Wicked (Glinda Good Berry)

Name: Wicked (Glinda Good Berry)
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Kellogg's may have nabbed the deal to promote the new hit series Wednesday at your breakfast table, but General Mills has countered with their own promotion of the new movie Wicked, based on a stage adaptation of characters from L. Frank Baum's enormously popular Wizard of Oz story. And what better way to honor a two-part movie about two contrasting characters, than to give them each their own cereal? One features Glinda the Good Witch, and the other Elphaba, known to many as the Wicked Witch of the West. I really like their contrasting aesthetic - pink and green are my two favorite colors!

Light side meets dark side?

We'll start with the good witch Glinda. The cereal is called "Good Berry", and it's very pink (albeit a little salmon-shaded) - I'm guessing it's strawberry. It reminds me a little bit of JoJo Siwa Strawberry Bop! (minus the marshmallows). These "crispy corn puffs" are actually quite substantial - they offer a solid bite; they're not overly light and puffed with air. They do taste noticeably of corn, but it doesn't clash with the fruity flavor. It's pretty good - I don't even miss not having marshmallows very much. Disappointingly, the leftover milk is quite plain - how cool would it have been to have these two cereals turn the milk their respective colors? Ah well. It's the only complaint I really have.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Only a very mild strawberry flavor.

Halloween Oreo Puffs

Name: Halloween Oreo Puffs
Variation: Oreo Puffs
Manufacturer: Post

Review: When I spotted this cereal in the store - a box of Oreo Puffs with a vivid orange banner across the top - I actually thought it was Oreo Reese's Puffs, an experiment I had just tried on my own! Although I don't know how that would work, because Reese's Puffs is manufactured by General Mills, and Oreo Puffs is handled by Post - but the fact that both products are owned by different companies didn't stop them from combining them for a special promotion recently.

Anyway, it hasn't even been a year since Post debuted the new puffs format of their Oreo O's cereal, and it's already got a Halloween edition! It's a welcome companion to Halloween Fruity Pebbles in Post's autumn holiday lineup. I like it perfectly well, but since cookies and cream isn't my favorite flavor, I can't promise that I'll be buying it every year. And I do appreciate Halloween cereals that are a little more creative than just turning the milk "spooky" orange. Even Halloween Crunch has ghost berries...

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: More colorful than flavorful.

Jettas Mix

Name: Justin Jefferson's Jettas Mix
Variation: Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheerios
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Like with the Kelce Mix from last year, I have no idea who Justin Jefferson is - but it's a pretty box, with holographic lettering. Unlike that other mix, this cereal combines limited edition varieties (new Cinnamon Toast Crunch Strawberry, and Frosted Lemon Cheerios) instead of a bunch of staples. But it's an intriguing combination of flavors - like a strawberry lemonade, but with a hint of buttery cinnamon. It tastes very refreshing. I think the lemon is more prominent than the strawberry, and the cinnamon adds an interesting flourish. The box says Justin Jefferson has a "sweet tooth" - but while this cereal is sweet, it runs fruity rather than chocolatey. As such, it's not what I would choose for my signature cereal, but I do like it. Makes a great dry snack, too.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Like a horchata mixed with strawberry lemonade!

[Experiment] Oreo Reese's Puffs

Description: I was bored with that abysmally plain confetti cake cereal, so I decided to perform a mad science experiment. As hedonistic as it might sound to combine Reese's Puffs with Oreo Puffs (I know, we're living in a society XD), I was inspired by the recent combination of just those two brands for a rare collaboration between Reese's and Oreos.

What's your pleasure, sir?

So, how do they taste together? The flavors don't really coalesce. Some bites favor chocolate and peanut butter, others cookies and creme. That said, they're both good flavors, so you can't really go wrong joining them together. Keeping my own preference in mind for peanut butter over "creme", I think the Reese's Puffs improve the Oreo Puffs, but I'd rather have my Reese's Puffs unadulterated. Which tracks with my opinion on the recent candy chimeras - an Oreo tastes better with peanut butter filling than a Reese's cup does with cookies and creme. Still, it was a lot of fun to try.

