Tag: Cereal

REVIEW: Limited Edition Frosted Lemon Cheerios

Ann 12 Comments

As the Northern hemisphere thaws from an icy winter and we drag our allergy-ridden behinds to the grocery store, a fresh ray of hope meets us — Spring Flavored Stuff.

Ah, seasonal flavors, you tasty little tropes. Pumpkin spice might have a choke hold on the fall, but which flavor will prevail to rule the spring? Carrots have tried, but they taste like nothing. For a moment, I thought this would be the Age of Raspberry, but it seemed that was a Valentine’s red flash in the pan. Therefore, I would like to present my case for lemon. The Year of Lemon is upon us. Will this drastically underrated flavor finally prevail? Cheerios is willing to find out with its new Frosted Lemon variety.

The delicate aromas of lemon and sugar are the first to meet my senses. Yep, smells like lemon. I was also pleased to see no signs of yellow color, natural or otherwise. Cheerios kept it au naturel in the appearance department. If you put these next to standard Frosted Cheerios, I don’t think I’d be able to pinpoint which one was which just by looking at them. The lemon scent is delightful and suggests they won’t be too strong.

Digging into a bowl prepared with 2% milk, I’m immediately reminded of Fruit Loops. Only these are a better, more sophisticated version. Think Fruit Loops’ older cousin who sometimes buys them alcohol. The lemon is not at all overwhelming. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if it was a bit stronger. The flavor is citrusy and sweet, reminiscent of a lemon cookie or lemon cake, but not too sweet. I should note that there is no actual lemon in the ingredient line here. It’s just a perfectly chosen and mindfully balanced natural lemon flavor. Hats off to you, Big G. These are great.

I also gave these a whirl as the topping for my fruit and yogurt breakfast. The lemon flavor gets lost easily in this application, so I’d stick to your standard milk and cereal preparation to get the full effect.

Overall, this seasonal variety is well done. The lemon is fresh, bright, and not overpowering. It’s a great way to start or end your day and a fine introduction to The Year of Lemon (please let this catch and become an actual thing).

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 14.7 oz box
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup without milk) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar (including 11 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Malt-O-Meal Maple Bacon Donut Cereal

Brandon 5 Comments

What is it?

Although I typically associate Malt-O-Meal as being a purveyor of “hot cereal” (porridge? runny oatmeal? gruel?), it makes over THIRTY varieties of the cold stuff, and the latter actually equates to 75% of its sales. So I guess the joke is on me. While most of its offerings mimic those of its biggest competitors — Kellogg’s and General Mills — its newest flavor is a bit of an original: Maple Bacon Donut.

How is it?

It’s decent, but I don’t know that “maple bacon donut” is what I get from it. Mostly, it tastes like an extra sugary Honey Nut Cheerios with a liberal dash of artificial smoke and a bit of salt. And that description may sound kind of awful, but I assure you that the actual result is not. Every once in a while I got a little something maple-like, but mostly, it was “general sweetness.” Again, with a little smoke. And some saltiness.

Anything else you should know?

Like most Malt-O-Meal cereals, this variety comes in a resealable bag, and the bag is the size of a pillow. This is a really great thing if you like the Malt-O-Meal you purchased; if you weren’t a fan, however, congrats to your children on the giant bag of cereal they’ll inherit upon your passing.

Conclusion:

While I appreciated this new and unusual flavor, I’d be reluctant to buy again. It was only slightly better than okay, and there’s just SO much of it. As it is, I’ll probably already be passing this bag down to the next generation. (Which I mean, kind of a steal for less than $6.)

Purchased Price: $5.48
Size: 30 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 150 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of total sugars (including 17 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lucky Charms S’mores Cereal

Marvo 2 Comments

Remember last year’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms Mix Cereal? It’s understandable if you don’t because I also forgot about it and was only reminded about it when I searched for a similar product I knew existed a competing cereal company offered. But this new Lucky Charms S’mores Cereal is like the sequel to that, but with less popular cereals and a less verbose name. It’s basically Chocolate Lucky Charms mixed with what appears to be Golden Grahams.

What’s with the “what appears to be”?

After trying the square-shaped pieces on their own, I’m not sure they’re actually Golden Grahams. But it’s got to be, right? Golden Grahams is under the Big G tent. Why develop a slightly different cereal when there’s already an option? Ugh. This is getting me worked up. I’ve put too much effort and thought into this. If only I had some old-timey graham crackers that Sylvester Graham made to bring down my excitement.

I’m suspicious about the ridged-cereal pieces because, while they do have a mild flavor that reminds me of Golden Grahams, there’s also a taste that I would describe as lightly charred. Look, as someone who likes their marshmallows slightly burnt because it adds a unique flavor and TOTALLY not because I like fire a little too much, that char can be part of the s’mores experience. But it’s odd to be tasting it with a cereal. Granted, I notice that unusual flavor when eating those squares separately. But when mixed with the other pieces, it’s not noticeable at all.

