Breakfast cereal

Cold breakfast cereal with milk and raspberries

A breakfast cereal (or just cereal) is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk (e.g. cow's milk, soy milk, rice milk, almond milk), water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge. Some companies promote their products for the health benefits from eating oat-based and high-fiber cereals. Cereals may be fortified with vitamins. Some cereals are made with high sugar content, with themes like Spider-Man, Disney Princesses, Barbie dolls and SpongeBob, giving away free gifts like pull-back cars, Top Trumps cards and plastic bracelets, to popularise them with children.

The breakfast cereal industry has gross profit margins of 40-45%,^[1] 90% penetration in some markets,^[2] and steady and continued growth throughout its history.^[3]

A bowl of corn flakes with milk.

History

Porridge was a traditional food in much of Northern Europe and Russia back to antiquity. Barley was a common grain used, though other grains and yellow peas could be used. In many modern cultures, porridge is still eaten as a breakfast dish.^{[citation needed]}

19th century

The first breakfast cereal, Granula was invented in the United States in 1863 by James Caleb Jackson, operator of Our Home on the Hillside which was later replaced by the Jackson Sanatorium in Dansville, New York. The cereal never became popular since it was inconvenient, as the heavy bran nuggets needed soaking overnight before they were tender enough to eat.^[4][5][6] Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals have their beginnings in the vegetarian movement in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, which influenced members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United States.^[5]

The American Cereal Company created a cereal made from oats in 1877, manufacturing the product in Akron, Ohio.^[7] Separately, George H. Hoyt created Wheatena circa 1879, during an era when retailers would typically buy cereal (the most popular being cracked wheat, oatmeal, and cerealine) in barrel lots, and scoop it out to sell by the pound to customers. Hoyt, who'd found a distinctive process of preparing wheat for cereal, sold his cereal in boxes, offering consumers a sanitary appeal.^[8][9]

Breakfast cereals, packaged, became considerably more convenient, and, combined with clever marketing, they caught on. In 1877, John Harvey Kellogg, operator of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan, invented a biscuit made of ground-up wheat, oat, and cornmeal for his patients suffering from bowel problems. The product was initially also named "Granula", but changed to "Granola" after a lawsuit. His most famous contribution, however, was an accident. After leaving a batch of boiled wheat soaking overnight and rolling it out, Kellogg had created wheat flakes. His brother Will Keith Kellogg later invented corn flakes from a similar method, bought out his brother's share in their business, and went on to found the Kellogg Company in 1906. With his shrewd marketing and advertising, Kellogg's sold their one millionth case after three years.^{[citation needed]}

20th century

Breakfast cereal primarily marketed to children, such as Froot Loops, is commonly brightly colored and high in sugar.

In 1902 Force wheat flakes became the first ready-to-eat breakfast cereal introduced into the United Kingdom. The cereal, and the Sunny Jim character, achieved wide success in Britain, at its peak in 1930 selling 12.5 million packages.

In the 1930s, the first puffed cereal, Kix, went on the market. Beginning after World War II, the big breakfast cereal companies – now including General Mills, who entered the market in 1924 with Wheaties – increasingly started to target children. The flour was refined to remove fiber, which at the time was considered to make digestion and absorption of nutrients difficult, and sugar was added to improve the flavor for children. The new breakfast cereals began to look starkly different from their ancestors. As one example, Kellogg's Sugar Smacks, created in 1953, had 56% sugar by weight.^[10] Different mascots were introduced, such as the Rice Krispies elves^[11] and later pop icons like Tony the Tiger and the Trix Rabbit.

Because of Kellogg and Post, the city of Battle Creek, Michigan is nicknamed the "Cereal Capital of the World".^[12]

Processing

Processing is the modification of a grain or mixture of grains usually taking place in a facility remote from the location where the product is eaten. This distinguishes "Breakfast cereals" from foods made from grains modified and cooked in the place where they are eaten.

Muesli

Main article: Muesli

Muesli is a breakfast cereal based on uncooked rolled oats, fruit, and nuts. It was developed around 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital.^[13] It is available in a packaged dry form such as Alpen, or it can be made fresh.

