Photography by Ian L. Sitren

Posts tagged “marshmallow cereal treats

The Most Popular Snack in America Isn’t Potato Chips

I managed to miss National Snack Day this year. It was March 4th. Somehow that critical moment in American culture slipped right past me, which is unfortunate because snack food is practically a national pastime.

To make up for the oversight, I decided to photograph a plate of Rice Krispies Treats. Not just the classic version, but also a few variations with chocolate drizzle and candy pieces mixed in.

And here is the interesting part. Depending on how you measure it, Rice Krispies Treats are often cited as one of the most popular snacks in the United States. Not potato chips. Not pretzels. Not candy bars. A square of crispy rice cereal held together with melted marshmallow.

The original version dates back to 1939, when Mildred Day, a home economist working in Kellogg’s test kitchen, created the recipe using Rice Krispies cereal and marshmallows. The idea was simple. Melt marshmallows, mix in the cereal, press it into a pan, and cut it into squares. The recipe was initially promoted as a fundraiser dessert for Camp Fire Girls groups across the country.

From there the treat spread everywhere. School bake sales, birthday parties, lunchboxes, office break rooms. Eventually Kellogg’s began producing packaged Rice Krispies Treats, turning what had once been a homemade snack into a grocery store staple.

So even though I missed National Snack Day by a day or two, this seemed like a reasonable way to catch up.

You can see more of my Commercial Food Photography on my website at…
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