This Classic Breakfast Cereal Only Has 4 Ingredients (It's Not Cheerios)

When it comes to ranking the biggest names in the cereal business, General Mills' Cheerios takes the top spot. As of April 2023, it had yearly sales of about 139 million boxes (per Zippia). This brand has been around since 1941, is now sold around the world, and has five ingredients. But, if you're looking for a cereal that has even fewer ingredients — all of which are easily recognizable — Rice Krispies only has four.

If you look at a box of Rice Krispies, you'll know what all the ingredients are. The two main ones are rice and sugar, while the cereal contains 2% or less of salt and malt flavor. This last ingredient is used in many baked goods to impart a note of caramel and a roasted profile. On a box of the Australian version of Rice Krispies, which are called Rice Bubbles, the ingredients are more specific: whole white rice (91%), sugar, salt, and barley malt extract. Both versions are also fortified with vitamins and minerals, including iron,

In Daily Meal's ultimate ranking of 16 popular cereals, Rice Krispies took us back to the nostalgic snap, crackle, and pop of childhood, which raised it to the top five. Contrary to what you might expect, we only ranked Cheerios eighth, though. While the product is made with whole grain oats, corn starch, sugar, and salt, it also contains tripotassium phosphate. This food additive may build into detrimental levels of phosphorus with excessive consumption, making Rice Krispies a better alternative from that nutritional standpoint.

Sure, one of the most classic ways to eat Rice Krispies in a bowl with milk. Turning them into sweet treats is a close contender. If you want to avoid the additives and artificial ingredients in the marshmallow, though, you can try this simple Rice Krispies treat upgrade. All you have to do is replace the marshmallow with some honey and peanut butter, or any other nut or seed butter if you have an allergy. Plus, you can easily make peanut butter at home with some roasted peanuts, oil, honey, and salt.

You can also add the crackly goodness of Rice Krispies to other recipes. You could put them in the filling between the layers of a cake or in cookies for a crunchy bite. Or, use them as a topping in a broccoli or other vegetable salad. Another option is to use them to add texture to otherwise soft side dishes, such as spicy Brussels sprouts. You could even use mashed up Rice Krispies as a coating for crunchy baked or fried chicken.