REVIEW: Limited Edition Caramel Corn Chex Cereal

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I could make the argument, based on absolutely zero research, that Chex is the most versatile cereal of all time. Seriously, no brand has ever put out more flavors, based on no research, and Chex pieces are unequivocally the world’s favorite snack mix ingredient… and I am, of course, basing this on zero research. Not even a simple Google.

Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Wheat Chex. Who can beat Chex? Cheerios?!

Yeah, maybe Cheerios actually. They do a lot. Ah man, are Cheerios better than Chex?

No! Wait, this is about Chex. Cheerios Shmeerios. They’re not better, they just have better PR.

Has Cheerios ever released a Caramel Corn flavor like Chex just did?! I’m not gonna research it, but I don’t think so. Checkmate, Cheerios.

I know what you’re thinking, surely Chex has done similar flavors to Caramel Corn before, but that was Caramel *beat* Corn Chex, and this is Caramel Corn *beat* Chex. It’s like “Under Pressure” and “Ice Ice Baby,” totally different, but both absolute bangers.

I’mma need you to stop, collaborate, and listen, because this is a great cereal.

Limited Edition Caramel Corn Chex Cereal in a bowl

When I tore the bag open, I was instantly hit with a nostalgic whiff of my favorite cereal of all time, the brand that dropped the “Cheeri,” because it was cleaner – Oh’s.

Where are my Oh’s fans at? Good news, Caramel Corn Chex smells and tastes pretty similar to Honey Oh’s, except not in that show-offy Cheerio ring shape, but the classic Chex weave.

While I can’t sit here and tell you these taste exactly like legitimate caramel corn, the sweetness does subside, and it manages to take on a cornier character. A valiant effort, and also how people describe me to a T – “the sweetness subsides to reveal a cornier character.”

Limited Edition Caramel Corn Chex Cereal in milk

I am a little bummed these don’t get closer to actual caramel corn flavor though. They hit the Fiddle, but don’t quite get there on the Faddle.

If you’ve ever had Honey Nut Chex Mix, this isn’t too far off from that, if at all. These are pretty sweet, and maybe even a bit too hard because of the sugary glaze coating, but they work well as a dry snack. I’m not usually one to eat cereal without milk, but I’ve been popping handfuls all week. Whereas something like dry Cap’n Crunch will leave me feeling Crap’y, these hit the spot.

Limited Edition Caramel Corn Chex Cereal on spoon

I keep mentioning “honey” because I guess I don’t taste much of a difference between honey-based cereals and the “caramel” represented here. Honey’s good though, right? We like honey.

Limited Edition Caramel Corn Chex Cereal in another bowl

So, with that said, I feel some are gonna think this cereal’s name is a bit of a stretch, but I still believe it’s a crowd pleaser. It has the sweetness of a kid’s cereal, but Chex just feels more acceptable as an adult, so it should be fun for the whole family – hence the Family Sized box.

Limited Edition Caramel Corn Chex Cereal recipes on back of box

This is an easy recommendation. I’m actually gonna grab another box because it has some fun Chex Mix recipes I wanna try. Why spend $4 on a pre-made bag when you can customize your own and buy each individual ingredient for a grand total of $38?

Purchased Price: $4.93
Size: 19.6 oz Family Size
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 Cup) 160 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of total carbohydrates, 12 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of dietary fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites

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Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites Pouches

What are Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites?

General Mills extends its Muddy Buddies line with crunchy pretzels covered in sweet coating and powdered sugar. Pretzel Bites come in two varieties: Peanut Butter & Chocolate and Cookies & Cream.

How are they?

A decade after introducing Chex Muddy Buddies, General Mills has asked, “What else can we muddy, buddy?”

The answer to that question (and countless life dilemmas, really) is “When in doubt, add salt.”

Thus, Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites were born. With their flavor, texture, and ability to be eaten by the bowlful before you realize what you’ve done, pretzels seem like a natural swap for Chex cereal pieces as vehicles for sweet coating.

Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites CPB Pour Size

Tearing into the Peanut Butter & Chocolate variety first, I was surprised by their small size. The pebble-sized pretzels are made for nibbling rather than biting. They could easily blend into a trail mix or masquerade as a dessert topping.

Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites Chocolate Peanut Butter Split

Although the bites are small and the coating looks thin, the peanut butter and chocolate taste is big, complementing the pretzel taste and texture well. While the pretzel salt isn’t discernible on its own, it seems to enhance the chocolate and peanut butter. This was a welcome change from the Chex version, which I’ve found to lack flavor despite its sweetness.

Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites Cookies Cream Pour

The Cookies & Cream variety delivers the same size and satisfying crunch, but this time with a white cream coating and chocolate cookie crumb speckles. The bites smell and taste like the inside of an ice cream shop: that sugary, creamy vanilla that is somehow both rich and refreshing.

Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites Cookies Cream Split

While the chocolate cookie crumbs don’t contribute much to the flavor, the saltiness is much more noticeable than in the Peanut Butter & Chocolate variety.

Anything else you need to know?

For the uninitiated, the homemade version of muddy buddies has long been a staple of holiday parties and other celebrations, especially in the Midwest. (In northwestern Pennsylvania, where I live, the delicacy is most commonly called puppy chow, a name that I admit is not particularly appetizing but to which I have a begrudging loyalty.) As social media has made the treat and its several variations more popular, it’s exciting to see “muddiness” being embraced.

