Would you start your day with a big ol’ bowl of Man Cereal?
The attention-grabbing moniker belongs to a new, allegedly better-for-you breakfast cereal with the tagline, Serious Nutrition. Un-Serious Name. The low-sugar cereal comes in four flavors — Cinnamon, Fruity, Salted Fudge and Mle Bacon — with 160 calories, 15 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of creatine per serving.
It’s the first widely available ready-to-eat breakfast cereal formulated with creatine monohydrate, according to its minimalist, sans-serif website, and its protein content places it firmly in the proteinmaxxing trend.
Creatine, for the uninitiated, is a compound that comes from three amino acids and supplies energy to your muscles, and a substance rather popular with gym-going individuals — particularly men, though it has benefits for all of us, regardless of gender.
The creatine-packed product costs a pretty penny: A box with six servings will set consumers back $19.99, but 3- and 6-packs cost less per box. According to critics on social media, though, what Man Cereal is mostly full of is a heing helping of hooey.
Trying to hyper-masculinize something as neutral as food and cereal is STUPID, posted one X user. anyone who believes otherwise is just a lesser human being with a small intellect and low self esteem and a fragile sense of being.
This is so f—ing toxic and stupid, wrote another. Embarrassing for the company and any idiot who feels they need cereal ‘for men’ grow the f— up.
Where can I buy a box of ‘fragile masculinity’? asked another.
On the other hand, there are people cheering on the product, with one saying they need a weeks supply yesterday.
In a world of Dude Wipes and Colgate for Men to Bic (pens) for Her, social media users seem jaded by the genderization of products. But, according to Man Cereal’s founders, Emily Straus and Dejan Rankovic, the product isn’t an example of toxic masculinity.
I think it does a really good job of just saying what it is, she continues. As a woman, I know that it’s a joke, and you know when people ask about it, I say it’s ‘cereal for all mankind,’ and that’s how I think about it.
The pair says they realized people were missing out on creatine and wanted to eliminate the need for folks to supplement their diet with it by consuming powders or gummies.
Despite accusations otherwise, Rankovic and Straus maintain the product is not associated with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement, and the brand even says so on social media.
MAHA hates us because we’re not steak and eggs, Man Cereal’s official account posted on X.
Ultimately, Man Cereal’s owners say they’re in on the joke and hope consumers will be, too.
If you go into a retail store and you don’t pick up the box and look at the back, you might have a negative reaction, or if you just see, like, the Man Cereal name, you might have a negative reaction, Rankovic says.
Once people kind of fall into the ecosystem, they understand, like, ‘Oh, I get what this brand is doing, and I actually kind of think it’s funny and innovative,’ he adds. The product, at the end of the day, is a good-for-you product, and I think most people are supportive of that.
What an Expert Thinks of Man Cereal
Registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, nutrition editor for TODAY, says she considers Man Cereal very similar to a supplement, like a protein powder, because it’s made from a blend of whey protein, coconut oil, starch, creatine and various low-calorie sweeteners.
My general recommendation is to use supplements sparingly, for convenience, Rizzo says. For instance, if you don’t have a lot of time after a workout to sit down for a snack or a meal, then a protein shake may be helpful for recovery until you can sit down for a proper meal. Yet, I don’t recommend these supplements on a daily basis because they lack the nutrients that you would get from foods.
Rizzo points out that chicken or eggs naturally contain both protein and creatine, and also provide other beneficial vitamins and minerals.
I recommend proaching Man Cereal similarly to these supplements— eat it when you’re short on time or need a convenient option, but don’t include it as an everyday stle, she says.
Rizzo suggests looking for cereals lower in sugar and made with whole-grain ingredients.
When paired with milk, a bowl of whole-grain, low-sugar cereal can provide protein, fiber and other vitamins and minerals, she says.
My Review of Man Cereal, as a Man
Yes, I’m a man, but I might not be the kind of man Man Cereal is marketed towards. For instance, the last time I ran for any length of time, it was from my car to a rummage sale featuring Aimé Leon Dore at bargain basement prices.
Still, my strongest muscle is my mind and creatine can benefit that. So I proached a full bowl of Cinnamon Man Cereal with an open mind and an empty stomach.
I found the scent very pealing, with the spice permeating the air as I poured myself a bowl. After adding a little milk, I prepared myself for #gains and ate a spoonful.
The texture is really pealing. Since its main ingredient is a protein blend, it’s crunchier than Cocoa Puffs or Kix, both favorites of mine. The cinnamon flavor carries through each bite, too.
