Tag: General Mills

REVIEW: General Mills Pokemon Berry Bolt Cereal

Holly 5 Comments

General Mills Pokemon Berry Bolt Cereal Box

What is General Mills Pokémon Berry Bolt Cereal?

As part of the Pokémon franchise’s 25th anniversary, General Mills has created a cereal to mark the occasion. The Berry Bolt flavored cereal is themed around everyone’s sparky little favorite yellow Pokémon, Pikachu. Berry-flavored, sweetened corn puffs with Pikachu and lightning bolt-shaped marshmallows make up this limited offering.

How is it?

General Mills Pokemon Berry Bolt Cereal Dry

Much like many special tie-in cereals, this one doesn’t bring anything new or innovative to the table. The puffs themselves, a vibrant red and blue color, have that truly generic “berry” flavor you find in a lot of cereals that merely say the taste is “berry.” I got a heavy blueberry flavor whereas my husband swears it was cherry. Also, no, the red and blue puffs don’t taste different.

General Mills Pokemon Berry Bolt Cereal Wet

The marshmallows add a small texture difference and more sweetness to an already sweet cereal. It is a cereal that will absolutely satisfy what a kid wants: sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

Anything else you need to know?

General Mills Pokemon Berry Bolt Cereal Box Back

I found it odd that there was no toy or card tie-in. After some recon on the Pokémon message boards, apparently, there will be a card tie-in promotion in late February to coincide with the 25th anniversary. The boxes out now have no 25th branding, but there are three different ones based on the three different starter types in the game.

Conclusion:

Unless you or your kids are die-hard Pokémon fans/collectors, I’d pass on this. While the cereal is perfectly serviceable, we live in an age where you have whole aisles dedicated to cereal and offer almost endless choices. I’d also say if you are curious, wait until at least the 25th branded boxes with cards come out.

Purchase Priced: $3.50
Size: 17 oz box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 ¼ cup) 150 calories, 1 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cereal

Holly 1 Comment

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cereal Box

The speed at which retail stores remove Christmas to put up Valentine’s Day merchandise manages to shock me every year. Wednesday, it was aisles of dreamy snowscape mini villages. Thursday, it’s giant stuffed bears, boxes of cards, and food dyed in vibrant red and pink. Peppermint is out and chocolate strawberry is in.

This year, General Mills decided to take a run at the Valentine’s Day market by releasing the Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios cereal. It is described as a “blissful pairing” of “delectable strawberries dipped in rich, chocolatey sauce.” I was beyond excited to give this a try.

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cereal Back

For you see, dear readers, I don’t think I’m being too dramatic when I say chocolate strawberry is the absolute best flavor combination we humans have ever discovered. Okay, maybe a little dramatic, but chocolate strawberry flavor is easily my all-time favorite. Chocolate covered strawberries themselves can be difficult to eat, but with the onslaught of chocolate strawberry flavored foods in the past few years, I’m able to enjoy my favorite pairing with a less awkward mess.

The first thing I noticed just by looking at the box was that the flavor would be coming from the cereal itself. Normally it seems companies will just add a handful of chocolate chunks and strawberry bits to their regular product (looking at you, Special K Chocolate Strawberry).

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cereal Dry

In this case, General Mills blended its Chocolate Cheerios and Strawberry Cheerios to create this treat. The smell of the strawberry cereal was extremely strong upon opening the plastic. I tossed a handful of dry cereal back and found it to be kind of boring. The strawberry was there, but muted. The chocolate was almost nonexistent.

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cereal In Milk

I wasn’t going to let my hopes be dashed. Surely it would get better once I added the milk. It had to, right? RIGHT?! Lucky milk gave it the glow up it needed. The first thing I noticed as I added milk to the cereal was the pinkish hue of strawberry flavor was coming off the O shapes. The chocolate pieces also began to change the milk from white to chocolatey brown. With my first bite of the milk and cereal, I was met with the flavors I had expected. Bright, juicy strawberry and rich, deep chocolate came through with each spoonful.

