Tag: Cereal

REVIEW: Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough

Elaine 5 Comments

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough

What is Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough?

It’s a ready-to-bake cookie dough inspired by Lucky Charms, one of your favorite childhood cereals. The result of this inspiration is “magically delicious” sugar cookie dough with small, but colorful marshmallow pieces. Unfortunately, the mallow bits are just tiny color blobs, so the hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, and blue moons (sing along here) are not identifiable.

How is it?

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Raw

I’ll start with the raw dough, which I have to try despite the polite ask on the packaging to not eat it. No surprises here. The texture is granular and it tastes like sugar cookie dough with a small bit of added softness from the marshmallow pieces.

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Baked

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Split

The baked cookie is thin and one that I wouldn’t describe as “big” as the packaging claims. The smell of the finished product is reminiscent of Lucky Charms cereal and spreads throughout the kitchen, so you know the end product will be sugary and sweet.

My first batch (baked for 16 minutes) wasn’t very pretty with a crunchy brown rim. However, they still tasted great with a gooey center made a little extra chewy by the colorful additions. The overall product is more sugar cookie than Lucky Charms marshmallow, but they are present enough to add texture (increased softness and chewiness) and taste (sugary sweetness). It’s important to note that the marshmallow isn’t a true marshmallow taste, it’s more like the cereal.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Baked Closeup

I followed the baking instructions, and my first batch wasn’t very aesthetic with crispy brown edges, but still tasted sugary and sweet. I experimented a little more with my second batch and baked them for 12 minutes, and those were much prettier without the brown edges. My best looking cookie was the one that I actually balled up and squished down a little. Despite appearances, they all tasted great!

Conclusion:

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Thin

It’s a pleasant, but thin, sugar cookie. Despite the lack of distinguishable Lucky Charms shapes, the colors are just enough to remind you of the cereal, but if the hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, and blue moons are missing, does it mean the magic is too?

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 14 oz. (12 cookies)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cookie) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of total sugars, 12 grams of added sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal

Vin 4 Comments

Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal

What is Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal?

Why it’s the Hostess cake themed cereal you all knew was coming.

How is it?

We all knew this was coming, correct?

You’re probably wondering why Post and Hostess (who should call these collaborations, “Postess”) didn’t lead with this flavor out of the gate? Twinkies are arguably Hostess’ most famous branded product. How did Donettes and Honey Buns get a jump on them?

Well, maybe it’s because the concept of this cereal translation lacks any creativity whatsoever.

Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal In Bowl

They basically made little colorless Twinkie-shaped cereal pieces and gave them a vague vanilla, caramelly flavor. It’s good – extremely reminiscent of vanilla-based cereals you’ve probably had – but does it taste like a cream-filled sponge cake?

Ehhhhh, sure? Maybe? Kinda, I guess?

The real stumbling block here is that they didn’t go the Pop-Tarts/Krave/Fillows route and fill the cereal pieces with cream! We’re talking about the most famous cream-filled cake of all time! Where’s the cream?!

Is there anything else you need to know?

I think Postess may have invented a new cereal technology.

Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal In Milk

The Twinkies cereal pieces have a powdery coating that make them impervious to the typical cereal sog. I wolfed down an entire bowl and the pieces tasted the same from the first bite to the last. It may have been my Joey Chestnutian speed, but I was still pretty impressed they retained their texture and flavor. The milk never picked up any flavor whatsoever, either.

Conclusion:

These are fine, but feel like a retread flavor without much creativity. The best comparison I can recall would be the Superman cereal that General Mills released to coincide with Batman v. Superman. I dug those more than the movie.

I can also happily say these, like Honey Buns, had an aftertaste flavor that reminded me of my favorite cereal – Oh’s.

Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal Back of Box

So, they’re worth a shot, but as far as delivering on the Twinkie promise, I’d say they’re a copout. I can’t get over the fact this isn’t a filled cereal. It makes me wary of the Postess flavors (Cupcake, Snowballs, etc.) that are probably coming down the pike.

