Tag Archives: caramel

Review: Trader Joe’s Caramel Apple Flavored Granola

2018 has been weird. Here at the C.R.U.N.C.H. Tactical Headquarters (Cerealously Research Unified Network for Communications and Hijinks), there’s an eerie calm this Halloween season. As the big Monster Cereals anniversary coincides with Kellogg’s spoony decision to again throw down the gauntlet-shaped marbit, I at least expected to see some excitement. And yet most major news has centered on either the Festivus season or Pop-Tarts’ yeasty second rise to prominence.

So without much in the way of fresh Halloween bowls to plunder, my autumn-obsessed gaze turns to secondary flavors. Just like how Charlie Brown’s Christmas and Great Pumpkin escapades eclipse the rest of his oeuvre (I’ll always remember you, It’s Dental Flossophy, Charlie Brown), certain taste profiles are overshadowed by pumpkin spice’s ubiquity. But what’s a hayride at the pumpkin patch without cider and caramel apples? A new challenger approaches, and it has seriously rosy cheeks.

Trader Joe’s Caramel Apple Flavored Granola makes a bold promise. Cinnamon apple is one thing, but caramel? Joe may have gotten himself into a sticky situation. Reviews like this can result in quite a pun-undrum.

Yep, that just happened. Continue reading →

Posted by jared m.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 7 rating, apple, caramel, granola, trader joe's. 1 Comment

Jun. ’18

Review: Chocolatey Salted Caramel Pop-Tarts (Walmart Exclusive Flavor!)

Just as sure as there will be fads in fashion, from Crocs & bedazzled jeans to high-water pants and bedazzled Crocs, there will be fads in food that was and wane with the years and seasons.

But while most taste trends wear themselves out—pumpkin spice, sriracha, maple bacon, and the ’70s’ aspic-encapsulated everything spring to mind—salted caramel is one of few (hi, avocado) recent buzz-powered foodstuffs that actually stands the taste of time.

Which is why I’m glad Walmart and Kellogg’s decided to not release jellied Aspic Pop-Tarts and instead gave us Chocolatey Salted Caramel, a sodium-supplemented upgrade to plain ol’ Chocolatey Caramel, who now appears in my memory like a fragile Squirtle to this NaC(arame)l Blastoise.

So while I’m encouraged by the premise, there’s only one way to know how good these are. And friends, it doesn’t involve a peppermill. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 8 rating, caramel, chocolate, pop-tarts. 4 Comments

Jun. ’18

News: Chocolatey Salted Caramel Pop-Tarts are Walmart’s Exclusive Flavor

The best tastes evolve.

Over two years ago now, Kellogg’s dropped Chocolatey Caramel Pop-Tarts on us, and they were pretty great, but not “I’ll buy them over Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts” good. With a pretty traditional flavor combo that never made BuzzFeed headlines, it seemed like a flavor that couldn’t contend in such a gimmick-based breakfast climate and would soon roll off the shelves like a box of rogue Rolos.

But rather than succumbing to its fate, Chocolatey Caramel Pop-Tarts have teamed up with the exclusive-loving folks at Wally World to churn out this Walmart-only flavor that cybernetically enhances the Pop-Tarts’ classic taste with something appropriately trendy: salt, which I hope won’t be as disastrous as the last time they tried a savory Pop-Tart.

Chocolatey Salted Caramel Pop-Tarts have already been spotted out in the wild at various Dollar Generals and Chuck E. Cheese’s (just kidding: just Walmart). But until I find them, I’ll content myself with ideating other fad-friendly Pop-Tart upgrades: Sriracha Chocolate Fudge? Rosé Pink Lemonade? Ooh, how about Quinoa Hot Fudge Sundae?

Anyone? Hello?

Posted by dan g.. Categories: News. Tags: caramel, chocolate, news, pop-tarts. 1 Comment

Dec. ’16

Review: Nestlé Lion Cereal Bar

Whether it’s a Rice Krispies Treat, a trendy cereal restaurant, or an exam for becoming a certified breakfast lawyer, the term “Cereal Bar” can refer to many things. While nutritionists and choosy moms may disagree with me, I believe that Nestlé’s iconic Lion Bar fits the bill, too. Go ahead and debate me on it, M.D.s and mommies: portable breakfast argumentation was the topic of my Cereal Law School dissertation.

Okay fine, I may not have the degree to back that up, but I do have this European Lion Bar’s ingredient list, which says my lumpy brown cylinder contains “8% cereals.” Plus the lion mascot on the front boasts how the bar is “EXTRA CRISPY.” All you have to do is imagine a floppy striped hat on top of his mane, and this bellowing fellow could join Snap, Crackle, and Pop’s Krispies crew.

Because, as it turns out, the tempting bumps studded below every Lion Bar’s rugged, chocolaty landscape aren’t nuts, chocolate chips, Oreo bits, or entire miniaturized cheesecakes—I know, I was hoping for the last one, too. They’re little bits of wispy crisped rice. And even on my first bite, they popped with a roaring intensity. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 8 rating, caramel, cereal bar, nestle. 8 Comments

Nov. ’16

Guest Review: Nestle Lion Cereal

Soooo: I’ve been in Copenhagen for a week for work and really had no chance to get very far out of the meeting venue and hotel meeting rooms for anything other than fancy dinners. But who the hell reading this site would care about that when such hotel isolation provides an opportunity to try a cereal that can’t be found on this side of the pond?

