masthead cereal
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Created 17-Jun-26
Modified 6-Sep-26
Visitors 39
210 photos
The origins of cereal trace back to a religious fundamentalist belief that eating meat is a sin and constipation was God's punishment. In 1863, Dr. James Jackson invented "Granula,” a grain-based breakfast product that was ready-to-eat. It was more satisfying to the conscience than the stomach.
The product caught the attention of Dr. John Kellogg, surgeon, health expert, and owner of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, a popular retreat for the famous and wealthy. Kellogg introduced bran biscuits to the health diet regimen and renamed it "Granola" to avoid legal issues. It was so successful that Kellogg and his brother embarked on a mission to make the hard biscuits more appealing. After 6 years of experimentation, the Kelloggs perfected the flaked corn recipe that became Kellogg's Corn Flakes.
Kellogg’s became the first company to introduce prizes with cereal in 1909 when The Funny Jungleland Moving Pictures Book was given to customers in stores at the time of purchase or as a free mail-in offer. The book was updated over the years and last offered to consumers in 1937. In 1945, Kellogg’s offered the first in-box prize when they inserted a metal pin-back button in each box of Pep cereal.
The invention of a screw injection molding machine in 1946 changed the world of cereal box prizes. Thermoplastics could be used to produce toys more rapidly and cheaper, and the cereal prize market exploded during the 1950s and 1960s with countless free plastic toys to attract kids.
In July 1969, General Mills became the first company to distribute a free plastic throwable Flying Disc toy inside a box of cereal with the introduction of the Cocoa Puffs Flying Cuckoo Saucer and the FrostyO's Flying Saucer. At about the same time, Ralston introduced the Mars Shooter Set in boxes of Frosted Chex cereal. It would become the first of many discs with launchers to be included in cereal boxes. (See the FDM Launched Discs gallery in the Novelty area for more examples; https://www.flyingdiscmuseum.com/novelty/launched)
The popularity of free in-box Flying Disc premiums spread during the 1970s and 1980s to the other major cereal manufacturers and continued into the 21st Century when environmental awareness led to the elimination of plastic products in cereal packaging. You will find examples of discs produced during the golden age of plastic cereal toys listed in this gallery ordered by cereal brand and toy name. Many of the discs are still in their original packages that were mandated as a result of safety concerns. Included are front and back pictures of some cereal boxes in which Flying Discs were distributed.
And remember, as the TV commercials for sugary cereals used to tell kids, our cereal is “the delicious part of a nutritious breakfast.”
This gallery is arranged alphabetically by the cereal name and associated flying disc followed by the year produced (if applicable). The title also includes the cereal manufacturer.
~Dudley Gaman
The product caught the attention of Dr. John Kellogg, surgeon, health expert, and owner of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, a popular retreat for the famous and wealthy. Kellogg introduced bran biscuits to the health diet regimen and renamed it "Granola" to avoid legal issues. It was so successful that Kellogg and his brother embarked on a mission to make the hard biscuits more appealing. After 6 years of experimentation, the Kelloggs perfected the flaked corn recipe that became Kellogg's Corn Flakes.
Kellogg’s became the first company to introduce prizes with cereal in 1909 when The Funny Jungleland Moving Pictures Book was given to customers in stores at the time of purchase or as a free mail-in offer. The book was updated over the years and last offered to consumers in 1937. In 1945, Kellogg’s offered the first in-box prize when they inserted a metal pin-back button in each box of Pep cereal.
The invention of a screw injection molding machine in 1946 changed the world of cereal box prizes. Thermoplastics could be used to produce toys more rapidly and cheaper, and the cereal prize market exploded during the 1950s and 1960s with countless free plastic toys to attract kids.
In July 1969, General Mills became the first company to distribute a free plastic throwable Flying Disc toy inside a box of cereal with the introduction of the Cocoa Puffs Flying Cuckoo Saucer and the FrostyO's Flying Saucer. At about the same time, Ralston introduced the Mars Shooter Set in boxes of Frosted Chex cereal. It would become the first of many discs with launchers to be included in cereal boxes. (See the FDM Launched Discs gallery in the Novelty area for more examples; https://www.flyingdiscmuseum.com/novelty/launched)
The popularity of free in-box Flying Disc premiums spread during the 1970s and 1980s to the other major cereal manufacturers and continued into the 21st Century when environmental awareness led to the elimination of plastic products in cereal packaging. You will find examples of discs produced during the golden age of plastic cereal toys listed in this gallery ordered by cereal brand and toy name. Many of the discs are still in their original packages that were mandated as a result of safety concerns. Included are front and back pictures of some cereal boxes in which Flying Discs were distributed.
And remember, as the TV commercials for sugary cereals used to tell kids, our cereal is “the delicious part of a nutritious breakfast.”
This gallery is arranged alphabetically by the cereal name and associated flying disc followed by the year produced (if applicable). The title also includes the cereal manufacturer.
~Dudley Gaman
Photo copyrights belong to their respective contributors, disc design copyrights belong to their designers
