The Surprising Step You Should Take Before Adding Milk To Cereal For An Even Better Breakfast

A bowl of cereal is one of the simplest, most satisfying breakfasts you can get. Still, people look for ways to make it even better. One incredibly easy hack has been trending social media and claims that the answer is freezing the cereal beforehand. The steps are simple: Pour the desired cereal into a bowl, then place it in the freezer. The length of time long is best depends on the preference of the hacker and perhaps the cereal, but the general consensus is about one to two hours. In case the question crossed anyone's mind — yes, cereal can be frozen much like most food. In fact, supporters state that it not only extends the cereal's shelf life, it also enhances its flavor. Freezing cereal also helps to maintain its crunchy texture, and may even keep any accompanying milk refreshingly cold.

Some of this makes scientific sense. When it comes to texture, the ice crystals that form when freezing the cereal may help bring an added crunch. Additionally, storing a bag of cereal in a chiller can slow the oxidation process, meaning it won't get stale as fast as it would otherwise. However, it's worth mentioning that those trying this may want to use some caution. The ice crystallizations created from freezing the cereal for too long could change the cereal's structure and cause it to get mushy once it starts thawing.

Inspired, we put this hack to the test with a box of Lucky Charms, but readers are welcome to use their favorite brand of cereal. We found that the cold, dry air in the freezer causes the cereal to become firmer. This leads to a very satisfying crunch to its texture. While freezing the cereal seemed to initially help in holding its texture while in the milk, it could be argued that the unconventional method of adding milk then cereal would have been just as effective in this way. However, it did keep the milk very cold, as if acting like a bowlful of chilled, wheaty ice cubes. While the Lucky Charms was enjoyable, a fruity cereal may have been best.

Freezing cereal could certainly be a gamechanger for some. However, it's worth noting that temperature affects taste perception. Cold food needs more seasoning than hot food because of how our palate receives flavors (i.e. the hotter the foodstuff, the easier our tongue perceives it). To help alleviate this, warming the cereal may be advisable. Much in the way that blooming spices with heat results in more flavor, heating or toasting cereal via stovetop or oven with a little butter could potentially throw open the flavor door for even a bowl of toasted whole grain oat circles.