The more time passes, I think the more our society is not just normalizing raisin bran, but celebrating it. Gone are the days of clumsy bathroom humor. Gone is the Seinfeldian slander. And gone are the chronic misinterpretations of the stuff’s sugar content (the servings are heavier. heavier I tell you!)

Now, I like to believe that we as a culture can appreciate and thank our sun-dried stewards of more nutritionally substantive sweetness.

Even in our darkest hours, we’ve learned to praise the sun.

To evidence this, I’d point to the wealth of limited edition Kellogg’s Raisin Bran varieties we’ve seen lately, all of which have been arguably effective evolutions of the twice-scooped formula. Apple Strawberry hit us with an unexpectedly creative haymaker, while RB + Bananas boldly did what no lazy breakfaster has done before: acted on the diced-fruit “serving suggestion” seen on cereal boxes everywhere.

Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran continues that curiosity-driven tradition with a flavor pairing that’s more familiar, but perhaps more fitting. Rather than overtly fruity, V.A. takes R.B. back to some earthier thematic roots.

But enough mumblings about motif: let’s munch!

As expected, the chemistry here couldn’t be more natural. Whereas Apple Strawberry had intermittent moments of spontaneous goodness and secreted access, the Vanilla and Almond namesakes behind this Bran solely enhance the core a Raisin Bran Crunch experience.

See, the flakes and clusters in RBC are already bound with subtle golden honey, so adding a seductively subtler vanilla glaze to that is just beany gravy—a no-brainer upgrade that will make you wonder if de-flowered regular bran flakes will be able to hold a candle (there’s a pun there I could have made, but didn’t, so the U.N. wouldn’t put me on a human rights watchlist) to this new and improved, Malibu Stacy-hatted version.

The same goes for the almond slivers. Sure, you could complain that these nut shavings are but smithereened shrapnel compared to the larger pieces around them, but it’s still a can’t-lose addition, since roasted nut accents—or at the very least a nutty atmosphere—only complement the equally oaken flakes even more.

The only noticable drawback to this Lorax-pleasing forest-hugger of a sweetly wooded cereal is the clusters. A chewy hallmark of the Raisin Bran Crunch line—which is, itself, a clear superior to plain ol’ Plebeian Bran—the clusters are underrepresented here, as their rationed real estate must now be sacrificed to the almond slivers. This doesn’t make Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran suffer in flavor so much as texture. Without as many dense globs of honeyed oats, the overall mouthfeel is airier and almost spongier.

One of my favorite parts of Raisin Bran Crunch is feeling like my gut’s been anchored by the gravity of a fruit-wrinkled heavenly body, but with Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch, I still feel sprightly enough to make a perilous Icarian journey toward my pantry for seconds.

I always end up flying too close to the Sun Chips. 😔

Milk reveals this appetite-displacing issue in a more Archimedean way. Without a propping bedrock of granola, the raisins sink to the bottom, while the soggy flake flotsam and almond jetsam clogs the top layer like wet wheat algae.

This isn’t to say that milk doesn’t make the vanilla tones more creamy and delicious, but navigating the variously textured strata of this cereal can be a bit hit or miss in its ultimate satisfaction.

In the end, Vanilla Almond Raisin Bran Crunch isn’t necessarily the best milk–bowl companion, but it is the cereal you’ll spend countless treasured hours scooping into your maw like The Very Hungry CATerpillar Excavator whilst leaning against your kitchen’s doorframe.

I managed to make it all the way through this review without mentioning the raisins (or a poop joke): they’re good. But in a fascinating turn, they don’t direct this cereal. Instead, they’re slack-jawed grinning extras in a must-try Raisin Bran variety carried by the combined talent of a beefed-up flake troupe.

Now all we need is an “Oops! All Clusters!” to restore cosmic balance.

The Bowl: Raisin Bran Vanilla Almond Crunch

The Breakdown: A no-nonsense level-up for the line, VA RBC doesn’t try to be over-wacky. Instead it combines cozy cabin flavor for a reliable comfort snack.

The Bottom Line: 9 deafeningly loud, crinkled plastic suns.