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USDA source topicPasta, rice & grains

USDA Grits and other cooked cereals records: median 68 calories per 100 g across 18 foods

Across 18 exact USDA Survey Foods records in this topic, median energy is 68 kcal per 100 grams and the central 80% runs from 48 kcal to 97 kcal. These are collection statistics, not a calorie estimate for a particular meal.

The complete collection preserves all 18 source descriptions, household measures, nutrient distributions, and FoodData Central citations so the summary can be checked against the underlying records.

Distribution at a glance

Where calorie density sits in this USDA record set

Percentiles summarize these 18 cited records; they are not a confidence interval or a prediction for one meal.

  1. 10th percentile 48 kcal
    48 kcal
  2. Median 68 kcal
    68 kcal
  3. 90th percentile 97 kcal
    97 kcal

Shared basis: 100 g · kilocalories

What is included?

The exact descriptions define the topic.

USDA places these records in the “Grits and other cooked cereals” survey-food category. Within Feast’s broader navigation, they appear under Pasta, rice & grains (18 records). The category label is useful for discovery, but it does not mean every record uses the same recipe, brand, cooking method, or portion.

The current collection includes Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cooked; Cream of rice; Grits, with cheese, no added fat; Oat bran cereal, cooked; Cornmeal mush, fat added; Grits, regular or quick, made with water, fat added. Those examples show why the exact wording matters. The complete alphabetical catalog farther down the page preserves all 18 descriptions instead of replacing them with one generic average.

A distribution view of the source set

Median and central nutrient ranges per 100 grams

The central range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the 18 records on this page. It shows the middle of this finite source set without treating its endpoints as typical. Because this topic contains fewer than 20 records, treat the percentile positions as a compact map of the listed entries—not as a stable population estimate.

On smaller screens, focus a topic table and scroll horizontally to read every column.

Median, central interval, and observed per-100-gram nutrient span for this USDA source topic
NutrientMedianCentral 80%Observed spanRecords
Caloriesper 100 g68 kcal48 kcal–97 kcal46 kcal–108 kcal18
Proteinper 100 g1.5 g1.2 g–3.3 g1.1 g–3.6 g18
Carbohydrateper 100 g12.4 g10.5 g–15 g10.4 g–20.5 g18
Total fatper 100 g1.1 g0.2 g–3.2 g0.1 g–5.3 g18
Dietary fiberper 100 g0.7 g0.5 g–2 g0.1 g–2.9 g18
Total sugarsper 100 g0.2 g0.1 g–2.1 g0 g–3.6 g18
Sodiumper 100 g84 mg70 mg–299 mg69 mg–501 mg18
Potassiumper 100 g23 mg16 mg–71 mg9 mg–100 mg18
Calciumper 100 g29 mg4 mg–82 mg4 mg–87 mg18
Ironper 100 g0.8 mg0.4 mg–5.6 mg0.4 mg–7.3 mg18

All rows use the same 100-gram denominator and values from the cited records. The interval is descriptive, not a recommended intake range or statistical confidence interval.

A comparatively wide central spread

Iron: 0.8 mg calculated median

Among 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the central interval for iron extends from 0.4 mg to 5.6 mg per 100 grams. The complete observed span is 0.4 mg to 7.3 mg.

10th percentile: The calculated boundary falls between 0.4 mg in Grits, with cheese, no added fat and 0.4 mg in Whole wheat cereal, cooked; it is not itself an observed record value.

90th percentile: The calculated boundary falls between 5 mg in Cream of rice and 7.1 mg in Grits, instant, made with water, fat added; it is not itself an observed record value.

Percentile positions describe this finite source set; they are not labels of overall food quality.

A comparatively wide central spread

Sodium: 84 mg calculated median

Among 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the central interval for sodium extends from 70 mg to 299 mg per 100 grams. The complete observed span is 69 mg to 501 mg.

10th percentile: The calculated boundary falls between 69 mg in Oat bran cereal, cooked and 70 mg in Grits, regular or quick, made with water, no added fat; it is not itself an observed record value.

90th percentile: The calculated boundary falls between 283 mg in Masa harina, cooked and 337 mg in Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cooked; it is not itself an observed record value.

