A classic muesli—the oats are raw, not toasted—from Muesli Fusion. All photography 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 7b: Muesli Cereal
The Best Muesli Brands: H To Z
This is Page 7b 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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Holy Moly Granoly
No nutrition information provided. More so than the granola blends, my preference here is for the Muesli, with only six ingredients and one type of dried fruit (those orange dried cranberries again). This was a texturally-balanced blend with good flavors. Website. Also see the review of Holy Moly’s granolas.
Muesli Fusion (Favorite, Certified
Organic)
Serving size listed as 1/3 cup. If you’re looking for certified organic cereals, you’ll want the Classic Swiss Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 227.5 calories, fat calories not listed [but there are 5.5 grams of fat], 7.8 g sugars, 0 mg sodium). This is a nice blend of grains (oats, rye, kamut and flax), and the almond chunks somehow remain mostly crunchy even after an overnight soak in milk. Good. The Berry Burst Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 219.5 calories, fat calories not listed [but there are 2.25 grams of fat], 10.5 g sugars, 0 mg sodium). No nuts. A four-grain mix (oats, barley, rye and wheat; the latter is rolled and not in flakes, so it doesn’t become mushy after an overnight soak in milk). Heaps of dried berries (blueberries, cherries, strawberries and cranberries) lend great flavor and color. |
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Muesli Fusion: a bowl of goodness. |
There’s also a clever “create your own muesli” option on the company website. The Berry Burst is a favorite. Website.
Mu Mu Muesli (Favorite, Kosher &
Organic Ingredients)
All ingredients used are certified kosher, but the finished muesli itself is not certified. Per 1/2 cup: 210 calories, 55 fat calories, 6 g sugars, 4 mg sodium. No added sugar. As the package claims, this makes a fine hot cereal: a nice, chewy blend of grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. The coconut flakes, flax seed, raisins and dates are organic; the dried cranberries and coconut flakes are unsulfured. In addition, this producer offers you the option of choosing regular or organic oats, a nice plus. A favorite. Website.
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Mu Mu Muesli: The cow on the label says “Mu Mu.” |
Seitenbacher Natural Foods Factory
(Favorite, Gluten-Free)
The Müsli #6 Gluten-Free (per 1/2 cup: 200 calories, 100 fat calories, 11 g sugars, 9 mg sodium) contains no oats. Instead, it’s a blend of puffed rice and corn flakes, loaded with cranberries. It becomes very soggy in milk, which is not my thing. The same held true for the Müsli #10 Chocolate Delight (per 1/2 cup: 170 calories, 30 fat calories, 15 g sugars, 23 mg sodium). There are no nuts in this blend. Chunks of dried pear abound, plus flakes that look like chocolate and taste somewhat like it but are gritty in texture. It was a different story, though, with the Müsli #2 Berries Temptation (serving size listed as 2/3 cup. Per 1/2 cup: 120 calories, 26.25 fat calories, 8.25 g sugars, 2.25 mg sodium). I’ve been eating this variety for years, and I still love it.
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Laden with dried fruit, Seitenbacher Müsli #2 Berries Temptation. |
It’s a blend of oats and barley, almonds and sunflower seeds, with loads of dried raspberries, raisins and dried apples in the mix. A great combination of varying flavors, textures and visuals, and a favorite. Website.
Seven Sundays Artisan Muesli
(Favorite)
The dried fruits used in these blends contain no sulfites. The oats, rye, raisins, flax seed, sunflower seeds, currants and vanilla powder used are organic. The Bircher Muesli (per 1/2 cup: 250 calories, 100 fat calories, 7 g sugars, 20 mg sodium) is unsweetened. The nuts and seeds in this mix still retain some crunchiness after an overnight soaking in milk. Unfortunately, the spices are used with too heavy a hand here, and they overwhelm the other flavors. If you love ginger, try the Ginger Pear Macadamia (per 1/2 cup: 250 calories, 90 fat calories, 15 g sugars, 5 mg sodium). The ginger flavor dominates here. While it’s a bit much for me, I’m not the world’s biggest ginger fan. Otherwise, this is an intriguing combination. The Original New Zealand (per 1/2 cup: 250 calories, 90 fat calories, 12 g sugars, 5 mg sodium) makes a nice use of barley. This is a pleasant mix with a little kick of spice. The use of Brazil nuts is unusual.
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Vanilla Cherry Pecan muesli from Seven Sundays has large dried cherries. |
My favorite of the lot (and a favorite in this article) is the Vanilla Cherry Pecan (per 1/2 cup: 230 calories, 60 fat calories, 11 g sugars, 0 mg sodium). You get a burst of sweet vanilla flavor with every spoonful, and there are lots of dried cherries and pecans clearly visible in the mix. Yum! Website.
Go To The Article Index Above
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