REVIEW: White Cheddar Chex Mix

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White Cheddar Chex Mix Bag

As the world’s preeminent Chex Mix connoisseur*, I won’t pretend I was blown away by the prospect of a White Cheddar flavor.

Cheddar Chex Mix exists. White Cheddar just felt redundant. We only get a new Chex Mix flavor every few months, and nothing about it felt innovative.

Why do we need White Cheddar? Who at General Mills ate Cheddar Chex Mix and said, “Yeah, it’s good, but can we make it whiter?”

Actually, let’s not theorize about who would say that.

Nevertheless, it is my sworn duty to try every single Chex Mix flavor, so I acquired a bag – a bag that instantly bugged me because it looked exactly like one of my all-time favorite flavors, Honey Nut.

White Cheddar Chex Mix PIeces
White Cheddar Chex Mix (top) Cheddar Chex Mix (bottom)

As I inspected the pieces of the mix itself, I couldn’t help but feel like White Cheddar Chex Mix was missing something big – the cheese cracker. That is, without a doubt, my favorite Cheddar mix piece, so I was bummed Chex instead opted to go with the generic, teeth-shattering rye chips.

That being said, most people love that piece way more than I do, so I understand.

They say you eat with your eyes first, so if I ended the review there, we’d be looking at a 4 out of 10. Luckily, I fulfilled my oath and tasted it.

Chex Mix, you’ve done it again!

White Cheddar Chex Mix Mixed

The White Cheddar flavor had way more complexity than I wanted to give it credit for. On any given bite, I felt like I was eating everything from gourmet popcorn to garlic bread.

I bought a classic Cheddar Chex Mix bag, and while comparing, I noticed just how different regular cheddar and white cheddar really are. These had a more subtle flavor as if it was a light cheddar mixed with parmesan.

On the first handful, I got hit with a Wise Buttered Popcorn nostalgia wave. I haven’t ripped one of those yellow bags in ages, but that’s exactly what it tasted like. Once the mild cheddar cheese took over, it reminded me of another classic bagged popcorn – Smartfood White Cheddar.

I couldn’t shake that overall popcorn vibe and almost wish they included popcorn within the mix. It was like opening one of those tri-flavor Christmas tins and alternating bites between the cheese and the butter flavors.

But it didn’t stop there. The flavor kept slightly morphing as I crunched on, with some bites genuinely putting me in mind of a buttery garlic bread with a dash of cheese. I highly doubt these contain garlic powder, but the sample sent to me didn’t have ingredients listed, so I can’t confirm. Either way, I think I have an idea for a new Chex Mix flavor down the line.

All of my assumptions were wrong here. This is not just a lazy reboot of the Cheddar flavor. It’s a delicious new entry in Chex Mix’s elite snack lineup. I’d recommend grabbing a bag of Smartfood and creating a mega White Cheddar mix.

I still like Cheddar slightly more, but these are coming in just a tick below. Feel free to release any color cheddar you want moving forward.

(*2015-18, 2020. I won’t forget about 2019, Alex G. of Denmark. Hope you enjoyed your reign on top, you fraud.)

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: Not available
Purchased at: Received from Chex Mix
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Not available on sample packaging.

REVIEW: Lucky Charms Marshmallow Clusters Cereal

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Lucky Charms Marshmallow Clusters Cereal Box

What is Lucky Charms Marshmallow Clusters Cereal?

Rice Krispies Treats Cereal’s reformulation is one of the most controversial topics in cold breakfast history.

Introduced in 1993 and taken away for seemingly no reason in 2018, the cereal delivered an extra crunchy version of a Rice Krispies Treat that could hold up in milk and still provide a super sweet spoonful of satisfaction.

Kellogg’s brought the cereal back in 2019 and replaced the chunks of treats with sweetened puffed rice and marshmallows. The new version wasn’t awful, but a far cry from its former self, which is why I was ecstatic when I saw the latest release from General Mills: Lucky Charms Marshmallow Clusters. Did Lucky swoop in and save Snap, Crackle, and Pop from themselves? I sure hope so!