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cereal Milk

After finishing the cereal, I was left with a chocolatey milk. Now, normally I’m not a big fan of the milk after I finish the cereal. I know, you can drag me in the comments, but this might have changed my mind. For the sake of getting a thorough review, I gingerly took a sip. The cereal’s flavors soaked deeply into the milk, leaving an absolutely delicious chocolate strawberry flavored milk beverage. I ended up finishing the milk, which is something I never do.

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cereal Heart

The high expectations I had for this cereal were (thankfully) met. They in no way replace the authentic taste and experience of eating a chocolate-covered strawberry, but this delivered the flavors I was looking for. In the same way Pumpkin Spice Cheerios add a seasonal fall twist to your morning breakfast routine, these will get you in the mood for love, spring, and 50% off candy on February 15th.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 10.9 oz box
Purchased at: Publix
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chocolate Churros Cereal

Marvo 1 Comment

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chocolate Churros Cereal Box

Churros have provided me with many memories.

A large number of those involve eating churros at a carnival, hopping on amusement rides with names like Zipper, Top Spin, Orbiter, Gravitron, and Fireball during digestion of those churros, then preventing churro regurgitation while being flipped and spun on those rides, and then regretting the carnival churro consumption.

But I also have good churro memories, and the latest is Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chocolate Churros, which I will not refer to as CTCCC (pronounced see-tee-seeeeeeeeeeee).

If you read the print on the box’s front, you’ll know that EVERYTHING is enlarged to show detail and the cereal is naturally flavored chocolate sweetened wheat and rice cereal with a hint of cinnamon. This shouldn’t be confused with Chocolate Toast Crunch, which is naturally flavored chocolate sweetened wheat and rice squares with a hint of cinnamon.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chocolate Churros Cereal Closeup

With a description that includes the words “a hint of cinnamon,” you might think this is chocolate-forward. But it’s more of a 40-60 split between the chocolate and cinnamon. With most spoonfuls, I taste the warm spice more than the cocoa. While I wish there was a stronger chocolate punch, this is an excellent and tasty follow-up to the original Cinnamon Toast Crunch Churros Cereal.

However, there’s something about the churros shape that makes them less satisfying than Chocolate Toast Crunch’s square pieces, which I also thought with the regular cinnamon version. Maybe it’s surface area? Or perhaps it’s the way the nooks and crannies capture milk? I dunno.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chocolate Churros Cereal Spoon

While I prefer the original square-shaped Chocolate Toast Crunch a smidge, the churro shape helps maintain a crunchiness level in milk that the squares can only dream of. Speaking of milk, if you happen to leave the cereal in it for a decent amount of time, the aftermilk is ex-cinna-llent.

I know what some of you are thinking, “So this is pretty much Chocolate Toast Crunch, but in tiny churro form?” Pretty much. I know. Kind of a letdown, but I’m not disappointed filling a bowl with it because it’s a solid cereal.

However, if you want to make it somewhat interesting, you could pretend to live in an alternate General Mills universe where square Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Chocolate Toast Crunch don’t exist, but Cinnamon Toast Crunch Churros and Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chocolate Churros do. Also, in this alternate General Mills universe, the oat pieces are the Lucky Charms and Trix is a brand of rabbit food.

Purchased Price: More than anyone should pay on eBay
Size: 19.7 oz box
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup w/o milk) 170 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar (including 10 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal

Holly 6 Comments

Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal Box

What is Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal?

As we gear up for New Year Resolution season, General Mills is coming in hot with a new version of the popular Multi Grain Cheerios. This variety of the 5 grain, lightly sweetened cereal includes bits of real (freeze-dried) strawberries.

Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal Back of Box

How is it?

