Tag: Cereal

REVIEW: Honey Vanilla Cheerios Cereal

Jenna 4 Comments

Honey Vanilla Cheerios Cereal Box

I don’t know about you, but the name “honey vanilla” instantly calls to my mind some kind of skincare product; something sweet but not syrupy, understated and tasteful but with a hint of sumptuousness. The back of this Cheerios box, with its posh descriptors “rich,” “delightfully tempting,” and “O so joyful,” only made me more confident in this association.

Gingerly plucking a single glossy “O” before preparing my bowl (I may or may not have even felt elegant enough to do this with my pinky finger raised), the first thing I noticed was its sticky texture. Crisp and firm on the outside, this cereal glistened with a vanilla-glazed gleam. Upon my taste test, the solid interior gave way to its airy inside with a satisfying crunch. Eaten dry, the cereal tasted pleasant but not overly flavorful. It struck me as more or less just a milder version of the ubiquitous Honey Nut Cheerios, and I’m not sure I could have pinpointed which ingredients made it unique without the box’s helpful visual cues of a vanilla flower and generous honey swirl adorning the iconic heart-shaped bowl. It had a faint sweetness, but the foremost flavor was oat-y; it didn’t surprise me when I noticed the box also bore a proud (but perhaps unnecessarily capitalized) proclamation of “first ingredient WHOLE GRAIN OATS.”

Honey Vanilla Cheerios Cereal Bowl

Pouring milk over the cereal coaxed out more notes of both honey and vanilla, but it remained alluringly demure. Another word that kept springing to my mind was “mature.” I was introduced to a measured, subtle wave of sweetness, not the punch to the face of sugariness that I frankly often look for in my cereal choices. These Cheerios were also pretty quick to become mushy in the milk, and while I know that can be a controversial quality, I was personally a fan.

Honey Vanilla Cheerios Cereal Back

I’m a strong believer that the back of a cereal box should be given just as much consideration as the taste, and this one certainly fits the product’s “refined but slightly saccharine” aesthetic with its honey-and-vanilla-themed sudoku-esque visual puzzle. A high school classmate of mine infamous for his elaborate and uncomfortable outfits used to live by the motto “aesthetics over practicality,” and while our gym teachers disagreed, I think Honey Vanilla Cheerios would. This charming puzzle seemed kind of impossible to actually fill out since the six icons you’re tasked with drawing in the correct order are mostly differentiated by color, and I’m guessing most people don’t eat their cereal with neutral-toned crayons at the ready. But hey, still cute and classy!

Overall, Honey Vanilla Cheerios are plain but pleasing, an ideal breakfast for a day filled with agreeable-but-not-too-spirited activities like gracefully smelling a moderately-scented flower or playing a prim game of checkers where, win or lose, you’d never dare get in your opponent’s face about it. If the prospect of purchasing a cereal with a name that sounds straight out of Bath & Body Works excites you, these should suit you just fine.

Purchased Price: $3.00
Size: 14.3 oz box (“Large Size”)
Purchased at: Stop & Shop
Rating: 6 out 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup – cereal only) 140 calories (180 with 1/2 cup skim milk), 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Creamy Cinnamon Spread

Marvo 5 Comments

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Creamy Cinnamon Spread Jar

According to the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Creamy Cinnamon Spread’s jar, it’s a product of Greece. But after touching the jar, pulling back the foil lid, and trying to keep the tan condiment on a butter knife, I began to wonder if it’s also a product of grease.

Before getting a chance to sample the spread, my first experience with the CTC spread was wondering why my fingers felt as if I’d just eaten pizza after touching the unopened glass jar. After inspecting the screw-on plastic lid and foil safety seal, it appears there wasn’t any leakage. But when I tried to remove the foil seal, only the golden top layer peeled away, leaving behind a fragile paper layer that broke into pieces as I attempted to remove it. I suspect this happened because the sample I received from B&G Foods was transported on its side, and the oils in the spread partially penetrated the foil seal.

As for the spread itself, it’s goopy, has an aroma that makes me wonder if I should stick a wick in it, and comes in a color that a paint brand might call “Camel Hump Tan.” Well, I’m used to goopy because the Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter I use slides off the knife as easily as this CTC spread does. Its ingredients include canola and palm oils, which might explain this cinnamon condiment’s viscosity and oiliness.

