Access Atlanta > The Newcomer > Archives > 2008 > April > 30 > Entry
Grits vs. Malt-O-Meal vs. Cream of Wheat
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was an honest, legitimate question, a response to my first post, from reader calling himself Mr. Grits.
“I’m being serious: what’s Malt-O-Meal?”
And here was the honest, legitimate answer from a reader named Constance:
“Malt-o-meal is a very mean thing they do to yankees who don’t have grits. Best not to think about it. ;)”
Aww! Come on! I’m not a huge defender, but Malt-O-Meal is hardly cruelest thing in the Midwestern kitchens. Someday, maybe, we can talk about pasties and my unfortunately irrepressible childhood gag reflex.
For now, let’s focus: we’re talking about grain cereals here.
Malt-O-Meal was a standard. I remember the omnipresent yellow box in the pantry and my dad’s 100-percent failure rate at making it taste like anything but wet sand. (It ranks right up there with charred taco shells and attempting to pass off duck as beef. Man makes mean loaf of bread, though.)
I’d never met a grit until I moved to Kentucky. My grit education expanded greatly since coming here. After picking them out of my eyebrows and jean pockets, I’d say I know them quite well.
Here’s a break down: grits vs. Malt-O-Meal vs. another warm grain cereal familiar to some, Cream of Wheat.
If you’ve got a favorite, I want to know what, why and how you prepare it. To be honest, I’m more of an applesauce-and-oatmeal kinda girl. Help me out here.
Grits
Base: corn
What is it? Corn is coarsely ground; the finer part would be corn meal, the coarser your breakfast.
Who makes it? Anybody that mills corn, but Quaker makes several varieties.
Where can I find them? Please. We’re in Georgia. They rain from the skies.
Recipes: Grits are everywhere in recipes, but here are Quaker’s recommendations.
Notable: Grits are the official prepared food of Georgia. You can hit up National Grits Festival every year in Warwick, Georgia or the World Grits Festival in St. George, South Carolina.
Malt-O-Meal
Base: Wheat
What is it? It’s a malted wheat breakfast cereal served hot. It’s made from farina, which is leftover when the wheat bran and germ are removed. The black flecks are malted barley.
Who makes it? Malt-O-Meal is a Minneapolis-based company.
Where can you find it? Kroger and some Target stores carry it here.
Recipes: The Malt-O-Meal folks list main courses, soups, desserts and State Fair recipes using their banner product.
Notable: Earlier this month, Malt-O-Meal recalled Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat cereals produced with “Best if Used By” codes between April 8, 2008 and March 18, 2009 because of possible Salmonella contamination. I know you’re quaking in your boots right now, but don’t you worry - the original hot cereal is just fine.
Cream of Wheat
Base: Wheat
What is it? It’s the wheat kernel, or farina, sans Malt-O-Meal’s black flecks.
Who makes it? New Jersey-based B&G foods, also makers of Emeril’s, Brer Rabbit, Ortega and Polaner brands, among others.
Where can you find it? They’ll help you find it.
Recipes: From all-in-one pancakes to zesty steak wraps, there’s Cream of Wheat.
Notable: According to a June, 2007 story in the Lansing State Journal - the first professional newspaper I interned at, oddly - a granite marker was placed on the Leslie, Mich., grave of Frank White. He is thought to be the chef who posed for Cream of Wheat’s box.
Permalink | Comments (47) | Post your comment | Categories: Uniquely Georgia, Yum!
Comments
By Jeff
April 30, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this
I’m a grits fan, though I had at least HEARD of both of the other two - though I’ve never had them.
As for preparation of said grits:
I either go with straight sugar or syrup, sometimes jelly. In any case, the goal is to sweeten them up.
I’ve got relatives that SWEAR by cheese and/ or butter in their grits, but I personally can’t stand either of those in ANYTHING.
Oh, and Instant Grits are just NASTY!!!!
By ILOVEGRITS
April 30, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this
I prefer Grits over those two, I grew up eating grits in Augusta. We would even have them for dinner, with gravy. At breakfast we would eat them with Salmon Croquettes. I only eat them with salt/pepper and butter. I tried cream of wheat and almost PUKED YUCK
By the DION
April 30, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this
Grits.
By MADMOMMY
April 30, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
I grew up eating both Cream of Wheat and Malt o Meal. Of course my fav is the Malt o Meal, Oatmeal, then grits. Grits and eggs are the best way to eat them.
You cook both pretty much the same way in water with a dash of salt. How you eat them from there is a whole different ball game, but one that varies from person to person.
Now I am hungry for breakfast foods and Malt o meal reminds me of my childhood, so I might just have a bowl of that for dinner tonight.
By ron
April 30, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
Grits please.There are also rolled oats you know.
