REVIEW: Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal

Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal

Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal confuses me, much like the puzzle on the back of its box.

I’ll get to the cereal in a moment, but the Arctic Water Park puzzle is lame. The game asks, “Who’s going to make a splash? Follow the slides and see who ends up in the Polar Bear pond!” Now, I believe almost every solver will look at the numbered flags and start with Slide #1. And guess what? Yeah, SPOILER ALERT, Slide #1 leads to Polar Bear pond.

Why make the first choice the correct choice that turns the slide into a drive-thru window for the polar bear? Because it’s so quick to solve, children will now be forced to avoid conversations with their parents by watching TikTok videos on their phones.

As for the cereal itself, it confuses me because I thought all Honey Bunches of Oats varieties had only frosted flakes. I guess that wasn’t the case, and maybe I should start taking my time eating Honey Bunches of Oats so I can catch whatever nuances they have, instead of scarfing it down before the flakes get super soggy.

Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal Closeup

Every corn flake in the box is frosted, but I kept wondering how much of the coating is on them because they’re not as sugary as Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes or what General Mills has been using. They are sweeter than the flakes with other Honey Bunches of Oats varieties, but the cereal overall tastes less sweet than my go-to Honey Bunches of Oats variety, Honey Roasted.

The coating may not make the cereal as sugary as I expected, but it helps the flakes remain crunchy for a little longer than other Honey Bunches of Oats varieties. So all the crunch lifting isn’t done by just the granola clusters, and I don’t have to scarf it down to avoid Sogsville. But, sadly, the bunches themselves taste bland.

Even though I’d like it to be a little sweeter, Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted is a satisfying cereal. But unlike the answer to the slide puzzle on the back of the box, it’s not choice #1 when it comes to Honey Bunches of Oats.

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 20 oz. box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal

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: Post Mega Stuf Oreo O’s Cereal

Post Mega Stuf Oreo O s Cereal

Post Mega Stuf Oreo O’s Cereal contains the same Oreo O’s you know and nodded your head to when it appeared on a BuzzFeed list called something like “49 Discontinued Cereals That We NEED In Our Bowls NOW To Make Milk Taste Better” that you scrolled through many years ago. But, it also has white marbits that symbolize the “Mega Stuf” part of the cereal.

Basically, it’s Oreo O’s with marshmallows. While it’s a Walmart-exclusive for its debut, it’ll end up at other retailers later.

Oreo O’s is already a great cereal, but does the addition marshmallows make it better?

I think so, but they don’t create a vast difference that’ll make you shun regular Oreo O’s and shake your head if you come upon it in a BuzzFeed list called something like “35 Discontinued Cereals You’d Taste Again If You Had A Time Machine.”

Post Mega Stuf Oreo O s Cereal Bowl

The marshmallows add a stronger creme element and a texture that’s different from the crunchy, chocolatey loops that taste slightly reminiscent of Oreo wafers. There are enough of the 1950s medication-looking marbits to ensure there is at least one with every spoonful.

But even with all those white marshmallows, the chocolate-to-creme flavor ratio doesn’t lean more toward the creme as it does with an actual Mega Stuf Oreo Cookie, which can make it a little cloying. Instead, it’s more like Oreo Thins, which I love.

While this is a wonderful cereal, it doesn’t make the milk chocolatey, which is a little disappointing because the same company that makes Cocoa Pebbles Cereal, which could be considered an instant chocolate milk mix, makes this.

Post Mega Stuf Oreo O s Cereal Closeup

If you have a Wikipedia’s worth of cereal knowledge, like these folks, you’d know that Mega Stuf Oreo O’s is similar to Extreme Creme Taste Oreo O’s from 2002 and the cereal sold in Korea that we reviewed several years ago.

Mega Stuf Oreo O’s should be THE Oreo O’s Cereal. With the addition of marshmallows, there’s a better flavor balance between the creme and chocolate that’s more similar to an actual Oreo cookie than the original cereal.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample of the product. Doing so did not influence my review in any way.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 16.5 oz. box
Purchased at: Received from representatives for Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/4 cup) 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Honey Brunches of Oats Chicken & Waffles and Maple Bacon Donuts Cereals

Post Honey Brunches of Oats Limited Edition Chicken  Waffles Cereal

It’s odd to see onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, marjoram, sage, and thyme in the ingredients list for a breakfast cereal. But there they are on the side of the box for Limited Edition Honey Brunches of Oats Chicken & Waffles Cereal.

Oh, this is NOT an April Fools joke.

Even though I have the skills, software, mischievous disposition, and a nearby FedEx Office to print what I need to create fake packaging, Honey Brunches of Oats Chicken & Waffles and Maple Bacon Donuts Cereals are real. Pinch yourself, slap yourself, tickle yourself, or drop your phone on your toe to prove you’re not dreaming.

Post Honey Brunches of Oats Limited Edition Maple Bacon Donuts Cereal

Post has rolled out these two flavors to celebrate National Cereal Day, which is celebrated annually on March 7 and celebrated almost daily by those who have a large dedicated section in their kitchen for cereal.

