The "What's This In My Cereal Box?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished reading the morning paper and posting a new story on my blog when I went to the pantry and grabbed the box of Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats.  Just bought the box last week at the grocery store so I had to fight to open it.  I believe they put more glue on the lid then they do sugar on their cereal.  

Offer of a free Bowl Buddy on the top of box.

Finally got the box opened and while reaching in the box for the bag of cereal, pulled out something unusual.  "Now, what's this in my cereal box," I asked myself.  Then all of a sudden it brought back memories from my youth...which was light years ago.  Toys, decoder rings, small license plates for your bike, charm necklaces, baseball cards...are all items that I can remember as being offered in cereal boxes to try and get you to buy this brand or that brand of cereal.  The guy who made the prizes in cereal boxes a novelty was John Kellogg, who first tried to entice kids to eat Corn Flakes.  At first he offered a free book called "The Funny Junglel and Moving Pictures Book."  That was back in the early 1900s.  At that time, parent's had to mail in for the book and send along a proof of purchase for their book.  But, the kids wanted it instantly, so General Mills began to offer its own prizes in their cereal box in the 1930s.  

The little plastic guy sits atop my cereal bowl.

The prizes featured cards with someone known as Skippy and General Mills was hoping you would want to collect their 12 different cards.  Recently I found a set of 6 on eBay that were over $50.  Who would have ever thought that would happen?  In 1974, cereal box toys were deemed so successful at convincing kids they absolutely need that box for breakfast that the Federal Trade Commission considered banning all TV advertising of the included toys, games, stickers, records, squirt gun, etc.  In the late 1980s Kellogg's had 30 million flutes and binoculars recalled after they were deemed a choking hazard.  Shortly after that happened, most manufacturers shifting toy placement from inside the bag of cereal to the lining between the inside bag and the box.  Then in 1988 a Pennsylvania girl nearly died after choking on a "Cool Flute" musical toy packaged in Corn Pops cereal.  

A few of the Skippy cards that were offered in the 1930s.

That was enough for Kelloggs and they recalled some 30 million similar playthings.  But, in 2004 they packaged a Spiderman-themed wristwatch with Rice Krispies.  This time it wasn't the prize itself, but the mercury battery which drew protests from environmental groups and state legislators opposed to the use of hazardous metal in toys.  

My toy of the day!

I read that one Connecticut lawyer said, "No healthy breakfast begins with mercury."  Kellogs once again stopped  inserting that product.  So, why has Kellogg's begun once again to package a plastic product in their breakfast cereal boxes?  The plant where Kellogg's makes their cereal and packages them in boxes is a stone's throw from my home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  You may remember reading a story about my recent visit to the plant.  So, I'm stumped as to why they need more than the cereal in the boxes.  The little guy that I pictured sitting on my cereal bowl found his way into the trash after I took the photo.  I'm sure they have a reason to do so, but children today seem to be too savvy for plastic trinkets.  My guess is that those making the decisions may be a bit too old to realize that fact.  It was another ordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.