Rangers are serious about their cereal. And don’t you dare pour the milk in first.
Although today’s dieticians might be considered modern-day cereal killers, that sweet breakfast food still has a place in the hearts of some Texas Rangers.
And on Thursday’s National Cereal Day, several players had strong opinions about what they eat and how they eat it.
“Cereal in first definitely, that’s the only way to do it. You’re a little weird if you pour the milk in first,” outfielder Zack Granite said at Surprise Stadium, the team’s spring train facility.
The popularity of low-carbohydrates diets like Keto and Atkins have been a punch in the gut for the cereal industry. Revenue has declined 3.3 percent in the five years up to 2017, market analyst Rory Masterson told “CBS This Morning “in June.
And with most professional teams sporting dieticians, the idea of starting the day with sugary foods doesn’t always go over well.
That’s why Granite, who loves Fruit Loops, usually opts for eggs instead. For pitcher Drew Smyly, his first meal of the day is often oatmeal, although he still has a special affection for Cinnamon Toast Crunch and fond memories of how he would eat it.
“I poured the cereal in the bowl, then poured the milk, then drank the milk after the cereal was gone,” he said.
It’s an art.
Infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa takes that art to a whole new level when it comes to his preferred choice, Apple Jacks.
“I’m dry cereal,” he said. “I’m a weird guy.”
It’s not so weird if, like Kiner-Falefa, you are lactose intolerant. That’s why he often goes with the slice-of-toast-on-the-go route.
For those who do indulge on occasion, it’s important to embrace, well, the science of it.
“I think cereal should always go first, then the milk,” Rangers pitcher Tim Dillard said. “And it’s really important to get that cereal-to-milk ratio, because you don’t want to end up with a whole bunch of cereal left.
“You want to play for the tie.”
Serina Perez is a senior majoring in sports journalism at Arizona State University. This story is a part of a partnership between the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
