Frosted Flakes 1/3 Less Sugar cereal review
I’ve seen this on the store shelves for a year, maybe two. “Wow, diet cereal for fat kids,” I thought. Along with the reduced sugar Frosted Flakes, you can also find Froot Loops 1/3 Less Sugar, and some Big G varieties like Cocoa Puffs. I figured it’s about time I give one of them a shot.
I picked up a box at the Albertson’s in Valencia. The first thing I noticed was that it came with a free XBox mini game inside, which sealed the deal. More on that later.
So here’s the deal. It tastes pretty close to regular Frosted Flakes — that is, until you pour the milk over it. Then you’re lucky to get one or two good spoonfuls before you’re basically left with a bowl of Corn Flakes. It’s just not the same.
“But what if I’m watching my calories, shouldn’t I consider this a healthier alternative?” you may ask. The answer is no. Although there are only 8 grams of sugar per serving compared to classic Frosted Flakes’ 12 grams, they both have THE SAME AMOUNT OF CALORIES. “But what if I’m a diabetic –” NO AGAIN. One serving still equals 1.5 carbohydrate exchange points.
This new marketing tactic has the word “misleading” written all over it. Stick to the originals.
The happy ending is that I got a cool little Xbox mini game. It’s the Motorcycle Madness one:
I’ve read some blogs and forum postings making fun of these low-tech XBox-branded LCD games, but I think it’s pretty sweet for a free cereal prize. It’s got some catchy monophonic music and sound effects, too.
Speaking of Xbox, I traded in my aging PS2 last week for a 360. What a HUGE difference, especially on an HD screen. It’s gorgeous. I waited a year to see how the PS3 would pan out. Sorry Sony, the 360 wins. Well, maybe a Wii for the living room too. How’s that for off-topic?
Frosted Flakes 1/3 Less Sugar Nutrition Info
Technorati Tags: cereal, review, Frosted Flakes, less sugar, calories, xbox
It's feedin' time
Any weight you may drop by eating reduced sugar cereal will be re-gained by sitting around playing xbox.
Comment by fatcerealchick
December 24th, 2006 @ 12:20 pm
[…] I never got around to trying either after learning that “reduced sugar” does NOT mean reduced calorie (see my review of Frosted Flaked 1/3 Less Sugar). I mean, why bother? Just buy the real thing. […]
Comment by Cereal Buzz
January 3rd, 2007 @ 10:41 pm
Um, although they weigh the same (flakes of corn weighing less than cakes of sugar, of course), isn’t the reduced sugar serving size 1/4 of a cup larger? So, yeah, they aren’t the same. The serving size is larger.
Comment by GhaleonQ
January 8th, 2007 @ 8:12 pm
Sorry, college boy. Food is always measured by weight, not volume.
Mmmm… cakes of sugar…
Comment by Randy
January 9th, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
Yes, but when one fills up a cereal bowl, one doesn’t measure the weight. I’d assume that most people would fill up a bowl in the morning, eat it, and then leave (read: less calories per bowl). Granted, the density of the 1/3 less sugar cereal is less, but that won’t matter to those who don’t keep a balance on their kitchen table.
Comment by GhaleonQ
January 9th, 2007 @ 9:24 pm
What, are you a Kellogg’s intern?
In a practical sense, I see your point. But it’s still shady on Kellogg’s part.
The fact of the matter is, when comparing the caloric content of two different foods — I don’t care if it’s chuck steak vs. romaine lettuce — you take equal WEIGHT samples. 31g of steak vs. 31g of lettuce. GRAMS. Not 1 cup of steak vs. 1 cup of lettuce. Remember the blue flame in chemistry class last semester? Scientists know this, and many informed dieters (dieters being the target audiences for reduced sugar cereals) know this.
Kellogg’s adheres to this standard. That’s why the common measurement between the two cereals, and all their cereals, is in grams.
Comment by Randy
January 9th, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
*rolls eyes* Neither steak nor lettuce are eaten in standardized serving volume sizes, while cereal (for all intents and purposes) is. It’s a special situation.
Comment by GhaleonQ
January 10th, 2007 @ 6:04 pm
Did you really roll your eyes?
*shakes head* That’s hilarious.
*fucks girlfriend* There’s nothing special about cereal.
*eats a 31g bowl of Frankenberry* Like all food, it’s measured in grams.
*submits comment*
Comment by Randy
January 10th, 2007 @ 11:50 pm