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A breakfast cereal is a packaged food product made from cereal intended to be consumed as part of a breakfast. It is usually eaten cold as a ready to eat (RTE) meal and simply mixed with some liquid, such as milk or water, though occasionally yoghurt and fruit are also added. The exception to the rule are cereals such as oatmeal and porridge which are eaten hot.

Breakfast cereals are marketed to all ages. For adults, companies such as Kellogg's, Sanitarium, Quaker Oats, Post, Nestlé and General Mills promote their products for the health benefits gained from eating oat-based and high fiber cereals. Manufacturers often fortify breakfast cereals with various vitamins and advertise this fact to attract customers. Cereals with relatively high sugar content are also produced. Sugar-laden breakfast cereals have been extremely popular with children for decades, and many adults also buy them.

The breakfast cereal industry is highly profitable, with gross profit margins around 40-45%, ^[1] 90% penetration in some markets,^[2], and has seen steady and continued growth during its history.^[3]

History

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.^[4] The main Western breakfast at that time was a cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and beef. The first breakfast cereal, Granula (named after granules) was invented in America in 1863 by James Caleb Jackson, operator of the Jackson Sanitorium in Dansville, New York and a staunch vegetarian. The cereal never became popular; it was far too inconvenient, as the heavy bran nuggets needed soaking overnight before they were tender enough to eat.

The next generation of breakfast cereals was considerably more convenient, and, combined with clever marketing, they finally managed to catch on. In 1877, John Harvey Kellogg, the operator of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan, invented a ground up wheat, oat, and cornmeal biscuit 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 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.

Post

A patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Charles William Post, also made significant contributions to breakfast cereals. After his 1893 visit, he started his own sanitarium, the La Vita Inn, and developed his own coffee substitute, Postum. In 1897, Post invented Grape Nuts and, coupled with a nation-wide advertising campaign, became a leader in the cereal business.

The 20th century

By the 1930s, the first puffed cereal, Kix, was on the market. Starting after World War II, the big breakfast cereal companies (now including General Mills, who started in 1924 with Wheaties) increasingly started to target children. Sugar was added, and the once-healthy breakfasts looked starkly different from their fiber-rich ancestors (Kellogg's Sugar Smacks, started in 1953, had 56% sugar by weight).^[5] Different mascots were introduced, first with the Rice Krispies elves and later pop icons like Tony the Tiger and the Trix Rabbit. However, the current trend is to make cereal healthier by reducing the amount of sugar and adding whole grains.

Because of Kellogg, the city of Battle Creek, Michigan is nicknamed the "cereal city"^[6].

Muesli

Muesli is a popular 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.^[7] It is available in a packaged dry form such as Alpen or it can be made fresh.

Hot cereals

Most hot 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.

China

In China, a popular breakfast combination includes fried bread and rice congee.

India

In India, a popular breakfast combination includes Poha and milk. Poha is flattened rice flakes or wheat flakes and mixed with hot milk, sugar or jagerry and a minute quantity of cardamom, making a wholesome breakfast. This is very popular in Western India. In North India, a similar breakfast is Dalia, made with whole wheat grits. It can be made both sweet(cooked in milk with sugar) or salty (cooked in water using vegetables)

Russia

In Russia, a popular breakfast is kasha, a porridge of buckwheat (гречка), farina (манна), or other grains. Kasha is found throughout much of Eastern Europe, including Poland, Croatia, and Lithuania.

South Africa

Pap is a kind of 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) [1].

Canada

Common hot cereals in 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. Due to commercial availability, instant oatmeal has become increasingly popular, in flavors such as peaches and cream, maple and brown sugar, and cinnamon raisin.

Greece

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

References

Notes

^ "How constipation cure became huge business". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-04-20. {{cite web}}: Text "Business" ignored (help); Text "The Guardian" ignored (help)
^ "Breakfast Cereals Market Report - Market Research Reports - Research and Markets". www.researchandmarkets.com. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
^ http://www.mmc.gov.uk/rep_pub/reports/1970_1975/fulltext/067c01.pdf
^ "The History of Breakfast Cereals". inventors.about.com. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
^ http://www.karlloren.com/diet/p35.htm
^ http://www.roadsideamerica.com/sights/sightstory.php?tip_AttrId=%3D13038
^ 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.

Bibliography

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

Cereal Buzz: Breakfast Cereal News & Reviews
Breakfast Cereal Compared - Nutrition facts and ingredients of 50 popular cereals compared side-by-side.
The Early Days of Breakfast Cereals
The History of Cereal
Post Heritage

[1] "How constipation cure became huge business". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-04-20. {{cite web}}: Text "Business" ignored (help); Text "The Guardian" ignored (help)

[2] "Breakfast Cereals Market Report - Market Research Reports - Research and Markets". www.researchandmarkets.com. Retrieved 2008-04-20.

[3] ttp://www.mmc.gov.uk/rep_pub/reports/1970_1975/fulltext/067c01.pdf

[4] "The History of Breakfast Cereals". inventors.about.com. Retrieved 2008-04-20.

[5] ttp://www.karlloren.com/diet/p35.htm

[6] ttp://www.roadsideamerica.com/sights/sightstory.php?tip_AttrId=%3D13038

[7] 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.

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 [[Image:NCI Visuals Food Meal Breakfast.jpg|thumb|Cold breakfast cereal]]
-A '''breakfast cereal''' is a [[Fast moving consumer goods|packaged]] food product made from [[cereal]] and consumed as a [[breakfast]] food.  It is usually eaten cold as a ready to eat (RTE) meal and simply mixed with some liquid, such as [[milk]] or [[water]], sometimes [[yoghurt]] and fruit are also added. Some cereals, such as [[oatmeal]] and [[porridge]], may be eaten hot.
+A '''breakfast cereal''' is a [[Fast moving consumer goods|packaged]] food product made from [[cereal]] intended to be consumed as part of a [[breakfast]]. It is usually eaten cold as a ready to eat (RTE) meal and simply mixed with some liquid, such as [[milk]] or [[water]], though occasionally [[yoghurt]] and fruit are also added. The exception to the rule are cereals such as [[oatmeal]] and [[porridge]] which are eaten hot.
 Breakfast cereals are marketed to all ages. For adults, companies such as [[Kellogg Company|Kellogg's]], [[Sanitarium Health Food Company|Sanitarium]], [[Quaker Oats]], [[Post Cereal|Post]], [[Nestlé]] and [[General Mills]] promote their products for the health benefits gained from eating [[oat]]-based and high [[Dietary fiber|fiber]] cereals. Manufacturers often fortify breakfast cereals with various [[vitamin]]s and advertise this fact to attract customers. Cereals with relatively high [[sugar]] content are also produced. Sugar-laden breakfast cereals have been extremely popular with children for decades, and many adults also buy them.