Crispy Fantasy is a thrilling new cereal company, simply because it does not aim to confine itself to the small back shelves of village shops.
These two young boys have big ambitions, perhaps to replace the big brands, and already have received massive funding to shake up the cereal market!
You can recycle the plastic inner packs at supermarket bag bins. Keep these cereals away from young children and pets due to nuts, dried fruits, chocolate etc. Read more on food safety for people and pets.
An Ambitious (high-protein) Vegan Cereal
In a nutshell, the founders wanted to create a high-protein and vegan cereal, that rivals the ‘healthy cereals’ on nutrition, but still retained the childhood memories and tastes of your variety pack of flavours (rice crispies or frosties/cocoa pops if your mother let you eat them!)
In other words, if you think that ‘healthy cereal’ means heavy bowls of gruel, this company aims to change your perception!
All the cereals are made from vegan and gluten-free ingredients, and have 8g to 10g of protein per serving.
That’s around the same as a bowl of cornflakes, as twice that of a bowl of frosties. They have far less sugar and are also low-carb with no artificial sweeteners.
Made with a mix of soy and pea protein (so great for repairing your organs and bones – and growing children), these tasty cereals have upped the ante on what healthy cereal is made with, and should taste like.
Because this company uses proper ingredients, to keep you healthy and fill you up. Again, many expensive organic cereals on the market don’t cost more than this brand.
But this brand does cost a little more than your supermarket brands.
Simply because cheap wheat and sugar is the base of nearly of them. And this company replace wheat with pea protein and sugar with agave syrup (which costs 117 times more – though the box of cereal is not 117 times more than your average brand of cornflakes!)
Ask for this brand in stores, or stock up by subscribing online (delivery is free for orders over £44). Promising to taste like cereal (and not the cardboard box it comes in), all these cereals promise to ‘keep you full for 3 hours’). Flavours include:
- Cinnamon Glaze
- Golden Honey (not real honey!)
- Double Chocolate
Organic Breakfast Cereals from Doves Farm
Doves Farm is a company (from the North Wessex Downs) better known for making organic and gluten-free flours and baking powders.
But it also offers a tidy line of organic breakfast cereals, many of them the ideal alternatives to English favourites (like cornflakes, bran flakes and cocoa pops), but this time from a local ethical company that isn’t owned by a massive corporate giant.
Doves Farm offers a balanced alternative. The range includes:
- Ancient Grain Breakfast Flakes are made with buckwheat (a seed related to rhubarb), quinoa (an Andean superfood packed with protein and calcium) and teff (the world’s smallest grain, and packed with protein).
- Ancient Grain Fruit & Fibre Flakes are a crunchy mix of buckwheat and wholegrain rice, with banana, coconut, sultanas and apple pieces.
- Organic cornflakes – the ultimate alternative to England’s favourite breakfast cereal. But these ones are a little more expensive, but that’s because they’re organic.
- Wholegrain Cocoa Rice Pops are the alternatives if you have to have chocolate for your breakfast. These are made with premium organic cocoa, to boot.
Why Choose Artisan Cereals?
Supermarket cereals and big brands often boast of having lots of added vitamins and minerals. Well for a start if you eat properly, you shouldn’t need them. And if you do, many of the ‘vegan cereals’ then ruin it all by adding lanolin (from sheep) as their source of vitamin D.
Again food campaigner Michael Pollan: He writes that if supermarkets really cared about our health, they would have aisles and aisles of fresh organic produce, with a few processed foods on top. Instead, all are designed the same.
A couple of aisles of fresh produce, then everything else is high-processed junk food.
Take a look, he’s right. He says that milk and bread (daily staples) are always put right at the far corner, so you have to go by ‘all the bargains’ to get them, hopefully coming out with more.
There are bright lights and no clocks (to make you go a bit mad). And low-profit products (like porridge oats) are never at eye level, unlike the special-offer junk foods. There are never special offers on broccoli!
Let’s take at look at the nutrition panel of Dove’s Farm vs conventional cereals:
Their breakfast ancient grain flakes are kind of like the alternative to Cornflakes (they are expensive, but so are brand name cornflakes). This brand goes a little over for sugar (7g, likely due to the natural date powder to sweeten).
But they have 12g of fibre (good, as fibre soaks up bad cholesterol – lack of fibre is a huge risk factor for cancer).
The best-selling brand of cornflakes is actually slightly less sugar (10g). But only 3g of fibre. No ‘healthy cereal’ should have as little fibre as this.
