Back to my adventures at BLEND!
These three ladies put on an amazing retreat. Even though I only experienced a small part of it, I obsessively checked the #blend2015 hashtag all weekend long on Instagram. It looked like such an awesome event with so many great sponsors, activities, and food. (People, the food looked incredible!) I’m already looking forward to next year!
Ok, let me tell you about my participation at BLEND this year. My friends at General Mills sponsored a trail run complete with a cereal trail mix bar featuring their cereals. It was held on Friday afternoon during registration, so attendees could create their own customized cereal mix to take with them on the trail run or eat afterward.
The trail mix bar featured many popular cereals from General Mills, including Cheerios, Cheerios + Ancient Grains (one of my current favs), Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch (one of my forever favs), Rice Chex, Chocolate Chex (love so much – almost too much), Fiber One, Kix, and Nature Valley Oats āĖn Honey Protein Granola (this stuff is bomb).
There were all sorts of goodies to add to your trail mix creation– everything from chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and walnuts to chia seeds, goji berries, and sweet ginger bits.
There were even fun mix-ins like goji powder, organic peanut butter powder, and cayenne. You could get really creative with your cereal blend!
The cereal trail mix bar was a HUGE hit with everyone!
We had a constant stream of people going through the cereal trail mix bar for the entire duration of registration and the trail run.
How adorable are the cereal trail mix labels?!
Everyone was having so much fun with the cereal trail mix bar, I just had to make one too!
All my favorites in one bag!
In addition to sponsoring the trail run and cereal trail mix bar, General Mills wanted to gather info from attendees about their breakfast habits and thoughts on cereal. They’re a big company and know they have an impact on food, so, for them, it’s not about quick fixes, but longer term solutions. Basically, they care about their customers and what’s in our food, so they wantEd to hear honest feedback to improve their products.
My role at BLEND was chatting up attendees and asking them to fill out a short survey from General Mills. Everyone I talked with was more than willing to help, so we ended up with some really great feedback. If you’re interested in sharing your opinions with General Mills, feel free to respond to the questions below!
Questions of the Day
How do you decide what to eat for breakfast?
What nutritional facts are important to you at breakfast?
How often do you eat cereal?
What changes would you like to see in breakfast cereal?
65 Comments
I like to prep breakfast for the entire week and I want a breakfast with lots of protein and fiber, something that will lead to steady blood sugar. I eat a lot of egg bakes that have veggies / potatoes and some kind of meat. I also eat greek yogurt and fruit with mix ins.
I want breakfast foods that are low in sugar and high in fiber and protein.
I eat cereal 2 to 3 times a month.
I want to see companies put in better quality ingredients, not just dress up cereal to look healthy. I want to see a fairly short ingredient list with stuff I recognize. I would pay more for cereal that is healthy.
I eat cereal every day for breakfast because it’s easy.
Low sugar is important to me.
Every day! I am addicted. Sometimes I even eat it more than once a day as a snack.
Cereal crumbs are my favorite, like what’s at the bottom of the box; I like airy cereals that crumble easily (but maybe I’m just weird). I also like to eat it without milk because it’s easier and more portable. So maybe if there was a way to make cereal optimized for eating on-the-go and tasty without milk, that would be something I’d change.
I almost always pick what is easiest for breakfast — both fast and easy to eat, since I work at 6:30am and eat breakfast at my desk during the week. It usually ends up being a bar (Lara or Luna) and fruit.
Getting a respectable amount of protein and fiber, with low sugar is important to me.
I eat cereal about once a week or so, and more often as a healthier dessert option than as breakfast.
I would like to see more whole ingredients in cereal, especially from big companies like General Mills, since their options would probably be more affordable. Having refined flour, high fructose corn syrup, and a lot of fats/oils are big turnoffs for me.
Hope this helps! š
How do you decide what to eat for breakfast?
Wow, all your pictures make me wish I had been there! I like to have a combination of protein, fruit, and fats for breakfast. I don’t eat as many carbs at breakfast(not by choice), but I naturally gravitate towards yogurt and nuts and fruit in the morning.
