Original Cap’n Crunch, a crunchy corn and oat cereal, lightly sweetened and made to stay crispy in milk, has been on American breakfast tables since 1963. Jay Ward, a popular animator, created the Cap’n Crunch character and friends, as well as Rocky and Bullwinkle and several others. Cap’n Crunch, a product of the Quaker Oats Company, has released several flavors since 1967; some remain and several experienced a short run.

A single serving of Cap’n Crunch Original equals ¾ cup or 27 g. As of 2010, varieties of Cap’n Crunch include Retro Crunch, Original Crunch, Crunch Berries, Peanut Butter Crunch, Opps! All Berries, and Christmas Crunch.

One ¾ cup serving has 110 calories, with 15 calories from fat, and 150 calories when served with one-half cup of vitamins A and D fat-free skim milk. This cereal has 1.5 g of total fat, with 1 g of saturated fat providing 6 percent daily value. Cap’n Crunch Original has no cholesterol and 200 mg of sodium providing 8 percent daily value. Cap’n Crunch also has 50 mg of potassium, providing 1 percent daily value.

One serving of Original Cap’n Crunch contains 23 g of total carbohydrates, providing 8 percent daily value without milk, and 10 percent daily value with milk. One serving has 1 g of dietary fiber providing 3 percent daily value and 12 g of sugars. A single serving of Cap’n Crunch provides 1 g of protein. With milk, this cereal provides an additional 4 g of protein.

Original Cap’n Crunch without milk contains 25 percent daily value of iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and zinc, and 100 percent daily value of folic acid. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s My Food-A-pedia, Cap’n Crunch provides .5 oz. of the 6 oz. recommended of the grain group and .25 cup of the three cups recommended from the milk group based on the My Pyramid Food dietary guidelines for Americans.

Ingredients include corn flour, sugar, oat flour, brown sugar, coconut oil and salt. Additives include niacinamide, reduced iron, zinc oxide, thiamin mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin and folic acid. Also included are yellow 5 and 6 food coloring and BHT-a preservative.