When I hear the word “shred” I think of a sick guitar solo, or some gnarly snowboarder carving up a mountain. Ya know, epic things like that.
One thing I don’t think of is Shredded Wheat. There’s NOTHING epic about Shredded Wheat.
Until now.
Folks, General Mills made Shredded Wheat epic!
First thing I noticed when I picked up a box of new Peanut Butter Chocolate Blasted Shreds, besides the long name, was how heavy the box was. At 1 pound, 7.2 ounces, this might be the heftiest cereal I’ve ever bought.
After doing a set of thirty hammer curls, I cracked it open and was met with a smell reminiscent of peanut butter cookies. Epic, indeed.
I popped a few of the cereal pieces dry, which I don’t normally do, and instantly came down from my high. The flavors were solid, and I could imagine these being a decent Chex substitute in a snack mix, but it just reminded me how boring Shredded Wheat is.
Thankfully cereal is nothing without milk. Once that milk hit, guitar solos rang out, and “shred” started to mean something new in my mind. To quote the back of the box – Whoa!
This ain’t your daddy’s Shredded Wheat.
Each cereal piece has a powdery Reese’s Puffs-like flavor coating that was magically activated by the milk. The dry blocks of straw now had a slick flavorful sheen and a slightly softer texture that married together perfectly.
The peanut butter was more prevalent than the chocolate, but that was exactly what I wanted. I can’t stress enough how much better the flavor was with milk, especially the peanut butter.
The flavor held as the cereal sogged but still managed to hold an outer crisp that was less harsh than I expected. A cereal like Frosted Mini Wheats “shred” my mouth, these went down smooth. I’d say they hit their peak after about a minute in the milk. They were still crispity, still crunchity, still peanut…I better stop before I get sued.
The silky cereal milk was also elite. It put me in mind of another product I reviewed and loved –- International Delights Reese’s Coffee Creamer.
I gotta also give it credit for feeling like a hearty meal, unlike other cereals. That clearly has to do with its weight and the fact the calorie count on these puppies dwarf your standard fare. You’re not gonna get “shredded” if you eat these daily, but you will get a nice dose of whole grain.
So, as you can tell, I kinda loved this cereal. I picked up a box of Nutter Butter cereal as well, and while those were excellent, Shreds still edged ‘em out. These are also better than the Jif Cereal and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios, in my opinion.
I’m not ready to boost them over Cap’n Crunch or Reese’s just yet, but those are 10’s to me, and also have a lifetime of nostalgia on their side.
(Nutrition Facts – 2/3 cup – 230 calories, 50 calories from fat, 5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 210 milligrams of potassium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.)
Purchased Price: $2.98
Size: 23.1 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Delicious when activated with milk. Some of the best peanut butter flavor I’ve had in a cereal. Substantial breakfast. Good source of whole grain and fiber. Creamy flavorful cereal milk. Rejuvenating the Shredded Wheat brand.
Cons: Nothing special when eaten dry. Some may crave more chocolate flavor. Calorie count is pretty high. Not good for the low-carb in 2018 resolution crowd. Butterfinger took their potential slogan. Pretty lame back of box.