With an increasing number of parents trying to improve not only the eating habits of their children, but also their own as well – Quaker brings you a great way to give everyone the enjoyment of a tasty cereal with the healthy properties of oatmeal.

Quaker Oatmeal Squares are made with natural flavor and provide 46 grams of whole grains per serving; that’s 96% of your minimum daily recommendation before you even head out the door. It also offers 5 grams of dietary fiber and 6 grams of protein. Add in 13 essential vitamins and minerals and you’ve got a great start to your day. I know what you’re thinking: “It doesn’t sound like it tastes very good. How am I suppose to get my kids to eat this?” Even the pickiest member of the family will love these lightly sweetened squares in four flavors: Honey Nut, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Golden Maple.

BzzAgent sent my family a box of Honey Nut flavor. It’s a good thing I decided to take photos right away…it was gone in a matter of days.

I’ve always been a fan of oatmeal, as is my youngest son (2). But I know that it isn’t that delicious in it’s natural form. As soon as I had my first bowl of Quaker Oatmeal Squares, and realized I didn’t need to add anything to them, my natural conclusion was that it must have a ton of sugar in it. So many brands do that now: high fiber, whole grains etc – but they pump in the sugar so it’s still fun to eat.  I was impressed by the ingredient list and nutritional information I found.

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN OAT FLOUR, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, BROWN SUGAR,SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, MALTED BARLEY EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVOR, MOLASSES, SALT,CALCIUM CARBONATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE, REDUCED IRON, SODIUM ASCORBATE,NIACINAMIDE (VITAMIN B3), BHT (A PRESERVATIVE), ZINC OXIDE, VITAMIN E ACETATE,YELLOW 5, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, YELLOW 6, THIAMIN MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1),PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID.

PROS:

• Quaker Oatmeal Squares also have only 9g of sugar (that’s only 5g more than plain bran), 0g trans fat, and a whopping 90% of your daily iron.
• The cereal stays surprisingly crunchy in milk over a short time. My toddler can enjoy a bowl at his usual slow pace and not be left with mush at the end.
• Price is comparable with other leading whole grain cereals – around $4 for a 14.5 oz box.
• Just enough sweetness to make the kids happy, but not so sweet that the adults feel guilty.
• Can also be added to trail mix, eaten dry as an after workout snack, etc.

CONS:

I was disappointed to find that Quaker added preservatives (BHT) to what could have been a perfect breakfast cereal. While I admit I don’t follow a 100% Preservative free diet, I know the number of household that do is increasing.

 Overall View:

Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal is a great breakfast and snack option for homes that are trying to be more health conscious but haven’t quite made the leap to 100% all natural just yet. It’s affordable, tasty and offers up a great list of vitamins and minerals for both growing children and adults who need energy for a busy day.

Available at grocery stores nationwide (*Golden Maple found exclusively at Walmart stores).

 

GET A FREE BOX!

‘Like’ the Quaker Oatmeal Squares Facebook page and sign up to get a FREE box. You can also share this offer with up to 10 friends!

 

 

Join the Conversation:

Have you tried Quaker Oatmeal Squares? What are your feeling about the addition of BHT preservative? Would it stop you from purchasing the cereal?

 

 

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