Cheerios Protein (Cinnamon)

Name: Cinnamon Cheerios Protein
Variation: Cheerios
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: I initially ignored these new protein-packed varieties of Cheerios, but I was looking to fill out a few empty slots on my blog (that's a first!) through the end of the year, so I'm giving them a try, after all. Starting with... Cinnamon! (Comparisons to regular Cinnamon Cheerios would be appropriate).

Fortified with pea protein, these Cheerios appear slightly smaller and denser than normal Cheerios. They smell and taste strongly of cinnamon - and I also happened to notice that brown sugar is listed among the ingredients. They taste alright, but I don't love them. Maybe this is just my imagination, but I daresay I detect a hint of a vegetable-y flavor.

If I were making a concentrated effort to increase protein in my diet (and I'm not the bodybuilding type), I could stomach this cereal (it's a lot better than Veggie Blends), but I don't think I would go out of my way to eat it again. Though, the back of the box has a "spot the differences" puzzle featuring a mountain scene that makes me feel right at home.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Very sweet and cinnamon-y.

Frosted Mini Wheats

Name: Frosted Mini Wheats
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: This review is another formality. I already know I don't like Frosted Mini Wheats, but I've tried a lot of their different flavors (and they've had some interesting ones) - just not the original yet. And to be fair, I've always been impressed with the flavors. Even this one - plain though it may be, at least the biscuits are frosted. This isn't a bad cereal, I'm just not especially fond of the taste and texture of shredded wheat. It's so tedious to chew... So, your mileage may vary, but this cereal isn't for me.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: More wheat than sweet.

Frosted Flakes Cookies & Creme Milkshake

Name: Frosted Flakes Cookies & Creme Milkshake
Variation: Frosted Flakes
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: After Strawberry Milkshake and Chocolate Milkshake, I predicted that Frosted Flakes would come out with a Vanilla Milkshake variety. This isn't quite the same thing, but it's pretty close. After all, cookies & creme is more "creme" than cookies. And it's a better idea, anyway. Oreo milkshakes are pretty popular. That said, it's not the milkshake I would order at the local diner.

The flakes don't look all that appealing, with their sickly-looking black flecks. It does have a faint cookie flavor, but I don't understand all these "token" chocolate flavors. If you like chocolate, you want a lot of it, not just a sprinkle. And the "creme" doesn't do anything for me. This cereal is marginally more interesting than plain Frosted Flakes, but you should know that's not saying much.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Don't worry, you'll get the milkshake you were promised.

Krave Cinnamon Sugar Churro

Name: Krave Cinnamon Sugar Churro
Variation: Krave
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: Here's an interesting new flavor from Krave - the color of the box and the flavors involved remind me of Cinnabon cereal. Imitating cinnamon sugar churros, but with an intriguing chocolate-filled center, it's kind of a bridge between Cinnamon Toast Crunch's Churros and Chocolate Churros. But, it doesn't have as good a mouthfeel, and the flavors leave something to be desired. It's kind of plainish; I find myself wishing this was a LOADED cereal. It's not unpleasant to eat (and it has grown on me), but I can't see myself buying it again. I think I'll stick with Double Chocolate Brownie Batter.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Only a faint hint of cinnamon and sugar.

Double Chocolate Cookie Crisp

Name: Double Chocolate Cookie Crisp
Variation: Cookie Crisp
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: This is apparently the return of "a 2000s fan favorite flavor", but that was during the period between when I ate cereal as a kid, and when my interest resurfaced in the 2010s. So it's new to me! And right up my alley - as a chocolate fan, I love double chocolate chip cookies. And this cereal is, expectedly, just like Cookie Crisp, but more chocolatey. Honestly, it's delicious. And even better with fresh strawberries cut up into it! An instant favorite. It's a great start, but there's still a world of potential for alternate flavors of Cookie Crisp out there. Can we see a Sugar Cookie Crisp for the holidays this year?

Rating: 🥣🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Reminiscent of pouring chocolate syrup into a glass of milk!

Corn Pops

Name: Corn Pops
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: It didn't hit me until I poured out a bowl, but this is basically popcorn in the form of a cereal (yeah, it seems stupidly obvious to me now). That said, while I was expecting something plain like Corn Flakes, these golden nuggets of puffed corn have a moderate amount of sugar (though they're fat free). Yet they don't live up to the box's boast of a "sweet crispy crunch". Any crispiness is softened by the addition of milk, giving an impression of staleness. And the flavor is not all that sweet. But if they added any more sugar, it'd be getting into Honey Smacks/Golden Crisp territory. I can't honestly say I like it very much. However, to be emulating popcorn, I think a caramel version of this cereal could be really good.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: First time I've seen a cereal turn the milk yellow.

Frosted Flakes

Name: Frosted Flakes
Variation: Corn Flakes
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: I've had an opportunity to try a lot of cereals that I don't like for this blog, but while I still maintain a low opinion of Rice Krispies, I've learned to appreciate Frosted Flakes. The flakes themselves still aren't my favorite cereal shape, but at least they have a sweet flavor. If forced to eat this cereal, I could tolerate it. The frosting alone offers a world of improvement over plain Corn Flakes. But you'd have to add marshmallows, or make it chocolate (or both :-p), to actually get me to say I like it.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Sweet like frosting.