Rating: 🥣🥣

Wednesday (Howlin' Confetti Cake)

Name: Wednesday Howlin' Confetti Cake
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: I was excited to see that they've brought back Wednesday cereal again this year (no doubt in promotion of the second season of the TV show starring Jenna Ortega) - it was a little bit kooky, but I liked it. I was even more excited to see that this year they've given Enid her own flavor - Howlin' Confetti Cake! Her bright and colorful personality makes an excellent contrast to Wednesday's dark and morbid mood.

But then I realized that these are Kellogg's cereals, and the confetti-coated loops look an awful lot like Froot Loops Wonka (I still hate that name), which was just the latest in a long line of bad cereals predicated on Kellogg's trying to force their bland "berry stars" down our throats. In this case, it sounds like it's a birthday cake flavor (instead of "berry-licious"), but it does also advertise turning the milk purple.

Upon opening the box, my immediate impression is that the colors are really bland. They're just a faded orange and yellow, with (oddly) a few token red loops. It's not even as colorful as Froot Loops. Enid would NOT be impressed. The flavor is also bland. Like, really bland. Is this just Wednesday masquerading as Enid? There's barely even a birthday cake flavor! It just tastes like corn. There's no "celebration" in this cereal - it's like they forgot to put the icing on the cake.

And the purple milk? It's not even that impressive. It's just a pale, grayish color. I get that Wednesday is the star of the show, but this cereal pales in comparison to hers. What an utter disappointment. I feel bad for Enid. Kellogg's has done her dirty. If I were choosing a cereal to represent her, I'd pick Fruity Pebbles over the one with her name and face on the box. And that's just disgraceful...

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Pale and underwhelming.

Cheerios Protein (Cookies & Creme)

Name: Cookies & Creme Cheerios Protein
Variation: Cheerios
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Although I don't love cookies & "creme", I've been looking forward to trying this flavor from Cheerios' new protein-packed lineup, because it's the most candy-adjacent, and I don't think I've ever seen a cookies & creme flavor of Cheerios before. But if you can imagine a health-conscious version of Oreo O's, this would be it. Each bite initially greets you with the flavor of cookies & creme, then gives over to an unmistakable impression of oats. This time, the "spot the differences" puzzle on the back of the box features a lively city park scene.

In fairness, these cereals have grown on me - as varieties of Cheerios usually do, once your palate adjusts to their relative plainness compared to other cereals on the market. I took some of this cereal dry to eat while camping and it was perfectly appetizing (unlike Honey Bunches of Oats with Real Strawberries, which I thought would be a good dry snack, but very much wasn't). I think they do pretty well for what they are. I don't know that I would call them a "health food" - they're neither low sugar nor fat free. But, if you're looking for a protein supplement in your diet, I feel like you could probably do a lot worse than this.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Tastes like cookies & creme!

Cheerios Protein (Strawberry)

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

Review: This version of Cheerios' new protein-packed cereals doesn't have a bad strawberry flavor. Really, it just has the same problems as the last one I tried - the Cheerios are really dense (as if they were muscle-bound - I'm not sure if it would be hilarious or disturbing if this cereal were called Muscle Rings), and there's a hint of a vegetable-y flavor. The cereal is improved by the addition of fresh strawberries, as you could imagine. But I still see it as something you would add to a deliberate, protein-focused diet, and not something I would pick up to eat otherwise, especially considering how many great flavors of regular Cheerios are out there. The back of the box features a "spot the differences" puzzle with a pretty strawberry orchard scene.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Pink and fruity (what is this, Trix?).

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.

[Experiment] Marshmallow Krispies

Description: Since Rice Krispies Treats are the only thing Rice Krispies has going for it, I'm surprised I've never seen a box of Rice Krispies with marshmallows (there is evidence that Rice Krispies Treats cereal existed at one time, but I missed it). So I decided to make my own! I pilfered some of the marshmallows from Oreo Puffs, and added them to a bowl of Rice Krispies. It's obviously an improvement, but even marshmallows can't mask the plainness of the Rice Krispies.

I thought it would be better with Frosted Krispies as the base, so I tried that, too. It was sweet enough, but I'm not sure it's wise to add marshmallows to a cereal that already has 15g of sugar per cup (by comparison, Lucky Charms has only 12). It doesn't taste quite like Rice Krispies Treats, but then, the Rice Krispies aren't actually coated with marshmallow. I don't like this cereal enough to warrant duplicating this experiment, but I think there's potential here for Kellogg's to tweak the formula. I'd try it if they gave it a shot.

