Team Cheerios

Name: Team Cheerios (Frosted Berry)
Variation: Cheerios
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Although curiously not including the word "Olympics" anywhere on its packaging (I'm sure there are major copyright and royalty issues involved), this new variety of Cheerios seems obviously poised as a tie-in. I didn't even realize this was an Olympics year, so I guess it did its job. I'm intrigued by the combination of strawberry, frosted, and blueberry Cheerios to simulate the colors of the American flag (although it's more of a pink, yellow, and purple, than a red, white, and blue) - and I like that the different colors actually have different flavors for once. Let's open it up!

The muted colors definitely don't make much of a visual impression (especially compared to a cereal like Summer Fruity Pebbles), but it smells fruity. As expected from a Cheerios cereal, it doesn't blast you with sweetness, but it does have a pleasant taste. And I think it's a great combination of flavors. The strawberry and blueberry Cheerios complement each other well, and the frosted Cheerios make for a nice bridge. I like it. And it's good with fresh fruit cut up into it, too. Despite looking and sounding like a cheap cash-in novelty to advertise the Olympics, it's actually a good cereal. I would eat "Frosted Berry" Cheerios even if it had nothing to do with the Olympics.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Blue, and very berry-flavored.

Raisin Bran Maple Flavor

Name: Raisin Bran Maple Flavor
Variation: Raisin Bran
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: I like to put maple syrup on my pancakes, waffles, and French toast. But I think I'm learning - especially after the travesty that was Maple Cinnamon Cheerios Hearty Nut Medley - that maybe maple isn't really one of my favorite flavors, certainly for cereal (notwithstanding that one that had marshmallows). I'm torn, because it's a good idea. The plain bran does benefit from adding some flavor, and maple is a breakfast tradition. But do I actually like it? Not nearly enough.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Slightly maple-flavored, and flecked with bran.

Raisin Bran

Name: Raisin Bran
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: Raisin Bran is never going to be one of my favorite cereals. That said, even as a kid, I could appreciate eating it on occasion, mainly on account of the raisins. Which is actually the reason I don't eat it anymore. Raisins have a pretty high sugar content, making this one of the sugariest cereals on the market, despite its health-forward approach. Which is not to say that it's any worse than, say, Mega Stuf Oreo O's, but is this the cereal I want to spend those sugar tokens on? Regardless, reviewing it for my blog is a good excuse to have it again. Besides, I've been wanting to try some of the alternate flavors I've been seeing lately.

So, it's probably the first bowl of Raisin Bran I've eaten since I was a kid, and I'm not impressed. Yeah, I can see how the sweet taste of the raisins is the only thing going for it. The bran flakes are dull (they're not even frosted), and waste no time getting soggy in milk. There is something about the texture of the raisins that I like - they're chewy, but this cereal is a real chore to eat. I'm glad I poured a half bowl. That's not a very good sign. If I wanted to pretend to be healthy, I think I'd rather have a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch (if I can find it). Looks like it's back to eating cookies for breakfast for me!

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Diluted with flakes of bran...

Summer Fruity Pebbles

Name: Summer Fruity Pebbles
Variation: Fruity Pebbles
Manufacturer: Post

Review: Since when did Post start producing so many seasonal varieties of Fruity Pebbles? Halloween was understandable, and when I saw WinterFest I thought it was fun. But by the time we got to Spring Fruity Pebbles I was getting a little bored with it. And now we've got Summer Fruity Pebbles, too? They're all the same cereal, so I'm not sure what's the point. Is Post's longstanding rivalry with Kellogg's (as depicted in Unfrosted, Jerry Seinfeld's hilarious new movie about the birth of Pop-Tarts) so entrenched that they have to copy everything Rice Krispies does? I don't even really like Fruity Pebbles to begin with! So I hope this is the last one...

I do like the marketing, though, only because summer is my favorite season, and the beach/swimming pool aesthetic is reminiscent of fun times. The pebbles are red and blue - which, when mixed with white milk, encourages contemplation over the curious fact that American Independence has become synonymous with the summer. Have you ever thought about that? Of course Independence Day is on July 4th, but we also have Memorial Day and Labor Day at the start and end of the season, and you always see flags flying on those holiday weekends.

Is it because summer represents freedom (school's out, and lots of people take vacations while the weather's nice), and the United States are supposed to be a bastion of freedom in the world? Well, considering the troubled state of our democracy, that seems a little egocentric. Perhaps it's time for a re-evaluation. Or, wait - is the red and blue supposed to reflect the colors of the flag of New Zealand? There I am, being a stereotypically egocentric American...

Wasn't this supposed to be a cereal review?

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Combines with the pebbles to create a fruity sludge - just like the melting pot of American culture.

Golden Grahams S'mores

Name: Golden Grahams S'mores
Variation: Golden Grahams
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: So, the real reason I tried Golden Grahams Retro Recipe, is to have a basis from which to evalute the recent reappearance of Golden Grahams S'mores - which I suspect is an update of S'mores Grahams, one of my favorite cereals from my childhood (although I miss the red box). It'll be interesting to see how it compares to the S'mores cereals of today.

As I pour my bowl, the first thing I notice is that there are relatively few plain Golden Grahams pieces (thankfully), in favor of the chocolate ones. And then there are, of course, the marshmallows. Although it was a staple of my childhood, I can't really say to what extent this cereal duplicates the taste of S'more Grahams (the '80s were a long time ago), but I can judge it by modern standards.

With a negligible difference in nutrition value (including, remarkably, an equivalent sugar content, despite containing marshmallows), I see no reason not to eat this cereal over plain Golden Grahams. But, honestly, it still tastes just a tad plain, and is not actually as good as Honey Maid S'mores (which unsurprisingly contains more fat and sugar). So, kudos to Honey Maid for that.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Subtle flavors mix to form an unexpectedly odd amalgam.

Golden Grahams Retro Recipe

Name: Golden Grahams Retro Recipe
Variation: Golden Grahams
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Boasting "the delicious taste of graham crackers in milk" (I'm not so sure about that), Golden Grahams Retro Recipe is "taking you back to the best part of the '80s" with "the taste of your childhood". Actually, I never ate Golden Grahams as a child, so I can't judge the integrity of this "retro recipe". I just hope it tastes better than CinnaGraham Toast Crunch (and half of that cereal was Cinnamon Toast Crunch...).

Dry, it tastes like graham crackers. It's reminiscent of having a S'mores cereal, but without the chocolate or marshmallow (i.e., the best parts). It tastes slightly better in milk, but honestly, it's still dry and quite plain. I'm sorry, but this cereal is gonna need something more than just honey-dipped graham crackers for me to recommend it...

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Has a sweet, honey graham flavor - it's better than the cereal itself!