ICEE cereal packs the flavor minus the brain freeze

Posted on July 9, 2023 by Joe Evans

Kellogg’s continues to pump out novelty cereals. This time, it’s a berry-flavored cereal inspired by the childhood classic cool beverage, the ICEE. So, is this cereal everything we love about ICEE minus the brain freeze and brightly red or blue tongue? In short, sort of.

But before we dive into the cereal review, let’s take a look at the history of ICEE. (don’t say you never learned anything by reading these reviews)

The ICEE company was started in 1967 in Los Angeles and after some acquisitions and expansion, it has since grown to be the No. 1 frozen beverage brand worldwide.

Good question. I don’t know, but I figured it’d stretch this review out a little longer. Now, let’s grab our spoons and dig into this cereal.

Aesthetics

Upon opening the bag, you definitely will get a strong whiff of the cherry and blue raspberry, the OG ICEE flavors. As you can see from the photo, the cereal is more pink and pale blue than red and blue raspberry. Otherwise, just your typical bag of small puff cereal. The packaging did make me want to go to a movie theater and settle in with an ICEE though.

Snackability

I was pleasantly surprised that I think I enjoy this cereal dry than in milk. The small puffs easily fill the palm of your hand so you can toss them back in your mouth hole. It’s certainly sweet though, so it’s good for a quick sweet fix, but I wouldn’t do more than a couple scoops.

Structural Integrity

The pieces were not as airy as I expected, as if you were eating Kix, but at the same time they were not as crunchy as a Crunchberry. I’d describe the ICEE cereal as more like a Cocoa Puff in structure but with a berry flavor.

Because of this, after a minute, you will find the morsels starting to get soggy. After about 5 minutes, the exterior of the cereal was a little mushy, like an outer layer while the center of the cereal still had a slight crunch.

Flavor

You will certainly taste the cherry and blue raspberry as promised on the box, but the strength of those flavors dissipates once milk is added, compared to eating the cereal dry.

The cereal box also has the written claims that you will “feel the freeze” and that it “cools your mouth as you eat.” I thought to myself, “Of course, it cools your mouth as you eat because you’re using cold milk. Only an animal would use room-temperature milk.”

After first trying the cereal dry, I did feel a unique sensation coating my tongue. It’s hard to explain, but maybe it has to do with the ingredient that is supposed to help cool your mouth with each bite. According to the ICEE promotional copy, the new cereal utilizes an innovative ingredient that cools your mouth as you eat, imitating the familiar sip of a cold ICEE beverage.

Cereal Concept

I will always be a fan of trying to make cereal out of something nostalgic. It does prove a point that if you can make cereal based on a foamy beverage, we can easily make cereal based on other drinks. What about a LaCroix cereal or Jarritos cereal? The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I didn’t hate ICEE cereal. It’s not something I’d buy or eat regularly, given so many other options. However, I do tend to lean more toward sweet and berry-flavored cereal over chocolate ones.

While the cereal is supposed to cool your mouth with each bite, it just doesn’t satisfy the missing feeling of the rush you get when not knowing when that brain freeze is going to hit you when drinking an actual ICEE. I just don’t recommend an ICEE with a bowl of ICEE cereal though, unless you really are feeling frisky. Then by all means you do you and please report back, because I want to know what that combination tasted like and I also want to make sure you’re okay.

Is Nutty Buddy cereal a bust?

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Joe Evans

Kellogg’s and Little Debbie have collaborated again to turn a childhood snack into cereal form. In addition to Oatmeal Creme Pies and Cosmic Brownies, the brands have concocted a Nutty Buddy cereal.

When opening the box and cereal bag, you definitely can smell a scent that reminds me of some sort of latte I’ve ordered. But the question we’re left with is whether or not it is executed well, so let’s find out.

Aesthetics

I’m mainly giving it four spoons because I’m a sucker for bright, vibrant colors on the packaging and it excellently replicates the classic Nutty Buddy snack box branding. The one thing I was leery about was the shape of the cereal pieces because they don’t exactly look like the chocolate and peanut butter wafer bars that we’ve grown accustomed to. The more I stared at the cereal the more I couldn’t decide if they looked like mini bread loaves or dry dog kibble.

