Tag: Kellogg’s

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch Cereal

Vin 1 Comment

Kellogg s Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch Cereal

What is Kellogg’s Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch Cereal?

The ol’ vet Raisin Bran has introduced a new flavor to its far superior “Crunch” line – Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch.

How is it?

Literally any addition to Raisin Bran – a workman-like cereal base – is a good thing, so vanilla and almond certainly fit the bill.

Here’s the deal though, they’re not enough to truly separate this from regular Raisin Bran.

Kellogg s Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch Cereal Milk

I couldn’t even tell where the soft vanilla was being piped in, but I think the bran flakes had a sweet coating, which would be a good call. We’re talking about a bran flake here. It’s basically medicine to help old people [redacted].

This is a food review!

Giving the flakes a little more flavor was the right move. The clusters however were severely lacking. I guess I expected hearty Honey Bunches of Oats-type chunks but only got sporadic bits. They should’ve just attached the little wooden almond shavings to the clusters and make them seem bigger, because this was a real cluster[redacted].

This is a family site!

Kellogg s Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch Cereal Spoon

I wish the raisins had a coating, but Raisins are raisins. They’ve always been a nice textural counterbalance to the flakes, so expect no different.

Is there anything else you need to know?

They skimp on everything except flakes. Granted, the scoops of raisins probably sunk to the bottom of my box, but for this bowl I reviewed, I didn’t get a good ratio. I bet the last bowl will be 75% raisins.

I coulda used some artificial almond flavor if I’m being honest. A nice little “amaretto” punch would have improved this cereal a lot.

Conclusion:

Kellogg s Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch Cereal Bowl

Look, Raisin Bran is a decent start to the day. It’s fulfilling. It’s “healthy,” but it’s still just a step above oatmeal on the Boring Breakfast Scale™.

This is just ok, but probably a good alternative to the barrage of new cereals that seem like they were created by Pixie Stick-addled 6th graders.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 15.8 oz.
Purchased at: Shop Rite
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup w/o milk) 190 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Limited Edition Froot Loops Birthday Cake Cereal

Meghan 2 Comments

Kellogg s Limited Edition Froot Loops Birthday Cake Cereal

What is Kellogg’s Froot Loops Birthday Cake Cereal?

Proudly serving as a fruity-smelling part of balanced breakfasts since 1963, Froot Loops has recently expanded beyond its usual selection of nonspecifically fruity breakfast cereals by releasing its new Strawberry Birthday Cake flavor, which, per the back of the box, promises to give the best that Kellogg’s has to offer in every bite.

How is it?

Kellogg s Limited Edition Froot Loops Birthday Cake Cereal 2

This certainly isn’t the best looking cereal Kellogg’s has to offer. Surprisingly pallid in comparison to the original, this cereal appears better suited for a funeral than any other celebration. Like many birthday cake-inspired cereals, each piece sports cute little sprinkles, but not nearly enough to stand out unless you examine them under a magnifying glass.

Kellogg s Limited Edition Froot Loops Birthday Cake Cereal 3

Similar to their depressing appearance, these Loops flop on the flavor front. In contrast to the nondescript yellow cake flavor often implemented by other cereals, this early morning sugar bomb attempted to remain true to its fruit-forward roots by utilizing strawberry cake as its inspiration. Since strawberry is a more definable flavor than “fruity” is, it’s too bad a negligible amount of strawberry flavor comes though here. It’s detectable, but not very strong, and certainly not distinct enough for someone to immediately think of strawberries while eating this.

Is there anything else you should know?

I take issue with these being specified to taste like Strawberry Birthday Cake. I may not be able to speak for everyone, but who considers strawberry as the flavor of choice for such celebratory cakes? Yellow cake is served at birthday parties. Save the strawberry cakes for summer barbeques.

Conclusion:

Kellogg s Limited Edition Froot Loops Birthday Cake Cereal 4

As an uglier, less flavorful take on a timeless classic, there’s no reason for Birthday Cake Froot Loops to exist. It’s only too bad this dud of a cereal didn’t sport a dodo as its mascot, because it’ll probably go the same way as them in a few months.

Purchased Price: $2.50
Purchased at: Food Lion
Size: 10.1 oz.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts:: (1 1/3 cup) 150 calories, 1.5 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, 12 grams of added sugars, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Krave Cereal Cinnamon Crunch and Strawberry Crunch

Adam 10 Comments

Kellogg s Cinnamon Crunch Krave Cereal

I give Kellogg’s a lot of credit with Krave. In an era when new cereal concepts barely last a year, the British import has stuck around with surprising popularity, much like The Office except without the musical exploits of Creed Bratton.