You’d be better off eating an apple. The same brand’s cocoa pops up the sugar to 17g and their most sugary cereal (advertised by a tiger) is a whopping 37g sugar. No wonder children’s teeth are rotting.
Healthy Breakfast Cereals from Belgium
Turtle Cereals is a great breakfast cereal company just over the border in Belgium. One wonders why no-one can come up with something more interesting here, instead of the same-old, same-old flavours and unhealthy cereals that we’ve had for years on supermarket shelves. Not only these cereals organic and Fair Trade, but the boxes are also recycled.
This company was founded by a husband-and-wife team. He grew up in Belgium where he loved long forest walks, and she grew up in Spain and Denmark.
Both moved to Belgium, and named the company after the creature that goes slow, focusing on slow-release healthy breakfast options, rather than fast sugar cereals, as sold so much today.
The unique range includes:
- Carrot Cake Porridge (cake for breakfast?)
- Cocoa Pillows with Hazelnut (tastes like nutella)
- Colour Loops (more nutritious than Cheerios)
- Granola Nuts & Seeds
- Date, Fig & Apricot Porridge
- Chocolate & Banana Porridge
- 6-Seed Porridge
- Multi-Grain Flakes with Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate Cornflakes
- Oat Crunchy Dark Chocolate
You can shop in bulk online. But it’s better really to ask your local stores to stock this brand, as they will get cheaper rates. A good reason to shop at community shops and co-operatives, as they will be more likely to order in what you want!
Healthy Cereals (that taste like dessert)
So many breakfast cereals on sale are so packed with sugar, that sometimes it’s healthier to eat dessert for breakfast.
The good news is that we have a brand of healthy cereal that tastes like dessert, but is far better for you than conventional breakfast cereal! If that makes sense.
Cheeky Nibble is a wonderful brand of vegan granolas, a bit expensive but that’s because they are artisan-made, allergen-friendly, free from palm oil and sold in sustainable packaging. They also taste like dessert, so it’s like eating healthy cake for breakfast, and are absolutely delicious.
The founder created the brand as she has autism and Tourettes Syndrome and found that baking helped her anxiety. She also finds exercise helpful, so she combined her two passions to bake granolas that were chunky enough to take with her to the gym, yet had nostalgic flavours.
The granola is sold in boxes that are carbon-balanced with World Land’s Trust, so you can eat your breakfast with a clear conscience. The flavours include:
- Cherry Bakewell
- Victoria sponge
- Banoffee Pie
- Vanilla latte
With these vegan breakfast cereals, your mornings are set to become the highlight of your day. They’re not just about staying full; they’re about feeling good and fuelling your body with the right stuff. What will you try first?
Vitamin D in Vegan Breakfast Cereals
Getting enough vitamin D is key to starting your day off right, especially if you’re choosing vegan breakfast cereals. Most cereals are fortified with vitamin D, but not all sources are vegan-friendly. Let’s take a closer look at what’s inside your bowl and discover vegan-friendly options.
Lanolin might sound unfamiliar, but it’s more common than you think. It’s a waxy substance derived from sheep’s wool and is often used in vitamin D fortification.
For many vegans, this poses a problem, as it doesn’t align with their lifestyle choices. When browsing supermarket shelves, it’s important to check labels since a lot of mainstream cereals are fortified with vitamin D3 from lanolin.
Cereals fortified with lanolin-derived vitamin D are widespread, but not ideal for those on a plant-based diet. Keep an eye out for cereals that specifically mention plant-based sources of vitamin D or opt for those enriched with vitamin D2, which is usually vegan-friendly.
Alternative Sources of Vitamin D for Vegans
So, how can you get your vitamin D without compromising your vegan principles? Fear not, there are several ways to ensure you’re still getting enough of this important vitamin:
- Mushrooms: Certain mushrooms, like maitake and portobello, can be good sources of vitamin D. Incorporate them into your meals for a boost.
- Vitamin D2-Fortified Cereals: Look for options that are enriched with vitamin D2, which is derived from yeast or mushrooms.
- Supplements: If you’re struggling to find fortified cereals, vegan vitamin D supplements can fill the gap. Choose those labelled as D2 or derived from lichen, for a plant-based option.
- Sunlight: Don’t forget the most natural source of vitamin D — the sun! Spending time outdoors can help your body produce vitamin D naturally.
Remember, your breakfast doesn’t just fuel your body – it sets the tone for the day ahead. Picking the right vegan breakfast cereals ensures you’re getting essential nutrients without compromising on your values.
