Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends Cereal Review and Giveaway

Post has a new cereal in the Honey Bunches of Oats lineup. Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends has crispy mango flavored flakes, real coconut shavings and crunchy coconut flavored granola clusters with just a touch of honey.

Good Points:

• 10g Whole Grain (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 120 Calories (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 6g Sugar (No high fructose corn syrup) (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 9 Essential Vitamins & Minerals including 60% Daily Value of Iron (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 4 Wholesome Grains
• Heart Healthy: 0g Trans Fat, 0.5g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol (per 3/4 cup serving)
• No Artificial Food Dyes (contains Annatto extract for color)
• No Unpronounceable Ingredients: All of the Ingredients in the Cereal were things I had heard of.
• WIC Eligible
• Labels For Education

Bad Points:

• Corn (first ingredient) and other Corn products are present. Most likely this cereal contains GMOs. It doesn't say otherwise.
• Contains: Natural Flavor. Who really knows what this term actually means??
• BHT  (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) added to packaging material to preserve product freshness (I had to look this one up and I also ended up calling Post about it. This chemical has a MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheet, that states: ingestion causes abdominal pain, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. BHT may have effects on the liver and be linked to cancer. The lady on the phone for Post informed me that the BHT, a chemical added to many foods to prevent fats from going rancid, is in the bag with which the cereal touches, but it is only trace amounts so I am told that there is no need to worry.)
• Contains: Wheat and Milk. This is only a bad point if you are allergic to these items. (I'll award good points also since this is clearly labeled in bold on the box).

My Thoughts:

I am one of those people that always looks at the ingredients labels, especially on food products. This label was pretty mild from some of the ones I've seen. Honestly, I eat so many things with corn products I guess I shouldn't complain, but I do wish (like most) that GMOs were labeled right on the packaging so it wouldn't be such a mystery to try and figure out. The BHT scared me at first, but I was a little reassured that it is only trace amounts and I guess it shouldn't matter, or so I am told. No one in my immediate family is allergic to wheat or milk, but I know many others that are.

So, what does the cereal taste like? It has a very unique flavor. My favorite part of all Honey Bunches of Oats cereals are the granola clusters (and dried fruit when there is any)! The clusters have just enough crunch and sweetness to make the cereal so tasty. I love coconut too so making the clusters coconut flavored in this cereal was brilliant IMO. The mango taste is OK. It doesn't taste weird, but I wish it had real dried mango instead of just "mango flavor"...at least it has real coconut flakes. My kids loved the cereal and ate it up.

My semi-related rant: Honey Bunches of Oats doesn't have their yummy Honey Bunches of Oats with Real Peaches anymore...it has been discontinued and it was one of my favorites of the flavors.

You can find out all you want to know about Honey Bunches of Oats on their Facebook page. www.facebook.com/honeybunchesofoats

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Prize: 1 winner will win 2 coupons for a FREE box of Honey Bunches of Oats.

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Post for sending me product for free and promotion information to facilitate my review and free coupons for this giveaway. This opportunity was provided to me because I am a Purex Insider. By posting I will be entered to win prizes. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.