How is it?

Lucky Charms Marshmallow Clusters Cereal Dry

Well, it isn’t Rice Krispies Treats Cereal. I try to go into every new product with an open mind, but the comparison was inevitable and set me up for a bit of a disappointment. But it’s not all bad.

The sweetened corn and rice clusters remind me of a crunchier version of Kix, and despite their pleasantly mild vanilla taste, they aren’t nearly sweet enough to remind me of a marshmallow treat.

Lucky Charms Marshmallow Clusters Cereal Milk

The mild flavor gets even milder, almost extinct when added to milk. I also find their size kind of bizarre. They aren’t quite big enough to dominate a spoon like Frosted Mini-Wheats, but they’re far from Cap’n Crunch territory too, making the proper spoon balance tricky. There’s a reason most rectangular cereal pieces aren’t this big and flat.

Anything else you need to know?

The Lucky Charms marshmallows are excellent. Vibrantly colored and full of crunchy-yet-soft freeze-dried splendor, their pronounced sweetness brings a very welcome balance to the unfortunately bland clusters. Although Lucky Charms isn’t one of my favorite cereals, I prefer its normal Cheerios-adjacent glazed oat pieces to these new hypothetically sweeter and more fun clusters.

Conclusion:

Whether or not I had inflated expectations, this cereal would have been a letdown. Between its odd shape and texture and too mild flavor, this just makes me miss the 90s classic even more.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 11.2 oz. box
Purchased at: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup/37 grams) 150 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Mashups Frosted Flakes + Apple Jack Cereal

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Kellogg s Mashups Frosted Flakes + Apple Jack Cereal Box

Last year, Kellogg’s released its first Mashups cereal: Frosted Flakes + Froot Loops. Now, it’s revisiting the concept with Kellogg’s Mashups: Frosted Flakes + Apple Jacks. I did not try the original Mashups, but as a child, I was an expert at mixing random cereals together. As such, I feel qualified to take on this new Mashups rendition.

Throughout my life, I have had ample amounts of both Apple Jacks and Frosted Flakes, so I established solid expectations for what this Mashup would be like. Upon opening the box, I was pleased to see that both cereals seemed to be equally represented. I was able to discern the saccharine aroma of the Frosted Flakes mixing with a hint of cinnamon from the Apple Jacks.

Kellogg s Mashups Frosted Flakes + Apple Jack Cereal Dry

I tried the cereal dry first and it tasted exactly as I expected. It had more flavor than solo Frosted Flakes and more sweetness than Apple Jacks eaten on their own. It tasted pleasant enough, but felt rather anticlimactic.

Kellogg s Mashups Frosted Flakes + Apple Jack Cereal Milk

After adding milk, the flavors blended into a more cohesive presentation. The cinnamon from the Apple Jacks seemed to make the Frosted Flakes taste more complex. The sugar from the Frosted Flakes quickly incorporated into the milk, making every bite a little sweeter than the last. If you have tried both cereals, you can accurately deduce what this tastes like.

The textures of both work well together, at first. The bites seem crunchier than they would be when they are eaten alone. It is a satisfying experience, but it does not last long.

Kellogg s Mashups Frosted Flakes + Apple Jack Cereal Spoon

Unfortunately, Frosted Flakes degrade in milk faster than Apple Jacks. After only a minute or so, the loops remained relatively crunchy, but the flakes were already beginning to turn to mush. Since the Apple Jacks retain crunchiness, this Mashup is texturally pleasant for longer than a bowl of Frosted Flakes à la carte. Conversely, it becomes unpleasant more quickly than a bowl of plain Apple Jacks. Eating this in multiple small portions is highly recommended.

