From: General Mills
Introduced in 1945

• In 2005, it was estimated that one out of every ten boxes of ready-to-eat cereals sold in the U.S. was a box of Cheerios. The two runners up for best selling cereal are Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Post's Honey Bunches Of Oats.
  
  
• After having sponsored The Lone Ranger radio program throughout the 1940's, General Mills brought the masked man to television in 1949 as a vehicle to promote Cheerios. The cereal maintained a branding association with the "Hi-yo, Silver, away!" cowboy until the early 1960's. In 2001, Cheerios commemorated their relationship with the Lone Ranger by offering a retro Lone Ranger cereal box and a retro Lone Ranger lunchbox as a send-away premium.

Cheerios began life as Cheeriots in 1941.

Cheeriots were developed using the same process used to create Kix cereal a few years earlier. Vitamin-enriched dough was extruded into small shapes, dried and then shot through a puffing gun. Puffing is a pressurized, flash cooking process that had been used to make puffed rice and puffed wheat since 1904.

Unlike Kix which shot small, round pellets through the puffing gun, Cheeriots began as tiny, doughnut-shaped pieces of dough. The result was golden brown, round cereal pieces with holes in the middle.

In 1945, Quaker issued a trademark infringement complaint objecting to the term "oats" as a commercial name. General Mills changed the name to Cheerios.

The following description of Cheerios is from a 2001 General Mills press release celebrating the cereal's 60th birthday:

Introduced in 1941 as Cheerioats, the cereal met the needs of American soldiers during World War II through "Yank Packs," special one-ounce Cheerios packages available only to military personnel. During the 1940s and 1950s, Cheerios featured dozens of Lone Ranger prizes such as deputy badges, black masks and flashlight pistols. Through creative package promotions, Cheerios has commemorated everything from America's first moon landing to the turning of the century. Since its birth 60 years ago, the Cheerios family tree has grown to include five more brands: Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, Team Cheerios and MultiGrain Cheerios.


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Cheerios Cereal Theater

Now Showing: 1959 Cheerios Kid Commercial

More Videos For Cheerios 1965 Bullwinkle Surfing Cheerios Ad 1970's Groovy Cheerios Ad 1981 Cheerios Stickman Commercial 1984 Cheerios Commercial 60's Cheerios And V8 Juice Ad Abominable Snow Man Cheerios Ad There's more videos! Click Here To Visit The Cheerios DELUXE Theater

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Overall Average Rating = 4 (out of 5)

By F.C.

Cereal Rating (out of 5):

They are still good, but I think they were better in the past, before some changes were made in the flavor.

Comment submitted: 12/19/2012 (#10157)



By Ernie

Cereal Rating (out of 5):

A classic! Taste fine with just a little sugar on top.

Comment submitted: 8/6/2012 (#8757)



By itsok

I used to love Cheerios but they changed the recipe long ago and I remember distinctly noticing they did not taste as oaty as they used to. I think they started adding more corn, wheat or rice or something. I have stopped eating them ever since that day and really miss the original Cheerios taste and firm texture.

Comment submitted: 4/15/2012 (#7226)



By Lionhearted

One of the best things I remember about Cheerios... is that it was associated with the Lone Ranger and also Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Comment submitted: 9/25/2011 (#5351)



By Lionus

I have one of the confederate bills (Cheerios cereal premium). How do I find out what year they were issued. I know I found it sometime in the 60's on the sidewalk in my hometown.

Comment submitted: 1/23/2011 (#3695)



By Romontt3c

Cereal Rating (out of 5):

Mr. Breakfast, I have this Tin, I can't remember when or where I purchased it but I did. Can you tell me if this is a Collector's Item. Thank you Romontt3c@Embarqmail.com

Comment submitted: 11/26/2010 (#3339)



By ggmsmolly (Team Breakfast Member)

Cereal Rating (out of 5):

We love Cheerios and give them to our baby as finger food snack when on the road. Best cereal on the market aside from Old Fashioned Oatmeal.

Comment submitted: 10/14/2009 (#738)

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