Breakfast cereal - any ideas for cheap alternatives?

Seaxwyn

Hi there, My 4 children get through easily 500g of cereal a day, and often more. I do make porridge sometimes but can't always manage it (they all eat breakfast at different times). I hate having to buy - and carry home - so many boxes of cereal. I'd be very grateful for ideas for cheap, tasty and nutritious cereals I could make at home.

Hawthorn

Muesli. Bulk buy oats, nuts, dried fruit and mix it yourself.

I was going to suggest porridge!

Lidl do their own brand of weetabix which are a good price, and not as sweetened as some brands.

There is always pancakes for odd days which is cheap, but you have the same problem if they don't all eat at the same time.

Oats are probably the cheapest option for cereal, so either porridge or muesli

whatatwit

I'm sure I've read about soaking the porridge oats overnight in water or milk/water and then they don't take as long to cook in the morning. Just a nuke in the microwave.

How about getting some smaller bowls, it must also cost you a fortune in milk. :eek:

What sort of cereal are they currently eating, I find when I buy own brand cornflakes, they last longer....somehow they aren't quite as moreish as Kellogs.

Seaxwyn

Mainly Sainsburys' Basics Fruit and Fibre, Rice Pops and Weetabix equivalent. It's true that if I buy any of the more luxury products they go twice as fast. We do have muesli available too but they aren't so keen on that. I will have to investigate ways of making muesli palatable. Maybe buying bran flakes in bulk is a way forward - now how could I do that?

thriftlady_2

4 cups oats (you can replace 1 cup with 1 cup of wheatgerm)
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds (or use extra sunflower seeds and coconut)
2 tsp mixed spice or cinnamon

Put in a large baking tin/dish

combine

1/2 cup honey or syrup or brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Pour over dry ingredients, mix well and bake at 150c for 30-60 mins, stirring frequently. Don't let it get too brown. Allow to cool.

Stir in, as desired
raisins
dried apricots
dates
sultanas

Store in an airtight container.

This recipe is very flexible -stick to 7 cups of dry ingredients and 1 cup of oil/sweetener but vary the dried fruit, nuts and seeds to taste.

If you don't have a US cup measure just find a measure that has 8 fl oz on it;)

belfastgirl23

I nuke porridge in the micro - 90 seconds per small ceramic bowl, you could probably do a bigger amount in the same time if you use plastic bowls.

Muesli is great but not really very ms by the time you buy the fruit and nuts unfortunately!

Chell

I've read that porridge is great cooked overnight in a slow cooker.

Maisie

We used to have bread and milk when we were kids after the war!

break the bread up and add sugar and hot milk. You can add a bit of jam/syrup/honey or raisins etc. We used to like it but then there was nothing else.

Gingham_Ribbon

I use a similar recipe to thriflady when I make cereal. I like adding ground almond too or whatever's around. A cup of wholewheat flour works well too as does dried milk powder. I add the dried fruit at the table.

Gingham_Ribbon

Maisie wrote: »

We used to have bread and milk when we were kids after the war!

break the bread up and add sugar and hot milk. You can add a bit of jam/syrup/honey or raisins etc. We used to like it but then there was nothing else.

We call that saps. My son asked for that yesterday. It's great for when the kids are feeling under the weather too.

Seaxwyn

Thanks all for the ideas. I will definitely try the Granola recipe and variations on the theme. Also porridge in the slow cooker - brilliant idea!

My kids do like bread, but I find that even harder to keep hold of than cereal, and need it for making packed lunches, so I prefer them to eat cereal.