Woof, what a year: and that’s saying something, since I’m a cat person.

I’ll be honest, this was the hardest end-of-year best-of list I’ve had to put together since starting this blog in 2015. Sad to say, but 2022 just was not a strong year for new cereals. You know it’s bad when two out of my top 5 released way back in January, and another didn’t even reach mainstream shelves at all.

I’m no economist, gastronomist, nor Nostradamus, so I really can’t make any authoritative statements on what went wrong with ’22’s meagre chews and what that bodes for the future of cereal, but if I could summarize my observations in two words, I’d go with misplaced innovation. I know that sounds heinous considering how big of a proponent I am for doing new things in the cereal aisle, but when those new things consisted mainly of collectible hypebeast box collabs and the kind of temperature thaumaturgy that resulted in the year’s two worst cereals, maybe by “innovation” I mean I just want to see decadent new flavor explorations, rather than flashy cardboard or outright alchemy.

But enough about the bad apples: let’s focus on the good noodles.

5. Sweet & Salty Pebbles Shake-Ups!

Case in point: you don’t need to pepper spray nor liquid nitrogenize my taste buds to do something creative with cereal. Something as simple as adding a salty note to your sweet is enough to be memorable. With a tasty trifecta of birthday cake puffs, Waffle Crisp squares, and little pretzel nubbins, these Pebbles Shake-Ups managed to not only bring back the best, non-poultried parts of Post’s infamous Chicken & Waffles Cereal, but it also did the unthinkable my making me enjoy a birthday cake cereal. Turns out all it takes is, y’know, a little extra flavor on top of plain ol’ confetti’d sugar. Go figure!

Bite-Sized Review: I'll admit, I was wrong. Thought this would be another cheap reshaping a la CTC Churros, but the lil rounds work SO well.

They allow for safer high-velocity munching, plus the little perforated swirls allow more flavor dust to settle into their sweet crevasses pic.twitter.com/ZOVmSF54RM

— Cerealously 🥛🥣 (@cerealouslynet) July 12, 2022

4. Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls

This one surprised me: I figured Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls would be just like Cinnamon Toast Crunch Churros: reshaping the familiar Toast Crunch recipe into something that’s blander and airier at worst, or just-alright at best. But nope: the small size of these Rolls led to a Toast Crunch experience that was somehow even more densely cinna-dusted than the original, and in milk it all cohered all the more sublimely. Granted, it’s not the best Toast Crunch product on this list, but it’s miles above the sizzling torment of CinnaFuego.

3. General Mills Golden Grahams S’Mores Filled Bites

This one feels unfair, or maybe like I’m bragging. General Mills Filled Bites were a proposed revival of their short-lived filled pillow cereal concept. Problem is, this reboot never made it out of the Minnesotan test markets from which I was lucky enough to procure a box. And frankly, I’ll never understand how both these and Fillows failed. They’re just. So. Good. And this Golden Grahams S’Mores variety especially was a much-needed spinoff for the typically overlooked Golden Grahams family. If there’s one thing I hope for in 2023, it’s the rise of even more dense and indulgent cereals like these Filled Bites, but it would seem that breakfasters at large still prefer their cereals lightly puffed and vacuous. Which, hey, I can’t argue with results, but I, personally, want my munchins to way me down like a lead balloon.

2. Peanut Butter Plentifull 

See? Cereals with massive mass just win in my books. And Plentifull even tried to work this into its branding, positioning itself as as uniquely filling cereal. But if the dwindling availability of this stuff since its January release is any indication, satiety simply isn’t as compelling to would-be breakfasters as a kooky cartoon mascot. Which is, again, a shame, since Peanut Butter Plentifull was unique in being by far the most potently peanut-buttery cereal perhaps ever made. Whereas other cereals dilute the PB punch with chocolate and other flavor pairings, Plentifull doubled-down on its nut-buttered strengths with a compellingly creamy fortitude, and the world simply wasn’t ready.

1. CinnaGraham Toast Crunch

Well, who’s surprised? Not me.

Err, maybe I am a little bit. Much like with Plentifull, I reviewed CinnaGraham Toast Crunch so early in this year that I kind of forgot it was a 2022 release at all—and how many years peak before the New Year’s champagne’s even finished bubbling? Nevertheless, there’s no question that CinnaGraham Toast Crunch was the best cereal that came out this year, and unlike everything else on this list, it’s the only one I predict will still be available and popular for years to come. It simply improves on original Cinnamon Toast Crunch in every way—err, really only in one way, but that’s all that matters. A heartier, honey’d base grain elevates original CTC’s light rice-iness to a new level of satisfaction, and my only complaint is that Golden Grahams as a brand got snubbed again for its contribution to this tasteful triumph.

So here’s to you, CinnaGraham Toast Crunch, and here’s to all of you who still read what I write, for some reason. I’ve said more than a few times lately that my blogging momentum has been slowed by my other ever-complicating professional and creative endeavors, but I’m still ever-grateful for your support and look forward to having more virtual brunches with y’all in the coming year.