In days gone by, cereals may not have snapped, crackled, or popped, but they were the silent basis of finance in medieval France and a leading economic indicator in England from the twelfth to the nineteenth century. Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, claimed that the only noble way to grind grain was between two stones (and today we know that this technique is a good way to preserve the germ).

Cereals continue to be just as important today as in the past. Close to forty percent of the world's population currently relies on cereals for the majority of its daily nourishment. Many of us think to include cereal only in the breakfast portion of our daily intake. Consider that cereals are low in fat, sodium, and calories (if you select wisely-more about that later), are high in fiber and nutrients, are relatively inexpensive, store for long periods of time without refrigeration, can function as thickening agents in cooked foods, and can add color, flavor, and texture to many dishes.

When selecting cereals, be sure to check the labels for ingredients. Ready-to-eat cereals may contain lots of the good stuff (wheat, barley, oats, bran, fiber, etc.), but may also have some of the not-so-hot stuff (sugar, corn syrup, salt, fat [from vegetable oils or nuts], artificial color and flavor, etc.). Long-cooking cereals are less likely than ready-to-eat or quick-cooking cereals to have unwanted ingredients. Shredded Wheat has virtually no sodium or fat (about 3 milligrams of sodium per 1 ounce serving), but All-Bran checked in with 320 milligrams. Just to confuse the matter, All-Bran has 8 grams of fiber per serving while Shredded Wheat has only 4 grams. Most "cream" cereals (Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, Farina, etc.) are lower in fiber than whole cereals (brans, flakes, etc.). Did you know that the only difference between regular whole oats and quick-cooking oats is the processing? Quick oats are cut so that the oat flakes are smaller and shorter and so need less time to absorb water and cook. During this processing a small amount of fiber is lost (regular oats have 4 grams of fiber per serving and quick oats have 3). If you purchase ready-to-eat cereals, be sure you are getting nutritional value for your dollar. Become a label reader!

Once you've brought your cereal purchase home, you'll want to store it for optimum shelf life. At the market, check expiration dates (for ready-to-eat) and sniff cereal packages (aroma should be fresh and "toasty," not musty). All whole grain cereals should be stored tightly closed and kept away from humidity. All cereals benefit from good ventilation in a dry area. Store either in the original container (unopened) or in an airtight container (don't forget to label and date).

Now for the fun part-including cereal where you'd least expect it. One cup of cooked cereal may be used instead of 1/4 cup flour in baking recipes, but, you must reduce the amount of fluid by one cup for each cup of cereal used. Mix the cooked cereal into other fluids in the recipe and then combine with dry ingredients. This works well in fruit and vegetable quick breads (think zucchini bread or cranberry-orange muffins), vegetable and nut loaves, and in bread puddings. If you would like to thicken soup, bring the soup to a boil, stir in one teaspoon of oats, 2 tablespoons of wheat germ, or one teaspoon of barley to one cup of liquid. Reduce the soup to a simmer and allow to thicken. This also works well with stew. Uncooked whole wheat cereal can be added (about 1/8 cup to a quart of batter) to quick breads, muffins, or cookies for extra texture, color and a nutty flavor.

Leftover cooked cereal need not go to waste. Allow corn meal mush to thicken (it will do this if you just allow it to stand), cut into squares and bake, season with fresh herbs or tomato sauce, and you have a great side dish to add to your starch repertoire. Ready-to-eat cereal can be used as a topping for vegetables and casseroles (toast whole grain cereals, crush with a rolling pin, and use instead of breadcrumbs). Unsweetened crunchy cereal can be used to garnish soups and can be tossed into stir-fries or can be used to top frozen desserts or fruit salads. Ready-to-eat cereals can even be made into a more-than-usually-nutritious pie crust. Cereal-it's not just for breakfast anymore-it belongs at every meal you serve.