Warm cereals

Most warm cereals can be classified as porridges, in that they consist of cereal grains which are soaked and/or boiled to soften them and make them palatable. Sweeteners, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup, are often added either by the manufacturer, during cooking, or before eating.

Canada

Common hot cereals in parts of Canada include oatmeal, Cream of Wheat and Red River cereal. These hot cereals are typically served with maple syrup or brown sugar and milk or cream. Yogurt is a popular addition to Red River cereal. Many Canadians also enjoy cereals common to the style pioneered and currently prevalent in the United States market.

China

In China, porridges such as rice congee, or those made with other ingredients (including corn meal or millet) are often eaten for breakfast.

Greece

In Greece, cornmeal is poured into boiling milk to create a cereal of a thick consistency which is often served to young children.

Russia

In Russia, a breakfast is kasha, a porridge of buckwheat (Russian: гречка, grechka), farina (Russian: манка, manka), or other grains. Kasha is found throughout much of Eastern Europe, including Poland and Croatia.

South Africa

Pap is a porridge used in a variety of African meals eaten throughout the day. In other parts of Africa it is known as ugali, sadza, and banku.

Porridge brands unique to South Africa include Jungle Oats and Bokomo Maltabella (made from malted sorghum).^[14]

Ireland

In Ireland, the company White's has been milling oats in Tandragee since 1841.^[15]

United States

Oatmeal is popular in the United States, and cream of wheat is widely available if less popular. Grits is a porridge of native American origin made from corn (maize) which is popular in the South.

See also

• Cereal box prize
• Cerealicious
• Farina
• Flakes (film)
• Grits
• List of breakfast cereals
• List of breakfast cereal advertising characters

Notes

1. ^ Lawrence, Felicity (2006-12-28). "How constipation cure became huge business". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/dec/28/food.usnews. Retrieved 2008-04-20. 
2. ^ "Breakfast Cereals Market Report - Market Research Reports - Research and Markets". Key Note Publications Ltd. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/3509. Retrieved 2008-04-20. 
3. ^ "Breakfast Cereals: A Report on the Supply of Ready Cooked Breakfast Cereal Foods", The Monopolies C omission, 20 February 1973
4. ^ "Breakfast Cereal Beginnings". CyberPalate LLC. http://www.cuisinenet.com/digest/breakfast/cereal.shtml. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Food and Nutrition / Editorial Advisers, Dayle Hayes, Rachel Laudan, Volume 2. Marshall Cavendish. http://books.google.com/books?id=sIQQ6plTd6QC&pg=PA191&dq=James+Caleb+Jackson+and+breakfast+cereal#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
6. ^ Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World. Penguin. http://books.google.com/books?id=OXT0MyOjhnIC&pg=PT35&dq=James+Caleb+Jackson+and+breakfast+cereal#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
7. ^ "American Cereal Company", Ohio History Central
8. ^ "A Century of Wheatena", HomeStatFarm.com
9. ^ "The Golden Heart of the Wheat" chapter, The Story of a Pantry Shelf: An Outline History of Grocery Specialties (Butterick Publishing, New York, c. 1925, pp. 219-221. WebCitation archive.
10. ^ Percentage Of Sugar In Common Foods
11. ^ "Breakfast Pals" (1939), Prelinger Archives; producer Cartoon Films, Ltd; sponsor Kellogg (W.K.) Co.
12. ^ "Cereal City USA - Closed, Battle Creek, Michigan", RoadsideAmerica.com
13. ^ J.A. Kurmann, et al.: Encyclopedia of Fermented Fresh Milk Products: an international inventory of fermented milk, cream, buttermilk, whey, and related products. Springer Verlang, 1992. Page 75: Bircher Muesli.
14. ^ Pronutro, Cereals, Mealie Meal
15. ^ White's

References

• Breakfast Cereals and How They Are Made, Elwood F. Caldwell, American Association of Cereal Chemists, 2000, ISBN 1891127152
• Cerealizing America: The Unsweetened Story of American Breakfast Cereal , Scott Bruce, Faber & Faber, 1995, ISBN 0571198511

External links

• "All About Cereal" at Cereal.com
• "The Cereal Project" at MrBreakfast.com; includes A-Z index
• The History of Cereal
• Topher's Breakfast Cereal Character Guide. WebCitation archive.