Cereal, typically known as breakfast cereal (and additional classified as dry cereal or heat cereal), may be a ancient food made of processed cereal grains. it's historically ingested as a part of a balanced breakfast, or a dish, primarily in Western societies.

Although heat cereals like dish and grits have the longest history, ready-to-eat cold cereals appeared round the late nineteenth century, and ar most frequently mixed with milk (traditionally cow's milk), however may be paired with food instead or ingested plain. Fruit or bats ar typically supplemental. several cereals ar created via extrusion.

Some firms promote their merchandise for the health advantages that return from uptake oat-based and high-fiber cereals. within the us, cereals ar typically fortified with vitamins however will still lack several of the vitamins required for a healthy breakfast. a major proportion of cereals have a high sugar content ("sugar cereals" in common parlance). Some cereals ar marketed primarily towards youngsters, feature a cartoon organism, and should contain a toy or prize.

Between 1970 and 1998, the amount of various kinds of breakfast cereals within the U.S. quite doubled, from concerning a hundred and sixty to around 340; as of 2012, there have been roughly four,945 differing kinds (estimate supported the mass customization of on-line shopping). during this extremely competitive market, cereal firms have developed AN ever-increasing range of sorts and flavors (some ar flavoured like sweet or candy). though several plain wheat-, oat- and corn-based cereals exist, several different varieties ar extremely sugary, whereas some brands embrace freeze-dried fruit as a sweet component. The breakfast cereal business has net profit margins of 40–45%, ninetieth penetration in some markets, and has had steady and continued growth throughout its history.