This CinnaFuego Toast Crunch pouch of fiery cereal that can only be purchased online at Walmart.com starting on August 12, 2022 (while supplies last) makes me scratch my head.
(UPDATE: The announced date is August 12, but as I type this, it’s already available for purchase on the Walmart website.)
You may think it’s the cereal itself that’s making me feel this way, but it’s not. It’s the packaging, specifically that hole at the top. If it’s available online only, why is it there? If it’s not going to be in a store, it doesn’t need that hole to be put on a display hook.
While I don’t know why that hole is there, I do know that, despite being a Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, CinnaFuego Toast Crunch will not appeal to everyone.
It’s been eons since I’ve had Wrigley’s Big Red gum, but after opening this cereal’s pouch, its scent brought back thoughts of that classic chewing gum. It made my mouth water a bit, and I wish that water stayed in my mouth because this cereal is fuego.
As I chewed on a piece, which looks exactly like regular Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I didn’t think it was spicy. However, after a few moments, the heat wave came. But it wasn’t too fuego. That thought changed after shoveling a spoonful with milk into my mouth. Again, it took a few moments, but the addition of more pieces stoked the fire. It’s a notch or two lower than Flamin’ Hot and maybe slightly higher than Hot Tamales candy. I can handle this spicy cereal in small doses, but I couldn’t eat a regular-sized serving as part of a complete breakfast.
Now, if you’re thinking, “If you’re eating it with milk, it shouldn’t be so bad because the milk will temper the heat.” Well, I drink soy and pea milk, and they’re like paper to the flaming arrow that is this cereal. And I’m not sure dairy milk will make a difference because the cinnamon AND peppers will be washed into it.
The product’s press release says the combination of Cinnadust and spicy peppers will deliver an absolutely absurd experience. That tastes right to me, but it doesn’t offer an absolutely delicious experience. When I eat this, I don’t think of Cinnamon Toast Crunch at all. Instead, Big Red gum or Hot Tamales comes to mind, and on the cinnamon snack scale, the classic cereal is far ahead of the gum and candy. I’m more tickled by its uniqueness than its flavor. There’s also a bitterness that occasionally pops up in the aftertaste that I quickly forget about when the spiciness starts poking in my mouth.
CinnaFuego Toast Crunch is a fascinating product and it was neat to try. If you’re interested in finding out what a spicy breakfast cereal is like, you should purchase this. But, if this is hanging on a display hook at a brick-and-mortar store in the future, I wouldn’t try it again.
DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Doing so did not influence my review.
Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 5.9 oz pouch
Purchased at: Received from Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 ounce) 3 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 8 grams of sugar (8 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.