Chocolate Covered Cereal

Skill Level: Beginner

Nutrient content per serving (as pictured with Post Shredded Wheat ‘N Bran)

Protein: 7g

Total Fat: 1g

Sodium: 0g

Fiber: 8g

Chocolate covered cereal is quick meal that lends itself to several variations such as the one pictured here, chocolate covered cereal with bananas. When eaten with a side dish of a tablespoon of peanut butter, it is a very nutritious, complete protein, meal with most of the minimum daily requirement for protein and depending on the cereal 25% or more of the US government Recommended Daily Allowance.

Ingredients

Cereal

Chocolate syrup

Milk

Plain cereals such as General Mills Cherios or Post Shredded Wheat ‘N Bran work best in this dish. Cereals that are already heavily flavored or sweetened are not as good. I have never tried a cereal such as Post Raisin Bran which contains dried fruit. I suspect that any cereal that absorbs the milk becoming a mushy porridge fairly quickly would not do well. Crunchy is better.

The chocolate syrup needs to be a good brand. Don’t try to cut corners with a low calorie syrup. Garnishing with chocolate pieces is an attractive variation.

A 2% milk is fine and saves fat grams as well. I use Lactaid brand of lactose reduced milk. I’ve never tried soy milk with this dish though the idea seems quite repugnant.

Tools Needed

I prepared a variation of Chocolate Covered Cereal using bananas for this demonstration to show the economical use of the spoon to cut up the banana saving the need for an extra utensil.

Remember that every unused utensil is one less thing to wash. Do your bit for water conservation and think before you pull out that extra piece of silverware.

The utensils used were a bowl and a spoon.

Directions

Pour a serving of the cereal into the bowl.

Peel the banana. Using the edge of the spoon bowl, slice the banana into the bowl on top of the cereal. The banana slices won’t be geometrically straight but that’s okay. Distribute the banana slices evenly across the top of the cereal.

Pour the milk into the bowl using a circular motion. Be careful about splashing milk onto the counter.

Next, pour the chocolate syrup onto the top of the bananas and the cereal.

If you are going the more nutritious route, you can also add peanut butter as a side dish. If you are adding peanut butter, remember to be considerate of others and lick your spoon clean of banana and milk before scooping out the peanut butter from the jar. Plop the scoop on top of the cereal at the side of the bowl. Since peanut butter is sticky, you may need to use your finger to push it out of the spoon.

The picture below shows the completed dish, a scrumptious collection of healthy cereal, bananas, and milk with a delightful topping of chocolate syrup.