USDA source topicPasta, rice & grains

Grits and other cooked cereals: nutrition range, portions, and source records

This wiki page organizes 18 exact USDA Survey Foods records labeled “Grits and other cooked cereals.” It shows the median and central spread of reported nutrients per 100 grams, explains the portion and preparation language present in the records, and keeps every underlying profile and citation available for inspection.

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 robust view of the data

Median and central nutrient ranges per 100 grams

The central range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the records on this page. The observed minimum and maximum are included for transparency, but the middle interval is generally more useful for seeing the collection without letting one extreme record dominate.

Nutrient	Median	Central 80%	Observed span	Records
Caloriesper 100 g	68 kcal	48 kcal–97 kcal	46 kcal–108 kcal	18
Proteinper 100 g	1.5 g	1.2 g–3.3 g	1.1 g–3.6 g	18
Carbohydrateper 100 g	12.4 g	10.5 g–15 g	10.4 g–20.5 g	18
Total fatper 100 g	1.1 g	0.2 g–3.2 g	0.1 g–5.3 g	18
Dietary fiberper 100 g	0.7 g	0.5 g–2 g	0.1 g–2.9 g	18
Total sugarsper 100 g	0.2 g	0.1 g–2.1 g	0 g–3.6 g	18
Sodiumper 100 g	84 mg	70 mg–299 mg	69 mg–501 mg	18
Potassiumper 100 g	23 mg	16 mg–71 mg	9 mg–100 mg	18
Calciumper 100 g	29 mg	4 mg–82 mg	4 mg–87 mg	18
Ironper 100 g	0.8 mg	0.4 mg–5.6 mg	0.4 mg–7.3 mg	18

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.

Calories context

68 kcal at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported calories value is 68 kcal per 100 grams. The central records run from 48 kcal to 97 kcal, while the complete observed span is 46 kcal to 108 kcal.

Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cooked is nearest the lower central boundary, and Grits, with cheese, no added fat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Protein context

1.5 g at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported protein value is 1.5 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 1.2 g to 3.3 g, while the complete observed span is 1.1 g to 3.6 g.

Cream of rice is nearest the lower central boundary, and Oat bran cereal, cooked is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Carbohydrate context

12.4 g at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported carbohydrate value is 12.4 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 10.5 g to 15 g, while the complete observed span is 10.4 g to 20.5 g.

Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, no added fat is nearest the lower central boundary, and Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Total fat context

1.1 g at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported total fat value is 1.1 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.2 g to 3.2 g, while the complete observed span is 0.1 g to 5.3 g.

Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat is nearest the lower central boundary, and Hominy, cooked is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Dietary fiber context

0.7 g at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported dietary fiber value is 0.7 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.5 g to 2 g, while the complete observed span is 0.1 g to 2.9 g.

Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added is nearest the lower central boundary, and Wheat cereal, chocolate flavored, cooked is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Total sugars context

0.2 g at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported total sugars value is 0.2 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.1 g to 2.1 g, while the complete observed span is 0 g to 3.6 g.

Cream of rice is nearest the lower central boundary, and Hominy, cooked is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Sodium context

84 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported sodium value is 84 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 70 mg to 299 mg, while the complete observed span is 69 mg to 501 mg.

Grits, regular or quick, made with water, no added fat is nearest the lower central boundary, and Masa harina, cooked is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Potassium context

23 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported potassium value is 23 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 16 mg to 71 mg, while the complete observed span is 9 mg to 100 mg.

Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, fat added is nearest the lower central boundary, and Masa harina, cooked is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Calcium context

29 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported calcium value is 29 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 4 mg to 82 mg, while the complete observed span is 4 mg to 87 mg.

Cornmeal mush, fat added is nearest the lower central boundary, and Grits, with cheese, no added fat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Iron context

0.8 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records, the middle reported iron value is 0.8 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.4 mg to 5.6 mg, while the complete observed span is 0.4 mg to 7.3 mg.

Whole wheat cereal, cooked is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cream of rice is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

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 records use 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.

Across the pooled named measures, the midpoint gram weight is 240 g. The central 10th-to-90th-percentile interval runs from 148 g to 964 g, while the complete observed span is 50–965 g. This pooled summary mixes different measure types, so it is a navigation aid rather than a suggested portion.

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

1 cup, cookedAppears on 17 recordsExample: Cornmeal mush, fat added →

1 oz, dry, yieldsAppears on 14 recordsExample: Cornmeal mush, fat added →

1 cup, dry, yieldsAppears on 12 recordsExample: Cornmeal mush, fat added →

1 packet, dry, yieldsAppears on 4 recordsExample: Grits, instant, made with water, fat added →

1 packet (1 oz), dry, yieldsAppears on 2 recordsExample: Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added →

1 strip or sliceAppears on 2 recordsExample: Cornmeal mush, fat added →

1 cupAppears on 1 recordsExample: Hominy, cooked →

Choosing a closer record

Use a sequence, not a guess disguised as precision.

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.
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.
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.
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.

Complete source catalog

All 18 “Grits and other cooked cereals” records

Records are alphabetical, not ranked. Every row links to a complete Feast profile with household measures, all reported nutrients, estimate factors, and methodology, plus the exact USDA FoodData Central source where available.

Exact USDA description	Calories	Protein	Fiber	Sodium	Source amount	References
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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 profile USDA 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 2024-10-31. FNDDS supplies standardized reference descriptions used to represent foods reported in dietary surveys. Each value on this page remains tied to one exact FDC record; the complete catalog provides direct links so the source can be checked rather than taken on trust.

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 robust 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 the full import, filtering, portion-scaling, Daily Value, and uncertainty rules, read Feast’s 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.