Spoon Dark Choc Zing Granola

Hello my hunnies!!! It's been a year and half hitaus and I can only blame my own disorganised self (I am an aries after all) for the lack in cereal content. But don't worry, I haven't completely turned my back on the cereal world. I will however be completely honest with you all and admit that there have been a few occasions over the past 18 months where I have succumbed to a 'spoons full english. But in the grasp of a new year and even a new decade, it's time to reflect upon old habits and create new resolutions, mine just so happened to be more adventurous but also more grounded, and so here I am, fulfilling my resolution just 6 days into 2020; reviving my pre-existing blog through a brand new review...

Granola isn't my usual bag for breakfast but while home for Christmas I opened the cereal cupboard to find an unopened bag of Spoon Dark Choc Zing granola lurking behind my dad's Weetabix (good taste pops). Being a big fan of Coco Pops I thought I'd give a different chocolate cereal a try, given that Christmas is the time for indulgence and all, and especially considering the catchy name. The actual granola is chocolate flavoured and the zing comes from the surprising addition of "kick-ass lime", rather unconventional but it doesn't not work. There are even almonds thrown in for added crunch. Some people like to eat granola with yoghurt (or a plant based alternative), but I prefer milk as I find the combination of cereal and yoghurt to be a touch too dry as it gets stuck inside your mouth with little liquid salvation. Although that's just my personal preference. Like most other granolas, Dark Choc Zing takes a decent amount of time before getting soggy while simultaneously flavouring the milk. It's chocolatey but not sickly sweet and the almonds offer some textural difference. I would say it's the perfect option for any adult who feels embarrassed by eating chocolatey children's cereal but still has that craving.
Here are my ratings for Dark Choc Zing Granola:

Crunch Factor: 4.5/5

Flavour: 4/5

Aesthetics: 3.5/5

Filling: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Nestle Estrelitas

September has rolled around once again (funny how that happens each year), children are back at school thank fuck and with PSLs FINALLY back in store (yaaas queen) this means one thing, and one thing only - sweater weather has made its annual return! No longer must we slather factor 50 all over our bodies. No longer must we endure the discomfort of brushing up against fellow sweat-ridden passengers on the tube (metro/subway). No longer must we be ridiculed for the comfort, ease and, lest we forget the fashion credentials of socks and sandals. However, for those self proclaimed summer babies who long for #endlesssummer and suffer in cooler climes, I have chosen to review a cereal that simultaneously nods farewell to the hazy days of summer while also looking forward to the return of cool, crisp cuffing season.  

I'll confess, I went away this summer (did you not see the Instagram of me and my pink inflatable flamingo?!) but please, fellow cereal enthusiasts, I implore you not to look upon this post as a means to brag about my tan - read factor 50 to understand the lack thereof - or the life changing experience and affinity I felt with the locals. No, I spent most of my time in Lisbon riding the trams and eating and drinking my way around the city's various establishments. While I'm an advocate of going to work on a bowl of cereal, I do like to mix up my routine while on holiday because, well, it's a holiday and that's apparently the prescribed norm on holiday, a means to escape the daily grind. My Portuguese breakfasts consisted mostly of pasteis de nata which are undisputedly delicious, yet unfortunately are not conducive to the healthy lifestyle I lead back home. For this reason I couldn't help but sneak a box of the finest cereal money can buy into my suitcase to sample back home and satiate my #wanderlust. Even with my embarrassing lack of mastery of the Portuguese language - hello Brit abroad - I was able to deduce that estrelitas means 'little stars', and who doesn't want to start their day shining bright like a star in the words of Rihanna?! This particular variety of Estrelitas are flavoured like a Maria biscuit, something I have never tried per se, yet in cereal form the Maria biscuit translates into a mighty fine bowl of breakfast: a strong base with a demi-sweet overtone. Granted, some of the flavour ends up rubbing off on the milk, but that just prolongs the Maria experience. The aesthetics of this cereal are noteworthy. Nestle have chosen a biscuit theme and have 100% stuck to said brief; the cereal itself is a wonderful golden brown colour imitating what I can only imagine to be the original golden bake of the Maria biscutt. Estrelitas fare well in the soggy trials, keeping their wonderful galaxy shapes for an impressive 10 minutes. For me, Estrelitas sit on the cusp between summer and winter: with a nod to my time spent in Lisbon, the cereal itself defies seasonal change and, in my opinion, can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Overall I was wholeheartedly impressed buy this celestial cereal and will definitely be probing the depths of the internet to get my hands on another few boxes to keep me cosy this autumn. 

