Growing up, you had the same routine every morning: get dressed, brush your teeth and hair, and plop on the couch, "SpongeBob" on the TV, with one of those foldable tables in front of you that sit a large bowl of a sugary cereal you had picked for the week, then you would go off to school. It was amazing, the good life. Now, your parents are no longer calmly waking you up and helping you out of bed. Instead, you rely on the tortuous noises that echo from your phone’s alarm clock. It wouldn’t be so terrible if you didn’t hit snooze so many times. Anyway, this prevents you from having enough time in the morning to have a bowl of cereal, and you grab a protein bar, and you’re on your way. Well, this is a letter to you PLEADING that you reintroduce yourself to the cereal aisle. For a while, I was just like you. Grabbing food on the go and rushing out of my apartment. No longer is this the case. I wake up 5 minutes earlier just to make a bowl of cereal because it is so worth it, I promise. Even though I no longer eat the brightly colored, cavity-inducing cereals like Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms and Apple Jacks, cereal is still just as good, if not better.
As a cereal enthusiast, I can assure the deliciousness of the newer, healthier cereals. My personal preferences generally include any type of Cheerio: Honey Nut, Medley Crunch, Protein and Dark Chocolate Crunch. One long standing favorite that makes me feel like a 90-year old woman is Bran, with Oh’s Honey Graham as a close second. My current number one is Trader Joe’s Chocolate Almond Granola (it’s FANTASTIC). As a millennial that doesn’t even like closing cabinets or putting dishes back, I’m telling you to put in the extra effort and start eating cereal again.
While bars may be quicker and easier than the arduous task of pouring milk and cereal into a bowl, there are many negatives of bars that just don’t happen when having cereal. First of all, bars are nowhere near as fun as watching your cereal swim around the bowl of milk. They are also not nearly as filling. A bowl of cereal is simply a more satisfying meal. Above everything, to-go bars aren’t even enjoyable, they’re just crumbs (*cough cough*, Nature Valley).
Cereal also does not have to be just a breakfast food. It can be eaten at any time of the day for any reason at all. Don’t know what to have for lunch? Cereal. Late night studying? Cereal. Just got dumped? Cereal. You found out your new favorite show got cancelled? Cereal. No matter the question, cereal is most likely the answer. Trust me, I said I was an enthusiast. Remember? Cereal.
Side note: I am not a Kellogg’s, Post or General Mills employee. I really just love cereal this much.
