Teddy Grahams
Encyclopedia
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
shaped graham cracker
Graham cracker
The graham cracker was developed in 1829 in Bound Brook, New Jersey, by Presbyterian minister Rev. Sylvester Graham. The true graham cracker is made with graham flour, a combination of fine-ground white flour and coarse-ground wheat bran and germ. Graham crackers are often used for making s'mores...
snacks created by Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
. Introduced in 1988, Teddy Grahams come in two distinct shapes: bears with arms up and legs closed, and bears with legs open and arms down. When first introduced, Teddy Grahams were available in honey, cinnamon and chocolate flavors. A chocolate chip and recently discontinued oatmeal variety have since been introduced.
Nabisco has also put out various other products under the Teddy Grahams brand, including various Disney character shaped grahams, a larger bear shaped chocolate-iced cookie line called Dizzy Grizzlies, and a cereal called Teddy Grahams Breakfast Bears.
Nutritional information
Nabisco has always considered Teddy Grahams to be a healthy snack choice. However, these claims have come under withering attack. In a New York Times article, Eating Well, Marian Burros points out that Teddy Grahams use more bleachedFlour bleaching agent
Flour bleaching agent is a food additive added to flour in order to make it appear whiter and to oxidize the surfaces of the flour grains and help with developing of gluten.Usual bleaching agents are:...
flour than actual whole wheat graham flour. In response, Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
increased the amount of whole grain flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
used in the snack. The snacks also contain no trans fat and are also considered a good source of calcium with a significant amount of iron. Additionally, according to PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
chocolate and cinnamon Teddy Grahams are vegan friendly.
History
Teddy Grahams sold more than $150 million worth in its first year. It was "the biggest new-product success in the industry in more than 25 years. It became the third-best-selling cookie, after Chips Ahoy and the market leader, OreoOreo
Oreo is a trademark for a popular sandwich cookie by the Nabisco Division of Kraft Foods. The current design consists of a sweet, white filling commonly referred to as 'cream' or 'creme', sandwiched between two circular chocolate or golden cookie pieces....
, both from Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
.
Advertising
The most notable advertisements were for Teddy Graham "Breakfast Bears" Cereal and the limited edition Teddy Graham “Rockin’ Bears.” These commercials featured three rock star bears that played catchy rock music based on the latest Graham snacks.Classic Jingles:
To the tune of the Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
song "Teddy Bear"
Teddy Bear (song)
" Teddy Bear" is a popular song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music. It was written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe and published in 1957 by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company...
:
"We just want to eat, tasty teddy grahams.
Scrumptious bunch of bite sized bears, full of golden graham.
Oh let them be, your teddy grahams.
(Delicious graham snacks in honey, cinnamon and chocolate.)
Just want to eat those teddy grahams!"
To the tune of Wake Up Little Susie
Wake Up Little Susie
"Wake Up Little Susie" is a popular song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant and published in 1957.The song is best known in a recording by The Everly Brothers, issued by Cadence Records as catalog number 1337...
:
"Wake up everybody! Wake up!
You’ve all been sound asleep woo, here’s breakfast bears to eat.
(Introducing Teddy Grahams breakfast bears cereal.)
Your dreams are over, its seven o’clock, graham cereals they can’t be beat.
(In honey, cinnamon, and chocolate, they’re scrumptious in milk.
And they’re part of this nutritious breakfast, cause they’re bursting with wholesome graham goodness.)
Wake up to breakfast bears!"
"(New Teddy Grahams Rockin’ Bears!)
Tasting those Teddy Grahams!
We got new shapes to savor; we love to munch the snacks!
We got the graham, Teddy Grahams.
New Rockin’ Bears in vanilla and chocolate too, the rockin’ taste is just for you!
(New Teddy Grahams Rockin’ Bears, four new rockin’ shapes. On tour for a limited time only.) Woo Woo, tastin’ those Teddy Grahams!"
At one point, there was a promotion in which one would collect UPC
Universal Product Code
The Universal Product Code is a barcode symbology , that is widely used in North America, and in countries including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand for tracking trade items in stores. Its most common form, the UPC-A, consists of 12 numerical digits, which are uniquely assigned to each trade item...
s and mail them away for a cassette tape featuring the jingles.
Media References
At times Teddy Grahams have enjoyed a place in the spotlight, being used as a prop on Late Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, were referenced on The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, and were referred to in a Strong Bad
Strong Bad
Strong Bad is one of the major characters of the Homestar Runner series of animated Flash web cartoons. He is portrayed by Matt Chapman, the principal voice actor and co-founder of the series. Strong Bad enjoys pranking the other characters of the series, along with his ever-diligent lackey pet...
email. The snack was also referenced in the song "Ridin' Rims" by Dem Franchize Boys.