What’s slightly more noticeable in the cereal as a whole, but not to a level that I’d like, is the graham. With most spoonfuls, it doesn’t stand out among the chocolatey pieces and sugary marshmallows, and because of that, it’s hard for me to say that this is s’mores-like. That’s especially the case when the chocolatey flavor leaks into the milk. It pretty much tastes like Chocolate Lucky Charms, which is still magically delicious, but this doesn’t have a magical s’mores flavor.

Lucky Charms S’mores Cereal is a decent part of a complete breakfast, but it’s also a slight disappointment. But, to make it compelling and a product I won’t forget, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms Mix Cereal, I’ve been thinking that I’m in an alternate universe where Golden Grahams is the beloved square-shaped cereal that has its own Grahamdust and Chocolate Lucky Charms is the original.

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

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 11 oz box
Purchased at: Received from General Mills
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup – cereal only) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar (including 12 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cap’n Crunch’s Birthday Crunch Cereal

Brandon 4 Comments

What is it?

Despite looking older than his age for several decades now, Cap’n Crunch is turning 60 this year, and as such, he has made himself a celebratory birthday cake-flavored cereal. What, you don’t make your own birthday dessert? Well, LOOK AT YOU, Mr. I-Actually-Have-Friends-and-Family-Who-Love-Me.

How are they?

Distinctly birthday cake-y. What is “birthday cake” flavor, anyway? Generic vanilla sugar cake? Anyway, the Cap’n manages to capture the flavor admirably with his multi-colored misshaped balls. If I had one complaint, it would be that the flavor is a bit muted; if a full-on grade school birthday party cake is a 10, these were about a 5. Depending on your love for birthday cake flavor, this is either a good or bad thing.

Anything else you need to know?

As mentioned above, this cereal is entirely composed of multi-colored, oddly shaped balls. There are no yellow pillows (barrels?) or brightly and solidly colored “berries.” File this under “mildly interesting.”

Also, it appears from the picture on the box that the irregularly shaped pieces are supposed to be singularly colored; maybe the dye wasn’t set when my box was packed because what I ended up with looks like a hippie’s shirt closet.

Conclusion:

If you like birthday cake-flavored things and Cap’n Crunch, you will likely enjoy this version of the Quaker classic. Just try not to get hung up on the fact that the 60-year-old Cap’n has no one who cares enough to make him a cake.

Purchased Price: $4.78
Size: 14.8 oz
Purchased at: Hy-Vee
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (38 g) 150 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 14 grams of sugar (including 14 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: IHOP Blueberry & Syrup Mini Pancake Cereal

Vin 9 Comments

Breakfastception: noun

When one style of breakfast mimics the flavor(s) of another style of breakfast.

“IHOP Mini Pancakes Cereal is the latest form of Breakfastception.”

I should admit I never really understood the Christopher Nolan film Inception, and have zero idea if this very topical reference makes sense. Anyway, General Mills and IHOP have partnered on a Blueberry and Syrup flavored cereal.

I could be wrong, but the only pancake cereal I can even recall from one of the major companies was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Cap’n Crunch version. We’ve had plenty of waffle–inspired cereals, a few that were muffin-based, and even French toast, but how many have been distinctly pancake? I didn’t anticipate these to taste much different from a waffle cereal, but that was still the main intrigue.

An IHOP pancake cereal is interesting, but will these blueberry and syrup mini pancakes be the cereal of your Incepted dreams? Probably not.

Will I ever properly reference the Christopher Nolan film Inception? Also, probably not.

I’ll give this cereal credit where it’s due. It smells perfect. Well, I mean, it smells like a Blueberry Eggo waffle, but it’s really all just batter, right? The difference, especially in cereal form, is negligible, and let’s be real, waffles are just pancakes that go to the gym. Beyond the smell, I have to pretty much discredit this cereal from here on out. It’s one of the worst textured cereals I’ve had in a long time, even after soaking in milk.

The pieces are similar to Cookie Crisp but denser, and for some reason, these blueberry specs are a lot sharper than I recall the chocolate chips being. If you love a good crunch from your cereal, these may be your jam, but it’s not very satisfying because the pieces taste stale.

The flavor itself is decent, but I’d classify it as “Crunch Berry Lite.” While there is a mildly pleasant hint of maple, and the base flavor reminded me of waffle or pancake batter, the blueberry really just reminded me of a weak Crunch Berry. It ends up being the dominant flavor before it all fades away into a weird aftertaste.

I was surprised at how soft and bland the overall flavor was. Honestly, this has the sweetness level of an “adult” blueberry cereal with the shape and texture of a kid’s cereal. It’s living in a dead zone for no one in particular.

I’ll be fair and say it’s not entirely bad because the cereal does turn the milk into a sweet sky-blue color that would make even Aunt Beru proud, but everything else is meh.

The “IHOP” here stands for “I Have Other Preferences” because this one ranks near the bottom of cereals based on other breakfast staples. I don’t know how long you’ve got to try these, but I feel they’re gonna be one and done. I wouldn’t mind seeing IHOP regroup and try again, but hopefully not as IHOB.

Actually, ya know what? Go for it. I’d try your burger-flavored cereal. Take it up another level because that right there would truly be an inception. I think. Maybe. Perhaps.

Probably not.

Purchased Price: $4.48
Size: 19 oz box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 3 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 180 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.