News bites: breakfast champions

Breakfast might not really be “the most important meal of the day” (this claim was actually invented by US marketers back in 1944 to sell more cereal), but it’s still important. Skipping breakfast has been linked with a higher risk of weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and mood disorders. Meanwhile, eating a good brekkie can boost your energy levels and concentration, kickstart your metabolism and stabilise blood sugar levels.

Of the Aussies who do eat breakfast, around half opt for cereal. If you’re part of that number, you’ll be heartened to hear that new research has found the overall quality of breakfast cereals is improving. But there are still cereal offenders out there, which is why two Aussie start-ups have taken it upon themselves to shake up the breakfast aisle. We share all the details below, along with news of some rather interesting newly launched products at the other end of the meal spectrum: dessert-inspired flavoured milks.

Health by stealth: reformulating the food supply

Breakfast cereals remain a top choice in the health stakes, according to new research that reveals improvements in key nutrients in the category, highlighting industry changes in alignment with initiatives such as the federal government’s Healthy Food Partnership.

The findings, published in the journal Nutrients, focused on like-for-like cereal products and showed significant reductions in carbs, sugars and salt over time from 2013 to 2020.

Two-thirds of the cereal market is now considered to be “wholegrain” (more than 8g per serve), with most products providing more than 50 percent whole grains. Wholegrain cereals are definitely the healthier choice, being higher in protein and dietary fibre and lower in sugar and sodium compared with non-wholegrain options.

Pop goes the sugar

When it comes to breakfast cereals, the unhealthiest options are usually the ones targeted towards kids. An Australian brand has decided to take on the Froot Loops of the world, releasing a range of reduced-sugar cereals with no additives, preservatives or “nasties”.

The No Nasties Project is on a mission to remove 500 tonnes of sugar from Aussie diets a year. The new cereal range has been developed following the success of No Nasties’ “Sugar-Freezies” icy sticks, with more than 30 million sticks sold in the last 24 months. The cereals are designed to appeal to kids’ tastebuds and taste in films, featuring Disney faves like Elsa and Anna from Frozen and Marvel heroes like Spider Man and the Incredible Hulk.

The No Nasties Project products are available at Coles, Woolies and independent supermarkets. To find out more, head to thenonastiesproject.com.au

Breakfast with meaning

Speaking of nasties aimed at children, another Australian start-up is taking aim at those little plastic collectible toy thingies that big supermarkets and sugary cereal brands just luurrve to spruik – a pox on the planet if there ever was one.

Alt Saints is re-imagining what cereal toys and collectibles will be like in the future – replacing the concept of physical collectables, like Ooshies, with digital collectibles called NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Offering a unique concept in a crowded breakfast market, the purpose-driven, design-led food retail brand has also pledged one percent of its revenue to support grassroots environmental organisations like the Jane Goodall Institute.

Alt Saints sells eco-friendly, premium muesli and cereal direct to consumers, all wrapped up in “purposeful packaging” with endangered species avatars such as ivory-billed woodpeckers and Javan rhinos. This range is set to expand, with the addition of a kid’s cereal range which will educate kids on endangered species in a fun, engaging way.

It’s an entirely novel concept, providing a breakfast with meaning and tech-in-the box, encouraging Aussie kids to engage and learn over brekkie by crossing over into their digital world, allowing them to collect and trade digital NFTs rather than disposable plastic junk.

To find out more, head to altsaints.com

New OAK flavours released

Just in case you’re after something a little different to pour over your morning cereal, flavoured milk brand OAK has announced the three finalists in its OAK Flavour Generator competition. After more than 60,000 flavoured milk-lovers submitted their ideal flavour mix, OAK has chosen creators Josh, Chloe and Paul – bringing their dream flavours to life. Now it’s up to the rest of us to decide which flavour combo is best.

The finalists’ flavours include Josh’s Banoffee Choc Top, Chloe’s Welcome to the Crumble and Paul’s S’more Please. The new mixes are now available in supermarkets and convenience stores across the country, so Australians can taste them for themselves and then cast their vote on their favourite flavour. The winning flavour will remain as permanent member of the OAK family, and the creator will also score a $10,000 cash prize. Nice milk money.

For more information, including terms and conditions, visit oakflavourgenerator.com.au