Listen, we love our cereal. You know it. We know it. Our mothers (who tried and failed every day of our existence to get us to eat a dinner that requires a fork) also know it. Give us our cereal dry, submerged in milk, or served over ice cream. We don’t care — we’ll still love it.
But cereal with water? Even we can't get on board with that.
Consider us blinded by our love for cereal, but we thought every other person out there held this same opinion. But alas, a Reddit post from early 2019 came to our attention, where one brave soul spoke out, saying he preferred cereal with water rather than milk.
Sure, he’s a brave soul we don’t understand. But props to the guy for standing up for what he believes in.
A Reddit User Claimed That Eating Cereal With Water Is Better Than Milk
The Reddit user posted his proclamation (we consider it a confession, really) on the site’s appropriately named “Unpopular Opinions” section. The post was upvoted nearly 80,000 times, and 6,000 people left comments. The top comment reading a very simple, “You disgust me.”
You can read the original “eating cereal with water” thread, which has now been archived by Reddit. So if you feel very strongly one way or another, sorry — you can’t post, reply, or vote on it. The original post reads:
I am a true believer that cereal with water is better. The taste of milk conflicts with the taste of the cereal, whereas water does not. While still getting the same texture, water does not ruin the taste of cereal. My friends crucified me when I told them this...so for this reason I am coming here in search of others who share my beliefs of water being better than milk.
And might we add, people felt very, very strongly about this opinion.
Some of the Comments Were a Bit, Shall We Say, Colorful
It would take an entire afternoon (with snack breaks) to read through all the comments, but we wanted to share a few of our favorites. Here are some of the highlights from the infamous cereal-with-water debate.
Some Compared Cereal With Water to Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Clearly, a cereal debate poses questions on all the causes we feel most strongly about.
One person wanted to know which type of cereal the author was referring to in the post. “Oats, cream of wheat, grits, or other breakfast cereals like corn flakes, Cheerios, Captain Crunch, etc.” Because there’s a difference…”
We couldn’t agree more. While we haven’t had oatmeal in a while (it’s a bit too high on the carb count for our taste), we could easily mix instant oats or grits with water.
But a box of “regular” cereal? We can’t imagine that. And apparently, neither could many readers. As one person eloquently put it, “I would rather be tortured than drink swampy Fruit Loop water.”
Same, Reddit man, same.
Others Wanted to Know If He Drank the Water Afterwards
As those who proudly prefer cereal that turns the milk different colors, we can certainly relate to people who were wondering if the guy drank the cereal water. After all, isn’t slurping sweet milk the best part of enjoying your morning bowl?
When the original author responded, “No, it’s just for the texture it provides to the cereal,” other Redditors needed a bit more clarification.
“Can you post a video of you eating cereal with water, I just don’t believe this,” one user commented (a logical solution, of course). So the post was edited with a video documenting the author’s cereal eating, and users were a bit disturbed.
“I’m scared,” said one. “I’m shaking and crying right now,” said another. Yes, we understand the drama.
Some Wanted to Know If He Had a Cereal Water Preference
We gladly accept all types of cold milk in our bowl of Fruity Cereal School (almond, oat, soy, you get the picture), but does one have a water preference?
“Have a preferred cereal/water combo?” one Reddit user asked. “Does Honey Bunches of Oats pair well with Fiji water? Prob a tap man.”
Since this is the first time we ever considered putting water in cereal, we have no idea what to say to this. Although we think we’d prefer tap water to sparkling, no?
Others Wanted to Know What He Dipped His Oreos In
It’s a solid question.
And frankly, after going into the deep dark depths of this subreddit, we never found an answer to this question. Truly disappointing.
Some Internet Saints Tried to Offer Alternatives to Cereal With Water
We’re not ones to judge — OK, maybe we’re a little judgy when it comes to this particular subject matter — but a few of these “water alternatives” responses were tough to swallow. Pun intended.
“My mother-in-law eats cereal with orange juice,” one commenter posted. “She hates milk, and tried once on holiday where you couldn’t have the tap water and has done it since.” We have to say, this comment didn’t improve the stereotypes of mothers-in-law across the world.
Another commenter wrote, “Probably uses Pepsi when making oatmeal,” to which someone replied, “Saw my friend eat Lucky Charms with my Dew like it was no big deal.” Because apparently, a mush created by combining marshmallows and a green carbonated beverage appeals to some people.
Water, OJ, soda — just what is the world coming to? To be fair, we use cereal in pretty unorthodox ways ourselves.
We enjoy our cereal with ice cream, smothered in peanut butter and chocolate, atop a stack of pancakes, and even as a base to delectable cheesecake.
We’ll enjoy our cereal with milk at breakfast, straight from the bag as a snack, or atop our favorite dessert for an after-dinner treat. So, if someone wants to enjoy cereal with water, who are we to judge?
If You Want to Enjoy Your Cereal With Water, We Won’t Stop You
We just might not join you.
If you’re pro-cereal-with-water, we may not understand your ways, but we can still accept you. As people who enjoy cereal in almost every form imaginable, we suppose we can understand your need to drown your delicious bowl in tap water no matter how strange it may sound. (And it does seem strange.)
But if you’re looking for a tastier way to enjoy your breakfast, try enjoying it with dairy-free milk instead, such as almond, soy, oat, or even coconut. We’ve also heard incredible things about enjoying a bowl of Cocoa Cereal School with chocolate milk if you’re up for a double-chocolate bomb.
We would choose eating cereal dry over eating cereal with water almost any day of the week, but hey — to each their own. If you’re ever looking to try your cereal in a new way, check out our Instagram stories where we share fun recipes ideas on how to enjoy your breakfast bowl.
