Total Breakfast Cereal, General Mills, January 1973

The '70s had their share of popular sayings such as "Love means never having to say you're sorry" and "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." General Mills utilized the second of these maxims in this sunny and serene-looking ad promoting its Total line of breakfast cereals.

Total was not a new cereal at the time, having been on the market for a dozen years prior to the publishing of this ad. However, the '70s were a time of increasing emphasis on nutrition and fitness, and a cereal providing 100% of the recommended daily requirements for a number of the most important vitamins and minerals would certainly fit into this focus. No need for taking a daily vitamin supplement; your nutritional needs would be met with your breakfast.

I remember trying the original wheat Total cereal as a kid a few times in the 1970s. It was ok, although the addition of the nutritional supplements, particularly the iron, gave the cereal a bit of a chemical taste. I don't remember ever trying the Corn Total, but I imagine it would have been similar.

Total is still available today in a number of different varieties. Good nutrition spans the generations!