Pumpkin-flavored anything is super popular every fall – and this year, there’s been a flood of Pumpkin Spice cereals on shelves, both hot and cold. And while these cereals may appear to be nutritious, some of them can pack in more than half a day’s worth of added sugar!
Today we’re Getting the Skinny with Molly on her top picks for pumpkin-flavored cereals, and which ones just aren’t worth it.
LOVE IT!
Engine 2 Apple Pumpkin Granola (GF)
- Ingredients include: steel-cut oats, rolled oats, applesauce, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin seeds, spice blend.
- Per ½ cup: 230 calories – 10 mg sodium – 38 grams carb – 5 grams fiber – 6 grams sugar – 9 grams protein (50% more protein than sugar)
DIY Pumpkin Oatmeal (GF)
- ½ cup Steel-Cut Oatmeal + ¼ cup Pumpkin Puree + Pumpkin Spice Seasoning Blend + ½ scoop Vanilla Whey Protein (dissolved in few ounces unsweetened almond milk)
- ¼ cup pumpkin adds just 25 calories, with 1.5 grams of fiber and 125% day’s worth of vitamin A
- 200 calories – 0 sodium – 35 grams carb – 3.5 grams fiber 3 grams sugar – 15 grams protein
LIKE IT!
Pumpkin Puffins (GF)
- Ingredients include: Corn, whole grain brown rice, cane sugar, oats, fructan (prebiotic fiber), molasses, oat hull fiber….
- Per cup: 110 calories – 75 mg sodium – 25 grams carb – 3 grams fiber – 5 grams sugar – 2 grams protein
Nature’s Path Pumpkin Flax Granola (Vegan)
- Ingredients include: Rolled oats, cane sugar, brown rice flour, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, oat syrup solids, molasses, cinnamon
- Per ¾ cup: 260 calories – 45 mg sodium – 37 grams carb – 5 grams fiber – 10 grams sugar – 6 grams protein
HATE IT!
Quaker Pumpkin Spice Instant Oatmeal
- Ingredients include: whole grain rolled oats, sugar, nonfat dry milk, salt, spices
- Per packet: 160 calories – 190 mg sodium – 32 grams carb – 3 grams fiber – 11 grams sugar – 4 grams protein
- Ingredients include: Whole grain oats, sugar, salt, pumpkin puree, refiners syrup, corn syrup, cinnamon, vitamins & minerals.
- Per ¾ cup: 110 calories – 120 mg sodium – 22 grams carb – 2 grams fiber – 8 grams sugar – 2 grams protein
- Ingredients include: Whole grain oat flour, sugar, corn flour, whole wheat flour, rice flour, vitamins & minerals, BHT preservative, Yellow 5, Yellow 6
- Per ¾ cup: 120 calories – 160 mg sodium – 25 grams carb – 2 grams fiber – 6 grams sugar – 3 protein
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