Rice Krispies
Encyclopedia
Rice Krispies is a breakfast cereal
that was created by Clayton Rindlisbacher for the Kellogg company, and later marketed by Kellogg's
in 1927 and released to the public in 1928. Rice Krispies are made of crisped rice
(rice
and sugar paste that is formed into rice shapes or "berries", cook
ed, dried and toasted), and expand forming very thin and hollowed out walls that are crunchy and crisp. When the cereal is subjected to a change in heat, the walls tend to collapse, creating the famous "Snap, crackle and pop
" sounds.
Rice Krispies cereal is widely known and popular with a long advertising history, with the elven cartoon characters Snap, Crackle, and Pop touting the brand
. In 1963
, The Rolling Stones
recorded a short song for a Rice Krispies television advertisement. Rice Krispies are also an important ingredient in Rice Krispies treats made by combining the cereal with melted marshmallows.
, sugar
, salt
, malt flavoring, iron, ascorbic acid
(vitamin C), alpha tocopherol acetate
(vitamin E), niacinamide
, vitamin A palmitate
, pyridoxine hydrochloride
(vitamin B6), riboflavin
(vitamin B2), thiamin hydrochloride
(vitamin B1), folic acid
, vitamin B12
, vitamin D
.
to be making unsubstantiated and misleading claims in advertising on Rice Krispies boxes. Claims made by the company included "now helps support your child's immunity" and "has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy." The FTC had previously found fault with Kellogg's claims that Frosted Mini-Wheats
cereal improved kids' attentiveness by nearly 20%.
The names of other products within the Rice Krispies family vary depending on where they are sold:
Many generic
versions of Rice Krispies (including frosted and chocolate variants) have been produced by other manufacturers under many different names.
Rice Krispies with strawberry
flavor included 1983's "Strawberry Krispies" and 1997's "Strawberry Rice Krispies". Australia had a strawberry version of Rice Bubbles which was discontinued along with other similarly coloured and sweetened foods in the mid-1970s due to concerns about the additives causing cancer. Banana
-flavored Rice Krispies, including "Banana Bubbles" and "Banana Krispies", have also been sold in the past.
An extremely sweet, artificially-colored, cereal known as "Razzle Dazzle Rice Krispies" was sold in the late 1990s.
Also discontinued are Rice Krispies with berry flavors, including "Berry Krispies" and "Berry Rice Krispies".
In the late 90s and early 2000's, Rice Krispies with honey,"Honey Rice Krispies" was sold in the UK and Canada for a short period of time.
bake sale
consisting of Rice Krispies, melted marshmallow
s, and margarine. It has remained a very popular snack dubbed Rice Krispies treats. Kellogg's themselves have now produced commercial varieties of both marshmallow and chocolate-based treats under the name "Rice Krispies Squares" in Canada
and the UK, as well as versions under the original "Rice Krispies Treats" name sold in the U.S.
In Australia, Rice Bubbles are found in a well-known home made sweet, the chocolate crackle. This is often found at fete
s and consists of Rice Bubbles, copha
and cocoa
, amongst other things. In the UK, a similar treat is made of Rice Krispies and melted chocolate
. White Christmas
is another Australian sweet made with rice bubbles, milk powder, copha
and dried fruit
In addition to the products above, the "Rice Krispies" branding has also been associated with other products containing (or related to) Rice Krispies. These include commercial versions of 'Rice Krispie treats' known as "Rice Krispies squares", cereal bars, and a multi-grain
cereal known as "Rice Krispies Multi-Grain" (formerly "Muddles") sold on the UK market. Primarily aimed at children, "Multi-Grain" contains a prebiotic
and is claimed by Kellogg's to promote good digestive health
.
. They are the first and longest-running cartoon characters to represent a Kellogg's product.
themes including "Humpty Dumpty
", "Jack and Jill", "Jack Be Nimble
", "Little Jack Horner
", "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
", and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
" that were offered as premiums in exchange for two Rice Krispies boxtop
s and a three-cent stamp.
from year 1978. One of the main characters eat them for breakfast - you can see how the box looked at that time.
Breakfast cereal
A breakfast cereal is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk , water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge...
that was created by Clayton Rindlisbacher for the Kellogg company, and later marketed by Kellogg's
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...
in 1927 and released to the public in 1928. Rice Krispies are made of crisped rice
Crisped rice
Crisped rice refers to a method of cooking rice which leaves the grains with a crisp, airy texture.It is created in much the same way as popcorn; in short, the reaction of both starch and moisture when heated within the shell of the grain...
(rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
and sugar paste that is formed into rice shapes or "berries", cook
Cooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
ed, dried and toasted), and expand forming very thin and hollowed out walls that are crunchy and crisp. When the cereal is subjected to a change in heat, the walls tend to collapse, creating the famous "Snap, crackle and pop
Snap, Crackle and Pop
Snap, Crackle, and Pop! are the cartoon mascots of Kellogg's breakfast cereal Rice Krispies -History:The elf characters were originally designed by illustrator Vernon Grant in the early 1930s...
" sounds.
Rice Krispies cereal is widely known and popular with a long advertising history, with the elven cartoon characters Snap, Crackle, and Pop touting the brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
. In 1963
1963 in music
-Events:*January 1 – The Beatles start a 5-day tour in Scotland to support the release of their new single, "Love Me Do".*January 4 – At Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy, Dalida receives a Juke Box Global Oscar for the year's most-played artist on juke boxes....
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
recorded a short song for a Rice Krispies television advertisement. Rice Krispies are also an important ingredient in Rice Krispies treats made by combining the cereal with melted marshmallows.
Ingredients
RiceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
, malt flavoring, iron, ascorbic acid
Ascorbic acid
Ascorbic acid is a naturally occurring organic compound with antioxidant properties. It is a white solid, but impure samples can appear yellowish. It dissolves well in water to give mildly acidic solutions. Ascorbic acid is one form of vitamin C. The name is derived from a- and scorbutus , the...
(vitamin C), alpha tocopherol acetate
Tocopheryl acetate
Tocopheryl acetate, also known as vitamin E acetate, is a common vitamin supplement with the molecular formula C31H52O3 . It is the ester of acetic acid and tocopherol . It is often used in dermatological products such as skin creams...
(vitamin E), niacinamide
Nicotinamide
Nicotinamide, also known as niacinamide and nicotinic acid amide, is the amide of nicotinic acid . Nicotinamide is a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the vitamin B group...
, vitamin A palmitate
Retinyl palmitate
Retinyl palmitate, or vitamin A palmitate, is the ester of retinol and palmitic acid, with formula C36H60O2.Palmitate is the major component of palm oil...
, pyridoxine hydrochloride
Pyridoxine
Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. It differs from pyridoxamine by the substituent at the '4' position. It is often used as 'pyridoxine hydrochloride'.-Chemistry:...
(vitamin B6), riboflavin
Riboflavin
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2 or additive E101, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and animals. It is the central component of the cofactors FAD and FMN, and is therefore required by all flavoproteins. As such, vitamin B2 is required for a...
(vitamin B2), thiamin hydrochloride
Thiamine
Thiamine or thiamin or vitamin B1 , named as the "thio-vitamine" is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. First named aneurin for the detrimental neurological effects if not present in the diet, it was eventually assigned the generic descriptor name vitamin B1. Its phosphate derivatives are...
(vitamin B1), folic acid
Folic acid
Folic acid and folate , as well as pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamate, and pteroylmonoglutamic acid are forms of the water-soluble vitamin B9...
, vitamin B12
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, vitamin B12 or vitamin B-12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins...
, vitamin D
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. In humans, vitamin D is unique both because it functions as a prohormone and because the body can synthesize it when sun exposure is adequate ....
.
Health claims
Kellogg Company was found by the Federal Trade CommissionFederal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
to be making unsubstantiated and misleading claims in advertising on Rice Krispies boxes. Claims made by the company included "now helps support your child's immunity" and "has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy." The FTC had previously found fault with Kellogg's claims that Frosted Mini-Wheats
Frosted Mini-Wheats
Frosted Mini-Wheats is a breakfast cereal manufactured by Kellogg's consisting of shredded wheat cereal pieces and frosting.-History:Kelloggs introduced Frosted Mini-Wheats in the United States...
cereal improved kids' attentiveness by nearly 20%.
Present day
- "Cocoa KrispiesCocoa KrispiesCocoa Krispies is a breakfast cereal produced by Kellogg's, coming both as a packet cereal and as a snack bar with a dried milk covered bottom to make the cereal-with-milk tradition portable. It is a cocoa-flavored version of Rice Krispies...
,"(called "Coco Pops" in the UK and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) a chocolateChocolateChocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
flavored version (sold worldwide). - Rice Krispies with a sugarSugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
-frosted coating (including "RiciclesRiciclesRicicles is a breakfast cereal sold by Kellogg's in the United Kingdom. It is essentially the same as Kellogg's Rice Krispies , but with the addition of a frosted sugar coating. On the cereal box the text appears as 'RiCiCLES'...
