Biden Administration fiscal policies have driven inflation upwards of nearly 18%, according to the February 14 Consumer Price Index. This has prompted Fox Business news and the Republican House Conference to project that “Bidenomics” is costing the average American household about $1,019 per month more than when Biden took office. Even CBS News reported back in November 2023, “The typical American household must spend an additional $11,434 annually just to maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed in January of 2021, right before inflation soared to 40-year highs, according to a recent analysis of government data.” This is not lost on the flakes and fruit loops of corporate America.
In a recent CNBC interview, Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick said he believes the inflationary trend is an opportunity for people impacted by inflation to eat cereal for dinner. Pilnick, worth some $15.7 million, probably hasn’t eaten cereal for dinner since his college days if even then. He said, “The cereal category has always been quite affordable, and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure. Some of the things that we’re doing is, first, messaging. We have to reach the consumer where they are. So we’re advertising about cereal for dinner. If you think about the cost of cereal for a family versus what they might otherwise do, that’s going to be much more affordable…The price of a bowl of cereal with milk and fruit is less than a dollar.” That’s a pretty small bowl, according to today’s prices.
Pilnick was asked if Kellogg’s advertising cereal for dinner could be taken the wrong way. He said, “We don’t think so. In fact, it’s landing really well right now,” adding that over 25 percent of Kellogg cereal consumption is outside the breakfast occasion…and “a lot of it’s at dinner, and that occasion continues to grow.” A 15 second Kellogg ad has Tony the Tiger cheerleading a mom, dad and kids at a dinner table: “When I say cereal, you say dinner. Cereal. Dinner. Cereal. Dinner” and an animated chicken on the counter behind them says “Chicken” to which the mom looks over and proclaims, “You can have the night off Chicken.” The Chicken replies, “OK, I’ll go marinate.” The commercial ends with Tony chanting “Dinner” and the kids replying “Cereal” against a backdrop of Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops and Frosted Mini Wheels.
Can anyone cite the ingredients of those cereals? Things that are totally unhealthy, even for breakfast. One serving, which is pretty small, is 24% of the daily recommendation for added sugars, and its two grams of protein don’t even register on the daily value scale. Oh, and yes, the cost of these cereals is on the rise, not to mention the cost of milk. 1 Timothy 4:3 says that in the latter times people will be speaking lies and “commanding [people] to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” Can’t afford a real dinner like the Kellogg CEO, eat some of his cereal. ‘Can’t wait to dig in to my flakes and fruit loops…hmmm…say it with me…Stupidocrisy.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/inflation-households-need-extra-11400-these-states-its-even-higher/
https://wallmine.com/people/36717/gary-h-pilnick#google_vignette
https://smartlabel.kelloggs.com/Product/Index/00038000181719
