Hubbards Banana Bugs'n'mud product reviews

We have tried a few of the Hubbards kids cereals. A couple we received from KIWIreviews, but this ond I purchased after my kids begged for it. Thank fully they are fairly priced because out of three children not a single one liked them. And the box ended up sitting untouched again in the pantry for weeks. Finally getting used in a rice bubble slice.

Hubbards cereal boxes are a great source of random information and activities. My kids (and I) love reading the boxes. It is the source of information on these boxes that was the best thing about this product. The actual contents were sadly a let down. The kids did not like the look of them (and neither did I) and they liked the flavour even less :( I tried them in the end as just thought the kids were being extra picky. But nope unfortunarely this time I agree with the kids, they are not nice at all. Maybe its a little bit of a mind game and the thought of eating bugs interferes with what possibly could be a nice cereal?

As a cereal it is a downer :( but used in rice bubble slice with mars bars and its ok. Not amazing but certainly edible. So even though my lot did not like it, its still a fun cereal that I am sure will appeal to plenty of kids :)

I will start this review by saying that the ratings I have given for visual appeal and taste are according to my daughters (4 and 5.5 years) as they are Hubbards target market for their banana bugs 'n' mud. To me eating a breakfast that resembles maggots is not something I would do without a big incentive. Miss 4's reaction to this cereal when she saw the box on the bench was "Oh yay grubs and beetles".

When I opened the box we saw that the bugs (which looked too much like maggots for my comfort) were all at the top of the packet and the mud down the bottom. A quick shake before opening the packet mixed the two elements together. She ate her bowlful very quickly and was delighted to see she had chocolate milk left to drink. She requested a second bowl and ate that too. Her big sister who hadn't seen the new cereal and instead was eating her usual breakfast of toast requested a bowl of grubs too. She ate hers in quick time too especially considering she had just eaten breakfast.

The next morning the both requested bugs for breakfast and had it with yogurt as we were running low on milk. They really enjoyed this too but had to have a second serving before they were content. I had thought this was because the cereal wasn't filling but noticed neither of them wanted much for morning tea. I didn't try it myself as I don't like banana flavoured food but it did have a definite banana milk smell.

This is much healthier for them than cocoa pops but it is still not a breakfast that I would give them every day. A great weekend, birthday or sleepover breakfast treat.

Banana and chocolate flavoured cereal disguised as bugs and mud.... Interesting...

Giving a bowl to the kids, my six year old laughed when reminded that it was Bugs 'n' Mud, thinking it hilarious and soon enough the table was a chorus of 'eewwwwww', 'you're eating bugs!', 'it's squirming in my insides!' and 'you're going to be a bug now!' from my six year old. My five year old and my three year old busily chiming in with 'eww!'. It took a good couple of minutes to get them to calm down and actually start to eat their food. I gave it a try and whilst it tasted nice enough, I couldn't get myself past the visualisation.

When asked what they thought, my verbally limited three year old simply asked for more, my five year old giggled and said that she wanted to eat bugs again for breakfast the next day and my six year old said that it could have been yummier but that he still liked it and would like some more for his next breakfast. With my two eldest and how much they eat in the morning, this only lasted us four days, which is a slight let down and would mean having to buy two boxes of this a week.

The kids enjoyed it and the name gives a lot of entertainment and imagination.

I have great neighbours. They have helped me sneak some review stuff past the nosey mokopuna living a few doors down many times. But when they went on holiday recently I had to get my parcels delivered straight to me, so it wasn't much of a surprise when a couple of the mokopuna arrived minutes after the courier left. When they saw the size of the box, they were very curious. And hungry. For once, this was a good thing.

I got them to try a bowl of this each. One is a very picky eater but the other one will eat almost anything you put in front of her. I expected different reactions from them, but I was pleased to find they both chowed down without any complaint. After they had finished I asked each of them for their thoughts. The picky eater was the most surprising. He said that he really liked the banana flavour but thought the chocolate was a but too weak. He thought that next time he would like to try them with chocolate milk to help make the flavour stronger. On the other hand, the one who will eat almost anything gave the answers I expected. "Ka pai kai, Koro!" she said, and held out her bowl for another ration.

Neither of them were great fans of the name, but the smell was good and appealing enough that they could get past the images it brought up. They seemed to like it, and I liked it when I tried it the next morning, but I think it is going to appeal to kids more than adults.

I remember Bugs n' Mud from when I was younger and was glad to see I got this as my kids love rice bubbles.

My first thought about the Bugs n' Mud was that it still looks like I remember, and slightly grosses me out still as the 'bugs' to me, with their look and how they cling to the package and hang off it, makes me think of maggots, just as it did when I first tried it. MY kids reaction was 'ew.... bugs?????', complete with raised eyebrows. Whilst inside the packet there seems to be a good ratio of bugs to mud, but emptying it into the bowls you seem to get more mud than bugs.

