The Evolution of Cereal from a Healthfood to a Sugary Breakfast Staple
When did cereal get associated with breakfast? The story begins with a unique individual who challenged traditional breakfast options. Kind of like when someone starts a trend and others follow.
Traditional Breakfast Foods
Traditional breakfast foods are often filling and quick to prepare. Think of hash browns, scrambled eggs, sausage, hot oatmeal, pancakes, and waffles. These can be ready in just a half an hour. However, cold cereal is the fastest option to prepare, as all you need to do is pour a bowl and add milk. Only ready-made pastries can be quicker than that!
Granola: The First Cold Cereal
Before we dive into cereals, let’s talk a bit about granola. The first cold cereal was actually granola, made by baking a mix of rolled oats and other ingredients. However, corn flakes would soon become a game-changer, thanks to John Harvey Kellogg.
John Harvey Kellogg's Discovery
John Harvey Kellogg, not to be confused with the cereal brand, discovered corn flakes accidentally. He was cooking cornmeal porridge on a wood stove when some of it splattered on the hot stovetop, forming flakes. After figuring out how to produce corn flakes on an industrial scale, Kellogg made a fortune marketing this convenient new breakfast food. Interestingly, corn flakes are still being produced today.
The Rise of Convenience and Speed
As a physician and health food pioneer, Kellogg’s ultimate aim was to create a product that would help with indigestion and discourage alcohol, sexual activity, and negative human propensities. This marked the beginning of a different kind of breakfast staple.
The Journey from Health Food to Sweet Success
Over time, his company introduced a variety of products that would never have been approved during Kellogg’s lifetime. Some of these include Apple Jacks, Captain Crunch, Coco Krispies, Corn Pops, Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, Frosted Mini Wheats, and Special K. This evolution highlights a sugar-laden breakfast cereal industry that emerged as a sugary arms race.
From Porridge to Precooked Cereals
Porridge, gruel, congee, and corn mush, have been consumed for a long time, but these take a bit of time to make. In the 19th century, early cold cereal products required soaking, which made them somewhat inconvenient. However, with the industrial revolution and the increasing pace of life, precooked boxed cereals were developed, and the world was on its way towards quicker breakfast options.
The Explosion of Cereal Choices
The proliferation of cereal choices over the years is quite astounding. In 1970, there were about 160 different types of breakfast cereals. By 1998, this number had grown to around 340. A mere 14 years later, in 2012, there were roughly 5000 different types of cereals. That’s a lot of cereal options to choose from!
Sugary or Not, Cereal Remains Popular
While not everyone may be thrilled with the increasingly sugary trend in cereal, I for one am not disappointed. I enjoy sugary breakfast cereal and even like to add sugar to already sweet cereals. Whether it’s a healthfood or a sweet indulgence, cereal has certainly carved a significant place in our breakfast tradition.