Snackability

As mentioned above, the large cereal pieces make it difficult for easy snackability, but at least the pieces are light and aren’t dense, so they’re easily chewable, just as long as you aren’t stuffing more than a couple pieces in at a time. But for me, good snackability is being able to grab a handful of cereal and toss it in your mouth without worrying if you are going to choke or hurt your mouth or jaw. I’m not about to try and look like a squirrel who is loading up my mouth in preparation for winter.

Structural Integrity

You’re going to notice a theme here, as one of the cereal’s missteps is the size of the morsels. The large loaf-like blocks start to absorb milk relatively quickly due to how light they are, so after a few bites, you’ll notice less of a crunch, especially the pieces at the bottom.

Cereal Concept

I will always applaud the attempt of trying to turn unhealthy snacks into unhealthy cereal (I’m still waiting for Little Debbie Christmas Tree snack cake cereal). While the intention was good at trying to sucker me into nostalgia and curiosity, I still can’t get past the size of the cereal.

Flavor

I don’t give out half spoons, otherwise, I would give this category 2.5 spoons. While I mentioned earlier about the smell of the cereal when I opened the bag, the smell doesn’t translate to a strong flavor. Eating the cereal dry, it’s not as chocolate-tasting as I was imagining. From my experience, chocolate-flavored cereal usually tastes like cocoa powder, but this is much more subtle. However, I could definitely taste the hint of a peanut butter wafer. Overall, this was one of the times when I wished the chocolate cereal tasted a little stronger because the flavor only lessens in milk.

Final Thoughts

Of the Little Debbie cereals I’ve had so far, this is probably the less offensive to the tastebuds. It’s a pretty neutral ride from the first bite to the last.

If you haven’t guessed by now, assuming you’ve made it this far into the review and didn’t quit reading, the biggest issue I have is how large the cereal pieces are.

If I was choosing the original snack vs. a cereal made to replicate the snack for breakfast, I’d rather just rip open a Nutty Buddy pack and have them for breakfast because I’m an adult and can make my own choices (even if they’re not the most nutritious)

Bonus Section: Food for Thought

Did you know that Nutty Bars first hit grocery shelves in 1964?

And now let’s address the elephant in the room.

Now known as Nutty Buddy, the name changed to that after decades of being Nutty Bars, around 2016.

Lucky Charms cookies are magically mid

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Joe Evans

You may not have noticed in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store that Pillsbury has collaborated with Lucky Charms to create take-and-bake cookies using the famous cereal’s marshmallows. Basically, think your typical chocolate chip cookies but with marshmallows instead.

And while this isn’t a cereal to review per se, it’s cereal adjacent, so I’m here to offer my takes, in case you want to purchase it for yourself, your kids, or a friend of a friend whose cousin is three times removed from your step-aunt.

Based on the packaging and the cookie depicted, I was optimistic about these dozen cookies. Although, I may have eaten a few pieces in raw cookie dough form, so I could get an idea of how they were raw. Plus, the packaging even encourages you to eat the cookie dough, because they use heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs. You can learn more about Pillsbury’s process at pillsbury.com/SafeToEatRaw.

While it was nice to be able to eat the cookie dough raw and not have to play salmonella roulette, I wasn’t a fan of the marshmallows in this form. They definitely added a cotton candy-like sweetness to the flavor and a crunch like you were chiseling off pieces of Valentine’s Day candy hearts. So, I prefer eating raw cookie dough with chocolate chips in it instead.

On to the baked product.

First off, I suggest waiting to eat the cookie after it has cooled enough and solidified, in order to get an accurate flavor of how the marshmallows play into the cookie dough.

Out of the oven, the Lucky Charms marshmallows looked more like miniature Peeps got incinerated into cookie dough, or that these cookies have really pastel moles that look suspicious and should be checked by a dermatologist.

You can’t taste the marshmallows nearly as much as when the dough is raw, but for me, I preferred the baked cookie.

