Kellogg’s CEO suggests poor people eat cereal for dinner; what’s the nutritional value of Kellogg’s for tea?

Kellogg’s Chief Executive Officer Gary Pilnick perhaps fancies himself a nutritionist as much as he is a multi-million-pound businessman, but his recent comments on how poor families could cope during a cost of living crisis come across as more facetious than helpful. 

That his comments could also be construed as telling people to buy more Kellogg’s products, which have seen a price increase of 28% over the past four years is also a well-made point critics of his have made online.

During a live appearance on CNBC's Squawk on the Street on February 21, Pilnick made some comments that have been compared to the infamous phrase "let them eat cake" attributed to Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution. 

The discussion was about high grocery prices, and Pilnick stated that the cereal category has always been affordable: “[...] and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure. If you think about the cost of cereal for a family versus what they might otherwise do, that’s going to be much more affordable.”

“In fact, it’s landing really well right now. Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now, and we would expect [it] to continue as that consumer is under pressure.”

Speaking as a once-impoverished student who had to rely on cheap meals (I believe the phrase now is “girl dinner” on TikTok), I found myself eating cereal for dinner once or twice, but never had I considered it as a regular staple for mealtimes. That would mean cereal twice in one day - which can get kind of boring, but we are in a cost of living crisis still.

Since publishing this story, Arlyne Chinyanganya, Chief Financial Wellbeing Coach at Roots to Froots, contacted NationalWorld to say: "This is another instance of corporate disconnection, highlighting the gap between CEOs and struggling families striving to make ends meet. The sentiment underscores the disconnect between corporate leadership and the real challenges faced by households juggling multiple jobs to provide for their families. Leaders of such businesses should be prioritising consumer welfare over profit margins, especially during times of economic strain. The debate sheds light on the expectations of corporate leaders to address the pressing concerns of consumers amidst a cost-of-living crisis."

"To help households make the most of their budget, families can look to explore budget-friendly options such as store-brand products, seasonal produce, and affordable alternatives like frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. These strategies help households stretch their budgets without compromising on nutrition or taste."

But for those considering cereal for dinner an option, NationalWorld and I have had a look at the nutritional labels of five popular Kellogg’s brands and compared them with what is generally considered the number of calories we should be consuming during dinner time/tea time (delete what side of the North/South divide you belong to). So is he right? 

What is the nutritional value of a bowl of Kellogg's cereal for dinner?

According to the NHS, the average calorie count for dinner is considered between 500-700 calories, with calcium, iodine and iron considered three of the seven important nutrients advised we consume as part of our eating habits. With that in mind, do any of these Kellogg’s products, using semi-skimmed milk, have the calorific intake that can honestly make it a meal?

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes

One serving of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes is suggested as 30g, which contains 113kcal per serving without milk, and 25g of Carbohydrates, 2.4g of which comprise sugar. Including a splash of milk coming in at 13kcal, brings a bowl of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes to 126kcal - well below the threshold considered healthy in terms of calories.

Kellogg’s Coco Pops

The cereal that turns your milk into a milkshake, so the advert used to promote when I was a youngster. A bowl of Coco Pops contains 116kcal and 21g of carbohydrates, 5.1g of those being sugar. With that splash of milk into the mix, a bowl of Kellogg’s Coco Pops for dinner would be 129kcal, still nowhere near the level of calories advised to consume for dinner.

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies

Perhaps Messrs Snap, Crackle and Pop could help defend the good name of Kellogg’s for dinner, but once again in terms of calories - it’s not a great sign for the cereal makers. One bowl of Rice Krispies is incredibly 117kcal, only one more than Coco Pops, with 26g of carbohydrates in each serving, 2.4g of which comprise sugar. Add that token splash of milk to the bowl, and Rice Krispies for dinner comes to 130kcal - still not adequate enough.

Kellogg’s Frosties

Synonymous with anthropomorphic tigers around the world, Tony’s contribution to the world of Kellogg’s comes in the form of course the humble corn flake “frosted” with sugar. All that frosting leads to an increase in calories, with a bowl registering at 131kcal, with carbohydrates consisting of 13g of sugar from its 30g of carbs overall. Add that splash of milk in, and it’s hardly “great” - with the calorific intake comprising 143kcal but with a lot more sugar involved.

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies

Perhaps Messrs Snap, Crackle and Pop could help defend the good name of Kellogg’s for dinner, but once again in terms of calories - it’s not a great sign for the cereal makers. One bowl of Rice Krispies is incredibly 117kcal, only one more than Coco Pops, with 26g of carbohydrates in each serving, 2.4g of which comprise sugar. Add that token splash of milk to the bowl, and Rice Krispies for dinner comes to 130kcal - still not adequate enough.

Kellogg’s Sultana Bran

We decided for our final cereal to go with the considered healthy choice, Kellogg’s Sultana Bran. But with a serving of the cereal coming in at 140kcal - the highest of the five we’ve looked at - could that increase help bump it up to the calories we need for dinner? Not really - with milk included the total for a bowl of Kellogg’s Sultana Brand comes to 153kcal, with 27g of carbohydrates, 12g of which are sugars.

Can I eat a bowl of cereal for dinner like Gary Pilnick suggests?

If combined with other items to help lift the rather low-calorie intake one bowl of cereal by Kellogg’s suggests, then yes, in theory, you can survive on a bowl of cereal for dinner. But that poses the next question - in a cost of living crisis, can you afford to supplement the cost of Kellogg’s cereals with something else to help with that calorie deficit? 

Surely that defeats the purpose of solely existing on cereal for dinner, would it not?