By One
April 30, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this
Grits, for sure. Ga. peach here, although my daughter used to like Cream of Wheat as a babe, when she was still a bit too young for grits. Now, she loves grits, with butter and cheese! I wouldn’t even buy the other two. My youngest nephew was forever scarred by one of his aunts, who put grape jelly in his grits one day………he has never eaten grits since (even with something else added). I think anything to sweeten grits is just NASTY………sugar? jelly? syrup? WTF????? Salt, pepper, butter and sometimes cheese!
By Noelle
April 30, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
Jeff, you’re a heretic. Don’t you know grits are supposed to be savory, not sweet?? :)
I’m definitely a grits girl, although Jim Dandy or Aunt Jemima are the “real” Southern brands. I like them with lots of salt, pepper, and butter, or with sharp cheddar cheese melted in, or mixed with scrambled eggs.
I’ve never tried Malt-O-Meal or Cream of Wheat. Why, when I have all the grits I want? :)
By I want my maypo
April 30, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this
Love both cream of wheat and grits. Grits - with butter, salt, and pepper - or with sharp cheese, cayenne, and a little tabasco sauce. Sometimes chunk up a little spam and mix it in. Cream of wheat - with sugar and milk poured around the edge of the bowl and mixed in a little at a time. Never had malt-o-meal, never will (especially after reading the ‘sand’ comment above). I do like my maypo, though.
By Jane
April 30, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
Grits, with Butter or Cheese or both. When I want a different taste to them I change the type of cheese. But cheddar is best.
WHY would anyone put something sweet in GRITS? Definately, not a Southerner.
Signed by: GRITS = Girl Raised in the South
By Arlene
April 30, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this
I am one of those yankees who had southern parents and grew up on GRITS and OATMEAL and the one that you left out, FARINA. I never heard of Malt O Meal and thought Cream of Wheat was the nastiest thing invented. When I was younger, I thought anything with “wheat” had to be nasty. Anyway, as a child I ate it with sugar, but when I “became of age” (whenever that was), I started just putting butter and pepper on them. Now that I am fully grown, I can eat them with either just butter and pepper (of course, I cook mine with salt in the water) or with the former with cheese. I’ve had them with salmon croquetts, with fish and with liver, onions and gravy.
By Jeff
April 30, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this
Jane:
Born and raised in Cartersville, GA. Living in South GA now. I’m as Southern as they come! (Though I don’t hunt, haven’t been fishing in at least a decade, and can’t STAND Nascar.)
By TheBlackManOnDaBox
April 30, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this
Neither.
Cream Of Wheat. Period.
By reservoirDAWG
April 30, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
Without a doubt grits. Not instant, though. Prepare them with salt, pepper, butter and sharp cheddar. No way should sugar, jelly or any other substance be used to sweeten grits.
By Koz
April 30, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
When I was a tyke I mixed my cheese grits with scrambled eggs and ketchup.
Today I still mix them, sans ketchup.
By Sandy
April 30, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Jeff ~
Sorry dear, but a true southerner would NEVER put sugar, jelly or any other such thing in grits. I’m surprised you haven’t been run out of restaurants for doing that. I’ll have to make you some REAL grits ~ that should convert you.
I pride myself in being the “Grit Queen” (LOL). I don’t use water, instead I use chicken broth, milk, and extra sharp cheddar. Or, if the mood strikes me, pepper jack and cheddar. Or, white american ~ but you get the idea. Stone ground grits are the way to go ~ but quick grits are fine if you are in a hurry. Talk about savory, rich and down right yummy.
By Sandy
April 30, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Jeff ~
Sorry dear, but a true southerner would NEVER put sugar, jelly or any other such thing in grits. I’m surprised you haven’t been run out of restaurants for doing that. I’ll have to make you some REAL grits ~ that should convert you.
I pride myself in being the “Grits Queen” (LOL). I don’t use water, instead I use chicken broth, milk, and extra sharp cheddar. Or, if the mood strikes me, pepper jack and cheddar. Or, white american ~ but you get the idea. Stone ground grits are the way to go ~ but quick grits are fine if you are in a hurry. Talk about savory, rich and down right yummy.
By Sandy
April 30, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this
Jeff ~
Sorry dear, but a true southerner would NEVER put sugar, jelly or any other such thing in grits. I’m surprised you haven’t been run out of restaurants for doing that. I’ll have to make you some REAL grits ~ that should convert you.
I pride myself in being the “Grits Queen” (LOL). I don’t use water, instead I use chicken broth, milk, and extra sharp cheddar. Or, if the mood strikes me, pepper jack and cheddar. Or, white american ~ but you get the idea. Stone ground grits are the way to go ~ but quick grits are fine if you are in a hurry. Talk about savory, rich and down right yummy.