Overall, much like cereals that try and do wacky mashups, the idea of Lucky Charms cookies is a cute novelty, but it may be trying too hard, almost as hard as trying to make fetch happen. Let’s leave these marshmallows in our cereal bowl, or in Rice Krispies-style bars.

Red, White & Blue Crunch: a patriotic punch to your palate

Posted on July 2, 2022 by Joe Evans

Aesthetics

I don’t have a graphic for 2.5 spoons, so 3 it is. The box is very seasonal with its color scheme and fireworks graphics. I feel like they missed the mark by not dressing the Captain like Uncle Sam.

Rather than the usual pillow-shaped cereal that we’re familiar with from Cap’n Crunch, they went with a star shape, although they look more like starfishes to me. Red, white and blue starfishes swimming in a bowl of milk.

Snackability

Most people associate Cap’n Crunch with scraping the roof of your mouth like you would scrape wallpaper that’s been in your parents’ dining room for the better part of 30+ years. But unlike the people who chose that wallpaper, this cereal still has taste.

Another benefit is that the star shape of it makes it a little airier and not like you’re chomping on gravel. I actually think you could make some solid Rice Krispies bars with this cereal.

Structural Integrity

Because the star shape of the cereal has made it less dense, the cereal does get a little mushy in milk faster than the usual version. But as I mentioned in the previous category, at least this cereal won’t wreck your mouth as bad.

Cereal Concept

Meh. That’s the word I would use to describe the concept of this cereal. It’s nothing unique or innovative. It’s just a seasonal version of the same Cap’n Crunch we’re used to, and for me, I’d rather have the OG.

Flavor

Have you had Cap’n Crunch before? If you have it tastes just like that. I think they should have made the blue and red pieces taste more like blueberry and raspberry, respectively. It would have differentiated this cereal more from its usual lineup.

Final Thoughts

Red, White & Blue Crunch is just Cap’n Crunch dressed up in a costume of star shapes and painted different colors. Do I feel more American and festive after eating a bowl of it? No, I feel like a 40-year-old grown man eating novelty cereal all in the name of entertaining content. (I need better hobbies)

The only thing missing from Wendy’s Frosty cereal is fries

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Joe Evans

It’s been a while since the last cereal review, but sometimes good things happen to those who wait. Other times, it’s this – a cereal review by a hobbyist with too much free time on their hands on a Sunday.

Regardless, prepare yourself to enter the world of Wendy’s Frosty cereal. Yes, just when you thought dipping your fries in a Frosty was the wildest thing you could do to a Frosty, Kellogg’s cereal says hold my milk.

With spoon in hand, let’s get the scoop of what this latest novelty cereal is all about and then you can determine if it’s worth an impulse buy for yourself or your children.

Aesthetics

Full transparency, I’m giving this 5 spoons merely for the fact that the box comes with a coupon for a FREE small Frosty (with purchase). Sure, all the fun facts about Wendy’s Frosty on the back of the box and the unmistakable branding of America’s favorite ginger is nice, but they had me at free Frosty. ‘Nuff said.

The look of the cereal itself is what I could only imagine happens when you combine Cocoa Puffs with marshmallows from S’mores cereal.

Snackability

In theory the snackability of the cereal is good. Nice chocolate-flavored puffs with some sweetness fro the marshmallows. However, the chocolate flavor gets to be too much for me as I prefer a fruity or sweeter flavor of cereal when eating it dry. Also, the marshmallows are really tiny, so you’re bound to drop a few when shoveling a handful of cereal in your mouth.

Structural Integrity

Solid crunch, even when sitting in milk for a little bit. The puffs aren’t as airy as some, which helps maintain that satisfying crunch.

Cereal Concept

In a world where no product is safe from becoming translated into a breakfast cereal, I’ll have to admit that Wendy’s Frosty was not on top of mind. Sure, candy and snack cakes, but a fast food treat? I’m both intrigued and terrified for the day we have the Big Mac cereal. How will they replicate the special sauce flavoring? Anyway, that’s another topic for a different day.

Flavor

The packaging boasts Wendy’s Frosty flavor with use of chocolate flavored multi-grain cereal and marshmallows.