Chicken & Waffles combines waffle-shaped maple cereal, savory chicken drumstick-shaped pieces, and frosted and unfrosted flakes. Maple Bacon Donut comes with dark-colored smoky donut-shaped loops and frosted and unfrosted flakes. To be honest, eating unfrosted flakes is scarier than chomping on chicken-flavored cereal.

Post Honey Brunches of Oats Limited Edition Chicken  Waffles Cereal Closeup

Post Honey Brunches of Oats Limited Edition Maple Bacon Donuts Cereal Closeup

Even though chicken and bacon are in the names, the meat flavoring is artificial, and Post makes sure to let you know with disclaimers that say no chickens or pigs were harmed in the making of either cereal.

Both have that sweet underlying aroma that’s present with any Honey Bunches of Oats variety. That smell is a good start, but it doesn’t lead to a satisfying finish.

When eaten alone, I could taste the onion powder, garlic powder, etc. used with the chicken-shaped pieces and the artificial smokiness in the cereal loops. I could see myself eating the former as a snack, even though it seems weird to have them in a bowl of cereal and I don’t think of them as tasting like “fried chicken.” But the acrid smoky flavor from the latter doesn’t sit right with my tongue. Perhaps “smoky” isn’t the right adjective. It’s more like sweet burnt flavored.

As odd as it sounds to have those flavors in breakfast cereal, most of the savoriness gets lost among the sweeter components. With the chicken pieces, there are moments when I taste it, but for the most part, the maple stands out. The bacon-flavored loops also fade into the rest of the cereal. Thankfully, the burntness isn’t too noticeable, but all the different flavors seem to negate each other in an unusual way that creates a bland tasting cereal.

As you can tell, if I had to choose one over the other, it would be Chicken & Waffles by a lot. It’s 95 percent waffle/maple flavored, which makes for a decent cereal, but I wish I could taste more chicken.

With both it’s disappointing they aren’t either great tasting or really gross. If they were great tasting, I’d encourage you to buy them so you could experience the magic. If they were really gross, I’d encourage you to buy them for novelty sake and so you could experience the horror. But since they are neither, I don’t think they’re worth your time or money, or a good way to celebrate National Cereal Day.

Thanks to TIB reader Dale M for sending me both cereals.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 11 oz. box (Chicken & Waffles)
Size: 13 oz. box (Maple Bacon Donuts)
Purchased at: Giant Eagle
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Chicken & Waffles)
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Maple Bacon Donuts)
Nutrition Facts: (3/4 cup without milk) Chicken & Waffles – 110 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 40 milligrams of potassium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Maple Bacon Donuts – 110 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 45 milligrams of potassium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Post Hostess Donettes Cereal

Post Hostess Donettes Cereal

Hitting shelves just in time to take advantage of America’s nationwide diet-fatigue following a month of calorie counting and gym-going, Hostess has recently collaborated with Post to release a dynamic duo of breakfast cereals drawing inspiration from two of their most iconic treats!

Advertising miniature donut-shaped pieces coated in a dusting of superfine powdered sugar, it’s easy to see why Hostess’s Donettes cereal would lure weary resolutioners away from Post’s more “healthful” (i.e. boring) offerings. After all, why settle for Shredded Wheat when you can chow down on a bowl of Donettes for breakfast?

Tempting premise aside, my less than awesome experience with Kellogg’s recent Pop-Tarts cereals caused me to be a just a bit skeptical towards how accurately Post would be able to portray the nostalgic fried delights in spoonable form.

Post Hostess Donettes Cereal w Cheerios

My trepidation turned out to be unjustified, though, because Post actually did a really good job with these. Each piece truly resembled the famous mass-produced dough rings, and dwarfed Cheerios by size alone. The sugary outer dust of each miniature donut directed the cereal’s flavor profile, much like with actual Donettes. I think the ultrafine sugar arguably worked even better in this instance, since it wasn’t thick enough to require you to have a glass of water on hand to help you get them down.

Post Hostess Donettes Cereal Bowl

It holds up surprisingly well in milk, too, especially since it’s just shy of 50% sugar by weight. This isn’t Captain Crunch or anything, but I was able to finish my bowl before it got soggy. Better yet, the sweet dust surrounding each morsel was similarly robust, and I was able to detect its presence even on my final few bites.

Post Hostess Donettes Cereal Closeup

At the end of the day, is this the most unique breakfast item out there? Probably not. That dubious honor undoubtadly belongs to Jimmy Dean’s Blueberry Pancakes & Sausage On-A-Stick. Even so, Donettes Cereal is still tasty in its own right, and it’s the marketing that really allows eating this to be an experience of its own. If nothing else, I would tell people to give this a shot just so they could experience the simple joy of shoving donuts into their mouth by the spoonful.

Now, please excuse me while I pour myself another bowl of Donettes.

Purchased Price: $3.98
Size: 18 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 150 calories, 50 calories from fat, 6 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 25 milligrams of potassium, 24 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.