Percentile positions describe this finite source set; they are not labels of overall food quality.

A comparatively wide central spread

Calcium: 29 mg calculated median

Among 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the central interval for calcium extends from 4 mg to 82 mg per 100 grams. The complete observed span is 4 mg to 87 mg.

10th percentile: Cornmeal mush, fat added reports 4 mg, exactly matching this calculated boundary.

90th percentile: The calculated boundary falls between 80 mg in Grits, with cheese, no added fat and 86 mg in Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, fat added; it is not itself an observed record value.

Percentile positions describe this finite source set; they are not labels of overall food quality.

The three callouts above are the widest central spreads relative to each metric’s midpoint, with a minimum scale applied so near-zero medians do not dominate. The complete table remains the primary record of all ten metrics.

Preparation language in the records

Source descriptions reveal meaningful distinctions.

The counts below report words and phrases that appear explicitly in the 18 USDA descriptions. They can help narrow a search to a closer record. They do not prove that the named preparation caused a nutrient difference, because these survey-food records are not controlled experiments.

fat added

6 records use this wording, including Cornmeal mush, fat added; Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added; Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, fat added.

no added fat

6 records use this wording, including Cornmeal mush, no added fat; Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat; Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, no added fat.

cooked

5 records use this wording, including Hominy, cooked; Masa harina, cooked; Oat bran cereal, cooked.

whole grain

1 record uses this wording, including Whole wheat cereal, cooked.

Portion context

Household measures answer a different question than 100 grams.

18 of 18 records (100%) include at least one named measure in the source data. Together those records provide 52 usable named measures.

A cup, slice, piece, sandwich, fillet, or fluid ounce can represent a different amount of food. Even two measures with the same label may have different gram weights across records. Open the closest profile and use its listed weight instead of transferring a measure from another record.

USDA’s representative source amount is also not necessarily what a visitor ate. For equal-weight comparison, use the 100-gram table. For meal estimation, match the exact description first, then match the amount, and finally account for additions or preparation details absent from the selected record.

Common named measures in this topic

Choosing a closer record

Use a sequence, not a guess disguised as precision.

  1. 01

    Match the exact description

    Look for the closest food name, preparation, additions, and context. “Grits and other cooked cereals” is the collection label; the individual description is the actual reference.

  2. 02

    Compare on equal weight

    Use the per-100-gram values when comparing two records. This keeps the denominator fixed and prevents different source-serving weights from masquerading as a food difference.

  3. 03

    Scale the closest listed measure

    Open the profile, select a named household measure when one fits, or enter a gram estimate. Treat scaled decimals as arithmetic from the source—not greater certainty about the plate.

  4. 04

    Add missing context

    Brand, recipe, cooking fat, sauce, toppings, substitutions, and edible portion can move the result. A current package label or weighed recipe may be more specific than a generic survey-food record.

Controlled contrasts

Related records worth comparing directly

These pairs passed Feast’s similarity, material-difference, and diversity screens. Each page keeps weight fixed at 100 grams, shows both exact source descriptions and formulations, and avoids treating the records as a controlled experiment.

2 material differences

Grits, instant, made with water, fat added

compared with Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat

Study the source records →

Browse all controlled food-record comparisons →

From source topic to familiar meal

Meal guides fully represented inside this collection

Every linked record in these guides belongs to this exact USDA topic. The guide layer organizes recognizable meal families and variations while the collection below preserves the complete source catalog.

Meal family guide · 6 records Grits Grits: compare 6 exact USDA records by source calories, 100-gram values, portions, and citations. Meal family guide · 4 records Cream of wheat Cream of wheat: compare 4 exact USDA records by source calories, 100-gram values, portions, and citations. Meal family guide · 2 records Cornmeal mush Cornmeal mush: compare 2 exact USDA records by source calories, 100-gram values, portions, and citations.

Complete source catalog

All 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records

Records are alphabetical, not ranked. Every row links to a Feast profile with household measures, the 21-nutrient Feast panel, estimate factors, methodology, and the exact USDA FoodData Central source where available.

