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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2021-04-28 </periodOfReport> |
| <notSubjectToSection16> 0 </notSubjectToSection16> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000040704 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> GENERAL MILLS INC </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> GIS </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001441562 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Church John R </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> NUMBER ONE GENERAL MILLS BOULEVARD </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> MINNEAPOLIS </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> MN </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 55426 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 0 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 1 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | <officerTitle> Chief SC & GBS Officer </officerTitle> |
| | | <otherText></otherText> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2021-04-28 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> M </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 25812 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 37.21 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 75728 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2021-04-28 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> S </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 25812 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 60.8072 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 49916 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 5735.07 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> by Trust </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 3851.52 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> by Trust 1 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 24883 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> by Trust 2 </value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <derivativeTable> |
| | <derivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 37.21 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2021-04-28 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> M </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 25812 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 0.0 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <value> 2015-06-28 </value> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2021-07-28 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 25812 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 0 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeTransaction> |
| | </derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> Represents the weighted average of actual sale prices that range from $60.705000 to $60.890000. Full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price is available upon request of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any security holder of the company. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> Held in Trust by the Trustee of the General Mills Savings Plan. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F3"> Held in Trust for the benefit of the reporting person's spouse by the Trustee of the General Mills Savings Plan. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> By: Christopher A. Rauschl For: John R Church </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2021-04-29 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |