Random Thoughts From The Cereal Bowl

My apologies in advance as I believe I've already submitted a post similar to this once before.

Nonetheless, while pouring a bowl of Kellogg's Corn Pops, I'm reminded of the endless variety of classic breakfast cereals and the memories they have provided to millions of morning tables both past and present. It seems we all have our favorites. Here are some of my random musings on some of these scrumptious and beloved boxes of comfort.

CORN FLAKES
I don't think there is an undisputed "king of cereals" in the way that there is a king soft drink (Coca Cola) . Yet, Corn Flakes might be the closest thing to it (for many). It is deceivingly simple yet perfectly wholesome. Jerry Seinfeld, an admitted cereal afficiando, has said that if he had to choose one cereal for the rest of his life, it would have to be Corn Flakes. The only issue I have with Corn Flakes is their tendency to quickly go soggy. It's definitely a trusted classic but eat the bowl within two minutes!

RICE CRISPIES
Another legend in the cereal world. Just how do they get that toasted rice to snap, crackle and pop? Rice Crispies has a surprisingly ample percentage of Vitamin C (as cereals go).

RAISIN BRAN
The main problem with Raisin Bran is, well... the raisins! I'm just not a fan of raisins. I also like oatmeal cookies without raisins. . This cereal is an undeniable classic but I'd like it much better without the dried grapes. Which is probably the reason I'd rather have a cereal like...

WHEATIES
Ah yes... the breakfast of champions. This cereal has all the benefits of a Raisin Bran but without the distracting bits of gummy sweet fruit. And the flake is more rigid and substantial. Having said that, I always add a dash or two of sugar.

LIFE CEREAL
Celebrating its 50th birthday! As a kid, I was never too hot on this Quaker Oats staple until I learned that you don't add sugar to it. It has a faint tinge of sweetness on its own and today it is one of my favorites.

GRAPE NUTS
On the other hand, here is a distinct cereal that requires a modest dosing of sugar to balance all that earthiness! I enjoy Grape Nuts now and then but a little goes a long way. Perhaps its greatest attribute is simply its endurance in the bowl! The crunch lives on and on.

CHEERIOS
Yet another legend of the breakfast table. For me, eating a bowl of Cheerios is similar to how I feel about eating a banana - I feel healthy about it but I don't particularly like it. With some sugar, it's okay.

FROSTED MINI WHEATS
One of my all time favorites. I love mini wheats because they cover the best of both worlds - wholesomeness with a seductive side. It's always a treat when you open the box and discover your wheats have been generously coated on the frosted side! On the other hand, spotting those biscuits with sketchy frosting can quickly bring a frown.

SMART START
One of my "modern day favorites". This cereal is delicious and very firm under the soaking of milk. No sugar is needed. It also contains a whopping amount of vitamins and minerals although I must admit I only noticed this as a secondary fact.

Stay tuned for a follow-up segment on some of my favorite "sugared cereals". For now, signing off from the land of Kellogg's...

Jeff

The main problem with Raisin Bran is, well... the raisins! I'm just not a fan of raisins. I also like oatmeal cookies without raisins. . This cereal is an undeniable classic but I'd like it much better without the dried grapes.

I'm with you, Jeff, 100% against raisins.
What are your thoughts of spoon sized shredded wheat? (Another"eat fast" cereal IMO)

We've been doing the regular box of Honey Bunches of Oats. While it is availabe with rubbery almonds in it, we just throw a handful of quality sliced almonds on top. True love puts Almond Breeze on her's and cringes when I put light cream on mine.

The main problem with Raisin Bran is, well... the raisins! I'm just not a fan of raisins. I also like oatmeal cookies without raisins. . This cereal is an undeniable classic but I'd like it much better without the dried grapes.

