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Giving up boxed breakfast cereal from the store is without a doubt one of the hardest tasks to accomplish after adopting a Traditional Diet. I was the Boxed Breakfast Cereal Queen before opting to get off the processed food train 2 decades ago. I would eat organic cereal morning, noon, and night, sometimes even a bowl before bed.
Can you believe I actually thought this practice was good for me?
Unfortunately, I learned that my boxed breakfast cereal habit, even though it was organic cereal, was far from healthy.
The problem is not with the ingredients themselves, which are simple and seem “whole” enough in the case of organic cereal. The unhealthy aspect of boxed cereal is due to the violent processing required to manufacture it.
Why Make Your Own Corn Flakes?
This factory driven process, called extrusion, applies so much heat and pressure to the cereal grains that they actually liquefy. This slurry allows the grains to be quickly and easily shaped into the puffs, flakes, and other shapes that make each cereal distinct.
According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, the manufacturing process used to make boxed cereal is so violent and denaturing that the proteins in the grains are actually rendered toxic and allergenic as a result. This is why whole grain boxed breakfast cereal is shockingly even more toxic than cheap boxed cereals made with white flour — because whole grains are higher in protein. The more protein, the more toxic the boxed cereal.
What’s a traditional eating family to do?
The good news is that unhealthy versions of processed foods like boxed breakfast cereal can usually be replicated at home using simple preparation techniques which do not denature the food or add toxins like what happens in a factory.
Boxed breakfast cereal is no exception. It is very possible to make tasty and healthy cold breakfast cereal yourself. I’ve posted articles and videos in the past about how to do this. Here are a few of the most popular:
- spelt homemade cold breakfast cereal recipe
- rice crispies recipe
- gluten free homemade breakfast cereal
- grain free homemade cold breakfast cereal
In the recipe below, I add another gluten free cereal recipe on how to make corn flakes!
Wait a Minute! Is Corn Healthy?
Some of you may be thinking – corn? No way. How is corn healthy?
Corn really does have a bad rap these days, doesn’t it?
The fact is that corn is a traditional food, particularly in my area of the country. The Indian tribes native to Florida ate a soaked corn gruel as a primary staple food. It sustained them well. They remained strong and vital on their native diet and were able to withstand battle after battle with the United States army and were never defeated. In 1957, the federal government officially recognized the sovereign rights of the Seminole tribe of Florida.
Corn Isn’t the Problem: GMOs are!
So corn itself is not the problem. What is unhealthy is genetically modified corn or corn that is violently processed. This creates frankenfoods like high fructose corn syrup and other additives included in supermarket foods. Worse, processed foods containing GMO corn contain residue of gut destroying glyphosate, known by consumers as Roundup.
Once you realize that corn is fine to eat when properly and traditionally prepared (unless you have an allergy to it) and that it is processed and genetically modified corn that is the real problem, you are free to enjoy this delicious traditional food!
How to Make Corn Flakes Cereal
Corn flakes cereal, in particular, is so yummy. It was always one of my favorites in my boxed breakfast cereal eating days.
In a burst of crazy and wild experimenting one afternoon, I came up with this recipe for homemade corn flakes cereal. My kids went nuts and so did I!
These healthy corn flakes taste just like the boxed corn flakes from the store, but this version is actually healthy and very filling!
What is also amazing about this healthy corn flakes cereal recipe is that it is so filling and satisfying. Just the small bowl you see in the picture above is plenty enough for breakfast or a snack. This compares with the several much larger bowls of processed corn flakes that don’t seem to fill you up that well and you are hungry again a short time later. Such is the overeating that occurs when one eats processed foods devoid of nutrients.
I hope you enjoy this corn flakes recipe as much as my family!
Homemade Corn Flakes
Easy recipe for homemade corn flakes that is sprouted, easy to digest, and loaded with nutrition.
Instructions
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In a large skillet, warm enough avocado oil so that it is about an inch deep. Heat to 300-325F, being careful not to let the temperature rise above 425F as this is the smokepoint of avocado oil. Free radicals begin to form in the oil if you exceed the smokepoint.
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Check the temperature using a digital food thermometer or just keep the tortillas to a light sizzle as they are frying and you will know that you are in the safe temperature range.
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Place several tortillas at a time into the heated oil. Fry until light brown. This will happen very fast - only a minute or so!
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Remove fried tortillas from the oil with stainless steel tongs and place on plates covered with an unbleached white towel. Very lightly sprinkle with sea salt.
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Continue the process until all 24 tortillas are fried.
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When the tortillas are cool to the touch on the towel lined plates, break each of them up into small, bite sized pieces.