Rating: 🥣

Rice Krispies

Name: Rice Krispies
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: Like Fruity Pebbles, every holiday version of Rice Krispies (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter(?), and Fourth of July) is just plain Rice Krispies dyed different colors. So this review is just a formality. I already know I don't like Rice Krispies. In fact, I didn't even eat the bowl of cereal I poured for this picture. At least, not without modification. But since I thought of a good experiment to do with this cereal, it was the perfect opportunity to bite the bullet and get this review out of the way. Do I really need to say anything more than that? Unless you're planning on making Rice Krispies Treats, steer clear of this cereal - and give it a wide berth while you're at it.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: What milk?

Orange Creampop Crunch

Name: Orange Creampop Crunch
Variation: Cap'n Crunch
Manufacturer: Quaker Oats

Review: Echoing Post's own introduction of a fruit 'n' cream cereal, this new summer limited edition by Quaker Oats uses the orange creampop as its inspiration. I'll be honest, orange is probably my least favorite fruity flavor, and you should know by now that I'm not fond of mixing fruit and cream. Consisting of orange Cap'n Crunch pieces (no Crunch Berries here to speak of), the orange flavor doesn't punch you in the mouth, but it is noticeably creamy. However, it leaves a pungent aftertaste. The cereal features Cap'n Crunch's usual mouthfeel (some complain about its sharpness, but it also has a tendency to make you wanna shovel it into your mouth), so it's not unpleasant to eat. But as far as flavors go, it's definitely not my thing. Now, if only Cookie Crisp would debut a summer edition of their cereal based on the chipwich!

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: A creamy, orange milkshake...

Strawberries & Cream Pebbles

Name: Strawberries & Cream Pebbles
Variation: Fruity Pebbles
Manufacturer: Post

Review: I was pleasantly surprised by the recent strawberry version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but I'm not especially fond of Fruity Pebbles to begin with, and this version has "cream" right there in its title, so I don't hold high expectations for it. It smells strong, and actually looks like the "crunch coat" on one of those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars (which I don't dislike). But the cream part is too aggressive. If it were just strawberry, it might be good. It tastes... I dunno, maybe... yogurt-y? I'm not fond of it. Now why couldn't they have paired the strawberry with cocoa instead?

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Absorbed by the pebbles.

Rainbow Sprinkles Lucky Charms

Name: Rainbow Sprinkles Lucky Charms
Variation: Lucky Charms
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: With every cereal I review, I become a more seasoned critic. But it can also feel like I'm repeating myself sometimes. This is a birthday cake flavored version of Lucky Charms - and my opinion on birthday cake is well-documented. It's colorful, but it's not one of my favorite flavors. And this version of Lucky Charms isn't even that pretty (although I like the fading gradient on the front of the box). The "confetti sprinkle pieces" are not just underwhelming - they're downright disappointing! You can barely see them. With a corn rather than oat base (much like Honey Clovers), the cereal pieces resemble yellow cake. Apparently, the debut of JUMBO Rainbows drained the charm's teleportation power, because you can follow a maze on the back of this box to help Lucky recharge his rainbow charm. You won't be surprised to learn that this isn't the best version of Lucky Charms I've tried. It's prefectly edible, but I wouldn't buy it again.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Grey as a storm cloud, and tastes a bit like frosting.

Lucky Charms JUMBO Rainbows

Name: Lucky Charms Jumbo Rainbows
Variation: Lucky Charms
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: While it's as good an excuse as any to have a [Giant Size] box of Lucky Charms, I doubted whether having jumbo rainbow marshmallows was enough of a reason to give this cereal its own review. My opinion on Lucky Charms (which is one of my lifelong favorites) is well-documented, so the only thing in question is what effect, if any, these jumbo marshmallows have on my experience of eating it.

"Wherever you dream to go, it's possible with Lucky's jumbo rainbow!" Since the regular rainbow charm already gives Lucky the power to teleport, I'm interpreting the jumbo charm to give Lucky the power to teleport to places he's never been before (to boldly go...). Unless the idea is that he can teleport to fantastical places located in the realm of pure imagination? General Mills, please clarify.