This is not a revolutionary cereal, but it is enjoyable enough to eat. I can certainly see children getting a kick out of it. Personally, I would like to see Kellogg’s try a slightly more daring combination for the next version of Mashups. That could be more fun for everyone.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 9.8 oz box
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
?Nutrition Facts: (1 1/4 cup) 160 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Team Cheerios Cereal (2021)

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Limited Edition Team Cheerios Cereal Box

What is Team Cheerios Cereal?

Three preexisting flavors of Cheerios have joined into one team: strawberry, frosted, and blueberry.

How is it?

Limited Edition Team Cheerios Cereal Dry

I could tell from the box that these wouldn’t truly be red, white, and blue, especially since there’s no artificial food coloring. But I didn’t expect them to be positively pallid. Oh well. It’s the flavor that matters, right? I’m glad these aren’t just plain Cheerios with food coloring.

I tasted each individual flavor dry. Frosted is just sweet. Strawberry is generically fruity, like Trix or Fruity Cheerios. Blueberry actually uses blueberry puree, so it has the most authentic flavor. All three have that satisfying oatiness to them.

Limited Edition Team Cheerios Cereal Milk

When I put them all together in milk, blueberry is the dominant flavor. There is some hint of the strawberry, but the frosted is just along for the ride. What little color they had washes off in milk, leaving a purplish liquid.

I was surprised at how much I liked this cereal. I don’t always love blueberry things, but the flavor here is authentic without being overpowering. But I haven’t had plain blueberry Cheerios, so I don’t know how this mixture compares.

Anything else you need to know?

According to our friends at Cerealously, there was a previous version of Team Cheerios back during the 1996 Olympics, but that was just regular, multigrain, and frosted Cheerios. I gotta say, in 2021, we tend to have more creative flavors.

Conclusion:

Limited Edition Team Cheerios Cereal In Milk

This Team Cheerios Cereal doesn’t deserve a gold medal, but it deserves a silver or bronze. I just hope we don’t have to wait until the 2024 Olympics for this to come back.

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 18.5 oz. box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, less than 1 gram of soluble fiber, 11 grams of sugar including 11 grams of added sugars, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ghostbusters Afterlife Cereal

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Ghostbusters Afterlife Cereal Box

I’m 100 percent sure I ate the original Ghostbusters cereal because, despite the nightmares I got from watching the movie, I loved it and took in everything Ghostbusters related. That included watching the 80s cartoon and regularly doing in school that weird walking Dr. Venkman did in the movie to get the attention of Dana Barrett.

Like the original version, Ghostbusters Afterlife Cereal features fruity-flavored puffs with marshmallows. Although, I will admit the original is so much better because of the puffs’ shape. Spheres seem lame compared to the pieces in the 80s cereal that look like the red “no” symbol in the Ghostbusters logo. To be honest, I don’t remember the original’s taste. I do know I was definitely enamored with the marshmallows.

Speaking of marshmallows, this 2021 cereal features two different ones — a ghost-shaped white one and a blue one that’s shaped like, um, a ghost fart? Your guess is as good as mine.

Now, this is the part of the review where I’d usually complain about how cereals with movie tie-ins almost always seem to include marshmallows. But since this one appears to be an homage to the original, I’ll save my rant for the next Star Wars or Pixar-related cereal I review, which I guarantee will have marbits.

Ghostbusters Afterlife Cereal Bowl

The reddish puffs have a berry-like flavor that doesn’t wow me, but it’s something that I don’t mind eating. It’s not overly sweet, even with the marshmallows. And, I know I say this a lot, but its flavor is familiar to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if this tastes EXACTLY like another cereal with a movie tie-in that I’ve had.

Ghostbusters Afterlife isn’t a memorable-tasting part of a complete breakfast. It’s one with an adequate flavor. Although, if the blue marbits are really ghost farts, I will never ever forget this cereal.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from General Mills. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 10.2 oz box
Purchased at: Received from General Mills
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup w/o milk) 150 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, 12 grams of added sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

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