National Cereal Day

National Cereal Day is celebrated every year on March 7^th.  For many of us, cereal is how we begin our day.  Whether it’s Cap’n Crunch, Lucky Charms, Honey Nut Cheerios, or Shredded Wheat, the varieties of cereals available are seemingly endless and have changed tremendously over the years.

Whether you are looking for something sweet or want a healthier option, there is a cereal out there for you.  Many of us think of cereal for breakfast, but it can be eaten any time of the day.  So remember, when life gets busy and you don’t have time to cook, there’s always cereal.

In celebration of National Cereal Day, I thought it would be fun to learn more about cereal.  So, here are some interesting and fun facts involving cereal:

1. The word “cereal” derives from Ceres, the name of the Roman goddess of harvest and agriculture;
2. The first cold cereal called Granula was invented in the U.S. in 1863 by James Caleb Jackson (made from graham flour dough that was dried and broken into shapes so hard they needed to be soaked in milk overnight);
3. Quaker Oats are considered to be the oldest hot cereal;
4. Some of the leading cereal manufacturers include Kellogg’s, General Mills, Post, and Quaker Oats;
5. Astronauts ate Kellogg’s Corn Flakes aboard Apollo 11, which was the first moon landing;
6. Approximately 50% of Americans begin their day eating cereal;
7. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes was the first company to offer a prize with the purchase of their cereal in 1909;
8. Cheerios was first called “Cheerioats” in 1941, but the name changed in 1945 when Quaker Oats complained of the use of the word oats;
9. Cap’n Crunch’s full name is Horatio Magellan Crunch, and he was born on Crunch Island in the Sea of Milk; and
10. Rice Krispies mascots Snap, Crackle, and Pop briefly had a fourth brother named Pow in early 1950.

Happy National Cereal Day!