REVIEW: Lucky Charms Cotton Candy Cereal

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Lucky is Lucky to have so many Lucky Charms varieties.

This Lucky Charms Cotton Candy Cereal is the unluckiest Lucky Charms cereal. I mean, come on, cotton candy flavor would’ve been a significant sidekick to the marshmallows. It had the potential to be one of the most magically delicious varieties of the oat and marshmallow cereal. Instead, it ended up being the most magnificently deficient.

What makes this cereal so disappointing is its whisper of cotton candy flavor, which is wispier than the texture of actual cotton candy. The aroma doesn’t even bring the carnival treat to mind. I can’t even say it’s a slight upgrade over the lightly sweetened coating on regular Lucky Charms oat pieces. This cereal is more cOATton candy-flavored than cotton candy-flavored. It’s so unfortunate.

The oat pieces look brown on the box, but are actually purple.

Its wispy cotton candy flavor probably should’ve been expected since the cereal’s dark purple color doesn’t scream cotton candy either. If the pieces were as blue as the blue moon marshmallows or as red as the red balloon marshmallow, they would’ve looked more convincing. Heck, if they were as purple as the purple horseshoes, they might’ve also looked the part. But that dark purple color on the box looks brown at a quick glance. Only at a closer examination do I notice the dark purple.

Purple rain. I mean, purple milk.

That coating is more color than flavor, though it does turn the milk a shade that looks like Grimace was used to clean up a spill and wrung out over my cereal bowl. The purple milk, unfortunately, is just as light on cotton candy flavor as the cereal itself.

Not even the three new unicorn marshmallows in the cereal make this worth buying. And they’re not even three different unicorn shapes, just three different unicorn colors. The only way those marshmallows could’ve improved this cereal is if the box was half or fully filled with them, since they do a better job of suggesting cotton candy flavor than the purple oat pieces do.

Lucky Charms Cotton Candy Cereal is less pleasing than the original. It’s magnificently dismissible.

Purchased Price: $5.69
Size: 18.6 oz box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup – no milk) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar (including 11 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Protein Cereal

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You can't spell gains without Kellogg's Raisin Bran.

Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Protein Cereal has one gram less fiber and four grams more protein than Kellogg’s original Raisin Bran, and I know that off the top of my head. Why am I admitting to the least impressive flex ever? Because I have an Amazon Subscribe & Save subscription for regular Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, and since there are no puzzles on the back of the box for me to solve, all I have to read while eating the cereal is the nutrition facts.

The flakes in Raisin Bran Protein are thicker than the flakes in Raisin Bran.

If you LOVE the malty, bran-forward taste of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, you might be disappointed with what this variation offers. It doesn’t taste like the original, just with added protein. Some might see that as an improvement, but I don’t. Even with a “touch of cinnamon,” which is an accurate description because it’s liiiiiiight, the flavor isn’t an upgrade. I notice the spice, but I wish this had a gentle rubdown of cinnamon rather than the whisper it currently offers.

It was easy to take this picture because I always have a box of Raisin Bran in my kitchen.

It also doesn’t feel like regular Raisin Bran. The flakes are closer in texture to those in Raisin Bran Crunch, which, again, some might see as an improvement because the thin flakes in the regular version go soggy quickly. They’re thicker, probably due to the soy protein isolate, and that thickness makes them more crunchy than crispy. So I guess the protein can help bulk up bran flakes as well as muscles.

What could use some bulking up is the flavor of the shriveled grapes, which are not as sweet as what’s in the original. This makes their taste less noticeable than what’s in regular Raisin Bran. Also, and maybe it’s just my box, there appear to be fewer than two scoops of them. A stronger cinnamon punch might’ve made up for the diminished raisins, but of course, that didn’t happen.

Other than the protein, this cereal is a lesser version of Kellogg’s original Raisin Bran. As a fan and regular eater of the classic, I thought this protein-enhanced version could eventually be my go-to when it comes to shriveled grapes and bran flakes. But its underwhelming cinnamon flavor and raisins delivered two scoops of disappointment.

Purchased Price: $5.69
Size: 17.3 oz box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/4 cup – 61 grams) 210 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar (includes 7 grams of added sugar), and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Chocolate Peanut Cereal

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They're g-r-r-reatly disappointing. I should've Photoshopped that on the box.