My kids did like Bugs n' Mud but they weren't asking for it the next day, which is what I had expected from them. These were eaten without complaint but no requests for more at any point, but at least there wasn't any complaints or cries of disgust, but the kids are happy enough to stick with their plain old rice bubbles 'cause they make noises mum!'. I used some to make a rice bubble bar (with some Berry Tricks Mix) and it added a nice, slight, chocolate taste to the bar.

This was a nice cereal and the kids liked it but not enough that I would be buying it again.

Banana bugs n mud - the name says it all and carries through to the product inside the box: it actually does look like bugs in mud (enough to make you look twice even) and it actually does taste like banana! Bonus points for Hubbard's right there in those two things. Trying products that ring true to their name is something that makes me happy , this alone would make me buy the cereal again as there is nothing that annoys me more than products that aren't as described on the packaging.

The packaging on this product is awesome - very visually appealing to both adults and especially children. I love that both the inside and outside of the cardboard is used. Not only are there fun things to do and make but there is so much real information about the world in there too. I really do love this fact about the product - A big conversation starter at any meal that's for sure and who doesn't want to teach their child more about the world. I have to mention, that even now after eating the cereal several time the effect of the cereal still gets me - it seriously does look like bugs! A big factor when it came to the boys I sampled this with - my nephews thought it was very cool to be eating bugs. The girls - not so much and were more hesitant to try it but once I convinced them it wasn't real bugs they liked the taste. In fact the next time they visited it was asked for again!

Needing a sweet treat but trying to eat healthier meant I reached for this cereal for my own lunch on a few occasions. I mixed it with natural yoghurt and fresh banana - the taste was really yummy. I have to say I would buy this product again just for my own meals, never mind the children . Using fresh banana intensified the banana flavouring already in the cereal but I could still taste the chocolate as well. The bugs part of the cereal aren't as crunchy but are more like honey puffs (if you've ever tried them). I loved honey puffs as a child so this quite appealed to me although it was strange having one crunchy and one soft cereal mixed together so to speak. Never the less it worked and tasted great so I am happy.

All in all a fantastic product from Hubbard's that I will be buying again! Healthier than many things you can choose to eat out there but still does contain quite a bit of sugar this will be kept as special treats on the weekend or as a "you get to have this for breakfast at aunty's house" treat for my nephews n nieces.

When there was a chance to review and try new kids cereals from Hubbards, I jumped at the chance for something different for my 4 year old boy, instead of the same things over and over again. When they arrived he was really excited. I'm guessing the box just appealed to him. Banana bugs n mud, well I remember bugs n mud when I was a kid and loved it. As I got older things changed.

I thought this would be the same and well I do like the "mud" part - it has a bit of a banana taste through it and I like it better dry than wet. As for the "bugs" part, I don't like them at all, they taste too airy and no crunch and I don't like cereals that are like that. My son, well, I gave him a bowl of it and he wasn't happy about it, he said it had worms in it and refused to eat it. After a while we got him to try it telling him it's coco pops. He had a couple of spoonfuls and wouldn't have any more, telling me its yuck and don't like it. I guess he has his own opinions of cereals.

This would prob make a great baking ingredient like for rice crackles, though I didn't try this as I can't do any baking that has gluten in it for the sake of my daughter, so we avoid that. But I'm sure I have a friend or two that would be happy to do some baking with them and enjoy it

Overall its not the worst cereal I've had. Also, in my opinion, it's not the best I've had either, maybe the "little kid" palate has left me. The price seems pretty good and the box is awesome! I really do like that its got so much on it and inside the box as well.

We received two boxes of Hubbard's Cereals to try, this and the Neapolitan Super Pops, the Neapolitan ones were the first to try and were a mega success with my two boys and it was hard work convincing them to even open this pack to give it a whirl.

Finally my son gave into my asking him when he wanted to try them and tried these for breakfast yesterday morning. When I opened the box I was really surprised with the effect of the cereal and how Hubbard's have pulled through on the name here - it really looks like bugs in mud! Very cool and would come in handy at Halloween if you were having a party and making 'gross' looking foods. Or any boys' birthday party really!

Mr 5 is not at all fussy and will eat most things, he took a couple of mouthfuls of them and declared that he really didn't like these and could he have the other ones. Now I'm not 100% convinced that he hated them, only that he loved the other ones and wanted them. I asked him to explain to me why he didn't like them. He said they have a funny vanilla flavour (I suspect its more like banana as I tried them and they do have a distinct banana flavour - as per the name!).

I was not prepared to give up on the Bugs 'n' Mud and decided to make a rice bubble slice with them to see how that would go down with the kids. I mixed 100g butter, 100g sugar, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of honey in a pot and boiled it for 3 minutes. Then added 4 cups of the cereal and mixed it and put it into a slice tin and allowed it to cool.

The boys were smelling the sweetness of the honey and sugar melting and became interested in what I was making....they agreed that in the pot the cereal looked awesome with the 'bugs' wiggling around. Mr 5 is also learning about mixtures at school so was interested in the process.

