When it comes to combining fun food for kids with nutritious content, the best place to look is the cereal aisle. Sweet treats mixed with riboflavin create the perfect breakfast, agreed on by all members of the household. With a genius collaboration like that, its no wonder some cereal brands have been successful for decades while other snacks lose their appeal.

This year, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies is celebrating their 80th anniversary. That’s right, the “Talking Cereal” has been snapping, crackling, and popping in cereal bowls for 80 years.

In 1927, the research and development team at Kellogg's presented founder W.K. Kellogg with the puffed rice cereal, much to his satisfaction. Boxes first appeared on store shelves in 1928, and people immediately appreciated the fun noise they made when immersed in milk. Rice Krispies quickly became a family favorite, satisfying millions of Americans with its delicious taste.

The phrase “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” first appeared in radio jingles in 1932. This led to the company’s famous spokescharacters, aptly named, Snap! Crackle! and Pop! who premiered on side and back panels of the cereal packages in 1939. That same year, Kellogg Test Kitchens created the recipe for Rice Krispies Marshmallow Squares. In 1940 the Snap! Crackle! and Pop! characters appeared on the box in a comic strip, and the next year the recipe for Rice Krispies Treats also appeared on the box. Character promotion really took off in the 1960s when the characters began television advertising, captivating children through the brilliant marketing.

Kellogg's Rice Krispies celebrated its Golden Anniversary in 1978, and now, 30 years later, has hit 80. But there is no sign of slowed momentum for the cereal approaching a centennial. Last year in 2007, Kellogg's provided a great breakfast option by adding real strawberries into the cereal.

The team at Kellogg Rice Krispies retains the sentiment and values created when the cereal began talking 80 years ago. “We’re proud that Rice Krispies cereal has been a part of the childhood of so many generations of consumers,” Kellogg's Chief Marketing Officer Mark Baynes said. “The Rice Krispies brand continues to grow and evolve, yet it’s still the same cereal that parents and grandparents have loved since they were kids.”