Honey Nut Cheerios

Updated on October 29, 2006
A.H. asks from Saint Paul, MN
26 answers

My 8 month old daughter has discovered Cheerios and she really likes them. My husband won't eat the "plain" ones. Everything I've read says to avoid honey until kids are over a year old. Do Honey Nut Cheerios have enough honey in them that they should be avoided? I'd like to not to have to buy 2 boxes of Cheerios for my picky eaters!

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So What Happened?

Wow! I never expected such a response! I have been giving her the Multi Grain (which I LOVE!) and she really likes those. I also called her pediatrician today and they recommended staying away from the Honey Nut. My husband has a HUGE box all to himself!! My mom also brought her some of the Berry Burst. I take out the berries and put them in the Honey Nut for myself and give Baby Girl the remaining cereal. They're sweeter, but not too sweet and she really likes them. Thank you all so much for your insight! I LOVE THIS SITE!!!!!

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E.S.

answers from Green Bay on

why mess with the cheerios and try kix. they are sweeter but I think that they overall taste better. My son didn't like cheerios and when I brought Kix home my 1 year old ate the box in like 3 days LOL the little piggy! LOL

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L.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

Try the other many flavors of Cherrios. My husband and other children do not like plain cherrios either, but I buy the berry flavored or frosted and they love them. There are a lot of other varieties now without the honey nut or plain.

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T.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

I personally tried to keep my little ones away from sugar cereals for as long as possible. My son now has them sometimes, but is perfectly happy with non-sweetened cereals (age 3-1/2)! I'd give her the plain ones so she doesn't know what she's missing! They get a sugar habit soon enough...

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S.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

Is it that he does not like them. The rule with honey is none until after a year old, the same with peanut butter. Your daughter will not know the difference. I would err on the side of caution and give her the plain ones or none at all. To help with having to buy two kinds of cereal, buy your daughter the Malt-o-meal ones, they are cheaper.

S.

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P.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

There are 2 scares about Honey. Botulism and allergic reacions. The 1 yr benchmark is because a 1 yr old baby has a much stronger ammune system and their bodies ability to fight off an illness is greater, even the exposure to the toxin that lives in infected bees. ANYONE can get Botulism from eating honey, even adults. You could eat the cheerios first and if you don't get sick, then your baby won't either, unless there is an allergic reacion. You could try it and watch for an allergic reacsion, or go the ultra safe route and get the plain cheerios and have your husband put sugar on his. He might have to sacrafise for a few months if it makes you feel better. I gave my daughter honey, coconut, milk and items with nuts well before she was 1. All No-No's, but, I was lucky I think. Lots of people have allergy issues and so this topic will be of interest to many. Hope this helped, or at least...eased your mind a bit.
Here's a link about Botulism that might help you decide.
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/6/1680_53320.htm#1
And, I agree with Deby, The nut factor is probably more of an issue. I know someone who discovered that their baby was allergic to nuts by eating that exact item.

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J.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

I haven't given my 2 1/2 yr old son honey nut cheerio's yet, because of the amount of sugar. The multi-grain cheerios are better than the plain, he got sick of plain. The multi-grain are lightly sweetened, but not as much sugar. And everyone who has tried his, has liked them. Otherwise, he LOVED the yogurt burst! I have only bought them once though, because of the higher price. We go through so many cheerio's (it is the only cereal I give him, and his main snack food) that I prefer to buy the really big boxes, and the yogurt burst come in smaller boxes, for about the same price as the big ones. He has been eating multi-grain for over a year now, and still loves them! I would avoid the honey nut, not only because of the dangers for age, but also because your child doesn't need to learn to eat everything with all that added sugar, if she learns young to eat food plain, she will be more likely to continue. If you give her the sweetened food from the beginning, she will most likely always want that. Your husband should like the multi-grain too, so I would try that!

Also, part of the reason foods are recommended 12 months+ is because the younger they are when they first have a high-risk food, the more likely they are to develop an allergy to it!

Good luck!

J.

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D.

answers from Minneapolis on

I'd probably be more leary of the nuts than the honey. But it's up to you. I think the honey is probably ok. I started buying the little tiny boxes of cheerios for my little one rather than buying the big box. We didn't waste as much that way.

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M.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

I would have to agree about the sugar content, but I gave my son the honey nut variety at 9 months (due to my husband not paying attention at the store) and he was fine. I have discovered though that at Target (I think) they sell the single serving boxes of regular Cheerios. I liked it better because my son was really the only one eating them, they didn't get stale and they were easy to throw into the diaper bag. I think they came in a six pack of JUST Cheerios.

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S.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would be more worried about the nuts than the honey . . .

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J.S.

answers from Wausau on

Honey graham crackers were one of both of my girls first foods. I never was too concerned about it. My pediatrician actually told me to put honey on my daughters nuk when she was really young to get her to take it...(he's very old school though. He was actually MY pediatrician as a kid.) That made me too nervous to follow those directions. As for not wanting to buy two boxes, if you can get away with not buying two kinds great. However, I've found that the bigger our family gets, the more varieties I do have to buy. Example-honey bunches of oats for my two year old, cheerios for my 1 year old, and actually honey nut cheerios for my hubby. Yoplait light yogurt for my hubby, Dora yumsters yogurt for my two year old, and yo baby yogurt with iron for my 1 year old. I've come to accept this a a way of my new life! Good luck and enjoy that baby!

