Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit Review and Giveaway

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It’s not groundbreaking news that breakfast provides us and our kids with the nutrition and fuel our bodies need.  And we all know that eating oatmeal and other whole grains are an essential part of a healthy diet and promote overall good health.  But, busy mornings and finicky kids can make it hard to find the time to make something that is both nutritious and delicious.

Did you know that*…

• Nearly 60% of U.S. parents of children ages 3-17 admit that their child skips breakfast, with more than half of U.S. Moms wishing their child ate a more nutritious breakfast.
• 58% of U.S. Moms say they skip breakfast regularly. 46% of Moms who skip breakfast say they do so because they do not have enough time to prepare or eat it.
• 57% of single adults say the number one reason they skip breakfast is that they don’t have enough time to prepare it.
• While 71% of U.S. adults agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, 67% of those admit to skipping breakfast.

*Results of 2011 Children’s Nutrition Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive for Seneca Farms

During the school year, our family is pretty good about eating breakfast. Oatmeal or cereal during the school week, and heartier breakfasts on the weekends. Come summer time, we start to slack off. I’m not really sure why either. We tend to have lots of doctor and therapy appointments scheduled for the summertime. I schedule the “biggies” for summer to minimize the amount of school absences. We do most of our yearly check in with specialist during this time and most of those specialists are about 2 hours away. That means early mornings and long days. I know Faith and I get cranky if we don’t eat a good breakfast. For Jon, breakfast is even more important since it can set the whole tone of his day blood glucose wise.

This needs to change. We need breakfast every morning.

When I was given the opportunity to review Seneca Farms new Oatmeal and Fruit Cups, of course I agreed!

From Seneca Farms:

“Just launched in April, it is the perfect choice for anyone who has trouble finding time for breakfast in the morning. In less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee, heat the six-ounce microwaveable cup – no milk or water necessary – in the microwave for 45 seconds. Seneca’s Oatmeal & Fruit has no trans fats or cholesterol, and is a great source of Vitamin C.”

When the packages arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to read the ingredient list. Short. Top 3 are water, diced peaches and thick cut oats. Through the top of the cups, large pieces of diced peach and in the apple cup, diced apples are visible.

The first one we tried was the Vanilla Peach. 45 seconds in the microwave and it was ready. We peeled off the top and it smelled just like fresh ripe peaches. The texture was a bit more liquidly than we are used to having our oatmeal, but it worked well with the large chunks of peach. The vanilla was not overpowering but a nice compliment to the peaches.

The Apple Cinnamon was next. Same 45 seconds in the microwave. We peeled the top and were struck by the scent of very sweet fresh apples. This one seemed to have more liquid than the Peach Vanilla. The taste was defiantly spot on. But. The texture was off. It was too “liquid” not enough “oatmeal” for my families tastes. If felt strange. More like chunky applesauce with bits of oatmeal.

Since the Peach Vanilla was such a hit, I thought I would try getting more opinions regarding the Apple Cinnamon. I sent some in to work with my hubby. His directions were to find someone willing to try it and to give me an honest review.

Hubs co-worker Jim was up for it. His emailed review “Apple  & Cinnamon – was too sweet and consistency is odd.  Not quite what was expected for oatmeal.  More along the idea of applesauce with oats added in but not oatmeal.”

The Peach Vanilla is going on our next shopping list. It was a great solution to a busy morning. I think we will be skipping the Apple Cinnamon though. New flavor combinations are launching in the future and I will be trying them. 🙂

Want to try them for yourself?

One reader will win a 2-pack of each flavor of Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit!

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment below telling me about your child’s favorite breakfast food

Extra Entries (1 comment per extra entry)

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This giveaway is available to US residents only and will end on July 31, 2011 at 11;59 PM EST. Winner will be drawn from all comments by Random.org. Winner will be posted Aug 1, 2011 and they will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be drawn.

“This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.”