Of course, companies kept churning out every iteration of sugar-bomb cereal, but those were now winked at as “part of this complete breakfast.” You wouldn’t just serve your children Pop Tarts Crunch by itself, but throw in some fruit, orange juice, milk and maybe eggs, and it’s a perfectly fine component to include. The Fannie Farmer breakfast resurfaced.
Cereal’s advertising campaigns still attempt to address these individual issues. If you’re concerned about dirtying a bowl, you can buy disposable, single-serving cereal packs. If you’re worried about sugar content, Lucky Charms advertises its whole grains and vitamins, and Corn Pops says it only has “a touch of sweetness.” Concerned that your healthy cereal will be bland and flavorless? Try Honey Bunches of Oats filled with vanilla yogurt clusters and chocolate bits. Wheaties says you should pair it with chocolate milk, perhaps in hopes that the combination will liven up a bowl of plain grain flakes. It’s supposed to be filling, nutritious, tasty and, most of all, convenient. It’s in crisis mode, back to fighting for space on the shelf, trying to convince you it’s Fannie Farmer’s five courses rolled into one.