Anyway, it's a pretty superficial modification - every once in a while, you'll get a bite with a larger marshmallow. It's not the best, but also not the worst novelty marshmallow I've seen in Lucky Charms. The size difference does disrupt the cereal's uniformity somewhat, so I don't expect it'll stick around (do they ever?). But it is nice to dig into the cereal and get a stronger impression of "rainbows!" than usual.

For better or worse (your mileage may vary), General Mills has managed to emphasize rainbows with this cereal, without tying it to gay pride. I support gay pride (and silence on this issue can speak volumes in this day and age); but I also recognize that, as a meteorological phenomenon, rainbows aren't intrinsically gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But I believe they deserve to maintain a life outside of gay pride, too.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Blue-grey and marshmallow-y (like the sky after it rains).

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Strawberry

Name: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Strawberry
Variation: Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: I was intrigued when I spotted this new flavor of Cinnamon Toast Crunch on the shelves. The toasties are noticeably pink, and have a real strawberry flavor - I'm just glad it's not strawberries and cream. It's really good. It tastes a bit like if you drizzled strawberry syrup over your French toast. Add fresh strawberries to take it to the next level!

I wanted to try mixing this cereal with Chocolate Toast Crunch, because I think that sounds like a great combination, but I can't seem to find it anymore. Dubious novelties like CinnaGraham Toast Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls (actually, those were decent), and Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffle are all still available, but I can't find Chocolate Toast Crunch? That's concerning. It should be a staple!

Anyway, like most varieties of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, this cereal has a perfectly reasonable amount of sugar (a median value of 12g per cup - not low, but not high either). Although the fat content (4g per cup) trends toward the upper end of what's normal - which is probably why it still tastes so good.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Like a decadent, cinnamon strawberry milkshake!

Blueberry Bran Crunch

Name: Blueberry Bran Crunch
Variation: Raisin Bran
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: Here's an exciting new cereal I spotted this year. It's like Raisin Bran Crunch, but with blueberries instead of raisins. Actually, it has "blueberry flavored crunchy oat clusters" (although dried blueberries are listed in the ingredients). It's actually really good. It has a good blueberry flavor. The only thing it's missing are fresh blueberries! But it does have [significantly] more sugar than Oreo Puffs - equivalent to Raisin Bran, but slightly lower than Raisin Bran Crunch. I wouldn't make a habit of eating this cereal regularly, but I do like it.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Flakey, and blueberry-flavored.

Oreo Puffs

Name: Oreo Puffs
Variation: Oreo O's
Manufacturer: Post

Review: I feel a bit foolish buying this cereal, when it's really just Mega Stuf Oreo O's, but in the form of puffs instead of loops. But I guess that's the job I signed up for with this blog. Surprisingly, it has considerably less sugar (almost 5g per cup, if my math is right) than Mega Stuff Oreo O's; proving Kellogg's error - that a sphere has less surface area (e.g., for sugary frosting) than a torus (i.e., loop or donut shape). In fact, it has less sugar even than plain Oreo O's without marshmallows! (And given that Oreos are a cream-filled sandwich cookie, I think this cereal deserves to have marshmallows).

That's good, from a health standpoint - it makes the cereal less egregiously unhealthy. You know I can't abide a cereal that doesn't even try to be sweet, but on the other hand, I think it's stupid to go to the other extreme, and max out levels of unhealthiness just... for what? To be edgy? But does the reduction in sweetness ruin this cereal? Honestly, I think it's as good as any Oreo cereal I've had so far. The chocolate cookie flavor reminds me, faintly, of Wednesday cereal - which I get the feeling wasn't very popular, but I actually liked. I daresay this ought to be considered the definitive Oreo cereal from here on out. And it avoids that awkward apostrophe that Oreo O's has!

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Cookies 'n' creamy!

