Thursday, May 7, 2009

Puffins, How I Love Thee


This is a story about a little girl who loved Cap'n Crunch. Those crunchy golden nuggets of sweetness were often the best thing about getting up for school in the morning. Fast forward 20 years and I still love Cap'n Crunch- the original, no peanut butter or crunch berries, please.

But, I have found an alternative to Cap'n Crunch that is healthier and makes me feel like a grown-up. Because honestly, sometimes I need to remind myself that I am not still in school. I present to you....Puffins!

For years I had seen Puffins on the shelves of grocery stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, but never had a desire to try them. Finally, about a month ago I was at a natural foods store and they were having a special deal on the cereal- the display was practically ripped apart and bare, leaving just a couple boxes left. This really made me wonder what all the fuss was about. That many people can't be wrong, right? So curiosity made me cave and I tried them.

I kid you not when I tell you these little crunchy pillows of whole grain are addictive. With milk, without milk- either way, they are delightful. What I love most about them is that they are not too sweet and are low in calories- just 90 calories per serving (3/4 cup). As I've gotten older, I've shyed away from really sweet breakfast foods, cereal included. The crunchiness and golden sweet taste that, to me is what is most memorable about Cap'n Crunch also exists in Puffins, but on a milder level. I like it this way- it seems a bit more- natural. As an added plus, the shape of Puffins are similar to Cap'n Crunch. I'll stop ranting and raving about my new favorite cereal now.

But I can't wait until tomorrow morning when I can have it for breakfast again.

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