While it’s goopy and smells a little off, its flavor is surprisingly delicious. Along with being a product of Greece, the jar also says it “delivers the epic taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch with notes of brown sugar and graham flavor.” However, it doesn’t have me thinking this is a Cinnamon Toast Crunch-flavored slurry. But it does taste like something as tasty as the cereal — cinnamon rolls. Well, more specifically, the sweet stuff within the cinnamon rolls’ rolls. You know, the best part. There’s also a noticeable brown sugar flavor (which makes sense since it’s the spread’s first ingredient), but I didn’t get any graham notes.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Creamy Cinnamon Spread Toast

I spread it on bread, dipped pears into it, and swirled it in my overnight oats. With every application, I got a bold and wonderful cinnamon roll-like flavor. If I had the inclination and ability to bake up a batch of cinnamon rolls, I’d use this instead of the standard icing. Overall, its taste makes up for it being as slippery as a greasy pig.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from B&G Foods. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 10 oz jar
Purchased at: Received from B&G Foods
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 tbsp/30 grams) 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 75 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of sugar (16 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Nestle Sensations Kellogg’s Froot Loops Cereal Flavored Milk

Marvo 5 Comments

Nestle Sensations Kellogg s Froot Loops Cereal Flavored Milk Bottle

What is Nestle Sensations Kellogg’s Froot Loops Cereal Flavored Milk?

It’s the follow-up to last year’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamilk, and Froot Loops’ latest march towards being part of a complete everything else that’s not breakfast.

How is it?

Nestle Sensations Kellogg s Froot Loops Cereal Flavored Milk Top

It has an aroma that reminds me of Froot Loops, and it nails the cereal’s flavor. But it’s much milder than I thought it would be. I mean, it tastes like the milk that’s at the bottom of the bowl after eating Froot Loops. That’s fine, but I was hoping there would be less milk taste and more cereal flavor. I guess I wanted it to be as strong as eating Froot Loops in milk, but without the cereal, if that makes sense.

Anything else you need to know?

This might sound weird, but don’t pour this into a glass. Drink it straight from the bottle. My first taste of this came from that mug above, and when I took a sip, it was hard for my taste buds to notice the fruity flavor. (Yes, I did shake it.) But it was much more noticeable when drinking it from the bottle. I’m sure there’s some food science-y thing that involves having my nose over the bottle’s spout that causes the flavors to stand out more or something like that.

Also, with a General Mills cereal-flavored milk last year and a Kellogg’s variety this year, will Post will get one next year? Or maybe Quaker will get one? Cap’n Crunch Cereal Milk sounds delightful, but NOT Crunch Berries-flavored milk. I don’t want that.

Also, holy cow! This milk has 14 grams of protein.

Conclusion:

Nestle Sensations’ Kellogg’s Froot Loops Cereal Flavored Milk does capture that bottom of the bowl milk flavor, but there’s not enough of a cereal punch to make me want to follow my nose to drink another.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 14 fl oz
Purchased at: Received from Nestle
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 250 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber 39 grams of sugar (includes 18 grams of added sugar), and 14 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Plentifull Peanut Butter Cereal

Marvo 10 Comments

Plentifull Peanut Butter Cereal Cluster Box

Plentifull Peanut Butter Cereal looks like it’s for grown-ups.

No puffs. No rings. No marshmallows. No cartoon mascots. No toys. No puzzles on the back of the box. But its name does have a misspelling that’s the equivalent of replacing plural S’s with a Z or chopping off the E in the word “extreme” that you might find on products meant for younger palates.

This mature-looking cereal has flakes that seem as if they are plentiful with fiber and whole grains, which they are. It also comes with nut and seed clusters, which sound like stuff doctors recommend adults eat more of.

While Plentifull Peanut Butter Cereal appears to be a product for those whose ages are well into the double digits, it tastes like a product that would appeal to those who watch PAW Patrol or PJ Masks. It’s wonderfull.

From the moment I opened its bag to the last sip of milk at the bottom of my bowl, I got a nutty experience I was not expecting. It does peanut butter better than most cereals with cartoon mascots on them. Is it the reincarnation of Post’s discontinued Nutter Butter Cereal? It could be. I don’t know how transmigrations work, so I don’t know if a cereal from one company can be reborn into one from another company. I should ask Buddha, I guess.

