In today’s environment, streamlining labor and inventory costs while optimizing sales are critical for any successful K-12 foodservice operation. Operators need versatile K-12 meal solutions that are easy to execute and provide the flavors and brands students love, while also meeting the nutritional requirements.
The full line of 2-ounce equivalent grain cereal cups from General Mills were designed specifically to meet these demands. The varieties include popular, classic favorites such as Honey Nut Cheerios™, Cocoa Puffs™ and Cinnamon Chex™ that can be easily incorporated into breakfast, lunch and snack dayparts.
These products provide efficiencies in inventory and storage, with pre-portioned packaging that’s ideally suited for grab-and-go displays as well as for recipe assembly in the kitchen.
Not only do these cereal cups meet regulators’ 2-ounce equivalent grain requirements, all are Smart Snack compliant, which means they meet the requirements of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 for nutrition standards required for all foods sold in schools. In addition, many are gluten-free and most have no artificial flavors or colors from artificial sources. Several also have reduced sugar, including the new 2-ounce equivalent grain Trix™ cereal cups which has been reformulated with 25% less sugar.
Consider displaying cereals from General Mills with suggested milk pairings, such as fat-free chocolate milk for Cocoa Puffs™ or Lucky Charms™ and soy milk for Cinnamon Chex™, Blueberry Chex™ or Cinnamon Toast Crunch™. Merchandising any of these or other 2-ounce equivalent grain cereal cups from General Mills can help drive milk sales.
Other self-serve merchandising ideas include:
- Stack cups between layers of sheet pans, either on a tabletop or in a baker’s rack.
- Place cups in baskets for students to pick up and add to their tray.
- Create a cereal station with cereal on one side and fruit and yogurt on the other.
- Create holiday-specific displays, such as a Lucky Charms™ takeover for St. Patrick’s Day.
And for even more ideas for merchandising, click here!
The 2-ounce equivalent grain cereal cups from General Mills also can be used in other recipes to easily create additional breakfast, snack and lunch options. For example, consider a Unicorn Parfait made with layers of fruit and yogurt, served with Lucky Charms™ cereal and an ice cream cone as a horn.
Or consider creating meatless lunch dishes by combining the crunch and flavor of General Mills 2-ounce equivalent grain cereal cups with fruits, vegetables and protein-rich products such as nut butter, cheese or Yoplait® ParfaitPro® yogurt alternative. Bees on a Branch, for example, features celery and carrot sticks topped with nut butter, raisins, sunflower seeds and Honey Nut Cheerios™. Or make a Cinnamon Rice Chex™ Blueberry Crumble by combining Yoplait® ParfaitPro® with cereal and blueberries.
Consider using Blueberry Chex™ in place of croutons in a salad to add both crunch and color, or feature Blueberry Chex™ in a trail mix that includes a cheese stick, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and apple.
General Mills 2 oz. equivalent grain cereal cups are perfect for events throughout the year. Upcoming activations and events include National School Breakfast Week, which takes place March 6-10, 2023 and includes National Cereal Day on March 7.
For more information and ideas about how to drive profitable sales volume in K-12 foodservice operations with 2-ounce equivalent grain cereal cups from General Mills, visit General Mills Foodservice today.
This post is sponsored by General Mills Foodservice