'm going to go with my preferred taste. Corn flakes taste like cardboard, they are tasteless. Bran flakes taste much better. Both boxes are the same size but you get less corn flakes because they are made very thin and crispy, there is more air in the box.
One thing I never do is buy fancy and expensive cereals, they are a big rip off. I am not a snob, I don't need to buy brand names. The bog standard basic flakes does me just fine. I don't want my cereals coated with sugar, or chocolate flavour, or snap crackle and pop, or clusters, or mixed with dried fruit, or puffed up.
I think I'm going to have to stick with bran flakes whether they are better for me or not. The price suits me, and for a supermarket own brand they taste quite nice. Are you ditching the brand names in favour of value. Toodle pip.
Oh look - another aisle that I have never ventured in...
ReplyDeleteI buy both then mix them in the same container.Then I add fresh fruit but hubby prefers to add raisins.
ReplyDeleteJane x
I buy a very large pack of Aldi lower sugar muesli. It's £1.69 and lasts K all week. He has a very large bowl full to the rim. I think he eats too much of it but I daren't tell him. I used to bulk it out with oats and fruit but think it's cheaper just to buy another one. I think its not bad value for 1.5kg (I think) I also think Corn Flakes are like flavoured cardboard.
ReplyDeleteI like Kelloggs cornflakes. They taste much better than own brands. Delicious with ice cold milk at any time.
ReplyDeleteI would go with the bran flakes for one simple reason, GMOs. Almost all corn is genetically modified and it's not good for anyone in my opinion. But I also like the flavor of bran better, especially if you add some raisins, if you like them of course. Nuts thrown in are good too!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter to me whether they are brand name cereal or no name. I buy whatever is healthiest and whatever is on sale. Often there is nothing so I buy oats and cook those up with some cinnamon and nuts or add some hemp hearts to the cooked up oatmeal.
ReplyDeleteLouis likes Bixies from Lidl and hates branded Weetabix.
ReplyDeleteEven corn that is not GMO is less healthy that wheat. That said, I prefer any cereal without sugar. My mother never mentioned sugar or offered it, so unsweetened cereal tastes best.
ReplyDeleteCorn is not even good for chickens or other livestock.
Bran flakes, value box every time, I sometimes add fruit from my garden or some nuts or seeds,but it has to be skimmed milk icy cold. In the winter I make porridge with water and salt, it is so good.
ReplyDeleteI don't buy any of that stuff. I get a bag of porridge oats, a handful of sunflower seed kernels out of the other half's birdseed bin, (well rinsed under the tap of course) mix it all up with a little maple syrup and some melted margarine, bake it in the oven and bingo, homemade meusli which lasts for months!
ReplyDeleteI prefer bran flakes over corn flakes. My favourite are Kellogg's All-bran wheat flakes with honey and almonds, then I slice half a banana to put on top♥
ReplyDeleteI usually go for branflakes as I'm always trying to lose weight and they are the lowest in calories for cereals (as far as I can see). Like you say they are go for the digestive system too and keep me filled for a long time. I usually use soya milk to keep the calories down further - my whole family think soyal milk is disgusting but I love it! Oh and whilst we are on the subject of cereal - how expensive is it these days! I find my self gasping at the shocking prices, particularly of branded goods, but also for own brands. Shocking. I now get my cereal from Homebargains or Aldi. They do a granola that OH likes for a £1. I also look out for the crushed boxes in the casualty department at Morrisons!
ReplyDeleteI buy supermarket own brand branflakes (£1.36 for 500g) but I'm going to try these - fibre content is the same (which is why I eat them) so definitely worth a try. Not sure why I haven't before! Thanks MQ :)
ReplyDeleteSemolina Porridge (Mannaya Kasha)when somebody else makes for me.
ReplyDeleteHate cereals .
Hi Laura, definately try the Value bran flakes. I used to buy the ones you have, the next step up, then when I tried these I found they were just as good, and cheaper.
ReplyDeleteHi Little Rosie, I like soya milk, but at the moment I am using up my stock of evaporated milk which I bought loads of at 30p a tin. I dilute it for my cereal.
I think Kellogs corn flakes are better than the value ones, but I am not willing to pay the price. What a good idea Jane and Chris, to mix the cheap corn flakes with cheap bran flakes. I am going to do that with these two boxes. Thanks for that tip.
I add whatever fruit I have to my cereals, but if I add nuts I have to pulverise them first as I can't chew them whole. No grinding teeth on the lower jaw. For that reason I struggle to eat muesli so don't buy it.
Porridge has been mentioned, yes I like that also, but I buy the Value one from Tesco.
I must say I have never gone for any brand named cerial. I`v always bought shop own label.
ReplyDeleteYears ago with 3 kids to feed I just never had the money to splash out on branded items. And now I do like to life a simple life as well as watch the pennies, I still carry on buying shop own label items whenever possible. I do use the cornflakes from Tesco, but I usually mix just a tiny amount into my home made yoghurt and fruit in the morning. This cheap box lasts me a long time. I also like to use some Tesco`s own wheatabix occasionally. In the winter time I like my porridge with some stewed apple or plums.
I buy Aldi Fruit and Fibre, then I buy a £1 bag of Aldi dried fruit and nuts and sprinkle a few over the cereal, drown it in soya milk, lovely, especially washed down with my favourite drink of redbush tea. Can't start the day without any of these!
ReplyDeleteI make my own granola, I wouldnt buy boxed breakfast cereals ever again. but I am still trying to find ways of using up the weetabix, high bran and cornflakes that have been lingering in the cupboard from when I did buy these things ( the stingy me doesnt want to just throw them away ). any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI used to use weetabix as a coating for chicken all crushed up.
DeleteWould weetabix cheap brands be better for you. Aldi do some
ReplyDeleteI like the Aldi version of Weetabix. They are tasty and less than half the price. Tried the Tesco value ones but they were not as nice
ReplyDeleteIlona, are Wheetabix the same as shredded wheat? I think that if you compare the nutritional value, it is superior to anything that is sweetened or contains GMO corn. GMO corn is scary and a threat to biodiversity. In Mexico, they have nearly 800 types of corn and wage war against the introduction of GMO corn. They treasure their native corn because it is suited to their climate and doesn't need insecticides and unnatural fertilizers. Bonnie
ReplyDeletehi
ReplyDeletei am interested in the info on the packets too and agree it takes some time to decipher and then compare products but it can be worth it. i buy branded cereals at the moment as i shop around and often get a box of branded cereal for around £1 eg yesterday Kelloggs Frosties for £1 at Tesco. I also buy porridge oats for when we have more time and fruit to go on both. I am going to get a free towel with codes from 3 packets of Frosties for £1 postage - a great small gift for someone!
Just a quick recommendation for all you lovely bloggers. Nip over and look at a super blog written by a Scottish 9 year old girl. Called NeverSeconds, as part of a writing project she is photographing and reviewing her school meals.
ReplyDeleteWhat an eye opener. This has caused quite a media storm which you may have heard about. After being banned by the local authority, they have done an about turn and allowed her to carry on. Supported by her dad she is also raising money to build kitchens and feed children in third world countries. Children from all over the world send pics of their school meals too. A fab blog and one gaining in popularity notching up 4million hits.