Tag: Cereal

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Eggo Froot Loops Waffles (2022)

Brandon 3 Comments

Kellogg s Eggo Froot Loops Waffles Box

What is it?

We’ve known for some time that Froot Loops is discontent with their lot in life. Dissatisfied for years now with their small corner on the grocery store shelf, nestled between the Honey Smacks and the Apple Jacks, they’ve been throwing themselves around like some rummed-up pirate on shore leave.

They were gummies for a spell after they were Pop-Tarts; they’ve been made into bars and straws. They were Easter Peeps once, and who could forget the time they became donuts from Carl’s Jr.? Well, now they’ve made their way into Eggo waffles. (Well, again. The first time was in 2003. Given the shared parentage, maybe it’s surprising it’s not a standard offering.)

How is it?

Kellogg s Eggo Froot Loops Waffles Plated

It’s exactly as you imagine: mostly run-of-the-mill Eggo waffles, but every so often, you get an aggressively sweet bit of Froot Loops cereal. There was no discernible textural difference between the regular waffle and the cereal piece, but I could see them, and I sure as hell could taste them.

I tried them plain and then in a universally standard waffle format — i.e. with butter and syrup — and it is worth noting that, while the Froot Loops taste is powerful on the naked waffle, when gussied up, it loses 95% of its impact. With butter and syrup, you’re just eating a normal waffle that gets weirdly chemical-tasting at the end.

Kellogg s Eggo Froot Loops Waffles Closeup

Anything else you need to know?

These weren’t bad; I don’t want anyone to think that. I’m just not sure under what circumstance they get eaten. Most people eat waffles with toppings, yeah? And if you’re topping these things, there’s no point in having them be Froot Loops waffles. It’s a real Catch Twenty-Toucan Sam. (Oh wow, I am so sorry about that. It just slipped out.)

Conclusion:

Froot Loops should work on their self-esteem and realize that, as the world’s preeminent artificially fruit-flavored, ring-shaped cereal, they are good enough, they make us proud, and all we want is for them to be happy with who they are.

Purchased Price: $2.69
Size: 12.3 oz/10 waffles
Purchased at: Sun Fresh
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 waffles) 190 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Strawberry Milkshake Cereal

Brandon 8 Comments

Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Strawberry Milkshake Cereal Box

Update: We also tried the Cinnamon French Toast version! Click here to read our review.

Unlike breakfast staple brethren Cheerios — which seems to infuse itself with five or six new flavors each year (fingers crossed that “Bubble Gum” is somewhere on its to-do list!) — Frosted Flakes tends to keep to itself. Oh sure, it’s not immune to jazzing things up from time to time — who could forget Birthday Confetti Frosted Flakes in 1997? — but for the most part, they’re content just being sugared up Corn Flakes.

And this is a bit surprising, really, given that a plain, nondescript cereal such as the Frosted Flake is a choice vehicle for experimentation. I mean, why can’t I get a Tropical Mango, Apple Cinnamon, or Blastin’ Berry variety? Because those all sound terrible, you say? Okay, sure. But can I interest you in a Strawberry Milkshake Frosted Flakes? Because Kellogg’s is actually doing that one.

The Kellogg’s website says, “with ripe, juicy strawberry flavor coupled with rich, creamy notes, this cereal turns the milk in your bowl a fun, vibrant pink!” There is a lot wrong with these bold assertions, so I’d like to take this opportunity to address some of the errors.

Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Strawberry Milkshake Cereal Flakes

First of all, these flakes do not possess a “ripe, juicy” strawberry flavor. Sure, they have a strawberry flavor, but it is a passive and light one, maybe the level of a diluted pink Starburst. Like, 30% of a pink Starburst, I’d say.

Second, there are no “rich, creamy notes.” Nothing about this cereal made me think “rich” or “creamy.” And really, I feel like that was the biggest missed opportunity with this offering. Because it is a strawberry MILKSHAKE flavor, and not just strawberry, I was hoping for something reminiscent of a milkshake taste. Some creaminess or even some maltiness might’ve evoked the right emotion. Instead, I was left with some standalone artificial strawberry flavoring on your everyday F. Flakes.

Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Strawberry Milkshake Cereal Milk

And finally, they say, “this cereal turns the milk in your bowl a fun, vibrant pink!” Okay, now “fun” is subjective, obviously, but this cereal did turn my milk pink. Would I call it a vibrant pink? No. It wasn’t as vibrant as calamine lotion or Pepto-Bismol. But sure, it was pink. The box proclaims “makes delicious STRAWBERRY flavored milk!” making this claim one of the key selling points. And on this account, I’d say yes, mission accomplished. Though it’s been a while since I’ve intentionally had strawberry milk, the light pink leftover milk is definitely similar to what I recall. Does it make me feel like I’m drinking a melted strawberry milkshake, maybe? Well, still no.

Getting a cereal to taste like a milkshake is a pretty tall order, and Kellogg’s didn’t do it with this offering. It did, however, make an okay strawberry-flavored cereal.

Purchased Price: $4.29
Size: 23 oz box (“Family Size”)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup – cereal only) 140 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 190 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Cinnamon French Toast Cereal

Jenna 2 Comments

Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Cinnamon French Toast Cereal Box

Update: We also tried the Strawberry Milkshake version! Click here to read our review.

There’s something so important about this new Cinnamon French Toast flavor of Frosted Flakes that I have to establish it right off the bat: it smells unbelievably good. I would usually try to come up with an analogy to explain how this cereal is so magical that it’s probably what unicorns eat for brunch or something like that, but honestly, this scent doesn’t need a fantastical comparison. The smell is simply so extravagantly syrupy and sweet that I briefly forgot that I was just sitting in my kitchen with my face buried in a cardboard box. I felt like I ought to be tapping a maple tree in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory (fine, I guess that’s a little fantastical). Suffice to say, the cereal’s taste had some big shoes to fill -— and it did.

Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Cinnamon French Toast Cereal Bowl

Like your everyday Frosted Flakes, the Cinnamon French Toast variety has that satisfyingly malty corn base… which is, who am I kidding, almost completely obscured by a blanket of way more important, intense, and absolutely-not-dentist-friendly sweetness. While the smell struck me as undeniably maple-like, the taste really delivered the cinnamon. These are probably just as sweet as normal Frosted Flakes, but the warm, zippy twist from the cinnamon made that sweetness feel more nuanced. I usually leave my bowl of Frosted Flakes feeling, guiltily, like a sugar-crazed kid, but this flavor seemed mellower—cozier.

Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Cinnamon French Toast Cereal Flake

Of course, no bowl of cereal is complete without adding milk (and I will fight anyone who says otherwise!). I was impressed by how well these flakes held up, remaining admirably crispy for long enough that I could savor their experience-enhancing crunch. Perhaps controversially, I actually do love soggy cereal, so I wasn’t too disappointed when I ended up accidentally spending so long trying to come up with another way to say “crispy” that the word no longer applied, but there is still just something special about a firm Frosted Flake. Interestingly, dampening the cereal seemed to make it taste more like it smelled, maybe because that cinnamon-y complexity was washed away in the river of milk, which of course, was then transformed into a delicious dessert drink unsurprisingly reminiscent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch’s “cinnamilk.”

The one thing that didn’t feel quite right about this cereal was the French toast moniker. After an intense bout of thinking and an ensuing Google rabbit hole (I look forward to regaling future breakfast companions with the knowledge that French toast can also be known as “poor knights” and “eggy bread”), I realized that that’s probably because, to me at least, French toast is such a textural sensation. A spongy bread square that’s crunchy on the outside yet moist and fluffy on the inside is not exactly an experience that translates to a bunch of thin, jagged shards of sugar-blasted corn, even if they do share some ingredients.

But you know what? It doesn’t really matter. I’d argue that the components in the name “Frosted Flakes Cinnamon French Toast” are listed in order of importance, and this flavor definitely delivers on the “frosted,” the “flakes,” and the “cinnamon.” Even if it doesn’t exactly bring “French toast” to the front of my mind, I highly recommend tearing yourself away from its delectable smell long enough to pour a bowl.

Purchased Price: $4.29
Size: 22 oz box (“Family Size”)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup – cereal only) 140 calories (200 with ¾ cup skim milk), 1 gram of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 180 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Cereal

Julie 6 Comments

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Box

General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch brand name reaches far and wide, allowing consumers to experience its beloved cinnamon-sugar flavor via cookie dough, creamy spread, and even bottled Cinnamilk. Through its newest offering, the brand now offers consumers the chance to eat 87 cinnamon rolls in one sitting without becoming dreadfully sick.

