Considering Kellogg's is a Michigan company based in Battle Creek, it would make total sense that Rice Krispies Treats are the state's favorite snack.
With National Snack Day on March 4, experts at Hubscore say they examined 20 trending snacks to analyze the top five favorites in each state. And Rice Krispies Treats also emerged as the nation's favorite snack. They were a favorite of 17 other states: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
Our neighbors to the south, Ohio, prefer Doritos as their snack of choice, which comes in No. 2 for Michigan. The flavored tortilla chips from Frito-Lay is the second-most popular among the 50 states with 16 states making it No. 1.
Hubscore also says 73% of consumers snack at least twice a day.
Favorite snacks in Michigan
- Rice Krispies Treats
- Doritos
- Fritos
- Goldfish
- Starburst
Birth of the 'snap, crackle, pop'
The next time you snack on Rice Krispies Treats, thank Iowa’s Mildred Day for creating them.
Even before receiving her diploma in 1928, Day had lined up a job at Kellogg’s cereal company in Battle Creek, Michigan. She tested recipes in the company’s large kitchens and later was sent across the country, via train, to conduct cooking schools for Kellogg’s customers in about 38 states.
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies was developed in 1927, came on the market in 1928, and were a hit with their “snap, crackle and pop” sounds.
Many sources say that in 1939 — although her daughter, Sandra Rippie of Bloomington, Minnesota, believes it was years earlier — Day and co-worker Malitta Jensen created the Rice Krispies Treat, possibly inspired by an earlier recipe that used puffed wheat and molasses. Day thought marshmallows would be less messy than molasses.
Rippie says that about six months after the invention, Kellogg’s received an inquiry from a Camp Fire girls organization in the Kansas City area, pleading for ideas for a fundraiser. Kellogg’s decided to test-try what it initially called “marshmallow squares,” and put Day on a train for Kansas City.
Day set up a temporary kitchen and and proceeded to make batch after batch of the treats. As soon as a batch was completed, the mothers of the Camp Fire girls would wrap the treats and have the youngsters sell door to door.
Kellogg’s put the recipe for the new treat on its Rice Krispies cereal box for the first time in 1941, although the recipe had been published in newspapers earlier.
Rice Krispies Treats trends
- The latest viral fitness trend has people reaching for a surprising snack before their workouts: Rice Krispies Treats.
- Peeps Rice Krispies Treats Flavored Marshmallow Chicks will be available only at Walmart for Easter.
The Original Rice Krispies Treats™ Recipe
Serves: 12 / Prep time: 10 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 package (10 oz., about 40) JET-PUFFED Marshmallows or 5½ cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal
Directions
In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal. Stir until well-coated.
Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13x9x2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.
The Des Moines Register contributed to this story.
Follow Detroit Free Press on Twitter (@freep), Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress) and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).
Contact Amy Huschka:ahuschka@freepress.comor follow her on Twitter (@aetmanshuschka).
