Healthy Hot Cereals

Healthy Hot Cereals

With another polar vortex descending over Northeast Wisconsin, there is nothing better on a bitterly cold morning than a bowl of hot cereal. In addition to warming you and tasting great, hot cereal can be low in fat, high in fiber and a great source of whole grains.

Today there are a variety of hot cereals on the shelves, in pouches, cups and containing an assortment of ingredients. With so many options available, it can be challenging to know if your cereal is a healthy choice.

Here are some healthy tips for selecting a hot cereal.

• To boast your calcium and protein intake at breakfast, use low-fat milk rather than water to cook your cereal.

• If you choose plain hot cereal, boost flavor and nutrition by adding cinnamon and nutmeg, dried or fresh fruit, chopped nuts, flax seeds or vanilla extract.

• If buying the pouches or cups of hot cereal pay attention to the amount of sugar and sodium in the product by reading the Nutrition Facts information.

• Homemade hot cereal from scratch can be less expensive and better for the environment because there is less packaging.

• Save time by making a large batch of hot cereal and reheating it in serving sizes on busy morning.