Just when I thought I was out, glazed balls pull me back in… to doing a cereal review.
While strolling down the aisle of the local store, my eyes were suddenly attracted to a box that said GLAZED Holes, and I knew this was a cereal I needed to try, and review, if only for the gimmick itself.
Apple Jacks Glazed Donut Holes, along with Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops and Krave, are cereals that Kellogg’s released with a donut hole theme.
While the cereal box touts “max glaze,” you don’t have to worry about me glazing (that’s what the kids say these days, right?) Apple Jacks Glazed Donut Holes, subjectively.
Grab your spoons and let’s dig into these sweetened glazed balls!
Aesthetics
Let’s start with the cereal box itself. It gives you the classic Apple Jacks branding and colors, so you know right away what it is. But instead of the unmistakable Apple Jacks rings, you’re greeted with a giant ball, or donut hole-shaped, piece of cereal with red speckles. Not gonna lie, it kind of reminded me of seeing graphics of viral diseases with spheres with things attached to them.
When you pour the cereal into a bowl, you see dry glazed balls of cereal, similarly shaped as Cocoa Puffs or Kix. It doesn’t look all that appealing, if I’m being honest, but the cereal box claims, and I’m slightly paraphrasing, that you can have more glaze on balls than rings that results in more flavor.
Snackability
I like that the cereal is small and round, which makes it easy to grab a handful to snack on. However, the cereal’s texture is a bit rough and dense, so be prepared. Think of it as raw-dogging Cap’n Crunch, if Cap’n Crunch was round.
Structural integrity
For the reasons noted in the Snackability category, this donut hole Apple Jacks cereal handles milk well and remains crunchy long enough to finish a bowl of it. These sugar pellets are so dense that it takes a while for milk to penetrate it and soften the cereal. And when the milk does begin to saturate the cereal, the mushiness is less than ideal.
Cereal Concept
We’ve seen other donut cereals in the past. See my review on Hostess’ donettes cereal, or my review on Tim Horton’s timbits, so the idea of a donut-inspired cereal is nothing new. However, I can appreciate and respect the fact of trying to go outside the conventional box and do a mash-up on donut-flavor cereal using classic cereals as a base.
Flavor
Before taking a bite, I always conduct a smell test, so I can get a sense of the cereal’s aroma. Think of it like when you see people swirl and sniff a freshly poured glass of red wine and begin telling you all the notes they are picking up with their nose, but less fancy.
The smell of the cereal out of the box initially gives off a strong hint of donuts rather than Apple Jacks, and definitely doesn’t look like Apple Jacks, save for the red speckles. They tout a lot of glazed flavor on the holes, but to me, it tasted more like a dusting.
The unique flavor is fun as a novelty, and maybe to try for one bowl, however, it’s not something I would have regularly. I’m not saying it’s bad-tasting, just different, and different isn’t bad, it’s just doesn’t always have to be a constant in my cereal lineup.
Final thoughts
I’m glad I’m typing this review instead of sharing it verbally, because my jaw is a bit tired after eating two bowls of Apple Jacks GLazed Donut Holes cereal. Overall, it was a fun, nice try at something different for Kellogg’s, however, I don’t think I need glazed balls or glazed holes as part of my breakfast cereal. To put it in terms that Kellogg’s fans will recognize, this cereal is okay, it’s just not Grrrrreat.
About the 5-spoon rating system: Every good review needs a rating system, and when it comes to cereal, I have derived my own. Each cereal I try will be reviewed in a few different categories and given ratings of 1 to 5 spoons, with 5 being the best. In addition to the categories I will use to rate the cereals on, I will also give a final verdict about the cereal.
I
scream, you scream, we all scream for Orange Cream?
For being how infamously textured the cereal is dry it doesn’t do all that well when sitting in milk for a handful of minutes. For me, the cereal starts getting a little mushy after 5 minutes. If you still want a little bit of crunch, as in the namesake of the cereal, then I advise stirring it like you would a pot of boiling pasta periodically to keep it from resting at the bottom too long.
When I first heard the words, “Magic Spoon” I wasn’t sure what to think. Is it magic like the old trick of making the bend look like it’s rubber? Or, maybe it’s like being the big spoon or little spoon when cozying up next to your partner, but you’re wearing a wizard’s hat. Much to my chagrin, Magic Spoon was none of these.
The artwork on Magic Spoon boxes is always very interesting and very distinct to its brand. This one features some sort of person lunging with an elephant on its back, because sure, why not? The back of the box features messaging from Magic Spoon to further differentiate itself from other cereals, but it’s not all education. They also included a maze for you to do on the back.