As a larger person who grew up in the 90s, I am no stranger to the boom that happened in the category of “diet cereal.” I vaguely remember when General Mills introduced Multi Grain Cheerios, but we weren’t a cereal family, so I don’t recall ever having it. That being said, I was interested in trying this variety. I’m a fan of Special K with Red Berries (strawberries) and was curious how this would stand up to that.

Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal Bowl

Upon the first sniff, it smelled like…well, really nothing. However, the overall taste was quite good. The oat and grain flavor of the cereal itself is perfectly serviceable (albeit a little bland), but the added fruity sweetness of the strawberry pieces made the flavor far less boring.

Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal Pieces

Speaking of the strawberry pieces, they were small enough to blend well with the familiar O-shaped cereal that allowed for an even distribution of flavor in each spoonful. Oftentimes with cereals that have extra elements, the ratio tends to be off. But in this case, they were perfectly balanced; just enough strawberry in every bite.

Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal Milk

My only real complaint would be that, by the time the strawberries rehydrated, the cereal itself was far soggier than I personally care for. Letting the strawberries rehydrate in the milk certainly makes their flavor much more pronounced, so it was almost worth the trade-off.

Anything else you need to know?

According to the General Mills website, these are a permanent addition to the Multi Grain Cheerios line. The nutritional stats of this and the original Multi Grain Cheerios are almost exactly the same.

Conclusion:

Multi Grain Cheerios with Real Strawberries Cereal Spoon

If you are looking for a new cereal to add to your morning rotation or possibly to get a kick start on those resolutions, this feels like a good option. It’s nice to see a little variety with this line. If this sells well, it could potentially lead to more Multi Grain Cheerios flavors. Fingers crossed for the return of the Berry Burst Triple Berry Cheerios under the Multi Grain brand.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 11.5 oz box
Purchased at: Winn-Dixie
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/3 cup) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: General Mills Elf Cereal

Dustin

General Mills Elf Cereal Box

I vividly remember the first time I saw “Elf.” I drove two hours to meet an old friend at a Harkins Theater so we could take in the merriment together. Ever since, “Elf” has been a holiday staple of mine. It is the second-most quoted holiday film in my family. So, naturally, when General Mills launched its Elf Cereal, I wanted it in my life.

General Mills Elf Cereal Box Back

The packaging is fun, comforting, and makes ample “Elf” references. The back of the box implores everyone to help Buddy the Elf fill the Clausometer. I know it is just marketing for children, but it warms my heart. The box states that the cereal consists of sweetened corn puffs with holiday tree marshmallows, flavored with maple syrup.

Upon opening the box, a potent maple aroma punched me in the nose. This was momentarily concerning. I pulled the box closer and the smell had already settled. It was not overbearing at all.

General Mills Elf Cereal Bag

The quantity of marshmallows sitting on top was striking. It seemed to be more marshmallow-heavy than some similar cereals. I tried a handful dry and was underwhelmed. The maple syrup flavor was almost indiscernible. The corn puffs were slightly sweet, but not nearly as sugary as I expected for a cereal based on “Elf.” After all, Buddy subsists almost entirely on sugar.

General Mills Elf Cereal Bowled

Once milk is added, the cereal moved closer to my expectations. The maple syrup taste is more evident, but still very restrained. It has been many years, but I used to eat Waffle Crisp regularly when I was younger. I was expecting Elf Cereal to have a maple flavor like Waffle Crisp, but it did not.

General Mills Elf Cereal Spooned

The sweetness really comes out with the milk also. It was not as saccharine as I anticipated, but it was pleasant. If you were to mix marbits with Kix and put a few drops of maple syrup in the milk, you could emulate the flavor profile here relatively closely.

In the spirit of Buddy, I contemplated dousing the cereal in maple syrup, but could not bring myself to do it.

General Mills’ Elf Cereal is a fun, festively themed holiday offering, but it may fall short for some. More maple syrup flavoring could have elevated it to North Pole levels.

At the very least, this cereal makes me smile, and smiling’s my favorite.

Purchased Price: $3.64
Size: 18.6 oz box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.