Grape-Nuts Cereal is back for breakfast, and a Warwick diner pudding

Last year, a reader wrote that Grape-Nuts cereal was missing from store shelves. Where could she find it? The answer I'm afraid had been "No where." Sure enough, the pandemic took away production of the cereal.  

But now the Great Grape-Nuts shortage is over. 

Parent company Post Consumer Brands announced the cereal would be shipping at full capacity by mid-March. It's back on shelves in some spots already. 

“We recognize that the temporary Grape-Nuts shortage has been frustrating to fans given that Grape-Nuts is a one-of-a-kind cereal and there is no other cereal like it on the market,” said Kristin DeRock, Grape-Nuts brand manager at Post Consumer Brands, in a news release.

In addition to being a favorite breakfast food, Grape-Nuts are the key ingredient in a popular local dessert.

The Jefferson Diner, 175 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, (401) 739-4125, jeffersondinerri.com, has had Grape-Nuts Pudding as it signature dessert. In fact, it's the only dessert served. 

It was introduced in 2002 and has been a winner ever since. The restaurant shared the recipe with The Journal in 2012. 

The good news is if you don't want to make your own, you can head to the diner. 

Jefferson Diner's Grape-Nut Pudding

7 1/2 cups milk

9 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup vanilla

3/4 cup Grape-Nuts

Pinch salt

Heat the milk in a saucepan until warm.

While milk is warming, crack eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk. Next, add sugar and vanilla and salt to the eggs.

Pour the warmed milk into the egg mixture and whisk together to combine. Pour mixture into a 13-inch by 9-inch pan and sprinkle grape nuts on top.

It will cook in a water bath to keep the pudding from burning. Place the baking pan into a slightly larger baking pan with two inches of water. Place the pans together into a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for approximately 3 hours.

When ready, the pudding will appear firm and have a golden brown shell. Remove from oven, then remove pudding pan from the water bath pan and let cool.

Yield: 7 to 8 servings.