Whether you pour milk in the bowl first or last, there’s no denying that cereal is a quintessential college meal. It’s an easy snack for late-night study sessions and a quick bite before class. It’s cheap and it’s convenient — who could ask for more? My personal favorites include Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Krave and the rare Oreo O’s, but these don’t necessarily constitute a healthy meal. In an effort to treat breakfast with the importance it deserves, I decided to break out of my sugary morning habit.
When I heard about a cereal that was high-protein, low-carb, low-sugar, gluten-free, grain-free, non-GMO and had no artificial colors or sweeteners, I thought it seemed too good to be true. Magic Spoon health cereal advertises 12 grams of protein compared to the average cereal’s one gram, and only three grams of net carbohydrates to the average cereal’s 22. Magic Spoon also has zero sugar content and is 110 calories per three-quarter cup serving.
Despite the carefully crafted ingredient list, Magic Spoon cereal is not vegan — the first ingredient listed is milk protein blend.
Magic Spoon cereal claims to provide “100% Happiness Guaranteed.” At $10 a box, I would sure hope so. After some contemplation over the price tag, I decided to order the variety case of Magic Spoon. Unfortunately, the cereal is offered exclusively on its website in sets of four, which means you have to spend $40 on your online cereal order. I ordered on a Tuesday and by Friday my magic cereal had arrived at my apartment.
The variety pack included the classic cereal flavors: cinnamon, frosted, fruity and cocoa. I was most excited about the cocoa flavor, meaning I tore into that box immediately. Cocoa, you let me down. I mean you really let me down. The cocoa cereal tasted like styrofoam beads rolled in cocoa powder with a chemical aftertaste. I wouldn’t even put it in the same food group as Cocoa Puffs, which I assume is what Magic Spoon was trying to mimic. I will probably finish the box out of guilt for how much I spent (or if I am running seriously low on groceries).
The next box I opened was the frosted flavor. I had read good reviews about this one on Magic Spoon’s website, but the flavor was quite odd. The taste and smell were very strong, almost like perfume, and did not taste at all like Frosted Flakes nor any other frosted cereal. With some almond milk, the strong aroma was slightly subdued and I could get the rest of the bowl down.
The cinnamon flavor was not good, but not bad. It does not come close to the delicious Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but it’s a good alternative if you want to keep a similar healthy option around. It, too, had a slight chemical aftertaste.
Last but not least, the fruity flavor. My favorite. I don’t know why I waited so long to open this box. Maybe I had low expectations because I am generally not a fan of fruity cereals. This is an exact substitute for Froot Loops. I am, to put it lightly, obsessed. If I decide to order from Magic Spoon again, I will be ordering four fruity boxes.
Does eating Magic Spoon cereal taste like eating sugary cereal on a Saturday morning in 2006 while watching cartoons? No. Is it bad? Not if you have an open mind. If you’ve been itching to find a more nutritious alternative to your usual first-meal staples and somehow have an extra $40 to spend on groceries, this could be a solid option. But then again, you could always have some toast and call it a day.
Email Kylie Smith at [email protected].