Plentifull Peanut Butter Cereal Cluster Bowl

Its potent peanut butter punch comes from the coated flakes, which not only provides flavor but also help prevent the rice and corn flakes from getting soggy quickly. I was surprised by the coating’s slight saltiness when I first tried the cereal, but after the second spoonful, I was more enthralled by its nutty knock. The layer on these flakes does a better job at presenting flavor than what Kellogg’s did with Frosted Flakes. But, oddly, the milk at the bottom of the bowl didn’t have much of a nuttiness.

Plentifull Peanut Butter Cereal Cluster

As for the nut and seed clusters, which are made of oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds, they provide a Honey Bunches of Oats cluster-like crunch that’s slightly different from the flakes’ crunch. The seeds’ flavors are noticeable among the peanut butter, but if I happen to buy a box that didn’t have them due to a production error, I’d be happy with that flawed box because it’s the coated flakes that make this so great.

With a flavor and aroma that would appeal to kids, a decent amount of protein, and a whole lot of fiber and whole grains, Plentifull Peanut Butter Cereal is a product this adult recommends.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from General Mills. Doing so did not influence my review at all.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 15.7 oz box
Purchased at: Received from General Mills
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup without milk) 270 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 2 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 4 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 310 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar (including 15 grams of added sugar), and 6 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Nestle Coffee mate Golden Graham and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats Creamer

Marvo 4 Comments

Nestle Coffee mate Golden Grahams Creamer Bottles

It’s fascinating that cereals from competing companies are two of Coffee mate’s new creamer flavors — General Mills’ Golden Grahams and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats.

I don’t know if the behind the scenes there were awkward moments where the Coffee mate person who makes these deals had to explain to the cereal people that Coffee mate is also going to offer at the same time a creamer that’s flavored like a competitor’s cereal. I also don’t know if those moments were followed with an “Oops. Tee hee hee. No backsies.”

The cereal choices are also fascinating. One has marshmallow flavor and the other has graham flavor, and if you’re doing the snack math in your head, we’re some chocolate away from s’mores.

I’ll get back to that creamer mixology in a moment, but let’s talk about them individually.

It’s been a year or two since I’ve last had Golden Grahams cereal, but the moment I put my nose above the creamer’s spout, it immediately registered as the classic cereal. When I sampled it sans coffee, it hit my taste buds with a Golden Grahams flavor that’s stronger than the cereal itself. It would make the Golden Grahams mascot proud, whatever it is. Has there ever been one? Anyhoo, in my cold brew coffee, that flavor is still noticeable, but obviously milder because it’s competing with the coffee’s flavor.

Nestle Coffee mate Rice Krispies Treats Creamer Bottle

As for the Rice Krispies Treats one, it smells exactly like the marshmallow and rice cereal treat, but I can’t say the same about its taste. In coffee, it gives my daily cold brew a marshmallow flavor that pops, but there’s no Snap, Crackle, or Pop. Though, it’s not surprising since I couldn’t taste any cereal when I drank it straight out of the bottle like a good product reviewer should. With just a marshmallow flavor, it reminds me of another coffee creamer I’ve had, but I’m not sure which one. I’ve had a lot. Maybe I’m thinking of the s’mores-flavored creamer or the Peeps one I had a few years ago.

Nestle Coffee mate S mores Mashup

Speaking of s’mores, let’s now find out how combining the two with a bit of chocolate will turn out. Fortunately, I had some Hershey’s syrup sitting in my fridge like a good product reviewer should. After some trial and error, mixing two tablespoons of each creamer with one tablespoon of Hershey’s syrup got me a balanced s’mores flavor in my coffee and a lot of sugar. It was definitely better tasting than the s’more-flavored creamer I mentioned earlier that lacked a graham flavor.

Now I don’t know if Coffee mate decided to release these two flavors at the same time to encourage shoppers to buy both so that they can make s’mores-flavored coffee, but I’ll just make the folks there look good by saying they did. After trying them separately and together (with chocolate) in several cups of coffee, I’ve enjoyed these creamers either way and I recommend giving them a try.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Coffee mate. Doing so did not influence my review. I know it totally reads like it did, but I assure you it did not.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 32 fl oz bottles
Purchased at: Received from Coffee mate
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Golden Grahams), 7 out of 10 (Rice Krispies Treats)
Nutrition Facts: (1 tbsp) 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of sugar, 5 grams of added sugar, and 0 grams of protein.