Here are my ratings for Nestle Estrelitas:

Crunch Factor: 3.5/5

Flavour: 4/5

Aesthetics: 4.5/5

Filling: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.75/5    

Shreddies Max Protein

One need only scroll through Instagram and Facebook to find a plethora of beauty, health and fitness bloggers all imparting their tips and tricks for the smoothest contour and trimmest waist. Never being one to shy away from such avant-garde trends, I was delighted to stumble across a hybrid variant poised on the boundary between grains and gains; and so my dear readers I have chosen this week to review Shreddies Max Protein.

With 10g of protein per serving, Shreddies Max Protein is bound to build booty in an instant. The cereal itself consists of a granola base with pieces of broken Shreddies incorporated there within, leading to a rather crunchy granola. The cereal takes at least 10 minutes before becoming soft enough to eat without making it look or feel as though a tiny hamster has used your mouth as an exercise wheel. This is obviously not the best cereal to choose if in a hurry. On the plus side, however, those who are slow eaters yet have an aversion to soggy cereal will rejoice at the time afforded to savour every last bite. This granola come Shreddy mash up is rather sweet, calling for a smaller portion size than usual; a welcome discovery given the meagre size of the box. Thankfully, one of the redeeming features of this cereal is that it really is rather filling. The one thing I still cannot get my head around, however, is how a breakfast cereal can contain more protein than a bacon and egg roll? One box in, I am yet to see any real muscle growth. If anyone can shed some light on this query, please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

And on that note, here are my ratings for Shreddies Max Protein:

Crunch Factor: 4.5/5

Flavour: 2.5/5


Aesthetics: 2/5


Filling: 4/5


Overall Rating: 3/5

Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crisp

One thing I am fed up of hearing is the overused, tired and clichéd expression, New Year, New You. Permanent change is not a simple process whereby you suddenly wake up and are a whole new person. These things take determination, patience and perseverance; three considerations Nestlé most certainly did  not observe in the creation of their New cereal, Cinnamon Oat Crisp.

With the end of the festive period approaching, and the whirlwind that was 2016, I had a sudden desire for something new in my life, and believed Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crisp would satiate this hunger. The base for this cereal is a cinnamon flavoured oat flake, topped with processed oats and some form of honey drizzle. If this wasn't enough, these flakes are muddled up with the classic Cheerio. This, contrary to Nestlé's claims, is not a new cereal. This is a lazy attempt at innovation, a merging of two previously existing cereals. What's more, Nestle's melange does not work. The textures of the flake and the cheerio are polar opposites, and in this case, opposites do not complement one another. I'm certain any discerning 10 year old would be able to devise a more successful cereal collaboration compared to this atrocity. This cereal takes about 30 seconds to go soggy upon contact with the milk, not my understanding of an 'oat crisp'. As for the flavour, cinnamon and oats is hardly groundbreaking. Yes, it's a time-old classic, but this cereal was advertised as new, and I am failing to see where Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crisp offers me anything I haven't tried before. Hopefully next time I try something new it will have been more carefully conceived, so I do not run the risk of being thoroughly disappointed every morning I stare longingly at my breakfast bowl.

Here are my ratings for Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crisp:

Crunch Factor: 1/5

Flavour: 2.5/5

Aesthetics: 2/5

Filling: 3/5

Overall Rating: 2.1/5

Shredded Wheat Honey & Nut

With the Dunhill Golf competition in full swing, St Andrews has been inundated with a host of "famous" faces, non of which I am able to recognise (sorry Hugh Grant, but you weren't in the last Bridget Jones film, you can't expect a girl to recognise you based on a portrait that's 10 years out of date - look where that got Henry VIII). I like to seek comfort, however, in the fact that I will never not be able to recognise a cereal on the shelf that I haven't yet tried. For this reason I was draw to Shredded Wheat Honey & Nut, and here I am now, telling you all about my new encounter.

