Stale cereal is a given, in any household. Maybe the kids didn’t like it, or there wasn’t enough for a full bowl.
Either way, you have to throw it out (which is wasting more money and we here at SAHM aren’t fans of that!) or find a way to use it.
So long as it isn’t completely rancid there are things that can be done with it. Here are ten ideas that we’ve come up with to make the most out of our left over cereal.
Apple Crumble
Use as a topping for home-made Apple Crumble. Once baked sprinkle with some sugar and cinnamon and you would never know it was even stale.
Chicken Schnitzels
Use stale cornflakes for crumbing your own Chicken Schnitzels.
Bird Food
If it’s really stale and not a sugary cereal you can use it to feed the birds.
Muffin Mix
Make stale cereal muffins. Just loosely grind some stale cereal and add to a muffin mix. Just a different spin on bran muffins really. It’s best to avoid cereals with fruits in it as they tend to get stuck in the blender.
Everyday Baking
Stale cereal can be used in everything from cookies to cakes with success. Give it a go! You might be pleasantly surprised. If it has dried fruits etc. in it you can also soak it in brandy for a yummy spin on a fruit cake.
Flour Substitute
High fibre cereal can be crushed finely to create a “flour” and used as a substitute for one quarter of the regular white flour in most recipes.
Dessert Topper
Crushed cereal can be added to in a bowl or as a topping for sundaes, yoghurt or icecream
Breadcrumb Substitute
Blend up plain stale cereals and use as bread crumbs
Reheat and Reuse
Did you know that you can refresh chewy cereal by putting it in the oven for 3-5 minutes at 150 degrees Celsius. Simply place on a tray lined with baking paper and be careful not to burn it. Leave to cool and then store in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for another few days.
Art and Craft
Use stale fruit loops, Cheerio’s or any cereal with holes in it for the kids to make play jewellery and crafts out of. If you are worried about ants etc. simply spray them with an aerosol sealant.
In The Garden
Even the oldest and stalest cereal is good enough for composting.
