I'm not sure when I discovered shredded wheat, but I can be sure it was by accident. Growing up, cereal meant the sugary kind that left the milk delightfully sweet. Hounded by my parents to cut back on sugar, I must have tried their shredded wheat one day and decided it was not completely disgusting. But now? I stockpile the stuff.
Shredded wheat is the blank palette of breakfast foods: it is essential to load up the bowl with anything else to make it edible. First, start with some sort of non-dairy milk. Shredded wheat, being inherently free of the sugars many other breakfast foods depend on for taste, is my sole excuse to buy sweetened soy, almond, and coconut milk. And since a big bowl of shredded wheat, even with deliciously sweetened milk, is downright boring, adding fruit and nuts make the dish. I add chopped walnuts, big fat golden raisins, flax seeds, and a few slices of ripe banana. Blueberries and raspberries delight when their season comes around, as do sliced strawberries.
Some swear by heating the milk, or even the whole cereal dish. Although I've tried it, I limit my hot cereal to oatmeal. There's just something about how the crunchy shredded wheat highlights the other tastes in the bowl, making breakfast taste like a series of real ingredients, that does it for me.
What's your favorite way to eat shredded wheat?
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I always like my breakfasts warm, so I usually heat a half and half mix of coconut milk and regular whole milk, pour it over the cereal, and then add sliced bananas, pecans, and a dash of cinnamon.
Mom's makes a shredded wheat and bran mix.
Sometimes I just eat it with milk (1% is what we usually have in the house) but occasionally I like to dress it up with a drizzle of honey and handful of raisins and roasted almonds. I prefer the Barbara's Shredded Wheat to the original Nabisco.
http://www.barbarasbakery.com/cereals-shredded/
I love frosted mini wheats; the name brand, house or generic versions...doesn't matter. I know its not quite the same thing as shredded wheat but it provides just the right amount of sweetness for me and I love to snack on them or add them to my other bran-ny, flakey, healthy cereal. A little of those white frosted beauties go a long way.
I like to get the big biscuits and spread them with peanut butter and jam, with or without milk.
does anyone remember the spoon size shredded wheat with raisins in the middle they used to sell in the 80's and 90's. i'd give just about anything for a box of that now, but it's been discontinued. :(
nowadays i eat my shredded wheat with cold milk, raisins and a teaspoon of honey.
I love Barbara's shredded wheat biscuits. Just plain, or with a little granola sprinkled on top. They just taste so fresh somehow!
shredded wheat tastes so good heated up! i like to use it in what i call "breakfast soup" -
http://theactorsdiet.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/99-luftballoons/
My grandma used to make "Shredded Wheat Biscuit and Egg." Slowly cook an egg or two over easy (gotta make sure the the yolk is nice and runny for this) in a generous amount of butter. Boil some water and pour it over one or two whole Shredded Wheat biscuits on a plate, using a slotted spatula to hold down the Shredded Wheat while draining off all the water. Place hot, runny-yolked eggs onto biscuits, add salt and another generous helping of butter, cut it up with your fork and mix it all together. Healthy? No, but it is definitely comfort food.
My grandpa (and parents) taught me to eat it slathered with peanut butter on both sides and then the usual milk.
So happy to hear other people slather their biscuits with stuff! I thought my family was just weird. I learned to eat shredded wheat by watching my dad, who spread strawberry jam over it and soaked it with cold milk. These days, I've been making my own sugar-free jam with strawberries and honey to use. So so good.
I ate shredded wheat I was served it as a child because I had to. Unfortunately, I never developed a taste for it. I don't find it intolerable, but it's certainly not my choice. I always had to add way to much sugar to eat it. But I'm glad that so many of you enjoy it. It's certainly a much better choice than other cereals.
I hate all hot breakfast cereals. That said, I pour boiling water on my shredded wheat, immediately drain it away and pour on cold skim. With a little sweetener, I'm 7 years old sitting at Grandma's table.
Shredded Wheat Haiku
One crunchy pillow,
with a bowl and spoon
and ice-cold milk.
Eat, repeat, eat.