S'mores LOADED

Name: S'mores LOADED
Variation: LOADED
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Along with Chocolate Strawberry LOADED, this cereal joins the new additions to General Mills' LOADED lineup this year, as well as the small but distinguished company of s'mores-inspired cereals that occasionally grace the shelves. If the filling is chocolate "creme", and the biscuits are graham cracker-flavored, I don't know where they're hiding the marshmallow - but it tastes suitably s'morey. As with the rest of these cereals, each bite delivers a satisfying crunch, releasing a creamy pocket of flavor into your mouth. I'm not going to say that I prefer this to my standby s'mores cereal - Honey Maid S'mores - but I do like it. I think the LOADED line has only improved since it has branched out from hijacking existing cereal brands (and introduced chocolate over vanilla creme). But I'd still like to see a fruit-filled version to replicate the Hidden Treasures of my youth.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Mild hints of s'morey flavor.

Glazed Donut Holes - Apple Cinnamon

Name: Glazed Donut Holes - Apple Cinnamon
Variation: Glazed Donut Holes, Apple Jacks
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: Although it's probably just because Kellogg's has Apple Jacks sitting around, I really like the idea of doing an apple cinnamon version of their new Glazed Donut Holes lineup this year. You've got Glazed Original and Glazed Chocolate - which are pretty standard flavors - and then Apple Cinnamon comes in as the wild card, to mix things up. It's like having an apple fritter for breakfast! Although I'm not sure if it tastes more like apple fritter, or Apple Jacks Puffs. Regardless, it's pretty good. I would not have predicted that I would like it better than chocolate, but I think this is my favorite flavor of the Glazed Donut Holes cereals in the end.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Mildly sweetened with apple and cinnamon.

Glazed Donut Holes - Chocolate

Name: Glazed Donut Holes - Chocolate
Variation: Glazed Donut Holes, Krave
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: This year, Kellogg's is putting Glazed Donut Holes in your cereal bowl! If it made good sense to release the Glazed Original flavor under the Frosted Flakes banner, then it's a no-brainer to put Krave in charge of the Glazed Chocolate variety. And my opinions from trying the original flavor bear out once more - this cereal accomplishes the glazed donut impression, but it's hampered by too much corn flavor. The only difference is that this time, it's chocolate!

Which, as you know, is one of my favorite flavors. However, if I were to judge it primarily as a chocolate cereal, it wouldn't be able to compete with the staples (Cocoa Puffs has nothing to fear, for example). But the donut hole concept is a great novelty. I'm having fun trying them. I'm just not sure they're good enough to come back for seconds. With some novelties, I hate the fact that they're only a limited edition. I don't think I'll miss this one after it's gone. After all, real donut holes aren't going anywhere anytime soon!

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: It doesn't even turn the milk chocolate? For shame!

Glazed Donut Holes - Original

Name: Glazed Donut Holes - Original
Variation: Glazed Donut Holes, Frosted Flakes
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: This year, Kellogg's responds to General Mills' strategy for marketing novelty cereals - employed with the LOADED cereals last year, and the Minis before that - with its own promotion featuring some of its flagship cereals transformed into a new lineup. And the form they're taking is... Glazed Donut Holes! Gotta say, I'm excited to try 'em. It's interesting that they've chosen donut holes instead of loops. The box says they "did the math" to "deliver more glaze" ("max glaze = max flavor"), but I suspect that they just copy-pasted a couple of formulas from a geometry textbook, because in actuality, a sphere has a lower surface-area-to-volume ratio than a torus (i.e., donut shape)...

Regardless, we'll start with the Glazed Original flavor, reasonably released under the Frosted Flakes banner, since Frosted Flakes is just corn flakes with a layer of frosting. They're crispy - not soft like actual donut holes - but do have that glazed donut flavor. On the other hand, I don't know if it's because it dissolves the glaze, but after adding milk, the taste of the corn flour base begins to impede the "donut-y" impression. Altogether, this cereal is pretty plain. It's okay to eat, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to buy it again. However, I'm still looking forward to trying the other two flavors.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Lightly sweetened.

