One of the best progressions in junk food over the last four years has been Hershey’s edging closer and closer to mimicking Nestle’s insane Kit Kat flavor production in Japan.
While stateside we’re still nowhere near the heights of experimentation reached overseas, we’ve had a myriad of interestingly flavored wafer bars that began with 2017’s relatively blasé California Strawberry from the Flavors of America line. Since then, we’ve been gifted Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Sweet Cinnamon, Lemon, Raspberry, Birthday Cake, Key Lime Pie, Witch’s Brew, and the latest exciting addition: Limited Edition Fruity Cereal.
Kit Kat is one of those candy bars that I don’t want to call underrated because they’re very popular but feels at times underappreciated, even by myself, in its purest form. Milk, white, and dark without any limited time bells and whistles always deliver on a light and crispy sweet treat whenever they cross my path. This new Fruity Cereal version falls right in line with the expectation set by their core lineup; it’s refreshing, tasty, and not extreme in the slightest.
The opaque pink color dotted with specs looks like it could be crumbs straight out of a bag of Fruity Pebbles. The bar carries a gentle fruity aroma that smells more white chocolate sweet than distinctly berry or citrus. The flavor goes along with the muted color, which is not necessarily bad; it just doesn’t punch me in the face. I get creamy white chocolate followed by a mild strawberry (a spooky hint of Franken Berry, perhaps?) that finishes with the lemon-lime citrusy zing I associate with most “fruity” cereals.
When I think fruity cereal, I autopilot to Fruity Pebbles, my personal favorite. This Kit Kat makes my brain go right to Froot Loops, which I’ve always enjoyed but associate with less of a citrus intensity and overall flavor wallop than Pebbles. Maybe it’s also recency bias from the amazing Fruity Pebbles Candy Bar that came out earlier this year, studded with actual cereal that leaves me searching for that magnitude of flavor. In any case, this Kit Kat is good!
Although the flavor is mild, it’s enjoyable. There’s a distinct creaminess that comes with any variety of Kit Kat, which takes center stage here. While it doesn’t knock my socks off the way my first Japanese Green Tea Kit Kat did or come close to the absolute perfection of Pumpkin Pie, it’s a solid ode to a crunchy breakfast that any Loops or Pebbles fan can break off a piece of.
Purchased Price: 88 cents
Size: 1.5 ounces
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) 220 calories, 12 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.