Whether you put cereal or milk first in your bowl, you may have wondered why this particular combination became so popular. Milk + cereal is one of the best food combinations loved by kids and adults equally, but who came up with it? When did we decide to eat cereal with milk and what’s the reason behind it?
According to Mashed, it’s all thanks to James Caleb Jackson, the creator of granula—the first manufactured breakfast cereal. Pouring milk over granula was supposed to soften it. Granula was made of bran-rich graham flour shaped like nuggets. It was revolutionary during the time when bacon, eggs, and meat were the only breakfast staples in the U.S. It was a vegetarian option, and on top of that, it was sweet.
It was, however, hard to chew. The inventor’s mother, Lucretia, suggested soaking granula in milk or warm water to make it softer. And if you were wondering, the famous Kellogg’s granola was directly inspired by granula.
Today, it’s so common to eat cereal with milk that people would think you’re crazy if you wanted to eat them alone, even if they aren’t too hard. Plus, you’d miss out on delicious cereal milk that’s left in the bowl once you’re done with your breakfast!
