Shake ‘N Bake is a seasoned bread crumb product made by Kraft Foods. It was introduced in 1965 and allows cooks to easily bread and bake meat, fish and poultry without the extra steps of dredging, dipping and crumbing. Shake ‘N Bake has become one of Kraft’s most iconic and popular products over the last 50+ years.
Quick Facts About Shake ‘N Bake
- Made by Kraft Foods, a major American food manufacturing company
- Launched in 1965
- Comes in Original and Extra Crispy varieties
- Seasoned coating includes ingredients like wheat flour, salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), spices, yellow 5, and yellow 6
- Advertising jingle told consumers to “Shake, shake, shake, shake ‘n bake!”
- Popular for making quick and easy breaded chicken, pork chops, fish fillets, etc.
- Comes in box with separate bags of seasoning/coating and bread crumbs
- Instructions tell cooks to place meat in bag, shake to coat, then bake
History of Shake ‘N Bake
Shake ‘N Bake was invented and launched by Kraft Foods in 1965. Kraft researchers had found that a major pain point for cooks was the lengthy process of dredging meat in flour, dipping in egg wash, then coating with bread crumbs before cooking. Shake ‘N Bake allowed the entire breading process to be achieved simply by placing meat in a bag and shaking. This innovation revolutionized home cooking and resulted in Shake ‘N Bake becoming one of Kraft’s most successful products over the next few decades.
Some key moments and facts in Shake ‘N Bake’s history include:
- 1965 – Introduced to the public with a $2 million advertising campaign
- 1977 – HELP packets added so consumers could control seasoning on their meat
- 1982 – Sales reached $100 million per year
- 1986 – Original recipe improved by adding more flavorings and spices
- 1990s – Various new flavors introduced including lemon pepper, cajun, parmesan, and more
- 2004 – New Easy Grip, Easy Pour container introduced
- 2007 – Extra Crispy Shake ‘N Bake launched
- 2010 – Single-use pouches introduced, eliminating bag shaking step
Over the decades, Shake ‘N Bake has used catchy jingles in advertising and maintained its position as one of the most popular breading mix brands in American kitchens.
Shake ‘N Bake Products
Here are some of the main products sold under the Shake ‘N Bake brand:
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Original | The classic Shake ‘N Bake flavor coating |
| Extra Crispy | Crunchier, thicker breading pieces |
| Lemon Pepper | Zesty lemon pepper seasoning |
| Cajun | Spicy Cajun blackening seasoning |
| Pork | Specialized seasoning for pork |
| Chicken | Specialized seasoning for chicken |
| Fish | Specialized coating for fish fillets |
The seasoning packets and bread crumb mixes are sold alongside each other in a box. Some products use a bag for shaking while newer versions have single-use pouches to coat the meat.
Using Shake ‘N Bake
Shake ‘N Bake is very easy to use:
- Buy a box of Shake ‘N Bake that contains separate bags of seasoning and breadcrumbs.
- Place your raw meat, fish or poultry in the bag and shake to evenly coat.
- Transfer coated food to a baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F until fully cooked through.
- For thicker, crunchier coating, repeat shaking and baking steps.
Shake ‘N Bake eliminates the messy work of breading meat manually. With just a few shakes in the bag, you can achieve an evenly coated and deliciously seasoned breadcrumb crust.
Tips for Using Shake ‘N Bake
- Remove any excess breading and pat down for an even coat before baking.
- Let coated meat sit 5-10 minutes before baking so crust adheres better.
- For best results, use boneless cuts of meat evenly pounded to 1⁄2 inch thickness.
- Cut slits in the meat before shaking to help the coating stick into the cuts.
- Add some olive oil or melted butter to the bag to make the coating extra crispy.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition facts for Shake ‘N Bake will vary slightly based on the specific flavor and version. But in general, a 1⁄4 cup serving of the mix contains around these nutrients:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 220 |
| Fat | 3g |
| Carbs | 39g |
| Protein | 5g |
| Sodium | 890mg |
As you can see, Shake ‘N Bake is fairly high in sodium since it contains lots of salt and seasoning. It also has a good amount of carbohydrates coming from the wheat flour and sugars. But overall, it can fit into a balanced diet when used in moderation.
Conclusion
In summary, Shake ‘N Bake is a seasoned bread crumb coating mix made by Kraft Foods. It was invented in 1965 to simplify the process of breading meat to be cooked. The convenience and flavor of Shake ‘N Bake has made it a staple cooking product in American kitchens for over 50 years. While high in sodium, it can be enjoyed as part of an overall healthy diet. Shake ‘N Bake eliminates the need for messy breading preparation and gives home cooks an easy way to add flavorful, crispy crusts to meat, fish and chicken.