It’s certainly chocolate flavored. It’s not as bitter as come other chocolate cereals I’ve had that sometimes taste like a spoonful of cocoa powder. Once the cereal is in milk for a few moments, the milk certainly helps smooth out the flavor. Just be warned that the chocolate cereal flavor from the cereal lingers in your mouth, so you may want to brush your teeth or take a shot or two of mouth wash to avoid offending breath.

Final Thoughts

As noted by the headline, I still think there was a miss on Wendy’s part to provide a coupon for a free small fry. If you haven’t had a Frosty and dipped fries in it, have you really lived a full life?

While it’s a fun novelty cereal to try if you’re an impulse buyer, I’d say you could skip the cereal and just use the money to buy a bigger Frosty (and fries).

Does JoJo’s cereal live the dream like a candy queen?

Posted on June 27, 2021 by Joe Evans

I know, I know, it’s been awhile since my last cereal review. But I’m back and I brought JoJo Siwa with me…sort of. Full disclosure, I had not idea who Omaha’s own Dance Moms, YouTube and Nickelodeon star was until a couple of years ago. And now she’s apparently immortalized by having her own nationwide distributed cereal.

So here I go…a grown man about to eat JoJo Siwa cereal, all for your entertainment.

Aesthetics

The box is everything that would capture a young fan’s eye while walking down the cereal aisle. Bright pastel colors, stars and of course an image of the cereal’s namesake. In total, JoJo’s image appears five times on the box, in case you forgot whose cereal you were eating. The back of the box provides random JoJo facts and of course the signature JoJo Bow.

As for the cereal itself, it uses the same style of corn puffs that General Mills uses for Cocoa Puffs, Reese’s Puffs, etc. The marshamallows may remind you of Lucky Charms’ marshmallows with their hearts, stars and bow shapes. I’ll touch on that more under the Cereal Concept portion of the review. Basically, a lot of cereal manufacturers don’t reinvent the wheel.

Snackability

JoJo’s cereal isn’t my cup of tea for a variety of reasons, with snackability being one of them. Sure, if you can handle sweet, berry-flavored corn puffs and some marshmallows mixed in, have at it. But for me, it’s a bit much and the after taste is one that can only be eliminated by brushing your teeth, chewing gum or gargling mouth wash…at the same time. Call me old fashion, but I’d settle for dry Honey nut Cheerios.

Structural Integrity

If you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll know that II never think corn puff cereal is very rigid in milk for very long. After a couple minutes you begin losing some crunch and it is more the texture of popcorn beginning to go stale.

And the marshmallows are small, so when they start to get overcome by the milk, they begin losing their color and shape and soon become mushy textured droplets of artificial coloring.

Cereal Concept

A cereal based on current pop-culture celebrity is nothing new. (Mr. T’s cereal that debuted in 1983 is still my favorite). The contents, sweetened strawberry puffs combined with marshmallow shapes of bows, stars and hearts is like if the Leprechaun from Lucky Charms took too much molly and tried to make his own version of Lucky Charms.

In short, it’s like another General Mills product, Franken Berry, except it’s not seasonal.

Flavor

The box boasts that I’m eating sweetened corn puffs with marshmallows, or what they call “Strawberry Bop.” Apparently, it’s naturally flavored with other natural flavors. Does that even make sense?

Strawberry, every time I take a bite, it fills the nostril with the aroma of supposed natural flavors. With each bite, I’m reminded of the taste of Caticorn cereal. If you’ve tried that you will understand what I’m saying. As milk dilutes the cereal as the minutes go by, the potency of the flavor begins to dissipate, leaving you just eating a bowl of pink puffs and once-well defined shaped marshmallows.

Final Thoughts

Missing add to include sprinkle or sparkle to it, similar to what Caticorn cereal promoted.

In the end, it’s the not worst cereal I’ve had and it’s not the best. But, if you have small children who are fans, or Siwanators, of JoJo Siwa, they won’t care and it’ll be the best food they’ve ever eaten. For me, all I can say is that at least it was only $2 when I bought it at HyVee, which is far less than this ridiculous bow I purchased for this cereal review. Apparently you can put a price on dignity and my price is $6.

