I have a confession to make — I am obsessed with Special K.  No, not the cereal, but the other products they have released on the market.

I have never done the Special K challenge, but eating their products has become a daily regime for me.  No, I am not being sponsored, compensated, or anything else for writing about them today, I’m just doing this post because I wanted to share my opinions on their products.

Credit: specialk.ca

It pretty much all started with their crisps bars, which come in a variety of different flavours (Strawberry, Blueberry, Brown Sugar, and Chocolate).  I wanted to start cutting calories but I have a huge sweet tooth, so when I discovered these, and the fact that they are 100 calories for two crisps (one package), I was sold.

So I cut out cookies, but what about chips?  I was browsing the aisles of Wal-Mart one day probably a year ago now, and discovered the Special K Cracker Chips, which were new in Canada.  I bought a box of the sour cream and onion and have been hooked ever since. For the cracker chips, it’s 80 calories for 18 chips, which is a better and healthier ratio than standard potato chips.

Credit: Specialk.ca

My newest discoveries have been their Morning Shakes (known as the Special K Protein Shakes in the U.S. ), which come in a package of four, 190 calories in a bottle and 18 grams of protein, and their breakfast sandwiches (calories depend on the sandwich but the ones I get are less than 200 calories).  Most days I have a shake in the morning which surprisingly tides me over until lunch.

For a snack, I’ll have some vanilla yogurt topped with their granola.

As you can see, Special K products (though not their cereal) have become my daily staples.  Here is usually what my meal plans consist of during the week (weekends are a little more “fatty”).

Breakfast: Special K Morning Shake (come in chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry- I’ve tried chocolate and vanilla, both are great!), contains 10g of protein, 12 essential nutrients and 190 calories per serving.

Alternate breakfast option: Special K Morning Flatbread Sandwich, 170-240 calories depending on the flavour: Egg with Vegetables & Pepper Jack Cheese; Egg & Sausage; and Egg, Ham & Pepper Jack Cheese.  These come frozen, two to a box (I wish they came as four to a box), and you microwave it for 90 seconds.

Lunch: Depends of the week.  Some weeks I’ll have a salad, others I’ll have a wrap with turkey, hummus, and lettuce.  I’ll have the Special K Cracker Chips as a side (I have to watch myself though, I can easily eat the whole box).

Snack: Special K Flavour Crisp (my faves right now the warm brown sugar or chocolate) accompanied by a Tassimo coffee or water.  Sometimes I’ll skip the bar and just have a banana.

Dinner: Whatever’s on the menu at home.

Dessert: Vanilla yogurt topped with Special K Low-Fat Granola and blueberries.

As you can see my day is filled with Special K.  I wasn’t contacted by Kellogg’s to do this post, I’m solely doing it because I love their products and I hope this can help others out there who are frustrated with their eating habits and are looking for some healthier, low-calorie options.  By making the switch to these products I have found that I have been able to maintain my weight and even lose a few pounds (it’s the weekends and order-in pizza that kills me).

Anyways, if you want to try out their products now is definitely the time to do so!  If you collect PIN codes on specialty marked boxes of some of their products and then enter them online at the Special K Canada site, you can get a free New Balance Lightning Dry Tank Top.  I sent in my codes on the weekend so I’ll be expecting my tank in six to eight weeks.  Last year they had a similar offer but for a yoga mat and I still use the mat (pictured in the above photos), it’s pretty good quality too.  To get the PIN codes you have too look for the boxes that mention the offer.  It also has to be certain combos of the products.  For example, I used two packages of the crisps and then one of the granola.  Check out their website for more information.

They can be quite expensive to buy, so always look for a sale (I find that Wal-Mart usually has the best prices, although Safeway often runs sales on the crisps, like four for $10, so $2.50 with the club card).  I will usually buy at least two boxes of the cracker chips and crisps when I run out because I love them so much and go through them like water.

If you want to save some money on their Morning Shakes (which can be expensive if bought full price), new granola bars (I haven’t tried these yet), and the new flavours of their Cracker Chips, visit websaver.ca for your coupons.

Let me know if you love Special K products as much as I do!

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