Tag Archives: general mills

19

Feb. ’16

Review: Nature Valley Honey Oat Clusters Cereal

IMG_4427Nature Valley is on a hot streak. With the delicious Chocolate Oat Clusters and Baked Oat Bites already under their granola-crumb encrusted belt, will Nature Valley be able to bowl a turkey, score a hat trick, and direct a fitting end to their trilogy of new 2016 cereals?

This box of Honey Oat Clusters holds the answer to that question. When I saw all three new Nature Valley Cereals, this one looked like the boring runt of the litter.

“It’s just a bootleg Honey Bunches of Oats,” said the youthful and ignorant Dan of two months ago. But after eating my first crunchy spoonful of this cereal, one thing has been made abundantly clear:

This ain’t your grandma’s Honey Bunches of Oats!
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16

Feb. ’16

News: Three New Cereals on the Way from Annie’s Homegrown

Move over, Trix Rabbit: you aren’t the only bunny in the cereal aisle any more. Annie’s Homegrown and General Mills have just announced the launch of three new USDA certified organic breakfast cereals.

From soup, to yogurt, to crackers, Annie’s has a bigger product line than a litter of rabbits. They even had a larger line of cereal that lasted from 2007-2012. I will say, though, that in my college town, the brand is best known for its legendary and addictive Shells & White Cheddar pasta.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately depending on who you are), none of these cereals are mac & cheese flavored. Instead, the three flavors are Berry Bunnies, Cocoa Bunnies, and the conspicuously non-bunny shaped Frosted Oat Flakes.

I can only hope that the bunny cereals taste just like their Bunny Grahams in a bowl, just because I’m so desperate for a spiritual successor to Teddy Grahams Breakfast Bears. At the very least, I can dream that Frosted Oat Flakes will be like a glazed version of the already delicious Trader Joe’s Toasted Oatmeal Flakes.

Regardless of how they taste, when these cereals are released in April, you’d better believe that me and so many others will be “making like rabbits” to go out and try them.

Wait, wait…I don’t think that phrase means what I think it does.

Posted by . Categories: News. Tags: , . 7 Comments

13

Feb. ’16

Review: Lucky Charms Marshmallows Only Cereal

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Whether it’s an engagement ring, the One Ring to rule them all, or that darn videotape from The Ring, every so often an object enters your life and changes it forever.

For me, this object wasn’t a ring, but receiving it did make my mouth form into a perfectly round, gasping ring. That’s right: it’s a box of Marshmallows Only Lucky Charms. One of only 10 in existence.

Alright, alright. I should back up a bit. Let’s Tarantino this story before I tear into this mythic box. Continue reading →

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10

Feb. ’16

Special: A Look at New Star Wars Decal Cereal Prizes

IMG_4364Cereal boxes don’t have enough prizes any more. Read that in an angry old man voice if you want to, but I miss the days when every cereal box bottom harbored some secret treasure: a wrist watch, a plastic toy, or perhaps even a Cap’n Crunch whistle that could be used for hacking phone lines.

General Mills must feel that way too, because select boxes of their cereal, including Cheerios, Multi Grain Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cookie Crisp now contain collectible, sticky Star Wars decals. Aside from the exciting thrill of the cereal aisle hunt (even Boba Fett would have fun tracking every decal down), the other half of the fun with these is finding creative places to stick them. Whether it’s your fridge, laptop, car, cat,  resume, or future tombstone, everything looks better with a giant C-3PO on it.

I have that last part listed in my will.

General Mills did send me and some other Star Wars junkies these six decals of Chewbacca, BB-8, C-3PO/R2D2, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma, and a Stormtrooper (is that you, TR-8R?), but apparently there’s an extra super rare Millennium Falcon decal out there in boxes of Reese’s Puffs. If you’ve seen it, let me know!

But for now: Chewie, fire up the hyperdrive, because we’re about to make the Meijer Run in under 12 parsecs.

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03

Feb. ’16

Review: Nature Valley Baked Oat Bites Cereal

IMG_4268Why buy G.I. Joe when you can buy G.I. Joe With KUNG-FU Grip? Why watch Blade Runner when you can watch Blade Runner: The Final Cut with the original, full-length unicorn daydream sequence?

And why in the name of all that is good and crunchy would you ever eat regular Oreos when Double Stuf Oreos exist?

Such questions haunted me as I gazed upon Baked Oat Bites, one of three new cereals from Nature Valley. It looks just like Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran…but with an additional sugary drizzle.

But I gave Cracklin’ Oat Bran a 10/10, so there lies my conundrum. Is it possible for a new cereal to improve upon perfection, or should the mathematical impossibility of “giving 110%” be left for cheesy sports movies?

It’s time for me to find out. Even if I have to punch a few more holes in my belt to do so. With 210 calories per 3/4 cup, that shouldn’t be hard to do.

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01

Feb. ’16

Cereal Time with Gabe Fonseca: Grins & Smiles & Giggles & Laughs and Ice Cream Cones Cereal

Do you need a smile or an ice cream cone to get you through today’s dreaded series of 24 grueling hours (a.k.a. Monday)? Well all of my fellow human Garfields out there need not despair, because thanks to the latest two videos in cereal MVP Gabe Fonseca’s YouTube series, you can see a whole bowl full of ’em!

Cereal Time is a video series dedicated to highlighting a different classic, new, or retro cereal each week. For a series that has given me countless chuckles and snickers, it seems appropriate that the first video we’d like to share with you is all about Grins & Smiles & Giggles & Laughs cereal. Continue reading →

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27

Jan. ’16

News: General Mills Chooses Its Honorary “Real Trix Rabbit”

Say it with us now: “Aww!”

That’s right, if you recall about 3 months ago, General Mills came up with a not-so-harebrained scheme to crowdsource a new Trix Rabbit. Cereal lovers everywhere were invited to send in picks of their aspiring little bunnies—bunnies who were hungrier for fame than they were carrots.

And now the winner has been crowned. His name is Cinnabun, and he beat out 7,600 other rabbits to take the title. This floppy-eared cutie was rewarded with a celebration at his local Texas Kroger and a limited batch of cereal boxes bearing his adorable likeness.

This batch of boxes was apparently just for the event, though, so for those hoping to see Cinnabun in their cereal aisle: we’re sorry. And for those hoping we’d get a limited edition cinnamon bun-flavored Trix cereal: we’re really sorry (eat some Cinnabon cereal to fill the void). But for those just hoping to see a cute picture of a rabbit: you’re welcome.

Now say this one with us: “Silly Cinnabun, Trix are for kids!”

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20

Jan. ’16

Cereal Time with Gabe Fonseca — Batman vs. Superman, Just Right, and Basic 4 Cereals

Need a superhero who can save you from afternoon boredom?

Well fear no more, concerned citizen, because Captain Cereal Time (secret identity: Gabe Fonseca) has released two new videos in his YouTube series that we’d like to share with you.

Though most of you are probably already aware, in the Cereal Time series, Gabe drops fun, historical, and nostalgic knowledge bombs about different cereals each week.

Speaking of which, I wonder when he’ll cover Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs?

The above video features Gabe’s take on General Mills’ buzz-worthy new Batman vs. Superman Cereals. (Gee, I wonder where he managed to find the boxes? 😉)

And while Gabe’s opinion on who won this “cereal clash of the titans” differs from mine, I can still respect it. Because, let’s be honest here, both of these superhero cereals are tasty enough to have blockbuster movies made about them.

They could even bring back George Clooney. After all, he already knows a thing or two about playing a cardboard, lifeless Batman. Continue reading →

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