The tradition of eating cereal for breakfast has a history that dates back to the late 19th century. The development of breakfast cereal is attributed to several individuals and factors that contributed to its popularity:
- Dr. John Harvey Kellogg: In the late 1800s, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a physician and nutritionist, was a strong advocate for dietary reform and believed in the health benefits of a vegetarian diet. He ran the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, where he and his brother Will Keith Kellogg experimented with creating foods that were both nutritious and easy to digest. In 1894, they accidentally created flaked cereal while trying to produce a type of dough. This led to the creation of “corn flakes,” which became one of the earliest commercial breakfast cereals.
- Will Keith Kellogg: Dr. Kellogg’s brother, Will Keith Kellogg, recognized the potential of commercializing the cereal product they had created. In 1906, he founded the Kellogg Company to market and sell corn flakes. He focused on promoting the convenience and health benefits of eating cereal for breakfast, advocating it as a more wholesome alternative to the heavy and traditional breakfasts of the time.
- C.W. Post: Around the same time, Charles William Post, inspired by the success of the Kellogg brothers, also began experimenting with creating breakfast cereals. In 1897, he introduced Grape-Nuts, a cereal made from wheat and barley. Post’s company, which later became General Foods, helped popularize the concept of ready-to-eat cereals as a quick and nutritious breakfast option.
- Marketing and Advertising: Both the Kellogg Company and Post’s company played a crucial role in marketing and advertising breakfast cereals. They promoted the health benefits, convenience, and ease of preparation of these cereals, targeting busy individuals who needed a quick and nutritious breakfast option.
- Technological Advances: The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw technological advancements that enabled the mass production of cereal products. Improved milling processes and packaging techniques contributed to the widespread availability and popularity of breakfast cereals.
As time went on, the breakfast cereal industry continued to evolve, with various companies introducing a wide range of flavors and types of cereal. The industry’s success was further fueled by clever marketing campaigns, the introduction of toy prizes inside cereal boxes, and the inclusion of nutritional information on packaging.
Overall, the advent of breakfast cereal was influenced by the pursuit of healthier dietary options, advancements in food processing technology, and effective marketing strategies that positioned cereal as a convenient and nutritious breakfast choice.
Art Medium
The medium of art creation that most relates to the article is collage. Just as collage art involves assembling various materials, images, and elements to create a unified visual composition, the development and popularity of breakfast cereals were the result of various individuals, factors, and ideas coming together. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and his brother accidentally “collaged” their ideas and experiments to create corn flakes. Will Keith Kellogg and C.W. Post also added their unique contributions to the mix, akin to selecting different elements for a collage. The marketing and advertising efforts of the Kellogg Company and Post’s company can be likened to arranging and layering pieces in a collage to convey a specific message. Additionally, technological advances, like the improved milling processes, represent the different textures and materials used in collage art. The evolution of the breakfast cereal industry over time, with the introduction of various flavors and marketing strategies, can be seen as the ongoing process of refining and expanding a collage. Just as collage art creates a coherent whole from disparate parts, the breakfast cereal industry’s success was the result of combining diverse elements into a unified and popular breakfast choice.
