by Breakfast cereals have been a staple part of the American breakfast for over a century now. From the early wheat and oat based cereals to today’s wide variety of flavors, cereals have steadily grown in popularity due to their convenience and variety of health benefits. Let’s take a deeper look at the history and varieties of breakfast cereals.
The Origins of Breakfast Cereals
Some of the earliest breakfast cereals originated in the late 19th century as ways to popularize wheat and oat products. In 1863, James Caleb Jackson created the first wheat-based cereal called Granula. Just a few years later in 1874, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and his brother Will Keith Kellogg founded the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, later known as Kellogg’s, to produced toasted wheat and corn flakes as part of a health food regimen at their sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan. These early cereals focused on simple whole grains with minimal processing and sweetening.
Over the next few decades, other companies like Post and General Mills entered the cereal market with their own variations on flaked and shredded grain cereals. The 1920s marked a major turning point as sweetened cereals like Kellogg’s Rice Krispies and Post’s Grape-Nuts Flakes were introduced. New production techniques like puffing and shredding grains allowed for lighter, crunchier textures in cereals.
Branded Cereals and Marketing to Children
During the 1950s, breakfast cereal boomed in popularity through clever marketing directly targeting children. Brand mascots like Tony the Tiger, the Trix Rabbit, and Lucky the Leprechaun were created. Packaging and commercials made cereal seem like a fun, colorful part of childhood. Many flavored varieties with marshmallows and fruit pieces emerged as a way to entice kids. By the 1970s, children were being heavily targeted through Saturday morning cartoon advertising and licensing deals that placed popular characters on cereal boxes.
Breakfast Cereals continue to tap into nostalgia and childhood memories through iconic characters and box designs. Market research has consistently shown that adults are likely to choose cereals they remembered eating as kids. Clever marketing was a major driver in turning cereal from just a practical breakfast food into an emotional choice laden with fond memories.
Modern Variety and Ingredients
There are now hundreds of different cereal varieties available on store shelves catering to diverse tastes, lifestyles, and diets. Ingredients have evolved with trends towards things like:
– Whole grain cereals with at least 51% whole wheat, oats, or bran to provide fiber. Popular brands include Kashi, Nature’s Path, and Special K.
– Organic cereals made without artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or GMOs. Companies like Arrowhead Mills, Go Raw, and Nature’s Cereal offer organic options.
– Low sugar cereals for parents concerned about added sugars in kid’s diets. Cereals labeled “low sugar” contain 6g or less of sugar per serving.
– Protein-fortified cereals boosted with extra nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals. Brands catering to this include Kashi GOLEAN, Quaker Protein, and Kellogg’s Special K Protein.
– Gluten-free cereals without wheat, barley, or rye for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. Popular varieties come from Enjoy Life, Nature’s Path, and Captain Crunch.
With so many options, there is truly a breakfast cereal suited to meet different dietary preferences and lifestyles. Cereal remains a staple breakfast food for its convenience, flavors, and nutritional values. Whether classic favorites or new innovations, Americans will keep enjoying cereal for generations to come.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