The biggest surprise for me when it came to this cereal was in this category. Having eaten plenty of circle-shaped cereals in the past, I assumed this one would fare like the others and be mushy and soggy within minutes. But alas, I was proven wrong. Many minutes went by and the pieces of the cereal that hovered at the bottom of the cereal bowl still had a crunch to them. Maybe this is the real magic behind Magic Spoon.
How you doin’? (hopefully, you read that in the proper Joey Tribbiani voice). I’ve returned with a new cereal review of our favorite Friends. This new-ish Friends cereal is brought to us by General Mills in a small box that packs a heavy punch of hearty whole wheat and cornflakes. You can find it in your local cereal aisle if you want to pair it while watching reruns of the classic sitcom.
As always, we begin this review by judging (er, reviewing) the box by its cover. If you’re a Friends fan, which I assume you would be if you were buying and eating this cereal, then you automatically recognize the colors used, the photo frame that adorned the door of Monica’s rent-controlled apartment, and the inspiration of the cereal: Central Perk.
When opening the bag, you certainly get the whiff of vanilla bean and a hint of the coffee smell. The reason I am only going with 2 spoons though is that the smell of the cereal doesn’t carry over as strongly when you eat it. I was left thinking that I could use some more vanilla flavor to it, as the wheat and cornflakes seemed to overpower the hit of vanilla bean latte flavor. As mentioned earlier, that flavor only disappears more when milk is added. But, if you’re someone who thinks cereal is often too sweet then maybe this combination will be right up your alley. In the end, I can safely say it tastes miles better than eating wax.
Cookie Butter is a new cereal flavor that was brought to Walmart shelves for the first time this year. It joins a returning Caramel Apple cereal, as a seasonal offering.
I know what you’re thinking, “Five spoons?! What? How? Why?” I applaud a “generic brand” for doing a new flavor like cookie butter. In fact, it’s the first time in my memory that a company has done a cereal flavored as cookie butter. So, for that reason, I gave it all the spoons possible. The marketing and packaging isn’t flashy, but the idea behind the cereal is something different, so you have to tip your cap to them for this one. 
The first sniff of the cereal after opening the package and you’re greeted with a “cookie butter” aroma. It tastes just like it smells – sweet and buttery. You do get some Golden Graham flavor vibe to it too. Eating it dry, the flavor can become a little overpowering if you eat too many pieces of it.
Samoa Joe and Cap’n Crunch go hand-in-hand. Joe is the captain of the ship as the current AEW Wold Champion. He’s a savvy veteran with a stout build and like Cap’n Crunch can tear up the roof of your mouth, Samoa Joe can rip any opponent to shreds. 
Timeless Toni Stom and Life Cereal may seem like an odd pairing, but hear me out. What cereal is as timeless as LIFE? The cereal hasn’t aged in all these years, and you could indeed describe it as timeless, just like Toni.
Bryan Danielson as Grape Nuts – need I say more?
The current edition of The Elite (Mathew and Nicholas Jackson and Kazuchika Okada) are a powerful trio with a brand so powerful that it dominates globally. So what cereal trio is better to be than Rice Krispies’ Snap, Crackle and Pop?
Mercedes Mone’, the CEO, brings a big personality and a global brand. So, you’d assume I’d pick a flashy cereal to be her counterpart, I chose the No. 1 cereal seller globally, Cheerios. It’s untouchable and a leader among others. A true CEO of cereal.
Will Ospreay is the aerial assassin with infectious energy and athletic ability unmatched. When I think of those qualities and cereal, I automatically think of Tony the Tiger and Frosted Flakes. And like Frosted Flakes, this brub is f’n Grrreat!
Julia Heart is the princess of the black throne and keeper of secrets. Whatmore, she often overwhelms her opponents with mist, mind games and tricks. She’s no silly rabbit, but I’m pretty sure she has every color of mist to match the Trix cereal pieces.
Danhausen is very nice and very evil and to me he is very Count Chocula. Just look at him, what other cereal would you think of first when you see Danhausen? Maybe it’s the cape that really brings the two together?
We know whose house it is (Swerve’s house!) and just like Swerve is a household name in professional wrestling, it only makes sense that he’d be a household cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. 
Much like how the OG, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a classic household name, Thunder Rosa is one for AEW. But la mera mera brings some spice and edge to the ring with each and every opponent. So I’m going with Cinnamon Toast Crunch Churros for her.
Harley Cameron as Cocoa Puffs, you know, because she’s cuckoo (don’t tell her I called her that though)
To me, when I think Darby Allin as a cereal I think of a sugar rush with as fast and reckless he operates in the ring. What comes to mind is Sugar Smacks with its mascot Dig’em. 
