When I was asked to be a part of the General Mills Blog tour, I was THRILLED.  It’s actually all we eat in our home.  I’ve been picked on saying I eat ‘Kid Cereals’ but I look at it like this-I’m eating dessert for breakfast and it’s HEALTHY!

I LOVE General Mills cereal.  We can clear a box of Lucky Charms in about two days.  When it’s on sale, I buy all I can.  I’m going to tell you a little story about me and General Mills that goes WAY back to my childhood.

When I was about 3 years old and just learning to swim, we were all at the family pool in the back yard and I clearly remember seeing a fly fall into the water and I tried to save it from drowning.  I still remember it on it’s back with it’s little legs flailing about.

Well, I couldn’t tell you what happened to the fly because the next thing I know, I was at the bottom of the 8 foot deep pool.  I remember everything.  I remember looking up and seeing the blue sky through the water, I remember being afraid because I didn’t know how to get back to the top.

Within seconds, my sister was pulling me out of the water sputtering.  I was only under for a moment, but that moment stretched out in my mind forever.

Wrapped in a towel surrounded by my family, I was asked if I was okay or if I needed anything.  My reply?

“I want my Puff Puff Cocoa Puffs!”

And I got them.  My grandmother had her house permanently stocked with Cocoa Puffs until the day she passed away when I was 20.

I don’t just love this cereal for it’s awesome taste (but that helps!), I endorse it because it’s actually something I encourage my kids to eat.  Here are some facts about General Mills Cereals-

• Are you aware of the recommended amount of calcium and vitamin D your child should get each day? Better yet, did you know the American Academy of Pediatrics recently doubled the vitamin D recommendation for children? Approximately 75% of kids today don’t get the recommended levels of calcium and vitamin D — two key nutrients for bone growth.

• Not to worry though — as a parent, you can easily help your child get more of these two nutrients by looking for calcium and vitamin D fortified cereals, milk and juice. All General Mills Big G kid cereals (including Kix, Lucky Charms, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more) offer a good source of BOTH calcium and vitamin D in each serving.

• Additionally, a recent report in a leading consumer magazine ranked kid cereals by nutritional content, and all nine General Mills Big G kid cereals included in the report were ranked in the top half. All Big G kid cereals have at least eight grams of whole grain per serving (at least 48 grams are recommended daily), and all have 12 grams or less of sugar per serving.

• Cereal is one of the most nutritious breakfast options a kid can eat. Most cereals have about 100 – 130 calories per serving and provide at least 10 key nutrients. And, ready-to-eat cereal is the number one source of whole grain in American diets.

So next time you feel like eating the crunchy sweet taste of Golden Grahams or indulging in some Chocolate Lucky Charms (A.K.A. Heaven), DO IT!  Choose General Mills Cereal over that brownie for dessert.  Serve it to your family proudly for breakfast.  You’ll be serving up a low cal meal with loads of great taste and vitamins!