I'm with you, Jeff, 100% against raisins.
What are your thoughts of spoon sized shredded wheat? (Another"eat fast" cereal IMO)

Hi Jon,

I do enjoy the Niagra Falls cereal (shredded wheat) but I must admit I buy the original full length biscuits. There's something about breaking up the biscuit when it's soaking in the milk that is somehow a "treat". I have similar thoughts about Frosted Mini Wheats. I enjoy the bite size but the original biscuits are still more...special.

Jeff

Great post Jeff. I agree with them all. Especially Raisin Bran, Life and Grape Nuts.
Currently, I'm eating about 1/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch over Wallaby Vanilla Yogurt (incredible flavor) with some raw walnuts and fresh blueberries. At least I start out each day healthy! Usually goes a little downhill from there...

Thank you for the kind words Carrie.

I've yet to try the cereal & yogurt combination but I hear it's quite popular. I did recently try Yoplait's Key Lime yogurt. Very delicious!

Jeff

Unfortunately, "the Original Niagara Falls" cereal has not been made here in Niagara Falls, NY in over 25 years. There is still a plant in Niagara Falls, Ont. My Mom worked at the shredded wheat factory before WWII and knew the guy who invented Triscuits. http://www.lavasurfer.com/cereal-shreddedwheat-history.html

I loathe breakfast. When I wake up in the mornings, I never know what to eat. Basically, I don't wake up hungry. I have to eat something, otherwise by 9:00 am I am starving and will probably eat something less than helpful. But I just don't enjoy breakfast. Cereals are horse food, IMO. I just can't like them. The Scottish ex-husband used to brew up porridge, which he ate with or without raisins, and he failed utterly to convert me. The Francophile likes cornflakes, but he has no competition from me for the cornflakes pack.

I'm rather like you, Matilda. I really don't want to eat when I get up. My stomach seems to wake up several hours after the rest of me. On a normal weekday, I get up at 5:30 and won't eat anything until around 9:00 when I'll have a Clif bar. That will hold me until lunch.

I do like cereal but I tend to eat it as a rare, late evening treat.

CHEERIOS
Yet another legend of the breakfast table. For me, eating a bowl of Cheerios is similar to how I feel about eating a banana - I feel healthy about it but I don't particularly like it. With some sugar, it's okay

For me it is the oats that make this the favorite of those on the list. I just love the smell of a freshly opened box of Cheerios, don't need sugar and I think they are very nice with a sliced banana. I much prefer oats to wheat.

[Jenise]

I loathe breakfast. When I wake up in the mornings, I never know what to eat. Basically, I don't wake up hungry. I have to eat something, otherwise by 9:00 am I am starving and will probably eat something less than helpful. But I just don't enjoy breakfast. Cereals are horse food, IMO. I just can't like them. The Scottish ex-husband used to brew up porridge, which he ate with or without raisins, and he failed utterly to convert me. The Francophile likes cornflakes, but he has no competition from me for the cornflakes pack.

We're sisters. I actually love grainy flavors and could eat a little Baggie of wheat Chex for a snack, say, but I'm otherwise a total outsider in this conversation. Cereal eating is a ritual with all kinds of emotional attachments you and I clearly don't have.

It's been very interesting to me to peruse the selection of breakfast cereals here in NZ and compare them to what I get back in the States. It's very hard to find cereals that aren't overly sweet apart from Cheerios and Weet-Bix, the former of which I find boring and the latter of which turns almost instantly to mush in milk -- yecchh. Back in the States, I'd buy any of a number of organic, whole grain cereals that are low in sugar, but here their equivalents are loaded with dried fruit or other sweet additives. I'm another that doesn't wake up hungry, but I'll usually eat a breakfast of cereal at 9 am or so (the advantages of being able to work from home) before heading into work. When traveling in Italy, France and Spain, though, it's coffee and a pastry for me in the morning (dinner at 9-10 pm will do that).

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

New Zealand! Lucky you. How long are you going to be there?

New Zealand! Lucky you. How long are you going to be there?

A bit less than a month remaining. April 16 we'll be back in the ol' US of A. Many more Kiwi wines to be drunk before then, though.

Mark Lipton