Complete alphabetical catalog of USDA records in this source topic
Exact USDA descriptionCaloriesProteinFiberSodiumSource amountReferences
Cornmeal mush, fat addedFDC 2708375 71 kcalper 100 g 1.1 gper 100 g 0.6 gper 100 g 82 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Cornmeal mush, no added fatFDC 2708374 58 kcalper 100 g 1.1 gper 100 g 0.6 gper 100 g 71 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Cream of riceFDC 2708415 69 kcalper 100 g 1.2 gper 100 g 0.1 gper 100 g 69 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat addedFDC 2708437 82 kcalper 100 g 1.5 gper 100 g 0.5 gper 100 g 98 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fatFDC 2708436 67 kcalper 100 g 1.5 gper 100 g 0.5 gper 100 g 85 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, fat addedFDC 2708435 65 kcalper 100 g 1.4 gper 100 g 0.5 gper 100 g 83 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, no added fatFDC 2708434 51 kcalper 100 g 1.5 gper 100 g 0.5 gper 100 g 72 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Grits, instant, made with water, fat addedFDC 2708371 85 kcalper 100 g 1.4 gper 100 g 0.8 gper 100 g 228 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Grits, instant, made with water, no added fatFDC 2708370 65 kcalper 100 g 1.4 gper 100 g 0.8 gper 100 g 215 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Grits, regular or quick, made with water, fat addedFDC 2708366 71 kcalper 100 g 1.2 gper 100 g 0.7 gper 100 g 81 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Grits, regular or quick, made with water, no added fatFDC 2708365 58 kcalper 100 g 1.2 gper 100 g 0.7 gper 100 g 70 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Grits, with cheese, fat addedFDC 2708369 108 kcalper 100 g 3.6 gper 100 g 0.6 gper 100 g 143 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Grits, with cheese, no added fatFDC 2708368 97 kcalper 100 g 3.6 gper 100 g 0.7 gper 100 g 134 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Hominy, cookedFDC 2709933 88 kcalper 100 g 1.5 gper 100 g 2.4 gper 100 g 501 mgper 100 g 85 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Masa harina, cookedFDC 2708376 97 kcalper 100 g 2.3 gper 100 g 1.7 gper 100 g 283 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Oat bran cereal, cookedFDC 2708444 46 kcalper 100 g 3.2 gper 100 g 2.9 gper 100 g 69 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cookedFDC 2708443 49 kcalper 100 g 1.8 gper 100 g 1.8 gper 100 g 337 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Whole wheat cereal, cookedFDC 2708442 47 kcalper 100 g 1.6 gper 100 g 1.3 gper 100 g 71 mgper 100 g 240 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗

Boundaries and provenance

What this collection can—and cannot—tell you.

This page summarizes USDA FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS) records from 2021–2023, published October 31, 2024. FNDDS supplies the nutrient profiles used for foods reported in What We Eat in America, the dietary component of NHANES. Each value here remains tied to one exact FDC record; the complete catalog provides direct links so the source can be checked rather than taken on trust.

USDA describes FNDDS nutrient profiles as average values for generic representations of foods likely consumed in the United States—not profiles of specific products. Its gram weights for portions are likewise estimates for groups of foods and may not cover every available size. That distinction matters: a database measure is evidence for scaling a plausible match, not proof that the same weight or formulation was on a visitor’s plate.

The records are not laboratory measurements of every possible “Grits and other cooked cereals” preparation. Restaurant recipes change, packaged products are reformulated, homemade ingredient ratios vary, and cooking can change water weight. A photo also cannot reliably reveal every hidden ingredient or gram weight. The central range describes variation among the records selected for this topic, not uncertainty around a single meal.

The median is not a default calorie count. The 10th and 90th percentiles are not lower and upper recommendations. The minimum and maximum are not promises that every real version falls inside the observed span. These statistics are tools for navigating a source collection while keeping the denominator, record name, and normal recipe variation visible.

Nutrient values do not establish whether a food is appropriate for a particular person or condition. This wiki does not diagnose deficiencies, prescribe targets, or replace advice from a qualified professional. If accuracy matters for an allergy, medical diet, or clinician-directed limit, use verified ingredient information and the guidance relevant to that situation.

Why no overall ranking appears.

