What does granola mean?
Granola is a breakfast food made from oats or other grains that are mixed with ingredients such as nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and sweeteners. Unlike plain oatmeal, granola is typically baked until crisp and often eaten as a dry cereal or with milk and fruit. The name is a mass noun in normal usage, although separate portions or varieties may be counted as granolas. Granola carries associations with breakfast, health food, hiking, and homemade baking, but these are cultural associations rather than guarantees about nutrition or sweetness. It became established in the United States before becoming common in British and other English-language markets. Today the term can label many preparations, from oat-and-honey clusters to savory nut mixtures, so context often matters more than a rigid recipe.
nounA food made from dried oats or other grains, typically mixed with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a sweetener and baked until crisp. It is commonly eaten as a breakfast cereal, with milk, or as a snack.
- A baked food made from oats or other grains, usually with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a sweetener.
"She served yogurt with granola, fresh berries, and a drizzle of honey for breakfast."
"The granola was crunchy, lightly sweetened, and scattered over the yogurt."
"Hikers often carry homemade granola bars for a compact source of energy."
Normally used for separate portions, varieties, or products rather than for an unspecified quantity of the food.
"The bakery sells several granolas made with different combinations of nuts and dried fruit."
Granola’s name is newer than its wholesome image: the word was coined in the 1880s from Spanish for “granular,” referring to the food’s grainy texture.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does granola come from?
The English word was coined in the 1880s by the American health-food reformer James Caleb Jackson for a grain-based preparation. It was adapted from Spanish “granola,” meaning “granular” or “grainy,” in reference to its texture. The name reflects a wider family of English words descended from Latin granum, meaning “grain” or “seed.”
How granola is actually used
Granola is normally an uncountable mass noun, although separate portions, varieties, or products may be counted as granolas. It is particularly associated with breakfast and health-food culture in North America, though it is now common in Britain and elsewhere.