I credit this to a few things, one of which is the decision to add “more chocolate” to Krave. I’m old enough to remember when you’d bite into a cereal biscuit only to get—more biscuit. Today’s original and Double Chocolate Krave avoid the dreaded hollow biscuit, a trend that continues in the two newest additions to the Krave family -— Cinnamon Crunch and Strawberry Crunch.

Why the “Crunch” in their titles? I couldn’t tell you. The Krave Biscuits share the sub-optimal snacking qualities of their forbearers, each with a delicate, crumbly texture that sogs and saturates in milk.

Kellogg s Cinnamon Crunch Krave Cereal 3

When I was younger and less at risk for a whole host of health problems associated with excessive empty carbohydrate intake, I thought it was taboo to combine assertive flavors like cinnamon and chocolate in cereal. Turns out, the two are hardly fish and cheese, and Cinnamon Crunch Krave turns out the very best in the seemingly symbiotic relationship of cocoa and cassia.

Kellogg s Cinnamon Crunch Krave Cereal 4

A strong churros flavor coats each square, with a lickable, stick-to-your-beard sugary coating blooming into an admirable chocolate taste. In milk, this only gets better. What ensues is a flavor similar to Chocolate Toast Crunch but the chocolate is more concentrated. It is, unexpectedly, one of the better chocolate cereals I’ve had in recent memory.

Kellogg s Strawberry Crunch Krave Cereal

Strawberry Crunch Krave didn’t score as high. The strawberry powder tastes… interesting, which is about as cliché and proverbial as it gets but is nevertheless the most apt description. Overall, it has a kind of toasted sugar taste that doesn’t quite match the succulent and slightly tart sweetness of actual strawberries. It’s also noticeably artificial, much like the sticky granules that covered the short-lived Strawberry Tiny Toast cereal of a few years ago.

Kellogg s Strawberry Crunch Krave Cereal 4

Those hoping for some Neapolitan synergy sans vanilla will be disappointed; even in chilled Vitamin D fortified whole milk, the richness that makes strawberry and chocolate an actual thing is MIA. The chocolate competes with the strawberry powder, combining for two disjointed tastes that never come together in the classic Valentine’s Day combination. The cereal isn’t bad, but it’s a relative letdown.

As seems to be the case with many cereals released in pairs, Kellogg’s has at least one winner among its new Krave varieties. And, while Strawberry Crunch will probably win a few niche fans who were deprived actual fresh fruit as children, my gut feeling is that Cinnamon Crunch will take its rightful place on the shelves next to the other varieties. And, like an offbeat British sitcom, it might just stick around for more than a few years.

Purchased Price: $3.64 (each)
Size: 17.3 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cinnamon Crunch)
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Strawberry Crunch)
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup w/o milk) 180 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Eggo Thick & Fluffy French Toast

Marvo 7 Comments

Kellogg s Eggo Thick Fluffy Classic French Toast

The bread I buy has enough fiber to give me 15% of my recommended daily intake with two slices and has enough seeds in the crust to make a bird caw with excitement. It’s a practical bread I eat for the whole grains and the ability to say I’m eating healthy to my doctor. But it’s not one that makes a decent French toast.

Thankfully, Kellogg’s has its Eggo Thick & Fluffy Classic French Toast that doesn’t require me to whisk eggs, dip UPS driver uniform-colored bread in an egg mixture, and cook it in a skillet. It’s currently available in three varieties — Classic, Blueberry, and Cinnamon Brown Sugar. My local Target only had the Classic one made with Madagascar vanilla.

Using Madagascar vanilla is nice, but this could’ve had New Jersey vanilla and I wouldn’t know the difference between what comes from the coast of Africa or the shores of Jersey. But the vanilla itself is not enough to eat this topping-less.

Kellogg s Eggo Thick Fluffy Classic French Toast with Syrup

It needs butter and something gooey on it, whether it be honey, cheap store brand pancake syrup (which is what I used), or pure maple syrup from a small farm in Vermont that costs $25 for 4 ounces. Okay, it’s not as if it tastes like plain bread slices, but pre-lightly sweetened or flavored it is not. It looks like a nice piece of French toast with the appropriate char and eggy color, and it has a nice soft and fluffy texture, but it lacks a flavor that makes it taste as if it’s gone through an egg mixture of any kind. That’s weird to me.

