6 New Ways to Use Plain Cereal - Without the Bowl

You may think that cereal is only good for a quick breakfast with milk, but think again! Corn/bran flakes, O-shaped cereal, crispy rice or rice squares, wheat nuggets (such as Grape-Nuts® or comparable brand), and shredded wheat are all examples of "plain" cereal that can be used in a pinch for other types of meals.  Plain cereal is a great budget pantry item, which is why we included it in our $16 Shop Rite Basket.  Take a look at all the ways you can make that cereal work: ​

​1. Breading:
Finely crushed cereal can be used in place of bread crumbs for foods that require breading, like baked chicken tenders or breaded and baked fish. Corn/bran flakes are especially great for this.

Recipes to Try:
​​Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan
​Mozzarella Chicken with Garlic & Spinach

​2. Topping:
Use crisp rice, o-shaped, or wheat  nugget cereal right out of the box on yogurt, pudding, cottage cheese, or sundaes. You can also crush up corn flakes or rice squares to top macaroni and cheese, casseroles, or anything else that could use extra crunch! 

​Recipes to Try: Fruit Yogurt Parfaits

​​3. Filling:
Nix the bread crumbs, and instead grind up cereal to use as a "filler" in meat loaf, stuffed peppers, or fish cakes/patties. Most plain cereals will work well for this.
​
Recipes to Try:
Salmon Patties

​4. Trail mix:
Toss o-shaped or rice square type cereal with lightly salted nuts and dried fruit for a tasty snack you can take on the go.
​
Recipes to Try:
Energy Trail Mix
Fiesta Trail Mix

5. Snack bars:
Crisp rice, rice squares, wheat nuggets, corn/bran flakes and o-shaped cereal are all great for creating your own snack bars. Get creative to make healthier versions of crispy rice treats!
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6. Baked Goods: Plain cereal works wonderfully crushed up for pie crusts, as a replacement for a portion of flour in muffins and cakes, or for other baked treats. Corn/bran flakes and rice square cereals are helpful options here.

Recipes to Try:
Honey Milk Balls
Peach Bran Muffins

If you liked this, check out these other cereal-related posts:
Why Whole Grains Will Change Your Life
A Cup of Coffee is Not a Complete Breakfast! (and 3 More Tips for Healthy Changes to Breakfast)