My love affair with cereal began at a young age. My father is to blame for my love of cereal, and not just one particular kind. Growing up we ate all kinds, from Cheerios and Corn Pops to Wheaties and Lucky Charms and we would mix in oatmeal and malt-o-meal (always chocolate) too! My dad still eats cereal every morning for breakfast.
I seriously could eat cereal for every meal of the day if I had a variety to choose from. In fact, there was a time between my junior and senior years of high school that I pretty much did just that. My dad was deployed to Iraq, my mom was working full time, my sister was babysitting and playing softball, and I had a couple of summer jobs so our schedules never matched up. I probably ate cereal for all three meals at least 4-5 days a week and I was totally OK with that. Later on, when I was pregnant and in the throes of morning sickness, Frosted Flakes were pretty much the only thing I could–or even wanted–to eat.
Needless to say cereal was, and still is, a big part of my life. Sometimes I eat a bowl of cereal for dinner when I have only an hour between my two jobs. My thought is that it’s better than eating nothing, or running through the McDonald’s drive thru. As busy moms, I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of telling the kids to just grab a bowl of cereal for lunch or dinner as we run out the door to the next activity. It’s an easy meal choice and can be healthy if you pick the right kinds of cereal to eat!
The reason why I am going on and on about cereal is because today, March 7th, is National Cereal Day and you can bet that I am definitely going to be celebrating, not only by eating some of my favorite cereals throughout the day, but also by making some yummy cereal-inspired treats!
National Cereal Day Treats
My first cereal treat is a healthy snack that is perfect for a mid-morning snack or quick on-the-run breakfast. It packs a powerful punch of fiber, my husband refers to them as “poop balls” because they definitely keep you regular.
No-Bake Oatmeal Balls
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup ground Flax seed (I use a ground flax and chia seed blend that you can get a Super-One.)
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for an hour. Remove from fridge and roll into golf ball size balls. Place in air tight container and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!!
The next recipe is a little more sweet and unhealthy but my mom has been making them for as long as I can remember. They are always a hit no matter what the occasion and honestly you don’t need any occasion to enjoy these bad boys!
Mom’s Scotcheroos
1 cup sugar
1 cup light karo syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
¾ cup butterscotch chips
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Combine sugar and light karo syrup in kettle on the stove, heat over medium heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Once peanut butter is fully incorporated add 6 cups of rice krispies and stir until evenly covered. Put into 9×13 pan. Melt ¾ cup butterscotch and ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips slowly in microwave, stirring frequently so you do not burn it. Once the chips are melted pour over top of the bars and let set. Enjoy!
I hope you all enjoy celebrating National Cereal Day as much as I do!