Purchased Price: $3.98
Size: 19 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 Cup) 180 calories, 7 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 135 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Eggo Waffle Cereal (2019)

Marvo 2 Comments

Kellogg s Eggo Cereal 2019

2021 Update: We also tried the Chocolate variety! Click here to read our review.

Kellogg’s Eggo Waffle Cereal has returned from the Kellogg’s vault where Smorz and the old recipe for Rice Krispies Treats Cereal wait for their sweet release someday.

It made its debut back in 2006 and it was brought back thanks to something else that was born in 2006 — Twitter.

It took 10,000 retweets to free Kellogg’s Eggo Waffle Cereal. But to be honest, even if 10k didn’t happen, we still would’ve gotten it on shelves because there’s also a new blueberry flavor. Because why would Kellogg’s go through the trouble of making a Blueberry Eggo Waffle Cereal, if the company wasn’t planning on bringing back the original version. It’s a conspiracy, I tell you!

Now let me take off my tin foil hat to tell you if these are worth your time.

Speaking of time, I’m going to go back 13 years to copy a paragraph I wrote about the original Eggo cereal and paste it in this review. My lazy butt will be right back.

“Eggo Cereal was supposed to taste like waffles with maple syrup and it sort of did. However, it tasted more like a less-sweet Cap’n Crunch with a strong fake maple syrup scent. Since I’m a fan of Cap’n Crunch, I liked the taste of it.”

Kellogg s Eggo Maple Flavored Homestyle Waffle Cereal

All those words still are correct with this version. At this point in my life, I’ve had hundreds of Eggo waffles hit my taste buds, so their flavor will forever be cemented on my tongue. Because of that, I confident in saying this cereal doesn’t taste like anything like Eggo Homestyle waffles.

Blueberry is one of the O.G. Eggo waffle flavors, so it’s nice it has its own cereal, and it took 0 retweets to make it a reality. Much like the maple one, this flavor doesn’t remind me of Eggo Blueberry waffles, which I’ve had far fewer times than Homestyle ones, but still know it when I taste it.

Kellogg s Eggo Blueberry Waffle Cereal

But the blueberry flavor tastes similar to what’s on the waffles (and other blueberry-flavored products), so it kind of tricks me into thinking that I might be eating a miniaturized version of blueberry waffles.

Unlike the uniformity of frozen waffles, the cereal varies in shape. Some look like melted smiley faces, while others look like broken honeycombs. And all the blueberry ones appear to have been around a bank robber when the dye pack went off among the stolen money.

In milk, both varieties do well at maintaining their crunch. But the dairy doesn’t enhance or diminish their flavors.

Overall, if you’ve gone overboard with your holiday shopping and can only afford one Eggo cereal variety, go with the blueberry.

DISCLOSURE: I received free samples of the product. Doing so did not influence my review in any way. Thanks Kellogg’s for sending these my way.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 8.8 oz. boxes
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Homestyle), 7 out of 10 (Blueberry)
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/4 cup without milk) Homestyle – 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. Blueberry – 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookie Cereal with Marshmallows

Julie 1 Comment

Kellogg s The Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookie Cereal

What is Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookie Cereal with Marshmallows?

Everyone’s favorite hide-and-seek-obsessed holiday imp is plotting to hide in the pantries of festive families this holiday season. Kellogg’s has devised a breakfast cereal fit for denizens of the North Pole: red and green cereal stars infused with sugar cookie flavoring and accompanied by dried marshmallow bits.

Kellogg s The Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookie Cereal Hand

How is it?

High on the list of things that nurture my inner child (next to jelly shoes and Rugrats reruns) are the holidays and sugary cereal, so I was excited to taste this dessert-inspired breakfast.

Kellogg s The Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookie Cereal Bowl

The first bite did not deliver the toothache-inducing sweetness I expected, but it did mimic the flavor profile of a cookie. Subtly sweet, the dominant artificial flavor of the crisp, light-as-air cereal was mildly buttery with hints of vanilla in the background. I noted minimal or no aftertaste from the flavorings.