Now for the big minus: The cereal is overpowered by the persistently sour taste of stevia. It lingers like glitter on your taste buds. It is the glitter of sweeteners.
Man Cereal’s owners tell me they are working on a low-sugar version sans stevia, and I look forward to trying it when it comes out.
In the meantime, if you’re sensitive to the taste of stevia like I am, you’ll either need to man up … or skip this altogether.

The fifth annual Juneteenth Food Distribution Drive-Thru event is set for Friday, June 12, at Phillips Park on the East Side of Aurora, organizers said.
The event, which serves as a kickoff to Aurora’s Juneteenth Week celebration, will provide free groceries to up to 1,000 families, according to a press release about the session.
According to the release, 200 members of historically Black fraternities and sororities will volunteer their time to distribute food to residents in need during the event.
Hosted by the Divine 9 Alliance, a collective of suburban members representing the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities, the event is presented in partnership with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Aurora in Black, the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board and the city of Aurora, organizers said.
Beginning at 9 a.m. June 12, volunteers will distribute boxes of meat, fresh produce and dairy products through a drive-thru distribution system at Phillips Park, the release said.
No registration or identification is required at the event, and families from any community in the Chicago area are welcome to attend, the release said. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.
Also, randomly selected vehicles will receive complimentary gas cards during the event, the release said.
The drive-thru line will form at the Smith Boulevard entrance to Phillips Park at 1000 Ray Moses Drive. The line generally begins to form hours ahead of the opening time, organizers said. Traffic and public safety will be managed by the Aurora Police Department, the Aurora Emergency Management Agency and the Citizens Police Academy of Aurora Alumni Association, the release said.

The House of Representatives has narrowly passed a Republican-led spending bill that would reduce food aid for millions of low-income women and children, highlighting divisions in Congress over nutrition programs as grocery costs remain elevated.
By a 213-210 vote on Thursday, lawmakers proved the fiscal 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies propriations bill.
The measure aims to trim funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which provides food assistance to pregnant women, new mothers and young children.
Read More on Politics
Republicans argued that the program is sufficiently funded while Democrats say this will harm vulnerable Americans at a time when consumer costs are on the rise.
How Lawmakers Voted
The bill largely passed along party lines but drew crossover votes in both directions.
Four Democrats voted with Republicans to support the bill: Don Davis of North Carolina, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Adam Gray of California and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.
At the same time, five Republicans broke ranks and opposed the measure—Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr. of Pennsylvania, Brian K. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom McClintock of California and Gregory Steube of Florida.
Republican Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, chairman of the House propriations subcommittee on agriculture, said the $8 billion in remaining funding is sufficient to meet the needs of the program, citing data, he said, showed WIC participation had been declining this fiscal year, according to The Washington Post.
Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House propriations Committee, said that while working families struggle to feed their families, Republicans are cutting funding for fruit and vegetable vouchers for women, infants, and children, as reported by the website Common Dreams.
What The Bill Would Do
The legislation aims to reduce funding for WIC’s fruit and vegetable benefit, a key portion of the program that helps participants purchase fresh produce.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the change would cut about $141 million from benefits used by roughly 5.4 million children, pregnant women and postpartum mothers enrolled in the program.
The proposal would also reduce the value of those benefits by around 10 percent.
What WIC provides—and Who Qualifies
WIC is a federally funded nutrition program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that serves low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children up to age five who are deemed at nutritional risk.
Participants receive a package of specific, proved foods—such as milk, eggs, cereal and infant formula—along with nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and health referrals.
A key component is the cash value benefit, which provides a monthly allowance for fruits and vegetables. Under current levels, children typically receive about $26 per month, pregnant and postpartum women receive about $48 per month, and breastfeeding women receive about $52 per month.
Eligibility is generally limited to households earning up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level, or those already enrolled in programs such as Medicaid or SN.
What Hpens Next in Congress
The bill’s passage in the House is only the first step in the propriations process.

The St. George Greek Festival is returning to Bethesda, offering a weekend filled with authentic Greek food, music, dancing, and cultural traditions. Hosted by St. George Greek Orthodox Church, the annual event gives visitors a chance to experience Greek hospitality while learning more about the faith and heritage of the local community.
Festival organizers say guests can enjoy traditional cuisine, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities throughout the weekend. n spoke with a few of the festival’s coordinators about what attendees can expect and why the event has become a beloved tradition in the Washington area.

