‘CEREAL FOR DINNER’: Kellogg’s CEO ripped for money-saving advice

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People struggling to afford groceries may want to consider eating cereal for dinner.

That’s the suggestion made by Gary Pilnick, CEO of Kellogg’s, the makers of Corn Flakes, Corn Pops, Rice Krispies, Special K and Froot Loops.

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It didn’t go over well on social media.

“The cereal category has always been quite affordable and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure,” Pilnick told CNBC in a Feb. 21 interview.

“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. We talk about making sure that we have the right pack at the right price in the right place. So having a different sized pack that’ll have a different price point, that’ll take some pressure off the consumer while they’re shopping.”

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Pilnick was asked about high food prices and how American consumers can save money at the grocery store. The clip was subsequently shared to social media and reaction to his suggestion was mainly critical online.

“Gary Pilnick can take a long walk off a short pier if he thinks struggling folks are eating cereal for dinner,” one critic wrote on X. “My family of two (both fulltime employees) can barely afford to buy cereal on a good week.”

Another called Pilnick “out of touch” with the hardships consumers are facing due to rising food costs.

“Nothing says, ‘I’m out of touch with the average person’ quite like the CEO of a cereal company telling folks to eat cereal for dinner as if we weren’t already doing that.”

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Cereal, while being a cheap food option, has seen huge price increases in recent years.

“Wealthy CEOs shouldn’t talk about what poor people should eat,” another chimed in. “I no longer eat cereal for breakfast let alone dinner because it is too expensive.”

One person pointed out eating cereal for dinner when they were younger still left them hungry.

Later in the interview, Pilnick was asked how cash-strapped consumers would react to his advice as it could “land the wrong way.”

“It’s landing really well right now,” he answered. “Over 25% of our consumption is outside the breakfast occasion. A lot of it’s at dinner and that occasion continues to grow. Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now and we would expect to continue as that consumer is under pressure.”

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