Gluten Free Cereals

So, many of you know that I'm a Celiac (meaning I can't eat wheat/barley/rye products) and I'm here to update you on the cereal situation. I am a cereal fanatic. It's what I like to eat in the mornings. That is going to have to change, mostly because it's not the healthiest choice since there's not a significant amount of protein in cereal, but every now and then (AKA: every other day) it's alright. I'm here to tell you what gluten free cereals taste good and which ones are crap.

Believe it or not, until recently, NOTHING from Kellogs brand was gluten free because ALL of there cereals have malt in them (malt is derived from barley and therefore not ok for me to consume). Even things that you think should be ok were not... like Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies. Oh well. It's all just refined crap anyways!

Here we go:

GOOD:

1. Nature's Path: Organic Vanilla Sunrise (my new favorite- similar to Honey Bunches of Oats but vanilla flavored and better for you)

2. Rice/ Cinnamon Chex

3. Kix/Berry Kix/Honey Kix (if you're not that sensitive to gluten, technically these are GF, but there could be issues of cross-contamination from other products produced in the same facility)

4. Cocoa/Fruity Pebbles (Not very good for you... but still... yum)

OK:

1. Corn/Honey Chex

2. Enjoy Life Very Berry Crunch Granola (GF granola just isn't quite the same... this one is OK compared to the other one I tried)

3. Basic gluten free corn flakes are ok... just boring

5. Puffins Crunchy Cocoa

Haven't Tried but want to:

1. Kellogs GF Brown Rice Krispies

2/3. Nature's Path- Whole O's & Mesa Sunrise

4. Quinoa flakes (or some variety)

BAD:

1. Glutino's-- ALL VARIETIES ARE AWFUL!

(don't even get me started... they tease you like they are Cheerio's, but they are just plain awful)

2. Enjoy Life Foods Perky's Crunchy Rice (these are sooo dense, they are comparable to 3. GrapeNuts. OK for yogurt but not with milk and a spoon.)

4. Bakery on Maine Granola

5. Puffins Honey Rice (there are other varieties I haven't tried, but these were like pure sugar)

Welcome June!

Well, it is officially June... we can wear white shoes and white pants and skirts... summer is here! But I am loaded down with work, this will not be a summer of fun for me. Nope. Gotta write that thesis! I'm "graduating" this Sunday, a little premature, but there you go, since I'm not submitting my thesis until July and defending later that month. WOW, only about 1.5 months to go... crazy!! I started the PhD program July 6th 2005 and I will have been in the PhD program for 6 years this July. I'd like to say the time flew, but it didn't. This has probably been the longest 6 years of my life. It has been a tumultuous journey filled with ups and downs of research, love and friends. Filled with anxiety and stress, not only about my own work, but with some serious health issues I've been dealing with the last two years.

Writing my dissertation has been slow. I don't have a job lined up, so I'm not super motivated to move on. PLUS, we're getting married in October, so that's another distraction hanging around me ALL the time! I am excited to dig in and get the meat of my thesis written! Wish me luck!