A record can report more protein and also differ in sodium, fiber, energy, fat, portion weight, or ingredients. Choosing one metric as a universal score would hide those tradeoffs and imply a value judgment the data cannot support. The alphabetical catalog and side-by-side statistics are intentionally descriptive.

For primary-source context, read USDA’s FNDDS 2021–2023 documentation. For Feast’s import, filtering, portion-scaling, Daily Value, and uncertainty rules, read the nutrition-page methodology. For an exact item, use its profile and FoodData Central link rather than citing this collection-level summary alone.

Common questions

Using the “Grits and other cooked cereals” collection responsibly

Is the median the expected nutrition for my food?

No. It is the middle value among these 18 source records on a 100-gram basis. Your recipe, brand, preparation, and portion may align more closely with one specific record or may fall outside this collection.

Why compare 100 grams instead of one serving?

Source servings can have different gram weights and measure labels. Holding weight at 100 grams makes concentration comparable. After choosing a record, its household measures are more useful for estimating the amount actually eaten.

Does the upper end of a nutrient range mean “better”?

No. The position only describes that nutrient within this source collection. It does not evaluate the whole food, determine an appropriate portion, or account for an individual’s needs.

Which number should I log?

Start with the record whose exact wording most closely matches the food. Use a listed measure or gram estimate, then add missing recipe or preparation context. Keep the result as an estimate unless you have a current label or weighed recipe.

Decision support from the exact records on this page

Turn source data into a better next decision

These conclusions and reading paths are computed from 10 exact records behind Grits and other cooked cereals source topic. Links are chosen by record identity, controlled contrast, formulation input, nutrient spread, or serving context—not by loose keyword similarity.

Equal-weight result

Cream of rice is higher in iron per 100 g

Cream of rice reports 5 mg versus 0.4 mg for Grits, with cheese, no added fat: a 4.6 mg difference when both are normalized to 100 g.

Inspect the underlying evidence

These listed servings have equal weights

10 listed servings each weigh 240 g

The 10 records with a listed serving weight on this page each use 240 g. Their serving totals therefore compare equal weights, even if the household labels differ. Match the preparation and adjust the weight to the amount you eat.

Record identity is part of the estimate

Distinguish “Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cooked” from “Masa harina, cooked”

These are separate USDA records with separate formulations or survey descriptions. Match preparation, additions, and the named household amount before borrowing either record’s nutrients.

Inspect the underlying evidence

Contextual knowledge graph

Follow the relationship that matches your question

For Grits and other cooked cereals source topic, each path states why the destination belongs here, so you can distinguish a true evidentiary connection from a merely similar label.

Put the observed spread in corpus context Iron: density and serving context

In this page’s records, iron runs from 0.4 mg in Grits, with cheese, no added fat to 5 mg in Cream of rice, all per 100 g.

Follow this evidence path A formulation detail that separates records Salt, table

USDA input 2047 appears in 9 of 10 context records; its summed listed input weight spans 0.4–6 g across those source formulations. These are source-formulation input weights, not plated or serving weights. Follow the code to inspect every represented occurrence.

Follow this evidence path A formulation detail that separates records Cereals, corn grits, white, regular and quick, enriched, dry

USDA input 8090 appears in 3 of 10 context records; its summed listed input weight spans 37–37 g across those source formulations. These are source-formulation input weights, not plated or serving weights. Follow the code to inspect every represented occurrence.

Follow this evidence path Put the observed spread in corpus context Dietary fiber: density and serving context

In this page’s records, dietary fiber runs from 0.1 g in Cream of rice to 2.9 g in Oat bran cereal, cooked, all per 100 g.

Follow this evidence path Inspect an exact record Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cooked

Open the full nutrient table, household measures, formulation inputs, and FoodData Central 2708443 citation for this exact record—not a name-level average.

Follow this evidence path 10 records share this broad food family Pasta, rice & grains: broader category context

Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cooked and Cream of rice, plus 8 more are assigned to Feast’s Pasta, rice & grains editorial category. Use the category page to compare nearby foods at a broad level; keep the exact USDA descriptions on this page for record-level decisions.

Follow this evidence path Check another exact record Cornmeal mush, fat added

Open the full nutrient table, household measures, formulation inputs, and FoodData Central 2708375 citation for this exact record—not a name-level average.

Follow this evidence path