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April first is National Grape-Nuts Day, and that’s the truth: no April Fool.
Every American has certainly heard of, if not eaten, Grape-Nuts breakfast cereal. Beyond cereal, our 15 favorite uses for Grape-Nuts is below, along with a recipe for Grape-Nuts Pudding.
We’ll start with a brief history of Grape-Nuts.
Below are:
> The Grape-Nuts Pudding recipe.
> The history of Grape-Nuts and Grape-Nuts Pudding.
> 12 more ways to use Grape-Nuts.
> The year’s 14 cereal holidays.
THE HISTORY OF GRAPE-NUTS CEREAL
Grape-Nuts is one of cold breakfast cereals invented as part of the health care movement of the late 19th century. Before then, cold cereal was not a breakfast item.
It was initially marketed as a natural cereal that could enhance health and vitality.
As a whole-grain cereal with no refined sugar, that still rings true today: Grape-Nuts offers significant nutritional benefits with high fiber content, protein, and essential nutrients‡. The cereal is low in sugar compared to many competitors and provides sustained energy.
The pioneers were:
Granula (1863), created by Dr. James Caleb Jackson at his health sanitarium in Dansville, New York. It consisted of graham flour baked into sheets, broken into pieces, and baked again. The result was so hard it needed overnight soaking before consumption.
Granola (1877), developed by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan. It was a modified version of Jackson’s Granula that used oats instead of graham flour. Here’s more about it.
Shredded Wheat (1893), invented by Henry Perky. It consisted of whole wheat that was boiled, shredded, and formed into biscuits.
Grape-Nuts (1887), created by Charles William (C.W.) Post, a former patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. It was made from wheat and barley. There’s more about it below.
Corn Flakes (1898), developed by John Harvey Kellogg and his brother Will Keith Kellogg. According to story, it was an accident when some cooked wheat was left out overnight and went stale. Here’s more about it. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies didn’t appear until 1928.
Why Is Grape-Nuts So Named?
Grape-Nuts contains neither grapes nor nuts but was made from from whole wheat-and-barley bread. Baked loaves are ground into crumbs, which are baked again to create the whole-grain cereal.
Grape sugar. C.W. Post believed (correctly) that grape sugar (glucose) was created when the product was baked. (Glucose was also called grape sugar at the time because it’s found in grapes.)
During a lengthy baking process, the malted barley facilitated the breakdown of starches in the grains into simpler sugars, including glucose.
The extended baking causes a Maillard reaction that produces the distinctive flavor and brown color, while also converting some of the grain starches into maltose and glucose. This natural sweetness was one of the product’s selling points, making the the cereal palatable without adding refined sugar.
Nutty flavor. The cereal had no nuts but did have a nutty flavor. The malted barley contributes significantly to the nutty flavor profile, as does the whole wheat and the Maillard Reaction.
And The Pudding Recipe History?
In the early 1900s, to promote sales, Post advertised Grape-Nuts extensively, including contests to encourage consumers to create recipes that showed extended ways to use the cereal.
Grape-Nuts Pudding may have been one of the winners†, since the brand’s promotional materials often included recipes for it.
The recipe had become widely popular in New England households by the 1910s and 1920s. It evolved into a regional specialty and remains entrenched in New England cuisine [source: ChatGPT 2025-04-01].
> There are plenty of recipes on the Grape-Nuts website.
[8] An early Grape-Nuts ad showing the original packaging. Here’s how the box has evolved (photo courtesy Post Consumer Brands).
RECIPE: GRAPE NUTS PUDDING
Grape-Nuts Pudding is a custard dessert with the cereal providing texture and flavor. It became particularly popular in New England cuisine, where it remains a regional specialty today, especially in Maine and Massachusetts.
The basic recipe typically includes eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and Grape-Nuts cereal, baked until set. The cereal absorbs moisture from the custard mixture, softening while still providing a distinctive texture and nutty flavor to the finished pudding.
While early recipes for the pudding have a very mild flavor, Nancy Mock of Taste Of Home has updated the ingredients with a bit of cinnamon, maple syrup, and extra-toasty cereal. It can be served warm or chilled.
Prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 45-50 minutes.
Ingredients For 9 Servings
1 cup Grape-Nuts
3 cups whole milk
3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch ground nutmeg*
Optional for serving: whipped cream, ice cream (butter pecan, cinnamon, or vanilla), fresh berries, sliced bananas, a drizzle of caramel sauce, butterscotch sauce or hard sauce
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*We highly recommend freshly-grated nutmeg.
Preparation
1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch-square baking dish.
2. HEAT a small nonstick skillet over medium heat; add the Grape-Nuts. Stirring constantly, toast the Grape-Nuts for 3-4 minutes, just until fragrant and beginning to turn deep brown. Transfer to a bowl or plate to cool.
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[1] Grape-Nuts Pudding can be served warm or chilled (photos #1 and #2 © Nancy Mock | Taste Of Home).
[2] A bit of garnish is optional but always welcome.
[3] A box of Grape-Nuts (photos #3, #4, and #8 © Post Grape-Nuts).
[4] April Fool! Note the bowl of cereal that consists of grapes and nuts. See the footnote†† as to why the brand’s holiday ended up on April 1st.
[5] Cinnamon perks up the flavor and aroma (photo © McCormick).
[6] As does nutmeg (photo © SCYMP | Pixabay).
[7] And maple syrup—a nice New England touch (photo © Vermont Country Store).
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3. POUR the milk, eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until thoroughly combined; then whisk in the toasted Grape-Nuts. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and dust the top with ground nutmeg.
4. CREATE a water bath by placing the pudding dish inside a large roasting pan or baking dish. Set the nested pans on the center rack in the oven. Carefully pour hot water (from the tap or heated) into the roasting pan until it rises about three-quarters of the way up the outside of the pudding dish.
5. BAKE the pudding, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes or until the pudding is set with just a slight wobble in the center and a toothpick inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean.
6. CAREFULLY LIFT the pan of pudding out of the water bath and transfer it to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Slice and serve.
To serve cold, let the pudding cool completely and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.
Store leftovers tightly covered with plastic wrap for up to five days.
12 MORE WAYS TO SERVE GRAPE-NUTS
Baking in cookie dough, muffins, pie crusts, quick breads
Breading for chicken or fish
Breadcrumb substitute in meatloaf, meatballs, stuffing
Breadcrumb/crouton garnish substitute: salads, mac and cheese
Breakfast: mixed into pancake or waffle batter
Garnish: fruit salad, ice cream, pudding
Homemade cereal bars/energy bars
Oatmeal garnish or mix-in
Porridge substitute: soak Grape-Nuts in hot milk or water to soften and serve like oatmeal or make “overnight oats”
Streusel topping for fruit crisps or pies
Topping for cottage cheese, smoothie bowls, yogurt, yogurt parfait
Trail Mix
MORE CEREAL HOLIDAYS
January: National Oatmeal Month
February: Barley Month
February, Second Monday: Oatmeal Monday
March 7th: National Cereal Day
April 1: National Grape-Nuts Day
June 23rd: National Porridge Day
July 31: National Shredded Wheat Day
September 2nd: National Grits for Breakfast Day
September 26th: Better Breakfast Day
October 29th: National Oatmeal Day
November 15th: National Raisin Bran Cereal Day
Plus
January 11th: National Milk Day
January 21st: National Granola Bar Day
September 18th: National Rice Krispie Treats Day
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†Sweet bread puddings were already popular in the northeastern as a way to use up stale bread. Using Grape-Nuts in place of regular bread crumbs made a more flavorful yet still inexpensive pudding.
††An April Fool’s joke? Some food professionals have speculated that the April 1st date for National Grape-Nuts Day could be a playful nod to the cereal’s misleading name. As it contains neither grapes nor nuts, it’s actually “April Food Foolery.” However, there’s no official confirmation of this theory.
‡Grape-Nuts provides several essential nutrients, particularly due to its whole grain ingredients and fortification. The specific levels of fortification have changed over time as nutritional guidelines and understanding have evolved. Today they include:
> B vitamins including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), vitamin B6, and folic acid, which support energy metabolism and nervous system function.
> Copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, vitamin D, and zinc.
> High fiber content, about 7g per serving.
> Plant-based protein, about 6g per serving.
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