By Jane
April 30, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this
Don’t hunt or fish and NASCAR not my cup o tea either. Know both the Cartersville and south GA areas well. NEVER heard of the Sugar stuff in Grits and it quite frankly sounds NASTY!
Try some with some red eye gravy.
By reservoirDAWG
April 30, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
Jane, you are a woman after my heart. Red eye gravy, mmmmmmmmm.
By erin
April 30, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this
Sugar or jelly in grits is just out-and-out heresy, Jeff. Shame on you!
But seriously, for this Georgia-born, Georgia-bred girl, it’s grits all the way. I can’t stand either Malt-o-Meal or Cream of Wheat.
I love mine with a bit of butter and a few dashes of pepper. Cheese is OK, too, but mixing anything else in with the grits is just WRONG!
Let me add, too, that correctly cooking the grits is absolutely essential … there are entirely too many people at too many restaurants who do unspeakable things when trying to cook a big pot o’grits and I think THAT all by itself is probably the main reason why some people don’t like ‘em.
By Michelle
April 30, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
GRITS * hands down! No instant grits either…good slow good *yellow grits. Yellow grits are the best but hard to find. Dixie Lily sells them directly from their website.
By Michelle
April 30, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
GRITS * hands down! No instant grits either…good slow cooked *yellow grits. Yellow grits are the best but hard to find. Dixie Lily sells them directly from their website.
By ga girl
April 30, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
I was born and raised in N.Ga. and Ive eaten grits as long as I can remember. My mother always had grits for breakfast almost daily. She always cooked quick grits but Ive gotten use to instant grits. I still cook them on the stove and add butter and cheese. I like mild cheese with mine and salt for sure. I can not imagine “sweet grits”. To me the sweet is to be added to oatmeal because that is one thing I can not eat without sugar. I love to pour grits over top of scrambled eggs. I.ve also being served grits with seafood in restaurants and was pretty good. I have 2 children and 6 grands and all but one of these off springs love grits.
By jct
April 30, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
Cream of Wheat with a little milk, brown sugar and cinnamon. That’s what I had for breakfast growing up in Connecticut.
Cream of Wheat needs to be sweetened to be good. Grits, on the other hand, should have butter and/or cheese, salt and pepper -that’s it. Had grits this morning for breakfast.
Grits, Cream of Wheat and Malt-O-Meal are all good. You just need the proper preparation.
By James
April 30, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
GRITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By James
April 30, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
GRITS!!!!!!!!
By Mr. Grits
April 30, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
Jamie, thanks for the info on Malt-O-Meal. Wow, a whole blog topic dedicated to little ol’ me!
BTW, butter, salt/pepper are traditional with grits (nevermind these folks who like ‘em sweet. They can’t handle real grits!). Once you’ve mastered the basic prep, try with red eye gravy.
By Teresa
April 30, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this
Sweet grits????? NO WAY!!!!! Might as well eat Cream of Wheat!! As a Georgia Peach gal, you ALWAYS!! eat grits with enough butter that they’re the color of a yellow rain coat!
By William
April 30, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this
Best way to eat Grits is to have them not too thick and not too thin, theres a thin line between soup and peanut butter there. Salt and pepper and of course the pound of butter. HAVE TO BE HOT and not cold for sure. I always break up a couple of pieces of my bacon and make it a bit more enjoyable. My mom would also cook up fatback and I would dip it in there and eat it that way too. I could understand folks wanting to add hot sauce or something that alows them to enjoy them more. But really now, salt, pepper and butter is the BEST..
By Poor pasty
April 30, 2008 3:55 PM | Link to this
What’s the matter with pasties!!?? I can’t imagine how skirt steak, onion, potato, dough and butter might make you gag. (Perhaps gag-inducing if you include the rutabaga though.)
I grew up eating Cornish pasties and still make them for my husband and children. We love them. Didn’t know there was a PastyFest in the States though — we may have to trek up to Michigan.
By Skooch
April 30, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
I like Cream o’ Wheat, but also Cocoa-Wheat, which was chocolate Cream O’ Wheat (pronounced Cream-a-Wheat). I don’t see the Cocoa-Wheat in the stores, but do keep a box of “Creamawheat” in my cupboard. Also, I wonder if grits is singular or plural? I have this old recipe on a piece of wood that hangs in my kitchen and it says “Grits is good…” but I wonder if it should say “grits are good”. Comments? Sorry-I don’t like ‘em. They taste like watered down cornbread to me. But at least I tried!
By spence
April 30, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this
Jane knows what she’s talking about - grits and red-eye gravy! An ideal breakfast would be one helping of buttered grits, one helping of cheese grits and one with red-eye gravy (breakfast, h*ll! It would be great any time).
By Kae
April 30, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this
As a Yankee with strong southern roots I ate GRITS all the time, with butter and sugar please! I sometimes ate banana Cream of Wheat as well. Although I am not a GRIT (girl raised in the south), I love southern cooking, grits included!
