Review: Red River Cereal
January 14, 2011 
10 Comments
Red River Cereal is what it is — a simple hot breakfast with a whole lot of fibre. Also, an acquired taste.
I picked up the Red River Cereal habit as a kid living in Winnipeg. It’s sort of like oatmeal porridge, but with a mix of different grains standing in for the oats. The ingredient list couldn’t be simpler: Cracked wheat, cracked rye, flax (cracked and whole). That’s it.
Preparation is just as simple. Put water in a large microwave-safe bowl, add a pinch of salt, add the Red River Cereal, then zap in the microwave. Stir when the microwave finishes, let it sit for five minutes, then serve and enjoy.
For me, one serving isn’t enough to fill me up, so I double the batch size and adjust the water and cooking ratios accordingly. My standard ratio is 1/2 cup of Red River Cereal to about 1 3/4 cups of water, plus a pinch of salt. I microwave it on high for nine minutes, stir it when it finishes, then let it sit to cool down. Your microwave mileage may vary.
On its own, it’s not very flavourful — you can’t expect a lot, given the limited ingredients — but a sprinkling of brown sugar on top brings out the best in the grainy flavours and turns it into a healthy alternative to instant oatmeal. It’s simple, it’s nutritious, and it’s crazy cheap.
Tips:
- Use a large bowl when preparing it in the microwave. It gets very bubbly as it cooks, and the boiling hot froth can easily spill over the top of a bowl.
- The box is all cardboard, so you might want to store it in a different container once you open the box.
Add a bit of brown sugar on top of your Red River Cereal, and the taste changes entirely.
RATINGS AND DETAILS
Cost: $4.49 per 1.35 kg box at a local grocery store.
Value for cash money: Insanely cheap. One standard serving uses 40 grams of cereal, and a box contains 1.35 kg of cereal — that’s just shy of 34 servings per box. At a cost of $4.49 per box, that works out to around 13 cents per serving. See? Cheap AND good for you.
Availability: Some larger grocery stores in Western Canada carry it, but not all.
Nutrition?: Great stuff. Per 1/4 cup serving, you get 6 grams of fibre (24 per cent of the daily value!), 6 grams of protein, and 10 per cent of the daily value of iron. And all this will only cost you 150 calories. (Add some brown sugar to the top, and it’ll maybe climb to 200 calories, depending on how much you use.)
The verdict: An acquired taste. I love having it on a cold winter morning, when a bowl of cold cereal just won’t cut it. It’s a Canadian prairie classic.
—
UPDATE (Dec. 29, 2011): As some of you have noted, Red River Cereal was the subject of a recall earlier this year. But have no fear — it’s back in grocery stores across the country. I just spoke with a rep from Smucker Foods Canada, and they confirmed that new stock was sent to stores on December 1, 2011. As double-confirmation, I spotted some fresh boxes at my local Safeway in Calgary earlier this month. Hooray! —iain
NEAROF is a food website about the stuff you actually eat, the grub you grab between epic five-course meals. Still confused? Check out our 
Totally, a prairie classic, except I always cook it on the stove top. The right amount of salt is essential.
Thanks for the reminder. I used to eat this, but it’s gone my the wayside. Great review! I’ll have to hunt it down at my grocery store. It’ll give me another option for breakfast. I remember putting applesauce or pearsauce on it. It’s a nice replacement for brown sugar.
I ate Red River Cereal in the 60′s and it cooked up nice a creamy (a lot like Cream of Wheat). I purchased some recently, and it seems to have changed. I cooked up some a few times but found the grains stayed too individual and too grainy and not smooth in my mouth, even though I like the flavour.
I tried this oatmeal, for the first time, I liked it very much, and will get more, but, it took 9 minutes in my 1200 watt microwave oven to reach the correct consistancy. The box states 5 minutes.my question is what makes the difference, was the microwave you cooked it in more than 1200 watts? Thanks for your reply !
Hmmm. Curious. My microwave is also 1,200 watts. My guess? The time difference could come down to how well cooked you like your Red River Cereal. Extra time will likely make it more mushy. Also, it’s important to let it stand for a bit after cooking so that it softens, absorbs extra water and becomes less soupy. Besides, eating it piping hot is a good way to burn your tongue.
Have been searching for Redriver in some grocery stores in Scarborough without any luck. Where can I find it now, which grocery store?
thanks.
You don’t want to move it into another container unless it is light-proof. For ground flax to retain it’s health benefits it must not be exposed to light.
I also live in Scarborough and cannot find it in Priceco, Loblaws, or No Frills. I hope I won’t have to eat some of the other junk they sell as food.
I found a source of “Red River Cereal”. The No Frills at Cedarbrae Plaza has this product. Last year Loblaws had it? JOE HICKEY
I live in Scarborough and often find Red River at No Frills (best price around). Occasionally, they don’t have it in stock. They also sporadically carry Steel Cut Oats in a light blue cylindrical package. No Frills often carry just one or the other cereal usually on the bottom shelf.
I cook a large batch at a time on the stovetop, then reheat in the microwave daily (adding water as needed to loosen, or yogourt after reheating).
Red River Steelcut Oatmeal
1 cup Red River and 1 Cup Steel cut oats and 8 cups water. Cook to desired consistency. Add cinnamon cloves, nutmeg, salt if desired.