Tag: Frosted Flakes

  • REVIEW: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Ice Cream

    As an adult who loves cereal but can almost never wake up on time to consume a normal breakfast (and even if I could, I can’t be counted on to have non-expired milk on hand), I found the concept of Kellogg’s new breakfast cereal flavored ice creams intriguing. Freed from the confines of a balanced breakfast, perhaps Frosted Flakes could finally team up with an even more indulgent dairy in the form of ice cream and become a childhood dream come true. Who didn’t want ice cream for breakfast? Also, Kellogg’s went so far as to make these ice creams and not “frozen dairy desserts.” Additionally, this ice cream base is cereal milk flavored and not just vanilla. It should be good! Dare I say, Gr-r-eat?

    I do not dare. Opening the container, I couldn’t help but notice this is a boring pint. It was obvious that the flakes were completely obliterated, and no effort was made to include any whole flakes or larger chunks of them. I suppose if you throw Frosted Flakes into a mixer, you can’t really expect them to maintain their structural identity. I guess I expected them to sprinkle in a few whole pieces, maybe coated with something to ensure they provided some crunch. If not for the packaging, you’d never know there were Frosted Flakes in here. The sandy-colored specks that remain from the cereal pieces are just that…sandy. It’s as if you’d dropped your ice cream at the beach and were determined to follow the five-second rule and enjoy it anyway. However, instead of eventually getting beyond the sanded part, the grittiness has permeated the whole way through.

    I could overlook the pulverized flakes if the ice cream itself was good. I’m not that picky about ice cream, but this stuff is just disappointing. The texture is oddly gummy and not in a way that feels intentional. If I got an ice cream maker and this was the result of my first batch, I’d pat myself on the back because I technically made ice cream, and then I would definitely never use that recipe again. It appears the folks at Kellogg’s were less discerning.

    The price here is the same as Ben & Jerry’s, but this seems like a worse quality product and instead of swirls and mix-ins, you’re only getting smashed corn flakes. I don’t mind the overall flavor and could be convinced its milky sweetness resembles cereal milk, but it’s mostly nondescript and the tiny flecks just aren’t enough to remind me of actual Frosted Flakes. It feels like Kellogg’s is relying on consumers to try this line solely based on the clout its beloved cereals carry, but I think it will have to put in a little more effort if it wants repeat customers. I found this pint on the bottom shelf at my store, and after having tried it, I can safely say that’s where it belongs.

    Purchased Price: $5.29
    Size: 14 fl oz
    Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
    Rating: 4 out of 10
    Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 210 calories, 11 grams of total fat, 45mg of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of total carbs, 20 grams of total sugars, and 3 grams of protein.

  • REVIEW: Kellogg’s Glazed Donut Holes Cereal

    Time to fake the donuts.

    Donuts are probably my favorite food, and the kid in me still gets excited every time I see a new cereal on the shelf, but as far as cereals based on donut flavors… Has there ever truly been a good one?

    Donut cereals are usually just generic “O” shaped pieces with gimmicky branding. It just seems like an easy way to pass off a new idea for a quick buck. Look, I still get that fun jolt of arrested development when I see donuts on a cereal box, but the flavor always ends up being lazy. Doncha think it’s time the Breakfast Gods bless us with a truly innovative donut-based cereal?

    Me too. Ya gotta keep waiting, though, because new Kellogg’s Glazed Donut Hole Cereals ain’t it.

    On paper, the idea of turning three of Kellogg’s most prominent offerings into little “glazed” donut bites might seem fun, but dare I say these may be the laziest donut cereal attempts to date?

    Of the three flavors – Frosted Flakes, Krave, and Apple Jacks – I’ll be reviewing the first two.

    Frosted Flakes

    They’re sweet. They’re flakey. They’re iconic. Well, now they’re bland little balls. They’re ironic? Probably not, I don’t actually know what irony is, but these are a snoozefest.

    I can only describe the flavor as “sweet-ish.” Not Swedish, “sweet-ish.” You get a basic sweet corn cereal taste with a texture I’d compare to a less dense Peanut Butter Crunch. The flavor is so light they almost taste like Kix. They’re lacking such a punch that you could’ve told me they were a brand of “healthy” alternative cereal purchased from Whole Foods. They don’t deliver on the promise at all. They’rrrrrrre GGG-onna need to go back to the drawing board on this one.