Twinkles

Name: Twinkles
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: This week, we're going "back to the 1960's" for some "goodness in sweetened toasted corn." I wasn't around in the '60s, so I have no idea who Twinkles is. But it looks about what you would expect of a children's cartoon from the age of psychedelics. Accompanied by various other zoo animals, Twinkles is a pink elephant (fittingly, a common symbol of chemical-induced hallucinations) who you can - via the game board on the back of the box - help race to the Star Factory in the clouds, to replenish his Twinkle Dust. XD

The cereal itself consists of bright yellow stars - kind of reminiscent of Super Mario's invincibility star. I can't help thinking of Kellogg's dreadful "berry stars" cereals (of which Froot Loops Wonka was covertly the latest iteration). I was worried that this cereal would be just as boring as Bluey was, but thankfully, there's enough sweetness to sell it. I bet its plainness would lend well to add-ins, like fresh strawberries. They could have added marshmallows and called them clouds!

This is one of those cases where the limitation of my simple, 3-point rating system is made painfully evident. I think Twinkles deserves to rate higher than cereals I couldn't stand to eat, but on the other hand, I don't think I like it enough to buy it again. So I'll just give it a one bowl rating with distinction. :-p

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Mildly sweetened.

Squishmallows

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

Review: Like a hug in a cereal bowl, Squishmallows has joined the breakfast table! This isn't the first marshmallow-flavored cereal with marshmallows that Kellogg's has slapped its name on, so comparisons to Peeps cereal are entirely appropriate. The colors are a little more subdued - pale yellow loops accented by pastel pink, blue, and purple marshmallows shaped like Cam the calico cat - but not at all unpleasant. It's like Peeps had an illicit tryst with LOL Surprise! (a General Mills cereal), and this is the offspring. Anyway, this cereal is low in fat, has an expectedly moderate but not unreasonable amount of sugar, and may be a little plain, but is sweet, with a good marshmallow flavor. I suspect that it's basically Peeps re-branded so it can be sold year-round.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Marshmallow-y.

Bluey

Name: Bluey
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: I don't know who this Bluey is, or why he's so popular all of a sudden - and adding to the mystery is the conspicuous lack of information on the box. I don't know what flavor this cereal is supposed to be. Blueberry? Maybe. Maybe not. All it says (tucked in the corner) is that it's a "lightly sweetened corn cereal" - and when they say lightly sweetened, they mean 4g of sugar per serving size (which is already 50% larger than average). That's equivalent to the tiny amount of sugar in Rice Krispies! (Or two bowls of plain Cheerios). The puffs are a little on the small side, and pour alarmingly fast. The taste and texture is reminiscent of cheese balls - but without the cheese (if you can imagine that). There's only the slightest semblance of sweetness. This cereal is so bland, you can almost taste the plain milk over it! Are you supposed to feed this to babies? There's no way I'm going to be able to finish this huge box...

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Baby blue, but completely bland.

Cheerios Oat Crunch Chocolate

Name: Cheerios Oat Crunch Chocolate
Variation: Cheerios
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Whether by coincidence or marketing strategy, just after Honey Bunches of Oats put a Chocolate variation on the shelves, the one cereal I've compared that line to the most - Cheerios Oat Crunch - puts out a new version that's chocolate! I haven't had a good experience with the Oat Crunch cereals (too plain, too "healthy"), but this one holds the most promise yet. I know Cheerios can do chocolate well; let's see how the Oat Crunch version holds up.

With 14g of sugar and 5g of fat per 1 cup serving (surprisingly, more than regular Chocolate Cheerios, and by a fair margin - not sure what they're trying to pull here), it might very well be good. Although it's roaming a little far from the "healthy" range. The box says it "helps keep you full through the morning (3 1/2 hours)" which isn't super important to me. I like a light breakfast - just something to tide me over 2-3 hours (usually) until lunch time.

And the verdict is? It's good. The oats give it an awkward texture for chewing, but help fill out the loops and provide substance. The chocolate flavor is decent. I don't hate it. This is, without a doubt, the best Oat Crunch cereal I've had yet. I bet it would be really good with fresh strawberries or bananas cut up into it. Like with Honey Bunches of Oats, I think this chocolate cereal has also redeemed its line.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: A lot of it is absorbed by the oats, but what's left is very chocolatey.

