M&S Special Flakes: calories, sugar and nutrition

A 30g bowl of M&S Special Flakes contains 112 kcal, 2.4g of sugar (all of it free sugar), 1.0g of fibre and 2.6g of protein. With 125ml of semi-skimmed milk the bowl comes to 171 kcal and 8.3g of total sugar. It is classed as NOVA 3 (processed).

Nutrition by portion size

Full nutrition by portion: Special Flakes

Per	Child bowl 25g	Standard bowl 30g	Generous bowl 45g	100g
Energy	93 kcal	112 kcal	168 kcal	373 kcal
Fat	0.2g	0.2g	0.3g	0.7g
Saturates	0.05g	0.06g	0.09g	0.2g
Carbs	20.4g	24.4g	36.6g	81.4g
Total sugar	2.0g	2.4g	3.6g	8.0g
Free sugar	2.0g	2.4g	3.6g	8.0g
Fibre	0.8g	1.0g	1.5g	3.3g
Protein	2.1g	2.6g	3.9g	8.6g
Salt	0.12g	0.14g	0.22g	0.48g

Cereal only, before milk. M&S gives a pack serving of 30g. Free sugar is Boone's calculation: all of its sugar comes from added sugars, so free sugar equals total sugar. All other figures are from the M&S nutrition panel.

Calories, free sugar and salt by age

A 30g bowl as a share of daily guidelines

30g bowl	4 to 6	7 to 10	11 to 17	Adult
Calories	9%	7%	6%	6%
Free sugar	13%	10%	8%	8%
Salt	5%	3%	2%	2%
Saturated fat	0%	0%	0%	0%

Cereal only, before milk. Figures are for an average female in each age band; use the calculator for males, other portions or any milk.

Free sugar vs total sugar

All 8.0g of sugar per 100g in Special Flakes counts as free sugar, because it comes from added sugars rather than whole fruit or milk. A 30g bowl gives 2.4g, about 0.6 teaspoons.

Is it ultra-processed?

Special Flakes is classed as NOVA 3, processed. It is made from grains or other whole foods with culinary ingredients such as sugar, salt, oil or malt extract added, but none of the industrial ingredients that mark a food as ultra-processed.

Boone classifies processing from the published ingredient list using the NOVA system. Added vitamins and minerals are not counted as a marker of ultra-processing.

What is in it

Ingredients

Rice (73%), Wheat (24%), Sugar, Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Fortification*, *Fortified with Niacin, Iron, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B6

6 ingredients in total, counting each component once and the added vitamins and minerals as one. Always check the pack before eating if you have an allergy, since recipes change.

Allergens

Allergen information

Allergen	Status
Cereals containing gluten	Contains
Crustaceans	Not listed
Eggs	Not listed
Fish	Not listed
Peanuts	Not listed
Soybeans	Not listed
Milk	Not listed
Nuts	Not listed
Celery	Not listed
Mustard	Not listed
Sesame	Not listed
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites	Not listed
Lupin	Not listed
Molluscs	Not listed

Contains is taken from the ingredient list. May-contain warnings for cross-contamination are not shown here, so always check the pack before eating if you have an allergy.

M&S Special Flakes nutrition FAQs

How many calories are in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 112 kcal, or 171 kcal with 125ml of semi-skimmed milk. Per 100g it is 373 kcal.

How much sugar is in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 2.4g of sugar, all of it free sugar, about 0.6 teaspoons.

How much free sugar is that for a child?+

A 30g bowl is 13% of the 19g daily free sugar limit for a child aged 4 to 6, 10% of the 24g limit for a child aged 7 to 10, and 8% of the 30g limit for an adult.

How much fibre and protein does it have?+

A 30g bowl provides 1.0g of fibre and 2.6g of protein. Adults are advised to eat 30g of fibre a day.

How much salt is in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 0.14g of salt, 2% of the 6g adult daily maximum and 5% of the 3g limit for a child aged 4 to 6.

Is it ultra-processed?+

It is classed as NOVA 3 (processed) based on its ingredient list.

Is it healthy?+

Under the UK government's 2018 nutrient profiling model it scores 9. A food scoring 4 or more is classed as less healthy, so it would be classed as less healthy. The 2018 model has been published but is not yet the basis of the advertising and promotion rules.