Oatmeal Creme Pies: the cereal you’ve been waiting for, or just another bore?

Posted on January 16, 2021 by Joe Evans

Another cereal you never thought would be created or was needed is now available, thanks to Kellog’s. The fat kid in me says I should love this cereal even before I try it (I ate so many Oatmeal Creme Pies as a kid that it totally makes sense why I was a fat kid). But I learned a few years ago Oatmeal Creme Pies aren’t just for chubby kid Joe. Apparently, they help fuel championships, as Alabama coach Nick Saban eats two Oatmeal Creme Pies each day for breakfast. So maybe he’s the reason behind this cereal? Let’s find out how a chewy delicious snack translates into a cereal.

Aesthetics

Packaging first: it’s Americana printed on cardboard with all the Little Debbie branding you’d expect and have come to know. I give credit to Kellog’s for clearly setting expectations with the contrasting images of the original snack next to the pieces of cereal. Because let’s be honest, the cereal looks nothing like a cookie, but instead looks more like a bowl of… but hold on to jumping to conclusions.

Snackability

As a dry cereal snack, it’s not too bad. The pieces are a little big, so it may not be for small children to snack on. Think of this cereal thick Cheerios in texture and crunch. The only downside of eating the cereal dry is the light creme coating. It’s not as heavy of a coating as what was on the powdered donettes cereal, but it’s still enough to need a napkin or wet wipe on hand.

Structural Integrity

As mentioned in the above category, the cereal pieces are thick. When pouring the cereal into a bowl, it’s like a child dumping their rock collection into an empty ice cream bucket. But, the cereal is deceiving. Once you pour milk on it (or maybe you’re one of those people who pour milk first then cereal), the light, puffy cereal absorbs milk rather fast. If you’re a person who enjoys a satisfying crunch of cereal in each bite, my recommendation is not to let this cereal wade in milk for too long.

Cereal Concept

I have to be honest, of all the whacky cereals I’ve encountered over the past year or so, this is one I would not have thought of. So I give applause to thinking outside the 2×4 looking Little Debbie box and developing a cereal around a timeless snack. Then again, I could be completely biased because of my love for the original snack, but who cares. This is my blog and review.

Flavor

Rather subdued aroma when opening the bag. You get a slight creme flavor from the creme powder coating that seems activated by milk, but it’s nothing distinct. You also taste a smattering of molasses, cinnamon and nutmeg to provide a little spice to the sweetness.

If I were to really simplify it, I’d describe it as thick Honey Nut Cheerios with powdered sugar dusting

Final Thoughts

Like many novels cereals that create something based off inspiration, this cereal doesn’t taste like a standard Oatmeal Creme Pie, and that probably shouldn’t be expected. However, it’s not a terrible cereal either and is one that I could eat again. So if you temper your expectations and enjoy the ride of novelty then this cereal will do you just fine and ….BAGELS! It looks like a bowl of bagels. That’s what I was thinking of earlier in the review that started with “B.”

Is there a Little Debbie snack you would have rather had made into a cereal than Oatmeal Creme Pies?

Try this cereal you must?

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Joe Evans

Call it fate, or call it a happy coincidence, either way let’s call this a cereal review of Star Wars: The Mandalorian cereal by General Mills. I’d like to say that I timed this perfectly to coincide with the release of season 2 of the Disney Plus show, but actually it was dumb luck. So is this the go-to cereal to eat while binging season 2? Maybe.First off, you know this was a Sam’s Club purchase because who else needs a jumbo box of cereal with 2 bags in it? I don’t need more help to gain weight in 2020, General Mills.

Aesthetics

Let’s start with the packaging. It’s what you’d expect for a cereal based on a TV series. However, the image of The Child staring at you from the box gives me a feeling like it’s judging me or will be disappointed if I don’t like the cereal. Before we talk about the cereal itself, I appreciate the directions on the box of how to close the top of it, after opening. (sarcasm)

Opening 1 of the 2 bags of cereal, you’re met with the fruity smell, but you wouldn’t expect it looking at yellow morsels with green marshmallows. And speaking of the marshmallows, I know they’re supposed to be The Child, but they kind of look like a horizontal, double-sided apostrophe. Or, maybe it’s the Facebook Messenger icon? The majority of the cereal is small round pieces. Think Cocoa Puffs in size and texture, but not taste.