    Krave

    I have an admission, I’ve never had Krave. I’ve loved some “filled pillow” cereals in the past, but they have escaped me since their inception for some reason. While I can’t speak on Krave in their true form, they make for a decent “glazed” donut hole. They’re ok. I wasn’t mad. I wasn’t happy either, but…

    These are essentially “Cocoa Puffs Lite.” It’s as if Sonny the Cuckoo Bird finally got on meds and just chilled out for a little bit. While that sounds boring, they’re easily the better of the two. I’m on record as saying most chocolate cereals taste the same, so I don’t mind this lighter chocolate flavor. The dusty white “glaze” gives them a little bit of a hot cocoa flavor vibe.

    The back of each box boasts “Glazed in Genius,” but these are dumb and unglazed. It’s just a faint white coating. Both cereals look similar, with Krave having a slightly darker hue.

    Kellogg’s Glazed Donut Holes are, at best, “inoffensive.” They took multiple cereals out of their unique forms for no reason. It’s like the factory setting was stuck on “ball” one day, and they just rolled with it – pun possibly intended.

    Donut cereals do-nut work. Pun not intended. Donut hole cereals are especially baffling. There have been approximately 4,389 ball-shaped cereals that we could’ve passed off as “donut holes.” I’m no conspiracy theorist, but I feel like this is some kind of “shrinkflation” ploy where balls are cheaper to produce or something. If donut hole cereals worked, we’d have “Dunkin’ Crunchkins” by now.

    If curiosity gets the best of you and you buy these, just mix ’em together. It makes for a slightly better bowl of cereal. Who knows, maybe the Apple Jack version slaps, but Frosted Flakes and Krave are duds.

    Purchased Price: $4.99 each
    Size: 10 oz. Boxes
    Purchased at: Shop Rite
    Rating: 3 out of 10 (Frosted Flakes), 5 out of 10 (Krave)
    Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) Frosted Flakes – 140 calories, 1.5 gram of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Krave – 130 calories, 1.5 gram of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

  • REVIEW: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Insta-Bowl

    Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Insta Bowl Bowl

    What is it?

    It’s Frosted Flakes with powdered milk in a single-serve bowl. All you need to do is add a bit of cold water, and magically you have milk in your cereal! Now that we have sodas and jelly beans with all the flavors of a Thanksgiving meal, this doesn’t seem so futuristic, but it’s a good option when fresh milk is not available.

    It’s also available with Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, and Raisin Bran Crunch.

    Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Insta Bowl Lid

    How is it?

    Well, it’s a little unnerving to pour water on cereal, and the stirring process needs to be done with some caution as to not crush too many flakes. But in the end, it basically tastes like Frosted Flakes with milk, which I guess is the idea.

    Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Insta Bowl Powder

    Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Insta Bowl Water

    There are a few caveats though. First, there’s an odd odor to this after peeling off the top, but I couldn’t quite place it. The best I can do is to say it smelled like a cleaning product, which is not what I’m looking for in a breakfast cereal. Perhaps it was just from the packaging, or maybe powdered milk has a unique aroma. (I have no idea what powered milk smells like on its own, and I didn’t have any on hand to test it).

    Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Insta Bowl Mixed

    The milk tasted a bit sweeter than I expected, but that might have been because I let the water sit in the sugar-coated flakes a little too long while I was taking the spectacular photos you see with this review.

    I was also surprised that the flakes got soggy within a few minutes, which again could be partly blamed on the photoshoot. But don’t dawdle when you eat this unless you like mushy flakes.

    Anything else you need to know?

    Do not try eating cereal with only water. Trust me. One of my not-so-proud parenting moments happened when my daughter, a cereal-eating fanatic, was about four years old. One morning, we were completely of milk, likely due to poor planning on my part. Now this was a child whose morning routine was not to be trifled with, so my bold idea that she eat the cereal dry was voted down. Instead, she suggested using water instead of milk. Not wanting to stifle her out-of-the-box thinking, I gave her plan a thumbs up and even assured her it would taste fine, despite knowing it was not likely to end well. And it didn’t. She gagged on the watery cereal in a dramatic way that only a little kid can do, and that day I think she started to think her dad was not quite as smart as she previously thought.

    Conclusion:

    Kellogg s Frosted Flakes Insta Bowl Spoon

    If you have milk (that’s not expired) sitting in your refrigerator or if you can borrow steal some from the community fridge at work, then obviously that’s a better option. But if your morning is not complete without milk in your cereal and you only have access to water, then this will get the job done for you.

    Purchased Price: $1.98
    Size: One bowl (1.6 oz)
    Purchased at: Walmart
    Rating: 7 out of 10
    Nutrition Facts: 190 calories, 4 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

  • REVIEW: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Strawberry Milkshake Cereal

    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

    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.