But who eats French toast without any toppings? Certainly not the French. And, as IHOP and Denny’s can attest, most certainly not Americans. When store brand syrup and cinnamon is added, it’s a tasty part of a complete breakfast.

Kellogg s Eggo Thick Fluffy Classic French Toast Part of a Complete Breakfast

The only issue that truly irked me was the recommended toasting instructions that say to heat it at the lowest setting and two cycles may be necessary. But whether I was toasting one or two, I needed to light up the heating elements more than twice to get the pieces all warmed up. Of course, toasters differ so your results may vary.

Even with that problem and the lack of flavor when plain, Kellogg’s Eggo Thick & Fluffy Classic French Toast is still a fine product. Think of it as an easy to prepare canvas for your sane and insane French toast ideas.

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: 6 slices/box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 slice) 140 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cupcake Pop-Tarts (Frosted Chocolate Cupcake and Frosted Confetti Cupcake)

Marvo 1 Comment

Cupcake Pop Tarts

The only problems with cupcakes are that they’re not really portable or pocketable.

Yes, you could stick a cupcake in one of those plastic clamshell holders that are specially designed to hold just one of them and carry it around in a bag. But if you don’t want cupcake frosting smearing that clear plastic, you have to be very careful with that bag. No dipsy-doodles. Cupcakes also don’t fit in pockets. Don’t @ me your cleaning bills because you wanted to prove me wrong!

But Cupcake Pop-Tarts are portable AND pocketable. No frosting on plastic to worry about. No Googling to find out how to get rid of cake stains. No worrying about peeling back the foil or paper baking cups. And, no one is going to ask you, “What’s the special occasion?”

Cupcake Pop-Tarts are available in one rehashed flavor — Frosted Confetti Cupcake — and one new variety — Frosted Chocolate Cupcake.

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop-Tarts

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop Tarts Sprinkles

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop-Tarts are 2011’s Frosted Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts with an added syllable. Are they really the same? Well, processed food production has evolved over the years, so I’m sure there might’ve been some tweaks made. I’m 95% sure the 2019 version is not EXACTLY the same as the 2011 version. But I’m 100% sure the Pop-Tarts image used on both boxes are EXACTLY the same. See for yourself.

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop Tarts Box

I reviewed the Frosted Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts back in 2011, and I found them to be “yummy enough that I would put them somewhere at the bottom of my list of Top 10 Favorite Pop-Tarts Flavors of All-Time.” Of course, I wrote that a few dozen new Pop-Tarts flavors ago, so that’s no longer the case.

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop Tarts Innards

Whether toasted or straight from the foil wrapper, they have a butteriness and sweetness that equates to a flavor that I would consider as “cake.” So much so that if Kellogg’s wants to rename this flavor again, it could call it Birthday Cake (oh wait, it looks like that was already done). So if you’re into birthday cake-flavored products or you REALLY missed Frosted Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts, go and buy a box.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 16-pack box
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pastries) 360 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 440 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop-Tarts

Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop Tarts Squiggle

This one is, well, chocolatey. It has a chocolatey crust, chocolatey icing with a white squiggle (like Hostess CupCakes), and a sweet white filling.

Unlike Confetti Cupcake, this one’s flavor doesn’t make me think of cake or even a Hostess CupCake. Instead, it reminds me more of other chocolatey Pop-Tarts varieties. Also, I found its chocolatey flavor to be more prominent when the pastry is not toasted.

Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop Tarts Innards

Overall, it’s a good non-fruity Pop-Tart, but another aspect of it that disappointed me was the amount of filling in the ones I ate prior to writing this review (which was four). I wish there was more of it because when I bite into these, I don’t feel the filling ooze out a little when they’re toasted, which is one of the best things about eating a Pop-Tart. It’s also the worst thing because if I toasted one, that filling is like lava in my mouth.

Maybe I got a bad box, but having that oozing sensation would’ve been a nice touch and a more accurate representation of what it’s like to bite into a creme-filled cupcake.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 16-pack box
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pastries) 360 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 410 milligrams of sodium, 68 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 34 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

Are Frosted Confetti Cupcake and Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop-Tarts good?

Yes. And, I’d like to add, they make excellent bread for ice cream sandwiches.

Are they yummy enough that I would put them somewhere at the bottom of my list of Top 10 Favorite Pop-Tarts Flavors of All-Time?

No. But both are definitely in my Top 25.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples of the Pop-Tarts. Doing so did not influence my review in any way, although it seems like it. But I assure you it did not.