General Mills Poll Reveals Parents Are Worried About Kids' Nutrition

Summer is coming to a close, and while sending the kids back to school may be a relief for many parents, it's also a significant stressor. Feeding the kids on busy mornings calls for quick foods, such as granola bars, Pop-Tarts, cereal, and microwaveable meals in a cup. While these foods come in all different brands and flavors, it's hard to tell which ones have quality nutrition.

General Mills Big G Cereals conducted a survey between August 1-8, 2022, among 1,000 parents of children ages 12 years and under. This survey concluded that 75% of parents are concerned that their children are not receiving the proper amount of nutrients, and 65% are worried if they can even provide a nutritionally-balanced breakfast to their kids due to inflation resulting in rising food costs. Families all over the country are seeking easy breakfast options that don't sacrifice nutrition or break the bank. In the survey, 52% of parents are unsure of how to introduce healthy foods into their children's meals and feel that families earning higher wages are the only ones able to provide nutrition to their families. 

According to Business Wire, 77% of parents state that cereal is one of their child's favorite foods. This is a big help considering cereal is an affordable pantry staple that contains more nutrition than most quick breakfast foods. In fact, a bowl of General Mills Big G cereal with milk costs on average about $.50 per serving.

General Mills Ce(Real) Deal Campaign is partnering with registered dietitians to inform the public of the abundance of nutrition found in certain cereal brands. In fact, after further research, studies show that compared to those who don't consume cereal, people who eat cereal on a regular basis have balanced levels of calcium, vitamin D, and fiber — three nutrients that Americans don't get enough of according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

This may come as a shock to many, as 50% of parents feel that feeding their children cereal for breakfast might not be a sound choice in terms of their daily intake of vitamins. "Many cereals deliver whole grains, fiber, vitamins and minerals all in one bowl, which are not always easy to find in other breakfast choices," states Amy Cohn, Registered Dietician and Senior Nutrition Manager at General Mills.