Shredded Wheat seem to be the grown up version of Shreddies; Nestle tell you exactly what they are without the fun, abbreviated name that appeals to children whilst simultaneously encouraging them to eat a healthier breakfast - excluding obviously the frosted and chocolate versions 'cause they're cool! Shredded Wheat Honey & Nut, therefore, could be Nestle's grown up answer to the chocolate and frosted Shreddie. Considered healthy by many but still a little bit "Nutty but Nice!" For those who aren't quite ready to make the leap to the classic, Honey & Nut Shredded Wheat are the perfect transition cereal. The honey nutty flavour is just right, not too much, not too little and there are even real nuts, evoking feelings of autumn and roasted chestnuts. In fact, this honey and nut topping acts as somewhat of a shield against the milk, ensuring that these Shredded Wheats take slightly longer to go soggy in comparison to their unprotected counterparts. Nonetheless, milk is highly recommended (whether you opt for dairy or a plant based alternative) as without they are dryer than the Sahara desert. Aesthetically, this cereal is fairly pleasing. The Shredded Wheats themselves are somewhat beige in colour, but I guess that's to be expected as wheat is naturally beige and we should be thankful that Nestle haven't added a plethora of colourings. To compensate, however, they have opted for a tonal scheme of warm oranges and browns on the box that, in my opinion, complements the honey and nut idea.

Will Shredded Wheat Honey & Nut become a firm favourite of mine, or was it merely an impulsive dalliance? I am unable to answer that question at this moment in time. I can however, offer you my ratings for Shredded Wheat Honey & Nut:

Crunch Factor: 2.5/5

Flavour: 3.5/5

Aesthetics: 3.5/5

Filling: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.4/5

Nice and Nobbly Granola

Firstly I must apologise for the year long hiatus. My only excuse is the fact that my millennial tendencies led me in the belief that other foods, such as kale smoothies and avocado on toast, were perhaps a better start to the day than a humble bowl of cereal. However, having explored all options fully, I have returned full circle realising that nothing compares to you, cereal.




With the leaves on the trees turning a wonderful array of amber and pumpkin spice taking over every flavour combination in any food outlet, it's difficult to ignore the first signs of autumn. In a celebration of the turn of the season, I myself have decided to delve into the flavours of fall having been recommended Nature's Path Organic Gluten Free Nice and Nobbly Granola. The bright orange packaging was enough to entice me on a chilly September morn. While those with an intolerance to wheat will naturally gravitate towards this wonderful gluten free option, I fear that the amount of sugar in this granola could turn even a bumble bee diabetic. The cinnamon flavouring is overpowered by these high levels of sugar, which is somewhat of a shame in my opinion as cinnamon is the essence of warmth, the edible equivalent of a cosy tartan blanket. Nonetheless, this granola stays true to its nobbly namesake with generous helpings of almonds, pumpkin seeds and raisins, as promised on the packet. As for the crunch factor, this granola turns from nice and nobbly to soggy and wobbly in a matter of seconds, however, the seeds, nuts and raisins make up for this adding extra crunch, chew and intrigue. Perhaps the lack of glutenous fibres could explain this granola's tendency to go soft so soon, but in my opinion it doesn't affect the overall experience.

Here are my ratings for Nice and Nobbly Granola:




Crunch Factor: 3.5/5


Flavour: 3/5

Aesthetics: 4/5

Filling: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Honey Cheerios

It is with a bitter-sweet sadness that I wave goodbye to my more hedonistic days of a croissant, café et clop chaque matin, re-immersing myself back into my former, simpler routine of academic life on the very tip of Scotland's East Fife Coast. It's for this reason that I chose to review Honey Cheerios; a humble cereal with an added flourish on top, a little je ne sais quoi.

Having previously reviewed standard Cheerios, I thought it was time to treat myself to the honey variety. Honey Cheerios take a good few minutes to go soggy, maybe even longer than regular Cheerios as they have an extra layer of honey for the milk to penetrate. The flavour remains bafflingly intact despite the milk tasting strongly of honey towards the end. My one qualm would be that the 'o' shapes were a lot smaller than I remembered. I am not sure whether this is due to Nestlé's cut backs and profit margins after the credit crunch or if I had just romanticised their size in my head...

Here are my ratings for Honey Cheerios:

Crunch Factor: 4/5

Flavour: 4/5


Aesthetics: 3/5


Filling: 3/5


Overall Rating: 3.5/5