Conclusion:

Muddy Buddies Pretzel Bites deliver big flavor and crunch in a tiny bite. Sweet and salty fans might prefer Cookies & Cream, while Peanut Butter & Chocolate traditionalists will enjoy the twist on the original product.

Purchased Price: Free
Purchased at: Received from General Mills
Size: 4 oz (113 g) bags
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Peanut Butter & Chocolate), 7 out of 10 (Cookies & Cream)
Nutrition Facts: (per 1/3 cup) Peanut Butter & Chocolate – 130 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Cookies & Cream – 130 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Chex Mix MAX’D Chili Jalapeno

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Chex Mix MAX D Chili Jalapeno Bag

What is Chex Mix MAX’D Chili Jalapeno?

Chex dropped its latest “MAX’D” variety featuring a cheesy, zesty kick with a splash of lime.

Chex Mix MAX D Chili Jalapeno Back of Bag

How is it?

It’s still hard to get used to a savory flavor on a “Muddy Buddy” textured Chex piece. When you associate a certain texture with a certain taste, it really throws you for a loop when it’s the complete opposite.

That being said, I did semi-adjust to the Chili Lime MAX’D pieces in time, and this is probably my favorite MAX’D variety. It’s slightly better than the other two I’ve tried thus far.

Chex Mix MAX D Chili Jalapeno Bowl

The chili flavor was an indiscriminate spice bomb, so the cool blast of lime on the finish was a real saving grace. The citrus balanced out the mix as a whole, which wreaked havoc on the back of my tongue. They weren’t quite Ghost Pepper Chex Mix level, but they probably rival the Flamin’ Hot line of Lay’s snacks in the heat department.

While the chili was kind of a bummer, the Jalapeno Cheddar non-blasted Chex pieces were fantastic. I’ve somehow avoided regular Jalapeno Cheddar Chex Mix my whole life, and these were a revelation. The jalapeno flavor dust wasn’t as caked on, but it was still somehow more recognizable than chili. The bag even smelled like the pepper.

Anything else you need to know?

Chex Mix MAX D Chili Jalapeno Pieces

This mix has the perfect role players in pretzels and cheddar crackers. Everyone’s favorite Chex Mix piece, (and probably my least favorite) the bagel chip, wouldn’t have worked here. I’m also glad they kicked those crappy little breadsticks to the curb.

I imagine this MAX’D line is gonna continue down the “spicy” path, but I would really love to try a sweet mix with Muddy Buddy pieces front and center.

Conclusion:

I liked MAX’D Chili Jalapeno, and I think you’ll like ’em too, but they feel like a first draft. All the pieces are there, but I wish the flavors were flipped a little. If the flavor blasted pieces were Jalapeno Lime, and the regular Chex were Chili Cheese, this snack may have been near perfect.

If anyone at General Mills is reading this, please make a Sweet Chili or Pizza Chex Mix next. I’ll even accept them in the MAX’D variety.

Purchased Price: $2.69
Size: 4.25 oz bag
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 140 calories, 4 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 380 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of total carbohydrates, 3 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Peanut Butter Chex Cereal

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Peanut Butter Chex Cereal

Almost all of my Chex Cereal consumption involves it being in a Chex mix, whether it’s homemade, prepackaged by the folks at General Mills, or purchased at a bake sale to support a school, club, church, or a club at a school that’s affiliated with a church.

Also, since I’m being honest about my Chex eating habits, I’m that guy who picks out the Chex cereal in mixes, leaving behind pretzel, nuts, bagel chips, and a mystery of who the hell ate all the Chex pieces.

It’s rare that I find myself buying a box of Chex to eat in a bowl with milk using a spoon. But here we are with my blood moon buy, Peanut Butter Chex Cereal, a flavor variety I thought General Mills already checked off, I mean, Chex-ed off.

Peanut Butter Chex Cereal Closeup

Its flavor isn’t close to being as bold as last year’s Nutter Butter Cereal, but it does smell like a peanut butter cookie. When eaten dry, it has a surprisingly striking peanut butter taste with a little saltiness, which is probably thanks to the fact there’s real peanut butter in it. But let me set your expectations by saying to think of it as a diet Nutter Butter Cereal. Also, some of the flavor is lost when eaten with milk, but not enough to make my taste buds do a double take and think they’re eating plain Corn Chex.

Like with most Chex cereal, it shouldn’t wade in milk for too long or else the soggies will get to it. But even if you do, don’t assume the milk will turn all peanut buttery. It doesn’t.

Post rocked my world with its Nutter Butter Cereal. I wrote in my review, “it’s the best peanut butter cereal I’ve ever had.” I also have an equally bold statement to say about Peanut Butter Chex — it’s the only Chex Cereal flavor I could see myself eating in a bowl with milk on a regular basis.

Mic drop.

DISCLOSURE: General Mills sent me a free sample to review (Thanks, Big G!). But I didn’t know Big G was sending one to me, so I bought a box before getting said sample. Getting a free box did not influence my review in any way.

Purchased Price: $3.89
Size: 12.2 oz. box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup w/o milk) 170 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 270 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

60 SECOND REVIEW: Chex Clusters Fruit & Oats Cereal

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Item: Chex Clusters Fruit & Oats Cereal
Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: 13.4 oz. box
Purchased at: Target

(Nutrition Facts – (without milk) 200 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 100 milligrams of potassium, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, 27 grams of other carbohydrates, 2 grams of protein, and a bunch of vitamin and minerals.)

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