Honey Bunches of Oats - Chocolate

Name: Honey Bunches of Oats - Chocolate
Variation: Honey Bunches of Oats
Manufacturer: Post

Review: It's a stroke of luck that I just started trying out Honey Bunches of Oats not long before a Chocolate version appeared on the shelves (it doesn't say it's "new", but I haven't seen it before). And what a perfect successor to Vanilla! Made with "real chocolate and cocoa" (my emphasis), it looks a lot like Chocolate Frosted Flakes. The oat clusters are few and far between - I could almost forget that I'm eating Honey Bunches of Oats! It's not the most decadent chocolate cereal on the market, but it does have a good chocolate flavor - it's very creamy, like chocolate milk. As a chocolate cereal, it might not be my first pick, but in the hierarchy of Honey Bunches cereals, its easily among the varieties I've liked the most (along with Frosted Bunches and Real Strawberries). I'll consider it the lineup's redemption after Maple & Pecans.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: A deep, smoke-colored chocolate milk.

Friends - The One With The Vanilla Bean Latte

Name: Friends - The One With The Vanilla Bean Latte
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: Before I even open the box, this cereal already has three strikes against it: 1) it's coffee-flavored, 2) it's vanilla (at least give me mocha!), and 3) it consists of flakes. Plus, I've always preferred Seinfeld to Friends. But I'm open-minded, so I'll give it a try. After all, everything rides on how it tastes.

It's very uniform - there are no clusters. And these whole wheat flakes look very dark. It tastes more of coffee than vanilla. It has a suprising amount of sugar (nearly as much as Honey Smacks), which contributes to its sweet flavor. It's not terrible, it just combines too many things I don't like to begin with.

As it happens, I just picked up a box of Frosted Flakes Chocolate Milkshake (a cereal with a very similar appearance) on clearance. So I'll be relieved to be able to wash the taste of vanilla coffee out of my mouth with some chocolate milkshake. Now, please, can there be a Seinfeld cereal? You could make it cinnamon babka flavored! It would be the perfect competitor to this.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Could save you a trip to Central Perk for your morning coffee.

Frosted Mini Wheats Cocoa

Name: Frosted Mini Wheats Cocoa
Variation: Frosted Mini Wheats
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: I haven't had the greatest experience with Frosted Mini Wheats so far - it just isn't my cereal. But I spotted this new Cocoa flavor, advertising that it "turns milk chocolatey". That's been one of my biggest complaints about these cereals in the past - they don't give the milk any kind of flavor. So I had to try it.

Still too chewy. Still don't like the taste or texture of the shredded wheat biscuits. Although, as usual, the chocolate they've flavored them with is good - but, like lipstick on a pig, it's just not enough. Same with the milk. It's a little chocolatey, but it'll never compare to the milk after a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, or Chocolate Frosted Flakes. I don't regret trying this cereal, but I don't see myself buying it again.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: There's a hint of cocoa. I guess.

Honey Bunches of Oats - Maple & Pecans

Name: Honey Bunches of Oats - Maple & Pecans
Variation: Honey Bunches of Oats
Manufacturer: Post

Review: Of all the varieties of Honey Bunches of Oats I've seen so far, this is the one I was looking forward to trying the least. I mean, it doesn't even sound appetizing (although the box is a pretty color). Experience has borne out that I'm not super fond of maple-flavored cereals (unless they have marshmallows), and pecans - well, I could take or leave any kind of nut in my cereal. I couldn't even say if I like them better or worse than almonds. Although maple is usually associated with sugary syrup, this cereal - like the others - isn't very sweet. The flavors are subtle, and mostly it just tastes plain. I've gained an appreciation for certain flavors of Honey Bunches of Oats over the past weeks - albeit in small doses - but I can't say this is one of them.

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Flaky, and maple-flavored.

Cinnamon Bunches

Name: Honey Bunches of Oats - Cinnamon Bunches
Variation: Honey Bunches of Oats
Manufacturer: Post

Review: I'm not sure "cinnamon" is going to be enough of a flavor to redeem this cereal's plainness (it wasn't enough for Cheerios Oat Crunch), but I'm going to give it a try. I can taste the cinnamon, but it's subtle. The cereal's still not sweet enough. I'd put this one on par with Honey Roasted. I can tolerate it in small doses. But I won't miss it when it's gone. So far, the only versions I'd give the time of day are Frosted Bunches, and the one with Real Strawberries. And I don't think the next flavor I'm going to try is going to change that...

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Flaky, and specked with cinnamon.

