Rice Krispies Treats Cereal: History, Origin & Facts

Snack History Nostalgia Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Rice Krispies Treats Cereal marries two really delightful Rice Krispies products into one exciting food item. This cereal allows you to enjoy the sweetness of Rice Krispie Treats along with the wholesome goodness of Rice Krispies Cereal. Both of these Kellogg’s products are very popular on their own, but they really shine when they are combined into one complete and delightful treat.

If you love the traditional Rice Krispies Treats products or the original cereal itself, you have been missing out if you have not tried Rice Krispies Treats Cereal! This combination product has been around since the mid-90s, and it continues to be a very delightful, sweet cereal treat!

History

Rice Krispies Treats Cereal was first introduced in 1993. Rice Krispies Cereal had been a big hit since the 1920s, and Rice Krispies Treats began their life in the late 1930s. Combining the two items into one product almost seems like it should have happened sooner! 

However, the fact that these two items were not combined for so long does make some sense if you consider that cereal was originally made to be fairly bland and filling. This meant that sugary cereals were a long way away and had not yet occurred to the geniuses in marketing at Kellogg’s. Cereal was originally born during the Great Depression era when people were hungry and had little money for food. Filling and nutritious food items that were grain-based competed with crackers for popularity in homes in the US during this time.

What is Rice Krispies Treats Cereal, you might ask? This product is basically a Rice Krispies Treat that has been broken up into milk. The clusters of Rice Krispies Treats that are contained in each box of this cereal are slightly lumpy and rounded in shape, which is the only major difference between the cereal and the actual baked good.

There were many sugary and kid-targeted products like this that came onto the market in the 90s. However, most of these products did not combine classic treats with a cereal product to make a breakfast item that people of all ages fell in love with. New, zany, and often wildly creative cereals were invented throughout the 90s, but most were a small flash in the pan before vanishing as if they had never existed at all.

As sugary and kid-friendly cereals started to flood the market, some of the more staid and “boring” cereals started to slip in popularity a little. Rice Krispies have always been able to market themselves to children due to the fun popping noises that they make when they land in milk. It is hard to make a basic cereal really appealing to kids who are used to sugary foods of various kinds, however.

So the Rice Krispies Treats Cereal product was born. The timing for this creative breakfast food was ideal as there were many colorful, sweet, and downright zany food products being sold in the 90s. Nearly everything that could be made to be brightly colored could have sugar added to it or could be sold in creative packaging was rebranded in the 90s with these values in mind. 

Kellogg’s already knew that Rice Krispies Treats were a big hit. After all, they had been including the recipe for this confectionery item on some boxes of their products for some time. They had also begun to make their own Rice Krispies branded treats which were sold in single packaging. It was not a long stretch to imagine that Rice Krispies Treats in cereal would be a hit.

Kellogg’s was ready to argue that the Rice Krispies Treat and Rice Krispies Cereal were perfect when paired with one another. Many of the ads stated that “you’ll think you’re eating Rice Krispies Treats…what a thought!” 

Sadly for those who immediately loved the marriage of Ricke Krispies Treats and their breakfast routine, this cereal came under fire in the late 90s when parents and activists began to target sugary products as being bad for your health. Cereals were some of the leading offenders, and many sugar-laden and kid-specific products fell out of favor almost overnight. 

Rice Krispies Treats Cereal was also scrutinized for its sugar content, necessitating changes to the recipe. This alteration in the original recipe is likely part of why Kellogg’s has not decided to bring the products back to the general market. While it is very admirable that we are all more aware of the healthy or unhealthy nature of everything we eat, it is hard to argue that this health consciousness has had a big impact on yummy desserts, snacks, and drinks.

There were so many products of this type that didn’t make it out of the 90s alive. The popularity of other Kellogg’s products as a whole did not change. The brand is often clearly associated with healthy eating and healthy breakfast. It was simple to move the sugary products into smaller markets where they would become less visible.

Today, you can still get this unique cereal, but only at specific retailers. There is a petition that has been circulating since 2019 begging Kellogg’s to bring the cereal back to the regular market. So far, this request has fallen on deaf ears. Thankfully, if you really want to try out this sweet and fun cereal treat, you can still order it online in most places. 

There are also various copycat recipes that allow you to make your own version of Rice Krispies Treats Cereal at home! Since the ingredients for the Rice Krispies Treat are readily available, this basically amounts to making Treats, then breaking them up and enjoying them in milk. It sounds almost dangerously simple when explained in this simple way! 

For those who have always loved baked goods and Rice Krispies Treats in particular, there is no better cereal to add to your decadent snack list. Even though sugar consciousness and lagging sales have removed Rice Krispies Treats Cereals from the general market, there are still people out there who are working hard to get the product returned to the stores of your supermarket of choice. 

Livery

The Rice Krispies Cereal that everyone grew up eating always displayed mascots, Snap, Crackle, and Pop. So too, does the Rice Krispies Cereal products. The original product is always sold in a blue box. This box shows the three mascots frolicking in front of a bowl of cereal filled with Rice Krispies.

Rice Krispies Treats Cereal is sold in a purple box which also shows the three mascots. A bowl of the Treats version of the cereal is depicted in the bottom third of the box. The logo itself appears just like the regular Rice Krispies Cereal but with one important difference. The word “Treats” is actually depicted in the form of a Rice Krispies Treat. The mascots are also often shown playing with the little clusters of Rice Krispies Treats as well.

It might not be totally clear which box is which at a glance, but the distinct colors set the two products apart. Of course, you will also be unlikely to see the two boxes sold together side-by-side either. These are not items that are sold in the same markets, so you will typically see just one kind of Rice Krispies Cereal on offer at any given retailer. 

Logo

Where to Buy?

If you really want to try this yummy treat, Amazon and Walmart are your best bet. Buying the product in person is only possible when grocery shopping at Walmart. If the petition that has been circulating for a few years is successful, it is possible that you will be able to stop ordering your Rice Krispies Treats Cereal online.

When this cereal first hit the market, many people reported seeing it sold right alongside the traditional and rather staid product that pre-dated the 90s. It’s hard to imagine such a sweet treat sitting on the cereal shelf these days. Make sure that you check all of the various online options before you buy as well. Since Walmart and a few recognized sellers are the only companies allowed to sell this version of Kellogg’s classic cereal, you should be wary of other manufacturers or sellers. Getting a box of product that is not actually made by Kellogg’s could be very disappointing for everyone in your home! 

Ingredients

• Ric
• Sugar
• Maltodextrin
• partially hydrogenated Soybean oil
• contains 2% or less of salt, natural and artificial flavor (contains milk), gelatin, malt flavoring, color added, BHT for freshness. 
• Vitamins and minerals: vitamin c (sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid), niacinamide, reduced iron, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin b1 (thiamin hydrochloride), vitamin a palmitate, folic acid, vitamin d, vitamin b12.

Nutrition

Serving Size:	40g	%Daily Value *
Amount Per Serving
Calories	158
Total Fat	1.7g	2%
Saturated Fat	0.4g	2%
Cholesterol	0.4mg	0%
Sodium	227mg	10%
Total Carbohydrate	34g	12%
Dietary Fiber	0.2g	1%
Sugar	12g
Protein	1.7g	3%
Vitamin D	1.3mcg	6%
Calcium	4mg	0%
Iron	2.4mg	13%
Potassium	20mg	0%

• * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Pictures

Ads

An ad from the 90s complete with crazy camera angles and exciting events:

This ad was also from the 90s but with a different tone:

Another crazy 90s ad: