Better, affordable breakfasts

One of our favorite whole grain cereals:
cream of wheat with brown sugar and milk!

Which is cheaper:

A bowl of cheerios or a bowl of homemade granola?
A bowl of malt-o-meal or a bowl of whole grain hot cereal?
A slice of white bread or a slice of whole wheat bread?

If you're trying to cut calories or cut your grocery bill, the first option always seems like the better one. But I don't really think it is... and here's why!

As a nursing mom, I get hungry all the time. I could eat two big bowls of cheerios and be famished 2 hours later. One bowl of homemade granola will hold me over until lunch time, easily.

Regular malt-o-meal/cream of wheat cereal has never been enough to get me through a morning without problems. Whole wheat cream of wheat (or any whole grain hot cereal!) wards off hunger at least twice as long.

Whole grains* are so much better for your health -- and you won't be tempted to snack half-way through the morning or afternoon because they're really filling you up! :)

One of the main areas we've done this is with breakfasts. Hot cereals are very affordable if bought in bulk. We buy our rolled oats (for oatmeal) in a 50-lb bag. We got our whole wheat cream of wheat in a 25-lb bag. We can have many, many bowls of hot cereal for just pennies! :)

*Do be careful of the many things on grocery store shelves marketed as "whole grain". Often, these items contain a little whole grain and a bunch of fillers... like all-purpose flour. If the item you're buying doesn't say "100% whole grain" then it most likely is at least half "other stuff" -- just check the ingredients list!

Companies want you to think they are selling you a healthy version because it's labeled "made with whole grains". The "healthy" cereal with only 4 grams of sugar per serving might also have aspartame in it. Reading the ingredient list is more important than reading the claims on the front of the box! :)

Visit Crystal's blog for frugal smoothie ideas and more! [1] :)