Stuffing mouthfuls of cereal while intently watching the morning run of cartoons is one memory from childhood that never loses its magic. Sadly, with growing up comes the sobering realization that the ingredients used in those delicious Cheerios aren’t exactly healthy, and suddenly, they don’t seem as enjoyable anymore.
As it happens, my daily phone scrolling sessions at work paid off, and I recently came upon a cereal brand that delivers all that magic, without the sugar, carbs, or guilt: Magic Spoon.
Starting Your Days Off Right
I’ll be honest: When it comes to responsible eating, I’m a bit of a slob. I know I need to do it, I want to do it, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I get so bored!
Quarantine presented an opportunity for a drastic change in my usually unhealthy routine. Eating eggs every day was not an option. How else could I build strength to work on my beach body?
That’s why I was on the lookout for a new cereal that would check all the boxes – taste, price, and nutritional value. After reading through a series of unconvincing reviews about tons of different brands, I felt defeated. It looked like I’d have to stick with my good old Weetabix.
That’s when I stumbled upon a Magic Spoon ad on Facebook, purely by coincidence (or was it?).
Right off the bat, I was intrigued by the fantastic packaging: Its bright technicolor boxes bring back my fondest memories of slurping cold cereal in front of the TV, watching Tom & Jerry or Looney Toons. Each box has a cartoon character on the cover and a maze at the back, making it highly Instagram-able. Who doesn’t remember solving those as a child?
Don’t worry, it’s not like those sugar-based, processed cereals crowding supermarket aisles today.
Magic Spoon is a low-carb, high protein cereal that would intrigue many keto dieters. It claims to be a ‘healthy cereal that is too good to be true.’ This bold statement comes from their highly nutritional serving – 11 grams of protein per ¾ serving constituting 110 calories and 3 grams of net carbs – ideal for the Keto dieter.
For all the moms looking to build back their pre-pregnancy bodies, this may just be the right start for us. Had I known something like this exists in the market, bouncing back may not have been so hard post-birth.
Thumbs Up on The Taste Test
Right off the bat, it’s delicious. Being health-conscious doesn’t allow for overly sweet goodies, but this was truly a treat to eat. Magic Spoon originally came out with four flavors: Fruity, Frosted, Cocoa, and Cinnamon. I lean towards cinnamon. And my friends all agree that it tastes almost like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Moreover, like all food brands in the Gen-Z era, they come out with seasonal flavors for excited consumers. Their previous fall flavors were Salted Caramel and Apple Cinnamon- guess which one I picked? Sadly, these are no longer available but keep your eyes and ears peeled for any new flavors dropping soon.
Keto-friendly? Check.
Like me, if you are in the habit of reading your cereal box while munching, at first glance you will see all the flashy words like ‘high-protein’ and ‘gluten-free,’ presenting the perfect meal for Keto dieters.
But I’ve never been one to be dazzled by big words and hefty promises. So I got to inspecting the breakup in a cup. Almost 15g of protein, with 6g of fat, and no sugar, adding to a total of 147 kcal per cup. Hubba, Hubba! Not only does it taste great, but it also does the job, and does it well.
A cursory look at their ingredient list confirms its keto-friendliness: it contains a combination of a protein blend (milk protein isolate and whey protein isolate), coconut oil, tapioca flour, chicory root fiber, natural flavor, salt, and a “natural blend.” Luckily for the health-conscious or Keto follower, most of these ingredients substitute for the traditional grain, flour, and rice blend typically found in cereals.
However, a key nutrient is excluded: grain. To truly balance your diet, sprinkling some of your favorite nuts on a delicious bowl of Magic Spoon can create that perfect crunch-and-munch combination. My personal favorite would have to be chopped almonds or walnuts.
If you have switched to the vegan lifestyle, try your Magic Spoons with some nut-based milk – such as almond milk. These could substitute for your deficiency of minerals from nuts, such as zinc (crucial for middle-aged women), iron, and selenium.
Natural Sweetener Discovery
Remember the no sugar thing? It sounds great, but it made me think. How does Magic Spoon taste SO great if there’s no sugar in it?