Willow Nightingale is one-of-a-kind. A powerhouse with personality and positivity. You could say she’s a unicorn in the industry. Therefore, I chose Kellog’s Unicorn cereal for Willow. 
Kris Statlander can be sweet and occasionally bubbly outside of the ring, but inside she’s pure power and grit. So when you think of a sweet cereal that’s rough and tough, but can pop with color, you have to think of Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries
Orange Cassidy as Fruit Loops —need I say more?
Abadon is the living dead girl, so what better cereal for her to be than Carmella Creeper cereal, the cereal whose namesake is a zombie character. 
I chose Golden Grahams for Deonna Purrazzo. The main reason is when I hear the words “Golden Grahams,” I think gold and I see gold in the future for The Virtuosa. 
Skye Blue as Boo Berry, because, you know, she’s somewhat spooky and is also blue. I tell you, some of these just write themselves. 
Snackability
General Mills has a history of creme-filled cereals (see Fillows), and there’s a reason why none really had staying power.
Opening the bag, I didn’t note a strong scent of berry-flavored cereal. It wasn’t until biting into a piece that it reminded me of that Crunchberry flavor, sans the sandpaper texture of a Crunchberry. After eating the cereal both dry and in milk, it’s certainly sweet, as you might expect. I ate two bowls of it and my mouth still has that aftertaste.
Final Thoughts
Trix LOADED isn’t inventing the wheel when it comes to offering cereal with a vanilla creme filling. And for me, it was barely Trix as I knew it. It could have been any other berry-flavored cereal due to its unrecognizable shape and color. So while it doesn’t hit the nail on the head in breaking new ground, it does accomplish giving consumers a berry sweet treat with each spoonful.
Does this make me want to try other LOADED varieties? Probably not, unless someone can for certain tell me that Cinnamon Toast Crunch LOADED tastes like a frosted cinnamon roll. If so, then we can talk.
For now, leave well enough alone when it comes to the classic cereals. If we want to go wild and bold, then give me the whacky flavors, or create cereals that we’d never think should have ever been made into cereals.
It’s spooky season, so what better time than now to do a review on a classic cereal with a twist. Many of us are familiar with seasonal classics such as Boo Berry, Franken Berry and of course Count Chocula. So what does Genera Mills do? In recent years, the brand decided to make a mash-up and now we have Monster Mash Remix that now features the newest monster character, Carmella Creeper. Before we dive into the review, you may be asking, “Who the heck is Carmella Creper?” Well, Carmella Creeper is a DJ who apparently is the long-lost cousin of Franken Berry.
Have you ever wondered what Canadian Cocoa Puffs would look like? Swap out the loopy coo-coo bird for a cartooony rabbit and you have Nesquik cereal. Although, Cocoa Puffs are sold in Canada, but I digress.
Let’s first judge a book, or in this case a cereal, by its cover. The unmistakable Nesquik branding of the blue and yellow is instant nostalgia for me, thinking back to my youth when my sister would make glasses of chocolate milk with scoops of Nesquik powder and then leave the glasses strung around the house. Then there is my memory of mom making me what I called a “malt” when she would add a couple of scoops of Nequik powder with scoops of vanilla ice cream and milk and blend it all together with a hand mixer.
As for the cereal itself, the pieces are small round mounds of chocolate textured cereal, similar to what you’d come to expect if you have ever eaten Cocoa Puffs or any other similar chocolate cereal. The cereal box does advertise that the cereal will turn your milk into chocolate milk, and I will say it does a good job. I’m not one who typically drinks their cereal milk, but this did taste like Nesquik chocolate milk.
Nesquik cereal is. a good size to snack on, but the chocolate flavor might limit how much you could snack on, unless you really, really like cocoa flavor. I will say that there is a nice, satisfying crunch with each piece.
Cereal Concept
PS: Do you know how hard it is to type the “quick” incorrectly because that’s how Nesquik uses it? I just had to go in and replace all the Nesquicks with Nesquiks. Good grief. 
Canada, the big landmass of a country and neighbor to the north. The country is so big it has two national sports: hockey and lacrosse. A country that has given the world artists like Bret “the Hitman” Hart, Celine Dion, and most importantly the rapper, Snow.
So today, I put on the finest mountie hat money can buy on Amazon that goes with my Canadian tuxedo, holster a bottle of maple syrup, and give you a preempted “sorie” for reading this review. With all of that out of the way, how aboot we crack open this box of Tim Horton’s timbits birthday cake cereal and get into the review, eh?
Due to the small condensed nature of the cereal, timbits birthday cake cereal is decently strong and compact.
Cereal Concept