Arctic Crunch

Name: Arctic Crunch (Vanilla Frost)
Variation: Cap'n Crunch
Manufacturer: Quaker Oats

Review: Continuing Quaker Oats' campaign to donate a portion of sales to Ocean Conservancy, this new variety of Cap'n Crunch would seem to be a sequel to last year's Sea Berry Crunch. I only wish last year's unfortunate recall hadn't hamstrung Sea Berry Crunch's chances at popularity (I've noticed that Cinnamon Crunch - which was also affected - appears to be poised for more longevity). I like the idea of the Cap'n sailing to the Arctic - it's entirely on-brand. But I think I've established by now my feelings on vanilla. I'm just glad the "frost" part doesn't refer to that mouth-cooling menthol effect that I've had quite enough of already.

Opening the box, you can definitely smell the vanilla. The white and blue color mix looks suitably arctic. I feel like the Crunch Berries are softer than usual - they almost melt in your mouth. The vanilla flavor is not overpowering, but I do miss the Crunch Berries' usual, fruity flavor. I really like this cereal's presentation and thematic consistency - I believe those are things that deserve recognition. But the bottom line is that this is a breakfast cereal, and a commercial product. And I don't know that I like eating it enough to buy it again, especially when there are better Crunch Berry cereals already on the market...

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Cool blue vanilla.

Chocolate Strawberry LOADED

Name: Chocolate Strawberry LOADED
Variation: LOADED
Manufacturer: General Mills

Review: I was excited to see that General Mills is continuing to expand their LOADED lineup this year. Previously, the only flavor not tied to an existing brand (Cocoa Puffs, Trix, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch) was Birthday Cake LOADED. Now, I introduce to you Chocolate Strawberry LOADED - and just in time for Valentine's Day!

The great thing about this cereal is that it's the first LOADED cereal to use chocolate (creme) filling instead of vanilla. How exciting is that? The color of the cereal is vividly red, and it smells of strawberry. It could have a more vibrant flavor, but I think what sells these LOADED cereals is the satisfying mouthfeel. They soften up in milk, without tasting soggy, and are a lot of fun to eat. Kellogg's Krave might very well have a new competitor!

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Vividly pink but faintly flavored.

Golden Crisp

Name: Golden Crisp
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Post

Review: This is one of those cereals my eyes always glance over without really noticing - until I recently snatched up a bunch of Post cereals that were on sale. And I didn't realize it until I saw them sitting side by side, but this cereal is a dead ringer for Honey Smacks!* What's shocking is that this one has even more sugar than what I previously thought was the sugariest cereal on the market - and not by a small margin, either. We're talking about a 16% increase. Yikes! *(My research indicates that Golden Crisp was the original, making Honey Smacks literally a pale imitation).

Since Honey Smacks was unexpectedly disappointing, I was worried that this cereal would also be a dud. But my initial impression is actually favorable. It has a shinier gold color, and tastes crispier. With a more inviting look, a warmer flavor, and less of a styrofoam-like texture, this is, without a doubt, the superior cereal. I just wish they could have pulled that off without using so much sugar. There are plenty of good cereals on the market that have a much more reasonable sugar content. I think this cereal has earned its two bowl rating, but I won't be eating it again anytime soon.

Rating: 🥣🥣
Leftover Milk: Honey-glazed!

Honey Smacks

Name: Honey Smacks
Variation: n/a
Manufacturer: Kellogg's

Review: I'd been avoiding this cereal because I did a survey several years back, and it was one of the sugariest cereals on the market. But now its time has come. I have to say, it's not the most visually appealing cereal - the wheat puffs have this weird, hot dog bun-like shape, with "eyelets" and flakes of skin peeling off. They're crispy, but they also have a bit of a styrofoam-like texture (what is it with honey cereals imitating styrofoam?). They do have a bit of a "snap" when added to milk, but not on the level of Rice Krispies. They're sweet, but there's not much flavor beyond "styrofoam drenched in honey". I thought I'd regret trying this cereal because it would turn out to be too good to resist, but on the contrary - I'm struggling to finish my bowl. I honestly don't see the appeal. And with this much sugar, I could be eating Mega Stuf Oreo O's!

Rating: 🥣
Leftover Milk: Sweeter than the cereal itself.