In milk, the vanilla essence awakened, emphasizing the flavor and infusing it into the milk left in the bowl. Unfortunately, the cereal pieces absorbed the liquid so quickly that there was not much milk left to enjoy, and the cereal became as soggy as the bottom of Santa’s boots. Because of the milk’s effect on the texture, I preferred the cereal dry despite its comparatively one-note flavor.

Kellogg s The Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookie Cereal Closeup

No fun cereal is complete without marshmallows, but dry or with milk, the Elf on the Shelf’s marshmallow bits were so tiny and so few in number that they added no discernible flavor or texture to the cereal.

I’m not afraid of a scavenger hunt and have been known to rake through my box of Lucky Charms in search of the marshmallows so I can eat them first. (Favorite Lucky Charms marshmallow, anyone? There are wrong answers.) But in my one-cup sample, I found approximately two marshmallow bits, a ratio that greatly disappointed both me and my inner child.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The box features a QR code leading to craft ideas, printable activities, and ads for other elf-branded products, including Assorted Fruit Flavored Snacks and Pop-Tarts Crisps. These other products don’t promise new or holiday flavors, though — just a smiling elf figure’s endorsement.

Conclusion:

Kellogg’s product is an aesthetically-pleasing, cookie-mimicking cereal that won’t send you or your kids bouncing off the walls in a sugar high. But its one-note flavor and lack of marshmallows won’t send you running back to the store for a second box, either.

Purchased Price: $3.64
Size: 12.2 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/3 cup) 150 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Toasted Coconut Cheerios Cereal

Meghan 12 Comments

Limited Edition Toasted Coconut Cheerios Cereal

What is Limited Edition Toasted Coconut Cheerios Cereal?

Fall might have begun on September 23rd, but it seems like neither the weather, nor General Mills got the message that summer is said and done. Promising to pack a tropical, toasted coconut punch, and sporting an island-inspired motif, Toasted Coconut Cheerios are here for a limited time only to bring the beach to your breakfast bowl.

How is it?

Unassumingly similar to Honey Nut Cheerios in size and appearance, the main aesthetic setting these toasted oat o’s apart from their famous predecessor is the slight coconut-y aroma. Even so, it’s quite light, and I can easily imagine sleep-deprived individuals overlooking it while they devour a mound of whatever cereal falls out of their cabinet, eagerly awaiting their initial fix of freshly-brewed caffeine.

Limited Edition Toasted Coconut Cheerios Cereal 2

Falling in line with their subtle coconut scent, these Cheerios are similarly light on any kind of tropical taste. There’s a slight hint of it if I chew slowly – intentionally – and really hunt for it, but it doesn’t really jump out at me and make me recognize that I’m eating anything more unique than, say, Frosted Cheerios.

Even so, I don’t really fault General Mills for that. I imagine tackling coconut is tricky business in food science. Too little flavor and nobody will even taste it; too much and the resulting creation could become more reminiscent of a bottle of sunscreen than of the famous hard-to-crack drupe. For once, I actually applaud General Mills for exercising restraint, as I thoroughly enjoyed being able to finish a box of coconut-flavored anything without getting sick of how they taste.

Is there anything else you should know?

Eating these in a bowl of regular milk erases any and all coconut flavor to be had, but recent innovations in the non-dairy milk industry have got coconut-lovers covered. Just substitute your normal moo-juice with any one of the countless coconut milk beverages in your grocer’s dairy cooler to boost this cereal’s flavor.

Conclusion:

Even though I liked Toasted Coconut Cheerios well enough, I just can’t seem to get behind them enough to give a solid recommendation. Maybe they’re not eclectic enough to stand out against Cheerios’s other offerings, or maybe they were released after my interest in summertime seasonal flavors waned, but I think I’ll probably stick to Honey Nut Cheerios from here on out.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 10.8 oz. box
Purchased at: Food Lion
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (3/4 cup) 110 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1.5 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 65 milligrams of potassium, 23 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 9 grams of total sugars, 12 grams of other carbohydrates, and 2 grams of protein.