Detached From Reality: This Economist Is Slamming The Trump Administration For This Ridiculous Claim They Made About American Spending Habits
Food prices are more than 30% higher today than they were right before the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser displayed a rather brazen attempt to spin Americans’ struggles with affordability.
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, made a dubious claim about rising costs during an pearance on Fox News Sunday ― namely, that the increased consumer spending of late is actually evidence of an optimistic public.
People are spending more on gas, but they’re also spending more on everything else, not just groceries, but restaurants and so on, Hassett said. And I think that’s a sign that you would see when people are optimistic about the future. But an economist who studies food prices and consumer behavior said the interpretation is deeply misleading ― and potentially damaging to public trust.
Those comments are very detached from reality, David L. Ortega, a food economist and professor at Michigan State University, told HuffPost. When we’re talking about things like food, groceries and gas, these are necessities. People have to eat. They need gas to get to work and move around. When we see more spending in those categories, it’s largely driven by higher prices ― not because people are optimistic about where we’re headed or where we currently are.
Hassett’s remarks echo those of his boss. Trump has also questioned Americans’ concerns about affordability, calling the cost-of-living crisis a hoax and shrugging off rising prices as peanuts.
But the data tells a different story. Food prices are 3.2% higher today than they were a year ago, Ortega noted, which has a real impact on people’s wallets. What is more concerning is that food prices are more than 30% higher today than they were right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ortega said. In 2022, we saw the sharpest year-over-year increase in food prices in about 40 years.
Grocery costs surged faster in 2022 than any year since 1979 amid the Ukraine war, avian flu outbreak, supply chain disruptions and more challenges. What we’ve experienced over the past few years is certainly not within the normal balance of what we were looking at prior to the pandemic, Ortega said. And at this moment, food price inflation has moderated from those highs of 2022 when we were looking at double-digit increases, but we’re now seeing a resurgence in inflation. The month-over-month numbers for groceries, in particular this last month, was the fastest increase that we’ve seen since 2022.
Although cost increases since the pandemic have had multiple causes, Ortega noted that the latest spikes seem to be largely the result of Trump administration policies and a new wave of global uncertainty.
A lot of this is driven by the impacts of the tariffs and trade policy, he explained. And we’re starting to see signs of the Middle Eastern conflict show up in food prices because of higher gas and transportation costs. Immigration policy impacts the availability of labor in agriculture. There is just a tremendous amount of uncertainty at the moment. That’s what differentiates the current moment from other shocks that we’ve seen in the more recent past.
Ortega also pointed to more concrete proof of how Americans actually feel about the economy, which seems quite at odds with Hassett’s optimism framing. The Consumer Sentiment Index ― which is a good measure of people’s level of optimism or pessimism regarding their financial situations and the broader health of the economy ― recently registered the lowest reading since they began data, he noted.
For Ortega, the disconnect between official messaging and lived experience has consequences beyond household budgets. People lose trust, he said. They lose trust in our elected officials; they lose trust in institutions. And it can have pretty significant consequences for how people view the economy. You don’t have to tell folks who are struggling to make ends meet what’s going on. And the messaging they’re getting isn’t aligned with their lived experiences, which leads to an erosion of trust that can be pretty problematic for economic policy going forward.
For Americans feeling squeezed, there are some everyday ways to help ease the burden. Food prices are significantly higher today than they were just a few years ago, and costs are up all along the supply chain. But supermarkets and grocery stores are still competing for customers’ business, Ortega explained. So it pays off to shop around a little bit, to take advantage of deals and promotions that some grocery retailers may be able to provide.
He also recommended considering substituting pricier food items for lower-cost options when possible. If there’s a type of protein right now that’s high, you can maybe substitute it for something else, and it also may pay off to consider private labels or store brands that sell at a much more affordable price point than some of the national brands, Ortega said.
For non-food items, you can also track deals with price-monitoring tools and browser extensions that give you cash back on purchases. Make use of gift cards and rewards points, and avoid rushing into big spending decisions.
Be mindful of your gas consumption and consider exploring ways to make a tank last longer. Keep an eye out for hidden fees that tend to sneakily rise during times of economic uncertainty as well.
Still, individual budgeting strategies only go so far. Ortega was clear that the bigger solutions are political, not personal. Prices are high for American consumers right now, and we’ve seen policies and actions in the past year and a half that have really contributed to the resurgence in food price inflation, he said. Hold your elected officials accountable. We have elections coming up in November, and that’s an opportunity to hold public officials accountable.
This article originally peared on HuffPost.