This morning, unlike yesterday, is a very soggy, grey day. However, on the bright side, I got through the first week of lectures and tutorials as a second year and even managed to cook a meal for my friends without giving them food poisoning. Therefore, to keep with the theme of trying new things, I decided to try a cereal that is completely new to me. And so, this week I am reviewing Nestle's Almond, Oats & More.
According to Nestle, Almond, Oats & More are 'crispy yummy flakes', what a mouthful! Yes, they are flakes, and yes, they are fairly yummy, but they are definitely not crispy. As soon as the milk hits the cereal, it seems to just give up, wilting instantaneously and leaves you with a rather soggy bowl of brown flakes. On the plus side, this cereal has a lot of flavour and it even has real almonds and almondy clusters thrown into the mix, adding a little je ne sais quoi. The milk does take on a fairly sweet flavour, which I rather like, but I know that this is not to everyone's liking. The packaging is fairly coherent with a green and white theme; it looks clean, inviting and simple. However, unlike the box, I feel as though the manufacturers have tried to add too much to the cereal itself and it would perhaps benefit from being more simple yet effective. So will I buy this cereal again? Probably not in a while. I enjoyed it somewhat, but it is definitely not making it into my favourites.
Here are my ratings for Almond, Oats & More:
Crunch Factor: 1/5
Flavour: 2.5/5
Aesthetics: 3/5
Filling: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Fresher's week is over and I am proud to admit that so far, unlike my poor housemate, I have not been a victim to the dreaded Fresher's Flu (touch wood)! However, as the weather is currently taking a nose dive down into the cold, cloudy, windy days that are so characteristic of bonnie Scotland, I felt that something more hearty and warming was in order for breakfast. And so, this week I have returned to my childhood sweetheart, the one and only Ready Brek!
Ready Brek is described by its makers as "super smooth porridge", and they certainly can't be criticised for false advertising, as that is exactly what it is. The beauty about Ready Brek, however, is that regardless of how thin or thick you make it, it will remain 'super smooth'. And as it is such a plain base, you are able to flavour it to taste with any topping at you disposal. This morning, for example, I chose Golden Syrup, swirled on the top in something vaguely resembling an 'L' shape just like my own mother used to do for me. But you could also pick sugar, fruit, marmite: whatever takes your fancy! Ready Brek truly is a blank canvas waiting to be tarted up the way you wish. You can't beat the warm feeling in the bottom of your tummy that stays with you all day.
Here are my ratings for Ready Brek:
Crunch Factor: n/a
Flavour: 4/5 although Ready Brek has no flavour per se, it is very versatile and can be changed to taste
Aesthetics: 2/5
Filling: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
This week I headed back up North to the town of St Andrews and settled into my new little house, ready for the start of second year. Given that last year I was in a catered hall, I am so excited that this year I have free reign to pick any cereal I desire (provided that Tescos, Morrisons or Sainsbury's sell it). Naturally, I got a little over zealous in my choice this week and headed straight for Krave, a cereal that I have only ever eaten on very few occasions in my life.
The appearance of the cereal itself reminds me a little of dog treats, especially considering the sunshine yellow colour and the square pillow shape. But one cannot dispute the flavour of Krave. The outside shells stay relatively crispy, even when they have been sat in the milk for 10 minutes, and once you bite into them, there is a delightful contrast of the crispy shells against the soft chocolatey centre. For me, Krave a more of a treat cereal - I feel they are a little rich to have every morning, but once in a while they are just what you need. And, to top it all off, the milk doesn't turn a funny flavour.
Here are my ratings for Chocolate Hazelnut Krave:
Crunch Factor: 4/5
Flavour: 4.5/5
Aesthetics: 3/5
Filling: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 3.7/5
This week has been hectic! I'd like to apologise for not updating you on my latest breakfast antics for a while, but I have been in 'God's Own County', or, as some like to put it, Yorkshire.
Being back up north reminded me of my Grandfather and his little idiosyncrasies such as whistling to himself all the time, calling out at any moment "Give us a bag of crisps", and most importantly, his favourite breakfast cereal, Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Cornflakes. Therefore, I have decided that this is the week of the Crunchy Nut.
Over the years this cereal has developed and adapted to suit perhaps a younger, more diverse audience, branching off into clusters, crunchy bites and things resembling nuggets. However, I believe that you cannot beat the trusty original. For me it's the golden colour of the flakes contrasting against the bright whiteness of the milk that makes this cereal so appealing. And, to begin with, the taste is powerful with the perfect amount of sweetness. A classic mixture of honey and nuts to wake up to. However, after just a few minutes of sitting in the bowl, something bizarre and rather upsetting happens to crunchy nuts; they are no longer crunchy nor nutty. My dear grandfather, nonetheless, has come up with an ingenious method to avoid this: eat them at lightning speed! As long as you eat Crunchy Nut Cornfalkes within three minutes of them hitting the milk, they remain perfect. If, however, you like to take a little longer over your breakfast, then I am afraid you may have to put up with a rather soggy bowl of flavourless cereal - at least (as i'm told) the milk absorbs most of the flavour!
Here are my ratings for Crunchy Nut Cornflakes:
Crunch Factor: 1/5
Flavour: 4/5
Aesthtics: 4/5
Filling: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 3.2/5