" and "Frosted Rice Krispies") - "Rice Krispies with Vanilla Flavour", sold in Canada
- "Chocolate and Vanilla Rice Krispies", introduced in 2007: a cereal containing mixed flavor rice krispies.
- "Rice Krispies Treats Cereal", first introduced in 1993: contains bunches of krispies fused together by a marshmallow coating.
Many generic
Generic brand
Generic brands of consumer products are distinguished by the absence of a brand name. It is often inaccurate to describe these products as "lacking a brand name", as they usually are branded, albeit with either the brand of the store in which they are sold or a lesser-known brand name which may...
versions of Rice Krispies (including frosted and chocolate variants) have been produced by other manufacturers under many different names.
Discontinued
Rice Krispies with dehydrated miniature marshmallows ("Marshmallow Rice Krispies", also known as Marshmallow Krispies, along with a tropical version, Fruity Marshmallow Krispies) were sold briefly in the U.S. and Canada. Despite surviving longer in Canada than the U.S., they were finally discontinued altogether during the late 1990s.Rice Krispies with strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
flavor included 1983's "Strawberry Krispies" and 1997's "Strawberry Rice Krispies". Australia had a strawberry version of Rice Bubbles which was discontinued along with other similarly coloured and sweetened foods in the mid-1970s due to concerns about the additives causing cancer. Banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
-flavored Rice Krispies, including "Banana Bubbles" and "Banana Krispies", have also been sold in the past.
An extremely sweet, artificially-colored, cereal known as "Razzle Dazzle Rice Krispies" was sold in the late 1990s.
Also discontinued are Rice Krispies with berry flavors, including "Berry Krispies" and "Berry Rice Krispies".
In the late 90s and early 2000's, Rice Krispies with honey,"Honey Rice Krispies" was sold in the UK and Canada for a short period of time.
Other uses of Rice Krispies brand
In 1941, Kellogg's employee Mildred Day concocted and published a recipe for a Camp Fire GirlsCamp Fire USA
Camp Fire USA, originally Camp Fire Girls of America, is a nationwide American youth organization that began in 1910. The organization has been co-ed since 1975 and welcomes youth from pre-kindergarten through age 21. Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian, multicultural organization for girls in...
bake sale
Bake sale
A bake sale is a fundraising activity where baked goods such as doughnuts, cupcakes and cookies, sometimes along with ethnic foods, are sold. Bake sales are usually held by small, non-profit organizations, such as clubs, school groups and charitable organizations...
consisting of Rice Krispies, melted marshmallow
Marshmallow
The marshmallow is a confection that, in its modern form, typically consists of sugar, corn syrup, water, gelatin that has been softened in hot water, dextrose, vanilla flavourings, and sometimes colouring, whipped to a spongy consistency. Some marshmallow recipes call for egg whites...
s, and margarine. It has remained a very popular snack dubbed Rice Krispies treats. Kellogg's themselves have now produced commercial varieties of both marshmallow and chocolate-based treats under the name "Rice Krispies Squares" in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the UK, as well as versions under the original "Rice Krispies Treats" name sold in the U.S.
In Australia, Rice Bubbles are found in a well-known home made sweet, the chocolate crackle. This is often found at fete
Fête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
s and consists of Rice Bubbles, copha
Copha
Copha, a registered trademark of Peerless, is a form of vegetable fat shortening made from hydrogenated coconut oil. It is 100% fat, at least 98% of which is saturated. It also contains soybean lecithin...
and cocoa
Cocoa solids
Cocoa solids are the low-fat component of chocolate. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder, cocoa, and cacao....
, amongst other things. In the UK, a similar treat is made of Rice Krispies and melted chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
. White Christmas
White christmas (food)
White Christmas is an Australian dessert.It is a mixture of raisins, glacé cherries, desiccated coconut, icing sugar, milk powder and rice bubbles, with hydrogenated coconut oil as the binding ingredient....
is another Australian sweet made with rice bubbles, milk powder, copha
Copha
Copha, a registered trademark of Peerless, is a form of vegetable fat shortening made from hydrogenated coconut oil. It is 100% fat, at least 98% of which is saturated. It also contains soybean lecithin...
and dried fruit
Dried fruit
Dried fruit is fruit where the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized...