By Becky
April 30, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this
Grits, homemade biscuits, fried streak-o-lean & gravy…Nothing better..And NO sugar in the grits…
By Lynn
April 30, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this
I like all three, but never with anything sweet in any of them! Pinch of salt, butter, and maybe a little hot sauce is equally good in all three.
By Get it Right
April 30, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this
Grits, grits and more grits with eggs, butter, cheese, ham, sausage and/or bacon. Grits is possibly the only word in the English language that is both sigular and plural at the same time, so it is grammatically correct to say, “Grits is Good”. Head down to Savannah or Charleston and try Shrimp and Grits. Heaven in a bowl.
By Big Trouble
April 30, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this
Grits!
Salt, pepper, and bacon!
But my wife (born yankee, but raised in the south) still puts sugar in hers. I tried it once and nearly gagged. She still tries to get my daughter to eat them this way. Yuck!
By dino
April 30, 2008 5:07 PM | Link to this
every morning, monday thru friday, for breakfast i have grits, eggs, bacon, hash brown, toast w/strawberry jam, milk & cranberry juice. must have to face the day. but GRITS all the way. cream of wheat should be banned. most disgusting thing i have ever taste.
By Ivan
April 30, 2008 5:56 PM | Link to this
Born and raised in Texas, I HATE GRITS!!!!
By Constance
April 30, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this
Ha, ha, ha! You’re awesome, Jamie. Thanks for the notice - and for the grain education. Truth is, I may have all kinds of bluster and pride about the South and things that come from it, but the key to any warm grain cereal is really how you make it. My old roommate in Chicago actually did manage to convert me to Malt-o-Meal, after I’d spent four years up North thinking it was the most disgusting thing ever. She just made it right. I don’t know what she did, but it was gooood. I, in turn, got her to like grits - by dumping in a TON of cream, garlic, and parmesan in them. So yeah, my anti-Malt-O-Meal comment was really just me practicing Southerner’s greatest gift - bravado. ;)
By faye
April 30, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this
I was born up North, but I have lived here now longer than I lived up there - I like all three - I grew up with Malt-o-meal (my mom’s fav - she served it with maple syrup and butter) and Cream of Wheat (I liked it best with butter, cinnamon and sugar), but my favorite is grits! Love them!
I like them plain, with salt & butter, with cheese, with biscuits and gravy, with bacon, with sausage - even with corn beef hash - that’s a true blending of the north and the south IMHO. :-)
By mom
April 30, 2008 9:32 PM | Link to this
Sorry - I guess I’m showing my regional difference…Malt O Meal and nothing but. Love you more though. - mom
By FalconFan60
May 1, 2008 7:24 AM | Link to this
Grits with salt,pepper, real butter, and a slice of american cheese. The only way to eat them. And Cream of Wheat is so much better than oatmeal in my opinion. But you HAVE to prepare it with MILK, NOT WATER! It’s worse than anything you’ve ever tried to eat when made with water.
By Oatmeal in Roswell
May 1, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this
Growing up in Chicago, my mother used to make Cream of Wheat, but I knew what grits were because they had them as an option (standard was hash browns) for a breakfast side on the South Side diners. Butter, salt and pepper would be my preferred seasoning. I’ve never had Malt-O-Meal. Today I eat oatmeal for health reasons; however to me all of them taste like cardboard.
By Oatmeal in Roswell
May 1, 2008 7:57 AM | Link to this
Growing up in Chicago, my mother used to make Cream of Wheat, but I knew what grits were because they had them as an option (standard was hash browns) for a breakfast side on the South Side diners. Butter, salt and pepper would be my preferred seasoning. Today I eat oatmeal for health reasons; however to me all of them taste like cardboard.
By 2boysmom
May 2, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
disclaimer first: i’m a d.c. native, but it’s below the mason-dixon line and i definitely consider it a southern town. that’s evident from the fact that i was raised on grits and cream of wheat. for all you naysayers - grits are the bomb. i agree with sandy - grits are not meant to be sweet. butter, salt and bacon bits. that was our family’s staple breakfast. (times were hard in the 70’s, man.) i’ve been here 15 years and still can’t eat grits that i haven’t cooked myself. sorry. i just know how i like ‘em - since my dad is 600 miles away. he’s the master.
By cb
May 3, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
I may have told you once that my dad and his entire family is from rural Kentucky. Didn’t move to Detroit til he was small, and he’s the youngest.
They all grew up on the southern favorites, grits included.
But man, grits was the one thing I never got to like. Though after reading some of the suggestions in this set o’ comments (“setacomments”?) I think I’m going to have to give them a whirl.
Cream, garlic and parmesan? Yes please!
Though at that point, aren’t you pretty darn close to making polenta?