Without a doubt Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For me, it fuels me for the day ahead and means I don’t have to worry quite so much about getting enough food later.
I’m a bit of a cereal hoarder, currently in possession of around 10 boxes. I like variety! From the chocolate flavoured kids stuff through to super healthy oats and mueslis, I have something to cater to whatever the morning has thrown at me.

((I don’t just have cereal, I also have toast or a bagel)).

Juliette Cattell is the founder of Otter Valley Food Company and the creator of Mighty Muesli. She offered to send me some samples of her range to review, and being the breakfast fiend I am I jumped at the chance.

Before I get in to the review, what IS Mighty Muesli? From Julie herself…

“Back in 1990 my husband was rowing intensively in preparation for a world rowing championship. After his early morning training he was always hungry and trying not to fall asleep during the day. I did a lot of research on super foods and I developed a unique recipe for a breakfast cereal that would provide my husband with the energy and nutrients he needed for his grueling training schedule. The results were that I created MIGHTY MUESLI and my husband won a world championship!

Since that time MIGHTY MUESLI has become the key breakfast fuel for a number of elite sportspeople such as Rebecca Romero, the 2 gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics in cycling and the British Women’s rowing team. But MIGHTY MUESLI is not just for champions. Breakfast has long been considered the crucial meal of the day for everyone and it is important to eat the right foods to start you off.”

Might Muesli is a blend of whole grains and seeds with a dash of fruit. It contains most of the vitamins and minerals you need on a daily basis, protein to keep you full, fibre, low GI levels, Omegas 3, 6 and 9 as well as containing barely any salt or cholesterol.

None of the products contain wheat or nuts. Also No Hydrogenated fats, no GM ingredients, No Additives; No Chemicals; No Artificial Flavourings; No Dairy; No Trans Fats; No Added Salt.

Here are some of the benefits:

“Higher Energy Levels – MIGHTY MUESLI’S slow releasing carbohydrates will keep you feeling more energetic and more alive.

Look & Feel Healthier- MIGHTY MUESLI is like a big vitamin pill making you look and feel healthier.

Lower Stress Levels and Increased Concentration Levels- MIGHTY MUESLI will help you manage your blood sugar levels, (great for Diabetics too) ironing out the highs and lows, giving you more energy balance, making you less agitated and keeping you focused for longer. It will considerably improve your powers of concentration.

Lose weight – MIGHTY MUESLI leaves you feeling fuller and satisfied for longer; no hunger pangs means you won’t snack between meals. MIGHTY MUESLI contains NO Hydrogenated fats and NO Salt.

Stronger Bones- Everyone needs Vitamin D which is essential for the absorption of calcium in the body. Sunlight assists in the production of Vitamin D and it is also found in a few foods like some oily fish and eggs, but most people don’t get enough so we decided to give you a little extra to start you off – 20% of your RDA*- crucial for women, older people and growing children in particular. (See blog for further information.)

Faster Recovery after Exercise and Maintaining Muscle Condition- If you exercise on a regular basis and you don’t eat properly you will not be able to maintain the quality of your training. You need to eat after exercise to replenish your energy levels and rebuild and maintain muscle condition. Both MIGHTY MUESLI and POWER PORRIDGE can provide you with the right balance of quality complex carbohydrates, protein and fats before and after exercise. If you eat MIGHTY MUESLI after exercise you will not feel as tired during the day, you will have more energy and train better the next time.”

Aimed towards Athletes with a view to 2012 and the Olymipcs, Might Muesli has a lot to live up to, so how was it?

First up, the original Mighty Muesli

Attractively packaged, the box shows all the nutritional claims as well as what the mix does and doesn’t contain. Although seeming flimsy the cereal had remained fully intact. The back of the box indicates serving size and how much milk to add. The newly revamped recipe contains 20% of you RDA of Vitamin D and has dried cranberries and cherries added for anti-oxidant benefits.

Taste wise, this was great. Despite containing no nuts, this had a nutty taste (which I like in a cereal) from the seeds and grains blend. The dried fruit added a slight sweetness. A good 60g serving contains 212 calories (plus additional from milk) and kept me satisfyingly full all morning.

I was also sent a box of the Gluten Free variety, of which I was more sceptical about. My previous experiences of Gluten Free foods have been dense and somewhat compromised with taste.

This time I ate the muesli with Greek Yoghurt. Texture wise this was more interesting than the original variety with puffs as well as flakes in the mix. Although the recipe states dried apple and apricot were present, I didn’t notice it and felt the cereal could benefit from a little more sweetness. This could however be because I didn’t shake the box in my haste for breakfast.

The Gluten Free version is Vegan friendly, as well as suitable for those with Gluten Intolerance, Diabetes and IRS.
Despite my hesitations this wasn’t at all dense, it seemed to be lighter than the original Might Muesli and lack of sweetness aside, this was my favourite of the two.

A 60g serving of Gluten Free Mighty Muesli contains 235 calories, plus whatever milk or yoghurt you choose to add.

For full nutritional information you can see the website where you can also buy the whole range. It’s not the cheapest of cereal at £4.99 for 800g of Might Muesli and £6.99 for the same of the Gluten Free variety,
but if you are an athlete, or simply interested in eating well then I see it as a worthy investment and I shall be placing an order for a larger bag of the Gluten Free variety when my cereal supplies run low.

Juliette also sent POWER PORRIDGE for review…but I am an epic disaster with porridge making so I have passed that along for my grandparents to test. I’ll do that review separately.

Also available are “Hunga Busta” Bars, for the perfect on-the-go snack. I’m curious to try these and if I do, I’ll report back!

Are you tempted to try this?

Do you always eat breakfast?

What is YOUR favourite cereal?

xxx