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Serve homemade corn flakes immediately in a bowl with whole grassfed milk and a bit of whole sweetener or fruit. Store the remaining corn flakes cereal in a half gallon glass mason jar as shown in the picture or some other airtight container.
Recipe Notes
Be sure to use organic corn tortillas. Nonorganic corn is usually genetically modified (GMO).
If you wish to use nonsprouted corn tortillas, that is fine, but corn tortillas made with sprouted corn flour are much more nutritious.
I hear you on the “cereal queen!” I used to think I was healthy having a bowl of cereal for a snack (esp at night!) instead of something else. This is one of the best articles I’ve read on the topic, good common sense! Thanks for the recipe too! I am posting this article on my FB page.
I was excited to click on this post, but this just sounds like tortilla chips? I’m doubtful this will fulfill my cereal cravings…
Ingenious. I think you have done the impossible here, Sarah,and actually made a somewhat dry cereal that is not harmful to eat.
Will need to try this when we get a good milk source again. We use Organic Masa Harina as our only corn food source.
How do these store?
I’d like to make up a batch for my hubby and then send it with him to work, along with some raw milk. Just 2 days ago, he was bemoaning the fact that I’ve “taken away” all his precious cereals… Looking forward to trying this!
Yes! How long do these keep? Should they be stored in the refrigerator??
Would love to know how long this and any of the other cereals keep and if they should be stored cold or in pantry? This is on my “to-do” radar. Thanks!!!
Hey Sarah,
That is great you created a healthier homemade corn flake cereal. However, I just want people to be aware of sprouted grain products. Ramiel Nagel talks about the dangers of “commercially made sprouted grain products from whole grains” in his book Cure Tooth Decay. He says that “the whole grain plant toxins are not sufficiently neutralized by sprouting and these foods can cause severe tooth decay.” The sprouted whole grain products have not been soaked or fermented to remove anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and lectins.
I just want people to be cautious about consuming commercial whole grain products. If you are going to eat it, I believe every once in a while will not do a lot of harm if you do not have severe tooth decay or health problems. If you are going to have it on a regular basis like the Seminole Indians, you need to prepare it the way they did at the very least.
I would agree Sarah. Excellent point. Corn really does need to be soaked in limewater if it is a staple part of the diet. Here is a link to my video showing you how to soak corn if you haven’t done this before. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-making-limewater-for-soaking-corn/
In the case of this cereal, corn isn’t a staple food so it is fine as a small part of the diet.
Sarah (Pope), I’m a little confused though..doesn’t the sprouting process (for even store bought grain products), take the place of soaking and fermenting? Or were you and the other Sarah just referring to corn? Should I be limiting the sprouted bagels that I buy (they are the brand you suggested at one time)?
I’ve been sprouting wheat for flour and using it sparingly. Do I still need to soak it before using it?
I don’t understand how people sprout grains without soaking them. I have been soaking and sprouting grains, beans, and greens for years now and it takes a lot of soaking and rinsing to make a sprout… that’s my understanding.
Lisa and Jesse,
I would say ideally you should soak it before using it (like a sourdough bread). This goes for all grains. If I am not mistaken, I believe sprouting whole grains activates the food enzymes, increases vitamin content and it does also neutralize some of the antinutrients, but not very well. Soaking/fermenting and removal of the bran and germ makes it a much healthier food and less likely to cause tooth decay or other health issues.
I love to make my own tortillas by soaking corn in lime (calcium hydroxyde?) for a few days with the method in your video. It’s so cheap and easy and fun to do. I cook them on two full sized griddles on the stovetop to get them done really fast. I’ll try just cooking them in more oil right off the bat and go straight to corn flakes next time! Thank you!
My husband used to eat frosted flakes every morning for breakfast and then he me. I can’t wait to make these for him
My husband used to eat frosted flakes every morning for breakfast and then he me. I can’t wait to make these for him! Thanks Sarah
You can thank me later 🙂 Oh, I just can’t wait for all the email *LOVE* that is going to come from this post :))
You sure have a very interesting way of making corn flakes. Something I am looking forward to try 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe Sarah.
That’s a great, easy idea Sarah. I wish I thought of it myself, but sometimes you need someone to give you a “Duh!” moment.
That’s what I thought. How easy and I should have figured this out years ago!!!
OMG wow!! Totally – I’m hooked on store-bought cornflakes for my breakfast (admittedly now mixed with coconut flour and eaten with fruit and milk kefir), but it’s the one thing that I can’t give up! And never thought to make them myself! Awesome, thanks lots Sarah 🙂