Of course, each of those “cinnamon rolls” is a piece of cereal. (Do not mistake the previous paragraph as an endorsement to consume 87 Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, which also bear the Cinnamon Toast Crunch name.) Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Cereal consists of cinnamon roll-shaped sweetened wheat and corn cereal. Each piece is cinnamon-flavored and boasts a delightful swirl design to emphasize the cinnamon roll comparison.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Dry

Further supporting the comparison is the cereal’s intense cinnamon scent, which seems to leak through the product packaging. Remember going to the mall and smelling the cinnamon roll kiosk all the way from inside the department store? (Remember department stores? Remember malls?) That’s how strong and enticing the scent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls is.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Size

Weirdly and sadly, the cinnamon smell is Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls’ siren song. The scent is much stronger than the flavor, which has an artificial aftertaste. Minus the artificial quality, the taste itself is fine. It just lacks the punch that OG Cinnamon Toast Crunch has. I think this is because the cereal pieces themselves are cinnamon-flavored, while their dusty coating is spare and more sugar-heavy than the Cinnadust we know, love, and sometimes buy in bulk to sprinkle on our popcorn. A different coating–maybe a vanilla powder to mimic a cinnamon roll’s icing–may have been more successful in elevating Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Milk

Hope is not lost. In milk, the artificial quality dissipates, and the cinnamon livens up a little bit, getting closer to that sweet center-of-the-roll ideal. This enhanced flavor arrives at the expense of the cereal’s texture, though. Dry, the pieces have the light, airy texture of other corn-based or partially corn-based cereals. Wet, their texture softens to mush quickly.

For best results, you should eat the cereal with milk — but fast. Like within a minute. Maybe this is why the cartoon cinnamon roll on the front of the box has such powerful-looking teeth. He’s trying to show you his technique.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Mascot

Compared to other cinnamon cereals on the market, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls is only average. The original Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which I count among my favorite cereals, bests the Rolls in terms of flavor. Kellogg’s Cinnabon and Cinnamon Mini Buns cereals both provided a more satisfying texture, and I long for their return. (If you remember the latter product, you probably also remember malls and department stores.)

While Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls Cereal makes for a passable breakfast, it is not quite deserving of the Cinnamon Toast Crown.

Purchased Price: $4.29
Size: Family Size – 16.7 oz (473 g)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 cup) 150 calories, 4 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Banana Caramel Cheerios Cereal

Marvo 9 Comments

Limited Edition Banana Caramel Cheerios Cereal Box

What is it?

Banana Caramel Cheerios combines banana-flavored sweetened whole grain oat cereal and caramel-flavored sweetened whole grain oat cereal. From what I can taste, it’s not a mashup of Banana Nut Cheerios and Dulce de Leche Cheerios, if you were wondering.

How is it?

On paper, this limited edition variety looks as if it might challenge Honey Nut Cheerios for supremacy on my personal Cheerios Chart. But it doesn’t because I’m having difficulty tasting the banana and caramel. What I do taste is a nondescript sweetness that turns out to be a decent flavor.

Limited Edition Banana Caramel Cheerios Cereal Bowl

Look, I tried really hard to taste the individual flavors. That involved me separating the lighter colored banana pieces from the slightly darker caramel pieces, creating a spoonful of only one flavor, shoving that spoonful into my mouth, putting my head into my hands, closing my eyes, chewing slowly, and letting the Cheerios-saliva slurry sit on my tongue before swallowing. But even taking all those extreme steps to eat this cereal mindfully didn’t help. With both, there wasn’t anything that made me think banana or caramel.

Cheerios have never had bold flavors, but I can taste what I’m supposed to taste with previous varieties. But with these, not so much.

Anything else you need to know?

Why doesn’t General Mills mix Honey Nut Cheerios with other varieties? Recently, it seems like the company is throwing various Cheerios flavors, except regular and Honey Nut, at the wall to see which ones stick to make new varieties. Wait. That doesn’t make sense. Cheerios don’t stick to the wall like Taco Bell ingredients. However, wet Cheerios do. Okay. Recently, it seems like the company is throwing various soggy Cheerios flavors at the wall to see which ones stick to make new varieties.

Conclusion:

Limited Edition Banana Caramel Cheerios Cereal Milk

Banana Caramel Cheerios is a bit disappointing but not offensive. If a family-size box magically appeared at my doorstep, I’d eat it and give thanks to the breakfast gods. I’m not going to give up a perfectly edible box of sweetened cereal that can help lower my cholesterol.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 10.9 oz box
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup w/o milk) 140 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 1 gram of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar (11 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.