Prior to 2000, respondents were asked about hot or cooked cereals (e.g., oatmeal), high fiber cereals (e.g., granola), highly fortified cereals (e.g., Total, Product 19, or Just Right), and other cold cereals separately. In 2000, respondents were only asked to report their consumption of cold cereal. In 2005, response categories for types of cereal include hot or cooked cereals, all bran cereals, cereals with some bran or fiber, cereals with little bran or fiber, and other cold cereals. In 2010, respondents listed the specific type of cereal verbatim, rather than a general type of cereal.

Data users wishing to compare cereal consumption across multiple years might consider CEREALYR, a recoded variable the reports total cereal consumption per year. CEREALTYPE reports the type of cereal the respondent reported consuming most. Prior to 2010, respondents were asked about pre-defined categories of cereal (e.g., all bran cereals, low-bran or fiber cereals, cooked cereals, etc.). Beginning in 2010, types of cereal were recorded as verbatim responses, including specific cereal types and brands. Given the single cereal type in 2000 and the large number of more specific cereal types in 2010, these samples are not included in CEREALTYPE.