A bowl of Mu Mu Muesli, one of our favorites. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.
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STEPHANIE ZONIS is a contributing editor.
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January 2012 |
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Page 7a: Best Muesli
The Best Muesli Brands: A To F
This is Page 7 of a seven-page-plus article on granola cereal, and reviews of 44 granola cereal brands and nine muesli brands. Click on the black links below to visit other pages.
Article Index
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Muesli Reviews
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The Difference With Muesli
Some boxes of muesli tell you to add milk or other liquid, then let it stand. The reason is that there are no oils used; the oats are bare and therefore very dry. You can eat granola dry because it is almost like eating a crumbled cookie.
When muesli was first created by Dr. Bircher-Benner (muesli history), the preparation was to soak the oats overnight in milk or fruit juice, and then top it with fresh fruit (this is sometimes referred to as Swiss-style oatmeal). When the oats are soaked, it may be better for the digestion among people who have a problem with raw oats.
But you don’t have to soak it overnight: It can be served quickly after mixing it with milk, yogurt, fruit juice, or even plain water. Soaked muesli can also be heated and served like hot oatmeal.
Ambrosial Granola (Certified Kosher, Certified Organic)
Products are certified organic and certified kosher by Young Israel of West Hempstead (New York). The Athenian Harvest Fiber Boost Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 220 calories, 45 fat calories, 13 g sugars, 5 mg sodium) is a pleasant blend of multiple dried fruits and grains. Website. Also see the granola review, a favorite.
Bob’s Red Mill (Runner Up, Certified Kosher)
Certified kosher by Kehilla Kosher. The Old Country Style Muesli (serving size listed as 1/4 cup; per 1/2 cup: 220 calories, 50 fat calories, 10 g sugars, 0 mg sodium) is chewy with raisins and oats, and crunchy with nuts/seeds that retain a little crunchiness even after soaking overnight in milk. Good. Website. Also see the granola review.
Dorset Cereals (Certified Kosher)
Certified kosher by the Kashrut Division of the London Beth Din, Court of the Chief Rabbi. This company makes a wide range of mueslis (I tried five kinds) as well as granolas (of which I tasted none). The Simply Fruity Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 170 calories, 15 fat calories, 16 g sugars, 20 mg sodium) has no nuts. It does include dried papaya, pineapple, raisins and sultanas as well as both wheat and barley flakes. Good. The Simply Delicious Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 200 calories, 50 fat calories, 7 g sugars, 15 mg sodium) contains whole blanched hazelnuts, lending a pleasant crunch. This muesli contains no added sugars. The Fruit, Nut & Fiber Muesli that I tried is not currently on the website (per 1/2 cup: 200 calories, 50 fat calories, 15 g sugars, 20 mg sodium). The flakes in this cereal were completely soggy after an overnight soak in milk—not surprising, perhaps, but also not pleasant. I fared better with the Berries & Cherries Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 170 calories, 7 fat calories, 21 g sugars, 20 mg sodium). This variety was chock full of dried fruit (albeit mostly different types of raisins). While I prefer not to see “natural flavoring” as an ingredient, the blackcurrant natural flavoring here, as well as the use of real dried black currants, lends a bright fruit note to this product. Another crammed-with-dried-fruit variety is Super Cranberry, Cherry & Almond Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 200 calories, 40 fat calories, 17 g sugars, 90 mg sodium). This is a pleasant blend. Website.
Familia
I found the no-added-sugar Swiss Balance Premium Muesli (serving size listed as 2/3 cup; per 1/2 cup: 157.5 calories, 37.5 fat calories, 3 g sugars, 33 mg sodium) rather dull, as it contained only a few raisins and dried apple pieces, though the hazelnuts were a nice addition. The puffed spelt and corn flakes quickly became soggy if this blend remained in milk for any length of time. The Original Recipe Swiss Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 220 calories, 30 fat calories, 14 g sugars, 0 mg sodium) was my first exposure to muesli. I ate many bowls of this as a teenager and still retain some affection for it: It’s chewy, oat-y and quite sweet. However, I’d like to compare a box from twenty years ago with a box from today and see if the ingredients have changed. Today’s formulation seems to include a number of more processed ingredients, such as honey flakes, apple flakes and wheat germ granulate. Website. See also the review of Familia granola.
Continue To Page 7b: Muesli Brands H To Z
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