Marshmallow Fruity/Cocoa Pebbles

Name: Marshmallow Fruity/Cocoa Pebbles
Variation: Fruity/Cocoa Pebbles
Manufacturer: Post

Review: This is going to sound weird, but Fruity Pebbles might be my favorite cereal that I don't actually like. It's just so colorful; and it smells good, too! But, it's fruity, and I don't love the way the pebbles soak up the milk and turn into an amalgamated sludge. I mean, I like flavored milk at the end of a bowl of cereal, I just don't like having to chew it. But apparently, adding marshmallows (in cute, fruity shapes) is just what it takes to get me to genuinely enjoy eating Fruity Pebbles. And adding them to Cocoa Pebbles? That's a no-brainer! And not just any marshmallows, either. They're doubling up the chocolate with cocoa marshmallows. Perfect for a chocolate lover like me. I'm not in the habit of giving a cereal a three bowl rating until I've had more than one box of it, but this is definitely a contender for a future promotion.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: A fruity/chocolatey sludge.

Froot Loops Tropical

Name: Froot Loops Tropical
Variation: Froot Loops
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: I first came across this novel version of Froot Loops last summer, when the box still had a "limited edition" tag in the corner. Featuring orange, yellow, and green loops that boast pineapple, banana, orange, and mango flavors that seem right at home in the toucan's natural habitat, this variation of Froot Loops would seem to be a no brainer. I just wish I liked it more. Granted, "fruity" isn't my first choice in cereals, but Froot Loops is one of my favorites, and I usually like tropical variations of fruit snacks. But in this case, I just find myself missing the flavor of regular Froot Loops. I'm going to chalk this up to being another cereal idea that looks better on paper.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: A little fruity.

Honey Maid S'mores

This weekend I'm pitting two S'mores-themed cereals against each other in a head-to-head competition!

Name: Honey Maid S'mores
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Post

Review: One of my fondest cereal memories from childhood is being on summer vacation with my family, and waking up to a bowl (or three) of S'mores Grahams cereal. Sadly, I haven't seen the cereal since my resurgence of interest, but I've noticed two modern contenders on the shelves. Kellogg's Smorz was not very good, but Honey Maid S'mores was just what I was looking for. The taste is even reminiscent of S'mores Grahams. I like that it doesn't cop out with chocolate-coated graham crackers (hello, Kellogg's Smorz). S'mores are a perfect balance of three ingredients - graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow - and that's the trifecta you get here. S'mores may be a summery treat, but I'll eat this cereal any time of year.

Rating: 🥣🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: A S'morey blend of flavors.

Kellogg's Smorz

This weekend I'm pitting two S'mores-themed cereals against each other in a head-to-head competition!

Name: Kellogg's Smorz
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: I love S'mores. But it's a flavor that's hard to imitate in other forms. I'm always tempted to try S'mores-related desserts, but they never live up to the promise of a real S'more. This cereal has that "chocolate-coated graham cracker" flavor that just screams "shortcut". The marshmallows (now swirled with chocolate) are fine. Honestly, judged on its own merits, this would be a decent cereal - it's still chocolate and marshmallows. But as a facsimile of S'mores, it comes up short, and when there's the far superior Honey Maid S'mores on the market, there's just no competition.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: For all the swirling chocolate that's left in the bowl when the cereal is gone, the milk tastes disappointingly plain...

Trix Fireworks

Name: Trix Fireworks
Variation: Trix
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: The cynical side of me wants to say that this is just another version of Trix with marshmallows. But that's probably because this isn't the first one I've had, recently. I actually really like the idea for this one, and although Red, White & Blue Crunch is my preferred 4th of July cereal, I'm excited to see another one on the shelves. The puffs are swirled with red and blue (actually, more like purple), and the white marshmallows form starbursts reminiscent of fireworks (although they're not as perfect as they look on the box). Part of me thinks the fireworks would look great in different colors, but then you'd lose the "red, white & blue" aesthetic. I'll give Trix points for a great idea with this cereal, but, not being my favorite fruity cereal on the market, I'm not gonna say that I love eating it.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Looks pink, but tastes plain...

Red, White & Blue Crunch

Name: Red, White & Blue Crunch
Variation: Cap'n Crunch
Manufacturer: Quaker Oats

Review: Unlike the other holiday varieties of Cap'n Crunch which take after Crunch Berries, I suspect that this cereal - which has no yellow crunch pieces and boasts "red, white & blue berries" (now in "new star shapes") - is more akin to Oops! All Berries. Which is still not a bad thing. In fact, the berries are my favorite part of the cereal, so I think I might like this variety (which I have also seen marketed as "Hero Crunch") even better than Christmas Crunch (although Halloween Crunch's milk-changing ghosts are still a lot of fun). Either way, it's a great choice of cereal to have on the morning of the 4th of July!

Rating: 🥣🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Sugary sweet!