Which Kinds Of Cereals Stay Crunchy The Longest

Certain types of cereal, such as granola, stay crunchy longer.

Cold breakfast cereal comes in many varieties. From sugary to healthy, cereals are available for nearly every taste imaginable. Many people like their cold cereal crunchy, and strive to find a cereal that will stay crunchy in milk. Certain types of cereal, such as those that have large pieces or use special coatings, stay crunchy in milk for longer periods of time.

Granola

Not just for natural food eaters anymore, granola has mainstream appeal as a cereal and topping for foods such as fruit and yogurt. Granola is made of oats, nuts, sugar, honey, dried fruit and spices, mixed together and spread out over an oven band or dryer. The mixture, baked to achieve a light-brown color and a moisture content of about 3 percent, is then broken into large pieces. Granola is inherently crunchy; because of its low-moisture content, large chunks and crystallized sugar coating, milk takes longer to penetrate the cereal pieces.

Sugar Coated Puffs

Puffed cereal with no coating tends to get soggy quickly. Coatings added to many of these cereals sweeten them and act as barriers to keep milk out. Sugar coatings combine a sugar formula with an application method that results in a layer of sugar crystals, sweetening the cereal while prolonging its crispness. Other ingredients, such as dextrins or maltodextrins -- simple carbohydrates used as food additives -- can be sprayed onto the surface of the cereal and provide a crisp barrier without adding sweetness. Inulin, a subtly sweet, plant-based additive, also helps extend bowl life by forming a film on the pores of the cereal pieces, coating them and protecting them from moisture.

Cereal with Crunchy Additions

Adding nuts or other crunchy inclusions is another way cereal manufacturers keep cereal crunchy longer. Of all the nuts available, almonds, especially the larger slices, add the most crunch to any given cereal. Because they are prone to getting soggy faster, flake cereals often incorporate additions such as granola clusters. Since the clusters contain the same ingredients as regular granola, they add the needed crunch and texture that flake cereals usually lack. Other cereals use marshmallow bits, which add crunch as well as sweetness. For crunch with less sweetness, a cereal inclusion with a crunchy shell and a soft center is used, which can be developed as a multi-grained, fruit or nut inclusion.

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