*Pro tip: Before opening the bag of cereal, take it out of the box, and shake it up a little so the marshmallows can be more evenly dispersed in your bowl.

Snackability

I think I like this cereal better dry than in milk. The pieces are nice and small, crunchy and round, so it’s easily portable and if you or the kids spill it, it’s far easier to clean up than flakes or other cereal that tends to break into even smaller pieces. Overall, the cereal provides a satisfying crunch, and is easily enjoyed while sitting on the couch and watching all things Star Wars.

Structural Integrity

This cereal is pretty solid when soaking up milk.Thanks to the small, condensed puffs, this cereal doesn’t take on water as fast as some. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a nice crunch with this cereal, but not tear up your mouth crunchy and rough.

Cereal Concept

The concept isn’t original (there’s been plenty of Star Wars-themed cereals). In fact, I feel like a cereal is just part of the marketing plan for a movie/TV show. If you didn’t have the box art, you’d just have a bowl of round yellow puffs that look like the inside of a Nerf ball, and odd-shaped marshmallows. Now, that I think of it, maybe giving it 3 spoons in this category was too high. What do you think?

Flavor

As I ate the cereal dry and with milk, I kept trying to think of a good comparison to make. The pieces look like blonde Cocoa Puffs, with Lucky Charms marshmallow rejects, but overall the cereal tastes like Trix.

Milk does not impact taste of this cereal. With milk, it tastes like a healthy dog’s nose feels: cold and wet.

The marshmallows are more of a garnish to the cereal and a way to make it kind of look like The Child’s head.

Final Thoughts

I would eat Stars Wars: The Mandalorian cereal in box, I would eat it with a fox. I would eat it with a lynx, but I would not eat it with Jar Jar Binks.

Overall, this cereal is worth a second bowl for me and I’d eat it again. Would I buy another box? Probably not, but it’s worth a try once, especially if you’re a Star Wars: The Mandalorian fan.

Funfetti cereal isn’t as fun as it advertises

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Joe Evans

It’s probably telling how a cereal will be, if you can’t find out who the manufacturer is. All I know is Pillsbury decided to try to mimic the flavor of cake into a box of cereal. While it sounds like a good idea and maybe incredibly surgary…

So is Funfetti cereal fun in a box? Here are my thoughts.

Aesthetics

I think the most common cereal shapes are rings and puffs. Funfetti cereal falls into the latter. From the look on the box, you expect little cake-tasting puffs with dashes of sprinkles on each piece. But when you open the box and pour it in a bowl, what you see is a bowl of dusted Kix with colorful speckles. And they said sprinkles were for winners. I don’t think any us won in this.

While the cereal looks underwhelming, at least the packaging screams “look at me, I’m fun, I swear.” While vibrant colors and use of the word “fun” multiple times cover the box, this cereal is a box of lies. With that said, I’m a sucker for the back of the box, because of a word search and other puzzles on it.

Snackability

Eating Funfetti cereal dry, you’ll notice a faint sweet vanilla taste that doesn’t linger long, unlike that guest that comes over and never gets the hint to leave after everyone else has. Could I sit and eat handfuls of this cereal? No. But if you come home and just need a quick, sweet fix a few pieces of this cereal will satisfy. Overall, it kind of reminds me of the powder donut cereal but tempered down.

Structural Integrity

The worst attribute of Funfetti cereal is fighting off sogginess. If the cereal was the Titanic, milk is the ocean, and we all know how that turned out. The time between crunchy pieces of cereal to texture similar to Boba tea balls is minimal. So if you’re eating this cereal, my suggestion would be to do so fast.

Cereal Concept

The idea of Funfetti cereal seems like a good one. The trouble is trying to transfer the idea from vision boards to a cereal bowl. And like most things in life, things get lost in transfer. But it’s 2020, and at this point, we’re just throwing ideas against a wall to see what sticks, right?

