Children’s Cereals: Candy for Breakfast? 

Plastering front-of-package nutrient claims on cereal boxes serves as a distraction from the fact that we are feeding our children sugary cereals disguised as a nutritious breakfast. Excess sugar consumption has been warned against by the American Medical Association for decades, as sugar provides empty calories and depletes essential nutrients. The FDA has mandated that processed food manufacturers disclose “added sugars” on their labels, which has been met with opposition from industry groups like the National Yogurt Association and Kellogg’s. Despite claims of providing useful information, many sugary cereals like Froot Loops contain more sugar than a Krispy Kreme doughnut. These cereals are fortified with added vitamins and minerals to mask their true nutritional value, creating a misleading “nutritional façade.” Calls have been made for more informative labeling and a potential ban on front-of-package claims to combat deceptive marketing practices. Overall, sugary cereals like Froot Loops are essentially breakfast candy, contributing to public health concerns and misleading consumers about their true nutritional content.