If you look at the classic adult cereal, Weetabix, you’ll discover that even it contains 1.7g of sugar per 2 biscuit serving. But any regular consumer would know that it has practically no trace of sweetness.
It turns out that Magic Spoon has a secret ingredient: Allulose.
The recipe has created a special blend of monk fruit, allulose, and steviol glycosides to bring you that balanced sweetness that’s often either too much or too little in most cereals. While monk fruit and stevia are popular amongst keto dieters for their high sweetness and zero carb elements, allulose is new to the school. It is a natural sweetener found in figs and maple syrup that has zero glycemic impact.
The keto diet is distinguished by its low carb, moderate protein, and high-fat characteristics. While allulose is a carb, you won’t need to chuck it off your shelf. It has 0 calories and doesn’t raise blood glucose, unlike sucrose.
Digging a little deeper, I also discovered that allulose can help control weight and diabetes. That means that replacing disgustingly unsafe sweeteners with allulose is wise – but as with every other food in the world, moderation is best. Too much allulose may lead to digestive discomfort.
All in all, however, allulose guarantees high keto compatibility, making Magic Spoon ideal for the older generation – like my dad – or even for the slightly clumsy, slightly old generation – like me – who never regulate their diets to moderate blood sugar levels.
Satisfied Tummy = Satisfying Day
Being a working woman, I often forget to incorporate foods that add real nutritional value to my body. And sometimes it manifests in falling hair, weak nails, bad teeth, etc. That why I know Magic Spoon might be reliable for fulfilling my health promises for 2021. The real test was seeing if it would keep me full, from breakfast to lunch. Satiety would be a real game-changer for a sweet cereal.
I promise that you won’t have to reach for those unhealthy snacks to last out till lunch. With Weetabix, my stomach would be grumbling violently before lunch came around. With Magic Spoon, you won’t feel hunger pangs at 11 am, right at the peak of your work mode.
Easy on the Eyes and Wallet
To the million-dollar question: price. Well, it doesn’t cost THAT much.
But, at $39 for four 7-ounce boxes (28 ounces), the price is certainly a consideration. Compared with Weetabix, at $14 per 14-ounce box, it sets you back at roughly 40 cents per ounce. But you get more flavor, better taste, and a protein-packed meal, all for a few extra bucks.
If you are thrifty like me and looking to save, you can use the subscribe and save option to get 10% off, bringing it down to $35 and free shipping. Like all subscriptions, you can cancel whenever you get sick of it.
Magic Spoon is available only on their website, eliminating the middleman of your traditional grocery stores. Yes, you will have to give up staring at the rows of cereals, deciding which new brand to try. In the middle of a worldwide pandemic, this couldn’t be more convenient for consumers.
You can opt for a Variety pack that includes classic flavors like Frosted and Cocoa, or go for a single pack if you know exactly what you want. Then there is the Nutty pack, featuring two boxes of each of the brand’s latest offerings: Honey Nut and Peanut Butter. Yum!
The Verdict
While Magic Spoon will not be the only breakfast item I’ll be reaching for, it has certainly made its way into my favorites. The cereal is keto-friendly, non-GMO, and free from gluten, grain, wheat, soy, and artificial sweeteners.
The wide variety of flavors means I’m never bored – I now switch between oatmeal, Weetabix, and Magic Spoon throughout the week (though I reach for Magic Spoon a lot more!). The feeling of fulfillment beats any other store-bought cereals, and a hearty cup paired with my morning coffee keeps me up and running till the afternoon.
What’s more: My kid loves it too! The packaging, combined with the cereal’s looped shape, and flavor range has perfectly substituted for the sugary Fruit Loops that littered our counter every morning.
The price may be a tad steep, but I don’t mind paying the extra. It makes up for that by offering all the right nutrients missing from our diets. I would also love to give my child something with nutritional benefits rather than classic breakfast cereals full of sugar, carbs, and junk. As a working mom, I can tell you: Magic Spoon may just have reinvented our love for cereal.