National Cereal Day

Start your day off right with a bowl of crunchy goodness, complete with milk and your favorite fruits. It's breakfast time!

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Drive breakfast category sales and brand loyalty by celebrating cereal nostalgia and morning routine rituals in March.

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Throwback to iconic cereal mascots and childhood memories
Healthy cereal options for wellness-minded families
DIY cereal bowl recipes and flavor combinations
Limited-edition March cereal flavors and bundle promotions

History

Cereal got its start in the 1800’s as an unappetizing and difficult to digest health food. Made of nuggets of bran it was thought to regulate what was a meat heavy diet. Most American’s at this time ate mostly pork and beef.

The diet of the time was very unhealthy and those who wanted to improve society thought that they could make changes in diet that would bring spiritual and social change as well.

Dr. James Caleb invented the bran nuggets to help the patrons of his sanitarium. A sanitarium was a place where people would go to recover from illness or injury or to partake of restorative spa treatments.

There was a spiritual side to being at the sanitarium as well and Dr. Caleb hosted several prominent people including the woman who created the Seventh Day Adventist religion.

Dr. John Kellogg took an interest in health foods for his patients. He created granola and with his brothers help created many other meatless breakfast foods. They even came across the method that let wheat flake instead of being a nugget and corn flakes were born!

It wasn’t until 1939 that cereal would take on the sweetness that we are familiar with today. The sweet creation was called Ranger Joe Popped Wheat Honnie and was marketed towards children. You could say that the rest is history!

From that moment forward cereal has used the marketing tactic of appealing to children through radio and TV ads.

FAQ

Did astronauts take cereal to the moon?

Yes, during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, astronauts brought Corn Flakes as part of their breakfast. They consumed the cereal in a dehydrated form, adding water to rehydrate it before eating. This choice provided a lightweight, easy-to-store, and nutritious option for their journey.

How did cereal influence the creation of the first toy prizes in food packages?

In 1909, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes introduced the first toy prize in a cereal box—a book called “The Funny Jungleland Moving Pictures Book.” This marketing strategy aimed to boost sales and engage children, setting a precedent for including toys in food products.

What is the origin of the word ‘cereal’?

The term ‘cereal’ derives from ‘Ceres,’ the Roman goddess of agriculture and harvest. This etymology reflects the grain-based nature of breakfast cereals.

How did a legal battle lead to the renaming of ‘Cheerioats’ to ‘Cheerios’?

In 1941, General Mills launched ‘Cheerioats.’ However, a legal dispute with Quaker Oats over the use of ‘oats’ in the name led to a rebranding. In 1945, the cereal was renamed ‘Cheerios,’ a name that has endured for decades.

Why do cereals like Cheerios cluster together in milk?

This phenomenon, known as the “Cheerio Effect,” occurs because floating objects attract each other due to surface tension. As a result, cereals tend to clump together or cling to the sides of the bowl.

How did cereal companies influence Saturday morning cartoons?

In the 1960s and 1970s, cereal companies sponsored Saturday morning cartoons to target children. They created mascots like Tony the Tiger and Cap’n Crunch, integrating them into advertising and programming to boost cereal sales.

What is the significance of Battle Creek, Michigan, in cereal history?

Battle Creek is known as the “Cereal Capital of the World.” It’s home to Kellogg’s headquarters and was the birthplace of many cereal innovations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

How did the invention of puffed cereals come about?

In 1904, Dr. Alexander P. Anderson discovered that exposing rice grains to high pressure caused them to puff up. This led to the creation of puffed cereals like Rice Krispies, which became popular breakfast options.

What was the first sweetened cereal introduced to the market?

In 1939, “Ranger Joe Popped Wheat Honnie” became the first sweetened cereal. It marked a shift towards cereals aimed at children, combining sugar with grains to appeal to younger tastes.

How did cereal consumption change during World War II?

During World War II, cereal consumption increased due to meat shortages and rationing. Cereals provided a convenient, non-perishable, and nutritious alternative, leading to their widespread adoption in American households.