Obviously, I had to find a local grocery store to see Europe’s exclusive cereal options, and Lion Cereal is one I have seen in the past but never gave a go. My first thought was, “You know what really sucks about a chocolate and caramel cereal based on a candy bar? The answer is not one damn thing!“

I’m looking at you, Twix. The “candy bar cereal” ball is in your court now. Continue reading →

Posted by marc p.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 6 rating, caramel, nestle. 5 Comments

Oct. ’16

Spooned & Spotted (Europe): Nestlé Lion Cereal

Cerealously’s European readers are probably familiar with Lion Cereal, but hungry Americans like me are roaring with jealousy, because an entire Atlantic Ocean separates us from chocolatey, caramel-y breakfast happiness.

Longtime Spooned & Spotter Marc P. sent in the above photo of a Lion Cereal box he procured on a trip to Copenhagen, and if I could reach through the Internet and snatch a spoonful of it from him, you better believe I’d be elbow deep in my monitor right now.

Lion Cereal has been a European favorite since the early 2000s, when Nestlé introduced it as a loose cereal version of their classic Lion Bar, a wafered chocolate bar stuffed with crisped cereal and caramel. Lion Cereal contains chocolate and caramel-flavored crisps, too, which is a truly unique flavor that’s unheard of in American cereal aisles. I mean sure, you could mix Superman Cereal with Batman Cereal, blend Cap’n Crunch’s Caramel Popcorn Crunch with Chocolatey Crunch, or just crumble Chocolatey Caramel Pop-Tarts into a bowl with milk, but none of those have a beastly lion mascot.

Just moody superheroes, an old ship captain with eyebrows on his hat, and a trip to the dentist.

Hopefully I can find an international grocer around me that has Lion Cereal imported. Otherwise, I might just splurge and scour eBay for a box. This might be dangerous, though: if Lion Cereal is Europe’s best exclusive cereal and Oreo O’s are the cereal pride of Asia, then bringing both into the same household with Waffle Crisp—America’s best exclusive cereal—could bring too much talismanic cereal energy together in one place.

I’m just trying to eat a balanced breakfast here, not tear a hole in the space-time continuum.

A big thanks to Marc for sending in this photo. If you’d like to see your own picture or thoughts featured on Cerealously’s next “Spooned & Spotted” post, all you have to do is head over to our submissions page or email us at cerealously.net@gmail.com.

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Specials. Tags: caramel, chocolate, spooned & spotted. 4 Comments

Sep. ’16

Review: Kellogg’s Limited Edition Frosted Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts

I’ve never considered bobbing for Pop-Tarts before, but after trying Kellogg’s new Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts, I’m ready to fill a 19th century wooden bucket with water and pastries and dive in headfirst.

But before I take my triumphant Olympian plunge, let’s set the stage.

After years of dominance, pumpkin spice is starting to lose its novelty. There are only so many things you can cram ginger and nutmeg into. So like an autumnal retelling of Star Wars, apple-flavored snacks have started a quiet rebellion against the Pumpkin Empire. And I like to think that Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts are their heroic Luke Skywalker.

Luke Apple Piewalker has quite the origin story, too. While these Tarts were only formally announced about two months ago, we first leaked an early release image of them way back in April. Back then, searching for “caramel apple pop-tarts” just made Google think you were drunk.

I wondered whether these neon-squiggled rectangles would ever see the light of day, but I’m happy to say that they have. And now they’ll get to see the warming light of my toaster, too. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 9 rating, apple, caramel, kelloggs, non cereal, pop-tarts. 3 Comments

Apr. ’16

Spooned & Spotted: Kellogg’s Frosted Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts

Well that didn’t take long!

Just two days ago, we shared a picture of Kellogg’s upcoming A&W Root Beer flavored Pop-Tarts. Our source for that photo, reader and redditor /u/boyfoster, claimed that Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts were on the way, too.

And now we have visual proof of that wonderful fact, as boyfoster sent in this frame-worthy snapshot of a Caramel Apple tart.

With that classic golden Pop-Tart crust, a light brown frosting, and a goofy dancing troupe of iced neon green gummy worm-esque squiggles on top, these pastries are fun to look at. Based on this photo, the filling appears to be banded, too, with alternating ribbons of light and dark brown.

No word on a release date for these yet. But since autumn is a prime time for apple picking, apple bobbing, and using Apple iPhones to take selfies of ourselves baking apple pie with Grandma, I’d guess we’ll be seeing these Pop-Tarts this fall.

Pop-Tarts has already proven that they can make a mean caramel treat, so I can’t wait to try these. Just one question, though:

Where are the Salted Caramel Pop-Tarts?

Thanks again, boyfoster! To all readers who would like to see their picture or thoughts featured on a “Spooned & Spotted” post, head over to our submissions page, or just email us at cerealously.net@gmail.com.

Posted by dan g.. Categories: News. Tags: caramel, kelloggs, pop-tarts. Leave a comment