Answer by Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin, Moreh Hora’ah at Beis Horaa of Rechovot, Israel:
Halacha states that one who eats a primary food (ikar) together with a secondary food (tafel) only makes a bracha on the primary food and the secondary food is included.[1] Examples include: tuna salad with vegetable bits, yogurt with fruit, stuffed chicken.
When it isn’t clear which part of a mixture is the ikar (e.g. vegetable salad with fruit), we follow the majority, except when each part is recognizable on its own [2] or it is a mixture of food and drink. [3]
If they are both independently desired, a bracha should be recited on each one individually.[4] If the two components are not mixed but complement each other (e.g. cracker after lechaim), the bracha on the ikar covers the tafel, though in some cases it is preferable to recite two brachos.[5]
Since milk is added to cereal to enhance the cereal, the bracha on the cereal includes the milk[6] (and added pieces of fruit [7]). The milk that remains at the bottom of the bowl and is drunk afterwards is also included.[8]
However, if one pours a lot of milk into the cereal for a significant amount to remain at the end, he demonstrates that the milk is also primary, and it requires its own bracha from the start.[9]
One should first recite Mezonos or Hoadomo on a piece of cereal and then Shehakol on a drop of milk,[10] since those brachos are considered more special.[11]
However, if one has reasonable doubt whether he wants the milk independently, he cannot recite a bracha on the milk after the bracha on the cereal, since it may have already been covered.
Instead, he should recite Shehakol on another food or recite the bracha on the milk first.[12] This is not an unnecessary bracha (bracha she’eina tzricha) since it is being said to ensure the correct bracha.[13]
SOURCES:
1. סדר ברכה”נ פ”ג ה”א.
2. סדר ברכה”נ פ”ז הי”ט.
3. אוצר תשובות סי’ קע”ז.
4. שערי ברכה פט”ו סכ”ד. סדר ברכה”נ שם (וראה שוע”ר סי’ רי”ב ס”א).
5. סדר ברכה”נ פ”ג הי”ד-ט”ו אם שניהם חביבים ,אבל אם העיקר חביב יותר י”א שמברך על העיקר בלבד (רק בשבת יש לסמוך על המתירים כדי לברך למאה ברכות).
.6 שו”ת אג”מ או”ח ח”ד סי’ מ”ג. “ברכות גאיד” ע’ 30.
7. להעיר שבשו”ת אג”מ שם כותב, שמברך על הבננה בנפרד וכנראה שתלוי אם כוונתו במיוחד לפרי.
8. ספר להלכה ח”א סי’ ז’ סעיף 10. וראה סדר ברכה”נ פ”ג ה”ז.
9. שו”ת אג”מ שם, שערי ברכה פט”ו סט”ו.
10. סדר ברכה”נ פ”ז הי”ט.
11. שו”ע או”ח סי’ רי”א ס”ה ו’, ובסדר ברכה”נ פ”י (ריבוי פרטים בזה).
12. שערי ברכה פכ”ג ערך קורנפלקס עם חלב הע’ ט”ו. וראה ספר להלכה ח”א סי’ ו’ (בנוגע שקדי מרק).
13. שם. וראה שם פ”י סי”ג, והערה ל”ה.
Published in lmaan Yishmeu, a project of Merkaz Anash
Why not simply put in the cereal first and milk on top so one can make the brochoh in the milk before eating the cereal?
The Alter Rebbe will agree in a situation that one is only drinking a little bit of milk at the end of the cereal that it doesn’t require its own bracha (look in the seder bircas hanhenen with commentary by Rabbi Green)
the source in #3 and seder birchas hanehenin perek 3 sief 11 say if eaten afterwards alone a bracha is required
With little children, aren’t they required to make a bracha on the milk on all cases as for them, milk offs an ikar. This is what we were taught in Sem decades ago.
Because if the cereal is shehakol there’s no question about another bracha for the milk, since it’s included in any case.
עיין שו”ע אדה”ז סי’ רי”ב סעיף ה’ וצ”ע
Being that most cereals are shehakol why choose these berachos as an example
to pour in the cereal first or the milk