Flavor

When you open the package of cereal for the first time, you get a hint of Funfetti cake, and you think that may be a good sign. However, the flavor of the cereal isn’t very potent at all. There’s a subtle sweetness to it and a hint of vanilla and almost times of berry. When you add milk to the cereal, it decreases the flavor even more, at least it did for me. So, if you were worried that this cereal would be too sweet, don’t worry about it. In fact, let your kids eat 1 giant box each. Okay, maybe not, but you get the point.

Final Thoughts Upon reading a book by the cover with this cereal, you think there’s going to be a party in your mouth with each bite of Funfetti cereal. And if your definition of party is watching someone’s vacation slideshow while eating carrot sticks, Wheat Thins and room temperature water then this cereal is for you. So my recommendation is make an excuse not to go to this party and stay home with a box of a different cereal.

Is DUNKIN’ cereal a slam dunk?

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Joe Evans

The best part of waking up is Dunkin’ in your bowl? Yeah, nothing about that sounds right.

Then again it’s 2020 and all bets are off.

So what better time for Post Cereals to continue its trend of novelty cereals with a Dunkin’ collaboration. We’re given two varieties based on some classic coffee orders: caramel machiatto and mocha latte.

But is coffee flavored cereal a part of a complete breakfast with your coffee? Let’s find out.

Aesthetics

Aesthetically, both varieties go with the usual puff flavored pieces, mixed with marshmallows (the same kind of marshmallows found in their S’mores cereal.

The boxes are nicely branded in the familiar Dunkin’ color scheme. The two-tone box is similar to the design of their Honey Bunches of Oats cereals.Perhaps the most interesting part of an otherwise normal cereal box is that it doesn’t just house cereal, but also information. Each box has a different backing. One gives you history lesson of Dunkin’ while the other box boasts random coffee facts.

Snackability

Crunchy, sweet. Small pieces. Portability and snackability are good. However, I’d recommend snacking on the caramel macchiato version over the mocha latte. For me, the latter is just too cocoa/coffee flavored so it makes it hard to eat more than a small handful at a time. Side note, if I could just get a baggie of the flavored mini marshmallows found in this cereal that would be amazing.

Structural Integrity

Good and solid. The cereal held up crunchy by the final bite, but this depends on how fast you eat, I suppose. If you have had any sort of puff cereal, (i.e. Cocoa Puffs, Crunch Berries, Kix, etc, the structural integrity is very similar.)

Cereal Concept

Post Cereals has been a leader when it comes to new novelty cereals. Everything from Sour Patch Kids, Chicken and Waffles to Twinkies cereal. Creating a coffee cereal must have seemed like the next logical step. So I will give credit where it’s due. Just when you think they couldn’t think of another weird cereal offering, Post Cereals says, “hold my milk” and gives us something outside of the box.

Flavorfor the caramel macchiato and for mocha latte

Two cereals with two stark differences in taste.

The caramel macchiato is by far the better tasting. The pieces of round cereal are sweetened and combined with the marshmallows you get that hint of caramel flavoring. When I poured milk over it and took a bite, it seemed as if the milk ignited the flavor and pulled it out even more. Maybe it provided that cream-like flavor to combine with the caramel to make it taste buttery smooth.

What didn’t have a smooth flavor was the mocha latte flavor. When opening the box of mocha latte, you instantly get hit a strong scent of cocoa/coffee. If you can’t smell it then you may need to check your senses. As I ate the cereal, I couldn’t help but think I was eating a little more bitter version of Cocoa Puffs. Maybe I’m cuckoo?

Overall, the mocha flavor over powers any sweetness from the marshmallows which seem more like a garnish than helping to increase the flavor.

Final Thoughts

Let’s call a spade a spade. Dunkin cereal is obviously a gateway for children to begin their coffee addiction earl. Right?

In all seriousness, the cereal was better than anticipated. I thought maybe it would have a bite to it, like a cup of black coffee. However, the caramel macchiato was pleasant and the mocha latte was okay if you like cocoa cereals. I’d recommend the caramel macchiato and maybe wash it down with a coffee. (No, the milk doesn’t taste like iced coffee)