Cereal. Boxes and boxes of it. Sound familiar? Maybe you bought it because it was on sale…or your child insisted, “But Mom, look, a free toy inside!” The problem: you end up with all of those cheerfully colored containers of half-finished cereal.
The good news: cereal isn’t just for breakfast anymore! Here are some ways that you can incorporate cereal into your meal and snack time. These first three options reveal how you can use cereal to help you improve your diet, while the rest are perfect for occasional treats:
Oven-Fried Chicken: Love fried chicken but hate the guilt factor when you consume fried fat? Now you can have your fried chicken without the guilt! Use leftover cereal to coat that chicken, then cook. My favorite version is on Cooks.com (tip: try with other cereals, such as Kix, for variety).
Greek Yogurt Parfait: When you’re trying to eat right and craving a treat (butterscotch sundaes, perchance?), make cereal your diet buddy with my Greek Yogurt Parfait recipe. In a parfait glass, spoon one-half cup of non-fat Greek yogurt (high in protein, low in fat, it will help you stay satisfied longer). Top with one-fourth cup of Fiber One cereal (high in fiber, sugar-free, this crunchy cereal also can keep you pleasantly full). Top with one-half cup of non-fat Greek yogurt, and sprinkle a few tablespoons of Fiber One cereal over the top. Drizzle sugar-free maple syrup over this concoction and savor every guilt-free mouthful!
Banana Crunch: Dieting wisely means never having to say you’re sorry (about going off your diet or eating something you hate!). Take one banana, peel it, and cut it into sections. Crush one cup of Rice Krispies and mix with a few packets of Equal and cinnamon. Roll the banana slices in the cereal mixture. Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the freezer and lay your banana slices on it. These frozen treats taste like high calorie, high fat ice praline ice cream bars!
Cereal Cookies: Got a sweet tooth? Got Raisin Bran leftover? You’re in luck! I made these Cookie Madness crunchy treats last night – and they’re already gone. Tip: I made them with butterscotch chips – just enough sweetness to enhance that “bran” goodness.
Cereal Pie Crust: Insanely simple – and insanely good! I have tried a variety of these solutions for leftover cereal. My favorite recipe is on Food.com, and I used Frosted Flakes for the crust, with plain vanilla custard for the filling to offset the sweetness.
Casserole Topping: No bread crumbs to top that casserole? You don’t need them, with leftover cereal at hand! A special treat for the entire family: sweet potato casserole using Corn Flakes for a crunchy topping, from AllRecipes.com