Caveat Emptor... Special K Experience

Well, I have to admit to being another victim of drive-by-marketing. I totally give Kellogg’s props for their add campaigns, etc. They’re very appealing and everything an add should be. When I first started CC I was reading through random forum posts, and I remember a user saying, “Always remember… The K in “Special K” stands for krap.” How foolish I was not to listen.

I’m not a huge sweets person, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little something in the evenings for a “treat”. I bought a box of Special K Chocolaty Delight. Wow. At 120 calories per ¾ cup I was NOT expecting a bowl full of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs (with a nod to Bill Watterson) but I was expecting a hint of… Well… Chocolate. No such luck.

Love it or hate it, chocolate is one of the most flavorful concoctions on the planet. You can nibble on a tiny piece of chocolate and TASTE it. That’s just the way it is. I don’t know what the heck those 2-3 lumps of sweetish brown things are per serving of the Special K cereal, but they certainly aren’t chocolate.

And while I know you’re probably thinking I’m nuts… Let me just confirm it. After eating the nasty stuff, my MOUTH GOES NUMB!! What is up with that? Has that ever happened to any of you??

And just to show what a dope I am… I really want to find/try something from the line that I’ll like… But everything I look at (bars, snacks, etc.) is just fluff. Relatively low cal, but little or no nutritional value. And none of it is what I would classify as inexpensive. What’s the point? Seriously.  

If you love chocolate and need a “fix”, I highly recommend the Zone Perfect bars. They are a little pricy (usually around a dollar a bar) but they are decadently delicious, satisfying (to the point that it vaguely weirds me out, sometimes) and packed full of nutrients.  

Luna chocolate peppermint stick bars do it for me.

This one will make you laugh.  Makes you go "hmmmmm...."

chocolate pipe

I tried some of their chocolate bars / granola etc... all were grosse.

I do like two of their products...

1. Strawberry Snack bites

2. Vanillia almond cereal - OMG i love it, i eat it even when im not watching my weight. it's one of my favorite cereals!

I do like my Special K (cereal is good for me because I tend to dehydrate pretty easily, and any excuse for more fluid is a good excuse), but honestly, if you're looking for low-cal chocolatey sweets, I just stick with jello pudding and no sugar added fudgecicles.  I know that's not overwhelmingly awesome, but if I have a good day, I don't mind 40 calories of fluff.

Yeah.... Fluff is okay, in small doeses. I guess it only "bothers" me a little because they try to insinuate that you're doing such a great thing for yourself and your body and so much of it isn't all that great for you.I love the chocolate snack suggestions. Again, I just wanted to say that I was just disapointed that the "chocolate" cereal didn't even have a HINT of chocolate flavor, to me. I thought that was strange. And the numb mouth thing is really weird, too. I don't know what that's all about. 

i hate special k.  it's just glorified rice krispies.  i do, however, give them huge props for their mocha snack bars.  they're sooooooo good and they taste like something you'd get from a fancy coffee shop.  the strawberry bites were good too.  i dunno if they even sell them anymore.  it's been so  long since i've bought them!  i'd rather "spend" my calories on grapes or something with some fiber.

If it is chocolate you crave you should just try the real thing - dark chocolate, at least 75% cacao. One square will do you. Eat it slow and enjoy. The intensity of the flavor makes it very satisfying. It's real at least.

For me the fake foods are only saboteurs to a healthy diet and do little more than intensify the craving because they give you a little taste of something that you know should taste very good so you feel bad and eat more as you try to satisfy your craving.

Have the good real thing instead of the fake whatever it is and don't fall for a bunch of marketing hooey. Read the labels. It's real or you can't pronounce it. You would cook with it or you would never in your life do such a thing.

savor the real chocolate!

I think that's probably very sound advice, Jannid.

And while I know you’re probably thinking I’m nuts… Let me just confirm it. After eating the nasty stuff, my MOUTH GOES NUMB!! What is up with that? Has that ever happened to any of you??

Yup- I bought a box, ate the box, and swore never to buy it again. My tongue and the roof of my mouth were numb. LOL That CANNOT be real chocolate.

*lol*

You have NO idea how relieved I am that someone else has experienced this. It TOTALLY wierded me out.

Thanks for posting!

I got sucked into buying special K too, although the one with berries in tastes really good.

BUT...rather than guessing i decided to weigh out the 30g portion size and realised it filled only 1/4 of my bowl, no wonder its low calorie theres only like a handfull in 30g!

Its a total marketing scam imo.

I eat Special K w/Berries every morning and I love it!  I just round it up to 200 calories and fill my bowl.  GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD STUFF! 

The chocolate Special K is gross....the fake chocolate taste like Exlax, in my opinion.