What nutritional facts are important to you at breakfast?
Protein. How much sugar? I really like sugar in my dessert, but not as much in the cereal.
How often do you eat cereal?
Once or twice a week?
What changes would you like to see in breakfast cereal?
Probably less sugar. š
Read more at http://carrotsncake.com/2015/05/cereal-trail-mix-bar-survey.html#8jS8lP6UCZVW0g4P.99
How do you decide what to eat for breakfast? –> based on my cravings, and whether I worked out or not. If I did, I will have cereal or oatmeal for more carbs
What nutritional facts are important to you at breakfast? –> low in sugar and a good balance of carbs and protein
How often do you eat cereal? –> probably twice a week, mostly on yogurt or ice cream š
What changes would you like to see in breakfast cereal? –> less sugar! and higher protein
How do you decide what to eat for breakfast? I decide by time of year….more hot cereals and oatmeal in the winter and cold cereal in summer. Also by cravings…. when blueberries are in season, I love them in pancakes. Also by how long I will have to wait until my next meal or snack…and cereal is great for working out for the carbs!
What nutritional facts are important to you at breakfast? enough carbs, protein, and some fat
How often do you eat cereal? 5-6 times a week… sometimes as a snack
What changes would you like to see in breakfast cereal? less sugar, more natural ingredients, like no BHT as a preservative, and higher protein
1. Based on cravings but usually look for higher protein. Cereal isn’t very filling for me so I tend to eat it as a snack or yogurt topping.
2. See above. High protein and fiber to fill me up and more substantial carbs since mornings are usually spent on the go for hours.
3. A couple times a week almost always as a snack or dessert.
4. Higher protein, lower sugar, more overall balanced nutrition without losing taste.
How do you decide what to eat for breakfast?
I try to pick something nutritious, it also depends on how much time I have to eat, whether I need to take it with me, and what I’m doing after eating (smaller breakfast if it’s right before a workout)
What nutritional facts are important to you at breakfast?
Protein to keep me full! Also low sugar…it’s the beginning of the day so I want to start it off on the right foot!
How often do you eat cereal?
IF I buy it then I eat it every day haha. But I find that I eat it for snacks more than breakfast.
What changes would you like to see in breakfast cereal?
Less sugar and refined grains, more protein. Sometimes I find that it’s one or the other.
How do you decide what to eat for breakfast? I look for something quick and easy to make/eat as I am at work at 7am.
What nutritional facts are important to you at breakfast?
Low sugar…if I have a very sugary start to my day, I end up craving it ALL day.
How often do you eat cereal? 4 times a week, most often as a nighttime snack.
What changes would you like to see in breakfast cereal? I would like to see more cereals without large amount of sugars.
I generally stick to the same breakfasts during weekdays: oatmeal with different mix-ins and a cup of tea. It’s easy and I don’t have to think about it. But on the weekends I like to mix things up with eggs, protein pancakes, bacon, biscuits, etc.
I look for more breakfast options with protein and no added ingredients that are unnecessary. Basically, the more WHOLE food, the better.
I generally eat cereal at night as snack actually!
I would like to see more cereal options geared towards children that are nutritionally better for them. The LoveGrown Foods company does an excellent job with their ingredients list–so more cereals like them!
1. Amount of time + what needs to be eaten (perishable items)
2. High fiber, low sugar
3. 5 -7 times a week
4. Less sugar, lots of fiber & protein, lower calorie count
How do you decide what to eat for breakfast? I choose something that I know will fill me up and keep me satisfied until my next meal. I love oatmeal for breakfast!
What nutritional facts are important to you at breakfast? I look for something high in protein, fiber, and whole grains and low in sugar and simple carbohydrates.
How often do you eat cereal? Rarely. Maybe twice a month.
What changes would you like to see in breakfast cereal? More whole grains and fewer artificial ingredients. I tend not to eat cereal because of all the sugars, preservatives, and unnatural flavorings they contain. I would love to see a great real food option from a brand like General Mills!