What is the history of corn flakes?

The history of corn flakes dates back to the late 19th century when two brothers, John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg, were working at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan. The sanitarium was a health-focused institution that promoted a vegetarian diet and other natural remedies for various health conditions.

In the 1890s, John Harvey Kellogg was experimenting with different ways to create a nutritious and easily digestible food for patients. He came across cornmeal, a coarse flour made from ground corn, and began experimenting with different ways to cook it.

One day, he accidentally left a pot of cooked cornmeal on the stove for too long, and it became dry and flaky. He noticed the flakes had a pleasant texture and flavor, so he decided to serve them to the patients as a new breakfast cereal.

The patients enjoyed the corn flakes, and they soon became a popular breakfast item at the sanitarium. John Harvey Kellogg patented the process for making corn flakes in 1895 and began producing them commercially under the name "Granula".

However, Will Keith Kellogg, who was also a talented businessman, saw the potential for corn flakes as a widely marketed product. He developed his own recipe for corn flakes and started producing them under the brand name "Kellogg's Corn Flakes" in 1898. Will Keith Kellogg's company later became the Kellogg Company, which is one of the leading producers of breakfast cereals today.

Over the years, corn flakes have gained widespread popularity and have become a staple breakfast food in many households around the world. They are often eaten with milk, fruit, or other toppings, and they can also be used as an ingredient in various recipes such as cereal bars, cookies, and pancakes.