Once it was in the slice tin I imagines all sorts of cool party things you could do with this cereal as it was so effective and bug like looking! Once cooled down we all sat down and enjoyed some of the slice. This time it was a big hit and I certainly will be making more for the lunch boxes as its so easy and fun to do with the children.

Overall I love the packaging of the cereal, its bright and carefree and really represents how I imagine a New Zealand cereal to be marketed. Its innovative with the use of the inside of the box, as well as the outside which I really like. A bonus for this box is that it is 350g compared to some of their other cereals at the same price which are only 300g (one serve difference). It cheap and versatile - a winner in my books!

This is the second Hubbards kids cereal I have had the opportunity to review. The taste, fun factor and visual appeal of the packaging and cereal itself are all positives for the products and make it highly probably that people will choose them from the shelf at the Supermarket. Hubbards is a trusted New Zealand brand and makes one feel safe when purchasing it.

I just had to eat a handful straight out of the box to see what they tasted like. I think that the subtle banana flavour appealed to my tastebuds and was not overpowering. I think that is flavour like this is overdone, it can taste too fake. I think that the amount of flavour added here was just right. In fact, as I type this review, I find myself having the odd handful as a snack to check that the taste is just right - and the answer is "yes" every time!!

My 4 year old son loved his Bugs 'n' Mud and the name of the cereal excited him as well as the taste. He wanted more once he had gobbled up a bowl full. This cereal didn't fill him up like his usual oats (porridge or muesli). He actually ended up eating a full bowl of muesli on top of the initial serving of Bugs 'n' Mud. It could work out as expensive experience to fill my son up on this type of cereal.

Since doing a number of reviews, I am finding myself taking the time to understand and take in what is written on the Nutritional Information section of the packaging. This exposure, coupled with my desire to lose some weight has me really looking at what is in the food I eat. Here is what I found on this label:
Fibre 2.7g per 100g (recommended more than 5g but no more than 15g for children).
Fat 1.6g per 100g (recommended less than 5g total fat)
Sugar 28.7g per 100g (recommended less than 15g)
Sodium 355mg per 100g (recommended less than 400mg)
The addition of the B1, B2, B3, Iron and B9 adds some important vitamins/minerals to a person's daily intake. I know that iron is something that needs to be increased in our household and I like easy ways of adding in extra iron wherever I can. As with the other cereal I reviewed, the sugar content is very high and would only be seen as a treat food rather than a regular occurrence in our house.

We enjoyed trying Bugs 'n' Mud and the kids and I decided that the best way to get the boost of vitamins and minerals, as well as higher levels of dietary fibre was to mix Bugs 'n' Mud and Cookies & Cream Rumbles. The result was a very pleasurable experience!

Banana Bugs n' Mud immediately appealed to my toddler and I knew it was going to be a big hit here. She doesn't normally get a bowl of milk and cereal because she can be a messy eater. However, here she is trying the cereal dry and she has been enjoying this snack all week. She just loves picking them up with a spoon and eating them, or feeding them to someone else.

I gave these to my eldest, dry in a bowl. She happily ate the mud, but wouldn't eat the bugs. She found their appearance to be not very appetizing. Though she is a kid who loves hunting out bugs and things, so who knows. She thought they looked like spotty bananas.

Later I made a no-bake slice with this cereal. In the microwave I heated butter, sugar and honey until it was bubbling and then I added a few cups of this cereal. I mixed it up and pressed it into a slice tray. The result was a little crumbly, but I think I added too much cereal. Still it was like rice bubble slice, and it was delicious. My toddler and I ate quite a bit of it.

This is a cereal that I would happily add to my shopping trolley. It has all the right hallmarks for kid's cereal. It has the fun factor covered. It seems to be nutritionally balanced and we all enjoyed munching on it. It makes a good breakfast as well as something to snack on when the kids are hungry but it's not quite meal time.

I was excited to try Banana Bugs 'n' Mud as my son isn't a big fan of breakfast but we all know how important it is to start the day off right.

This cereal really hit the spot and had him coming back for more. I found the bug-like appearance to be quite unappealing but my son wasn't bothered by it and the banana flavour was subtle enough that those who don't like banana's (like myself) wouldn't have a problem with it. The cereal did soften considerably when immersed in milk (as most cereals do) and turned the milk deliciously chocolaty without being too sweet or overpowering. I imagine that it would also be lovely dry as a snack or used in homemade scroggin and mixed with other cereals.

The fact that it contains 3 essential nutrients and is made with puffed brown rice is a real selling point for me but it still has a bit too much sugar per serve for my liking so I'd keep it for a weekend treat only.

I really liked the packaging with it's quirky illustrations and interesting facts/jokes. Once the cereal was all gone, we opened up the box to discover the instructions for making the amazing spelling plant which looks like a fun outdoor activity - l'll definitely be giving it a try with my son in the upcoming school holidays.

The cereal is reasonably priced and my son has already asked me to buy some more - it's definitely a winner.