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C.O.

answers from Milwaukee on

I was really anal-retentive about that stuff, especially with my first. So no, I did not give them honey nut Cheerios until they were older. And yes, I do believe honey is an actual ingredient besides the sugar they put in it. What about the yogurt Cheerios? I'd still ask your pediatrician if you have any other doubts. Good luck!

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M.P.

answers from Appleton on

I think I would avoid them just for the piece of mind. Only 4 months left before she could eat them without the risk, I think it's worth the money to buy the extra box - it would probably take her a while to finish a whole box anyway.

M. P.

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A.H.

answers from Green Bay on

Hi. I really do not know if it would harm her but why risk it for 2.99??

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K.R.

answers from Madison on

I am pretty safe when it comes to that and I didnt do the honey nut cherrios either....we used the multi grain which are sweetened. my kids loved them and they taste much better than the plain ones.

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A.

answers from Minneapolis on

The danger with botulism and honey is only true of honey that hasn't been pasturized, which basically is only honey that you get from a road-side stand. Anything in the grocery store has probably been pasturized and processed and should be fairly safe. I still wouldn't give straight honey to an infant, but Honey Nut Cheerios would be ok - they've been processed enough. Nut allergies could be an issue, but mostly only if you already have food allergies or strong allergy problems in your family. For the most part, HNC should be just fine, but you could always ask your doctor at your baby's 9-mo. checkup, which should be coming soon.

All that being said, I do really like the other Cheerios that have been mentioned - Yogurt Burst and Multigrain. They are more expensive, though, because they only come in the small boxes. I think the amount of sugar in any kind of Cheerios is not too bad. I wouldn't recommend giving your infant high-sugar cereals like Froot Loops or any cereal with the super-sugary marshmallows, but I think a little sugar is ok. Just check the labels and compare if you're worried. Sugar shoudl probably not be the first, and therefore highest quantity, ingredient.

Interestingly enough - most raisin brans have more sugar than any variety of sugary kid cereal. Raisins have all natural fruit sugars, but they're still VERY high in sugar.

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D.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

It is the nuts not the honey you need to avoid in Honey Nut Cheerios. My pediatrician used that as an example of what not to feed a baby.

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J.

answers from Minneapolis on

I gave my 13 month old Honey Nut Cheerios and then someone cautioned me on the Nut part of the cereal. I have heard the honey is really processed and doesn't matter much. But a friend of mine who works in childcare says that its the nuts mixed in that need to be worried about more.

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N.J.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would suggest trying the multigrain cheerios...you wouldn't think they are good but they are sweeter than regular cheerios.

My DS loves them. He's is two.

Your hubby could still eat his cheerios, but I would try to aviod the honey for allergy protection for your daughter later in life.

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A.R.

answers from Milwaukee on

I would definitely advise against giving your baby honey nut cheerios. Honey is the fifth ingredient listed on the box. Honey contains botulinum spores which can cause Infant Botulism. It is not an allergy issue. Babies immature digestive systems can grow these spores and produce the botulism toxin! This was told to me when I had my very first of four babies and I never gave them honey before a year old. I would say play it safe!

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M.K.

answers from Duluth on

Multi grain cheerios are a bit sweet

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J.F.

answers from Rochester on

I'd ask your pediatrician, just to be sure, but they should be ok in little servings. I used to buy the travel/single serving packs of cereals for stuffing in the diaper bag (I hated pouring them into containers and bags just to forget them and they went stale). They were so handy, I loved it. Plus, my son saw it as something that was just his, the whole box, and he thought that was cool.

You could also try the yogurt Cherrios. I didn't care for them myself (I like plain Cherrios) but my husband and son scarfed down the box in two days. The apple cinnamon ones are really good, too. The off-brand, Toasty-Os, even the plain variety, is a little sweeter than normal Cherrios. When I was growing up, my Mom decided to buy them and pour them into a Cherrios box thinking my Dad would never know the difference. Needless to say, he was furious. :P The taste is definitely different, plus it's way cheaper.

Another thing we used to do when we were kids (my sister and I were as picky as they come), Mom would just sprinkle a little white sugar onto our Cherrios to make them taste better to us, or we'd add bananas. If you're looking for a non-sugar substitute, my friends and I really like Splenda as an alternative.

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K.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

I'd just get two boxes.

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R.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

my son was eating honey nut cheerios at about 9 months old so i dont think there should really be a problem..

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L.W.

answers from Milwaukee on

It's not really HONEY in honey-nut cheerios it is SUGAR. KASHI brand cerals are wonderful,natural sweeteners,and my daughter still eats them at 2. I also have a husband who insists on honey-nut cheerios and this was my alternative and is much healthier.

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K.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

If your husband won't eat regular cheerios b/c he thinks they aren't sweet enough, you should try the Yogurt Burst Cheerios, or I think Team Cheerios. Have you explained to your husband about the allergic and botulism concerns? I think if he knew about these issues he might be a bit more apt to trying something else. Just a suggestion...good luck!

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S.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

I'm not sure of the Honey amounts per serving, but have you tried the "fruity" cherios. Kids love them, I do too.
Fruity flavored without the sugar like fruit loops and the dye doesn't seem to come off when the kids are eating them.

Give it a try, maybe hubby will like them too.

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