Guys, wow. This is big. This is Lucky the Leprechaun (aka Sir Charms, which is how I will now and forever more think of him) doing a Babe Ruth point to the center field bleachers.
Since its debut in 1964, Lucky Charms has changed its marbits (another LC name I was unaware of until now, and love almost as much as Sir Charms) quite often, reflecting holidays and general times-a-changin’. I still remember my world being somewhat rocked when red balloons came out in 1989. In my defense, I was eight; my world was rocked on pretty much a daily basis.
But the oats, the oats were a constant. Minus the no-brainer introduction of Chocolate Lucky Charms in 2005, it’s always been oats and marbits, living harmoniously together in a well-balanced ratio.
But now, in this year that has been so tumultuous, so uncertain, Sir Charms comes along and brings us a gift: Limited Edition Cinnamon Vanilla Lucky Charms.
Gosh darn, if that isn’t a lovely winter wonderland of a box. It’s October as I write this, but I’m hearing jingle bells instead of spooky ghosts. You truly are magic, Sir Charms!
And that magic continues on the back. There are several fun puzzles to solve, although I could have done without the snowman with no eyes. There’s also a riddle: “If snowmen can’t take baths, how do they keep clean?”
There are only three unique marbits in this limited edition cereal, but surprisingly, they differ from 2005’s Winter Lucky Charms, although they are much less varied. While not explicitly listed on the box, it appears they were going for a snowball, a snowflake, and a snowman. What actually came out was a generic aspirin, a rejected asterisk and…listen guys, I’m trying to keep it clean here because this is such a darn cute box of cereal. A bowling pin? Does that work?
Upon opening the box, it smelled only of oats. Which was a bit of a relief, since I didn’t want to be blasted with cinnamon. Tasted dry, it came off as a nice, warm cinnamon paired with a hefty amount of sugar – sort of like a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Light.
In milk, the cinnamon flavor almost entirely disappears, much to my disappointment. The marbits fulfill the vanilla part, but I wanted more of that warm cinnamon flavor. I was hoping for an oat-y Cinnamon Toast Crunch with bonus marshmallows, but I got a mostly regular Lucky Charms with a hint of cinnamon instead.
That said, Lucky Charms rock, and adding a touch of cinnamon makes them a little bit better. Plus, we got some special winter (they tried) marshmallows, and the cereal milk was a very light cinnamon vanilla flavor, which was lovely.
Limited Edition Cinnamon Vanilla Lucky Charms didn’t charm my pants off. It could be better. But a new LC is special in and of itself, so they get some extra points for trying.
By the way, did you figure out the answer to the riddle?
(Nutrition Facts – 3/4 cup – 110 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 55 milligrams of potassium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 10 grams of sugar, 11 grams of other carbohydrates, and 2 grams of protein,.)
Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 11.5 oz. box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: A new Lucky Charms flavor. Learning about “Sir Charms”. Hints of warm cinnamon. Great box design. Tasty cereal milk.
Cons: For once, I wanted a stronger cinnamon flavor. Snowmen with no eyes. Vanilla seemed to only come from marshmallows. Marbits shapes are…questionable.
I’m an avid bowler so I love those little marshmallow shapes! I’ve got the ball and pins covered but not sure what to do with those poor little geometrically challenged asterisks! I guess they might pass for fancy X’s for strikes on the scoresheet 🙂
I’m hoping the vanilla is more noticeable than just from the marshmallows, though the impression I got from your review is that it isn’t. I just like limited edition stuff to stand out, though it’s comforting to know if it doesn’t that the base product is still satisfying. Based on your review, I am definitely going to grab a quick snow shower and head out and get a box of these if for no other reason than to have a pretty box full of bowling pins 🙂
Yeah, there was no real vanilla in the oats either, unless you count the sugary frosting (which, of course, is always there).
Have fun bowling! Also, nice way to sneak the ol’ riddle in there 🙂
The bowling pin marbit appears to be their attempt at a Frosty the Snowman type of character, complete with a stove-pipe hat. The hat seems to be way out of proportion to the body of the snowman, which most likely is the reason why it’s not immediately identifiable as a snowman with a stove-pipe hat.
Finding out now, in my early 50s, that the marshmallow bits are called “Marbits” is a lot like the when I realized, well into my adulthood, and thanks to the internets, that the Lil’ Lego Dudes (or Dudettes) are actually called “Minifigs”. It’s like knowing someone your whole life, then discovering they have a second identity!
Of course, I also didn’t know about Red Balloon Marbits….. Who knew a fast food website could be so educational?