In addition to the products above, the "Rice Krispies" branding has also been associated with other products containing (or related to) Rice Krispies. These include commercial versions of 'Rice Krispie treats' known as "Rice Krispies squares", cereal bars, and a multi-grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
cereal known as "Rice Krispies Multi-Grain" (formerly "Muddles") sold on the UK market. Primarily aimed at children, "Multi-Grain" contains a prebiotic
Prebiotic (nutrition)
Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and/or activity of bacteria in the digestive system in ways claimed to be beneficial to health. They were first identified and named by Marcel Roberfroid in 1995. As a functional food component, prebiotics, like probiotics,...
and is claimed by Kellogg's to promote good digestive health
Gastrointestinal tract
The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....
.
Cartoon mascots
Snap! Crackle! and Pop!, the animated cartoon mascots for Rice Krispies, were created by renowned illustrator Vernon Grant in the 1930s. The original gnome-like Snap! first appeared in 1933 on a package of Kellogg's Rice Bubbles. Crackle! and Pop! came later, and since 1939, the three have been together in many forms of advertising, including radio, movie shorts, and comic strips. An updated version of the elf-like Snap, Crackle, and Pop appeared for the first time on television in 1960, before that it was advertised by Woody WoodpeckerWoody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
. They are the first and longest-running cartoon characters to represent a Kellogg's product.
Taglines
- Snap! Crackle! Pop! Rice Krispies! (1966–present)
- Snap! Crackle! Pop! Kellogg's Rice Krispies! (Canadian Variant)
- The taste that tickles (90's Canadian)
- What do your Rice Krispies say to you? (1990–1998)
- Snap, Crackle, and Pop wake up call to the world. (1998–2001)
- Childhood is Calling (2006–present)
- Moms Just Know (2007–present)
The "snap, crackle, pop" sound
The cereal is marketed on the basis of the noises it produces when milk is added to the bowl. The onomatopoeic noises differ by country:- EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: "Snap! Crackle! Pop!" - SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
: Piff! Paff! Puff! - GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
: Knisper! Knasper! Knusper! - MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
: Pim! Pam! Pum! - FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
: Riks! Raks! Poks! - Canadian FrenchCanadian FrenchCanadian French is an umbrella term referring to the varieties of French spoken in Canada. French is the mother tongue of nearly seven million Canadians, a figure constituting roughly 22% of the national population. At the federal level it has co-official status alongside English...
: Cric! Crac! Croc! - NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
: Pif! Paf! Pof! - South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
: Knap! Knaetter! Knak!
Prizes and Premiums
In 1938 and 1939, Vernon Grant, the illustrator who created Snap, Crackle and Pop! produced a set of six illustrations of Mother GooseMother Goose
The familiar figure of Mother Goose is an imaginary author of a collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes which are often published as Mother Goose Rhymes. As a character, she appears in one "nursery rhyme". A Christmas pantomime called Mother Goose is often performed in the United Kingdom...
themes including "Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty is a character in an English language nursery rhyme, probably originally a riddle and one of the best known in the English-speaking world. He is typically portrayed as an egg and has appeared or been referred to in a large number of works of literature and popular culture...
", "Jack and Jill", "Jack Be Nimble
Jack Be Nimble
Jack Be Nimble is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 13902.-Lyrics:The most common version of the rhyme is:-References in popular culture:...
", "Little Jack Horner
Little Jack Horner
"Little Jack Horner" is a popular English language nursery rhyme. It has the Roud Folk Song Index number of 13027.-Lyrics:The most common modern lyrics are:Little Jack HornerSat in the corner,Eating a Christmas pie;He put in his thumb,...
", "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
"Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater" is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 13497.-Lyrics:Common modern versions include:...
", and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English nursery rhyme. The lyrics are from an early nineteenth-century English poem, "The Star" by Jane Taylor. The poem, which is in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection of poems by Taylor and her sister Ann...
" that were offered as premiums in exchange for two Rice Krispies boxtop
Boxtop
A boxtop, in the context of being a proof of purchase, is understood to be the upper portion of a product box, detached, and mailed as part of a claim for a radio premium or other advertising offer...
s and a three-cent stamp.
Pop culture
Rice Krispies also appear in a movie A Different StoryA Different Story
A Different Story is a 1978 American film set in Los Angeles. It stars Meg Foster and Perry King and was directed by Paul Aaron. It tells the story of a gay man and a lesbian woman who become temporary housemates but end up falling in love with each other...
from year 1978. One of the main characters eat them for breakfast - you can see how the box looked at that time.