Can sugar be added to hot cereal, such as oatmeal or cream of wheat, if the amount of sugar added fits within the sugar limit for cereals in the Eat Smart Guidelines, without counting as a sweet item?
If the amount of sugar served fits within the sugar guideline for cereals (limit 6 grams of sugar for the Advanced level, and 9 grams of sugar for the Intermediate level), it will not count as a sweet item. If the amount of added sugar were to exceed the limit, it would then be considered a sweet item. 1 teaspoon of sugar contains 4 grams of sugar, so it does not take much to meet (or exceed) the limit. If the sugar were added during food preparation, a recipe will be needed with the Eat Smart application, indicating the amount of cereal and the amount of sugar, and the number of servings prepared. Please submit the recipe with the application packet for evaluation.