If I were dressed up as a tiger with a red bandanna again, I’d say about Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Chocolate Peanut Cereal, “They’re g-r-r-reatly disappointing.”

What original Frosted Flakes has gotten right is how to turn plain corn flakes into corn flakes as sweet as cakes. But this cereal doesn’t hit that level of sweetness. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s far from being a cereal that nutrition influencers that sell products with dubious claims would approve of, but it’s not sweet enough to make the 10-year-old in me get out of bed in the morning.

They look chocolatey, but taste is whole different story.

While their dark brown coating makes them look and smell quite chocolatey, they don’t have a flavor that equals their appearance or scent. They’re noticeably less chocolatey tasting than Cocoa Pebbles and Cocoa Puffs, which is disappointing for a cereal that is being marketed to the same folks who consume those classic cereals, whether they’re actual kids or just kids at heart.

I initially thought maybe its chocolatey level is the way it is because it needs to allow the peanut flavor to come through. However, I’ve eaten enough peanuts to make Mr. Peanut use his cane as a weapon when he sees me, so I know what I’m supposed to taste, but I don’t detect it here. What my taste buds do notice is something that’s kind of fruity, which might be the result of combining the chocolate and this cereal’s attempt at a peanut flavor.

I’m extremely surprised Frosted Flakes didn’t go with a peanut butter and chocolate combination, because that’s a more eye-catching and mouth-watering combo. While chocolate and peanut instantly bring Peanut M&M’s to mind, the appeal of peanut butter and chocolate is a lot stronger.

The milk looks chocolatey, but taste is whole different story.

Along with a red bandanna-wearing tiger, the box’s front cover also promises that the cereal makes chocolatey-flavored milk. But while it looks as brown as what’s in a bottle of Nesquik, after the cereal sits in milk for a while, its chocolatiness is as tame as a newborn tiger cub.

Even though I’m stuck with a family-size box, it’s okay enough that I’ll get through it eventually. However, these dressed-up Frosted Flakes could gr-r-r-reatly use a bit more chocolate and a lot more peanut flavor.

Purchased Price: $5.69
Size: 22.3 oz box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup/39 grams – cereal only) 140 calories, 1 gram of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 12 grams of sugar (includes 11 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Root Beer Float Cereal

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Festive box for Fourth of July

Cinnamon Toast Crunch has a long history of seasonal variants of its flagship cereal, and for the summer of 2026, it has introduced a new flavor: Root Beer Float.

(The box is decorated with red, white, and blue fireworks. Many companies this summer are introducing apple pie flavors for America250, so I’m a little surprised CTC didn’t rebrand its excellent Apple Pie Toast Crunch from fall/winter.)

Looks like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but it isn't

I was a little skeptical because root beer and cereal don’t usually go together. But then again, I’ve enjoyed the other seasonal varieties.

And this was no exception!

Editor here: that looks like a gigantic serving of cereal

Both dry and in milk, this cereal has a distinct root beer flavor. But it still has the usual cinnamon and wheat/rice grain flavor. There’s no mistaking the root beer, but it doesn’t clash with the other elements. The texture is the same as regular CTC: crunchy, softens in milk, doesn’t get soggy that fast.

Another closeup of the cereal. Use it as your phone's wallpaper

As for the “float” part: I don’t taste a vanilla ice cream flavor, but it would be hard to detect something so mild along with the stronger flavors. But that doesn’t bother me. I figure the milk fills the creamy role of ice cream.

Would've been impressive if the milk ended up bubbly. Come on, science!

About that milk: I tried the cereal with both skim milk and 1 percent, and the 1 percent at the bottom of the bowl seemed to have a slightly stronger root beer flavor. But in either case, it wasn’t very profound, nothing like what you would get at the bottom of an actual root beer float. I’m not really disappointed, though; the cereal is the main attraction.

I'm definitely not sharing what floats my boat.

Root beer cereal sounds weird, but you needn’t be frightened. General Mills did a great job of making a cereal taste like root beer and still be enjoyable.

Purchased Price: $4.97
Size: 1 lb 2.8 oz box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 170 calories, 4 grams total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of sugar (including 12 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Cocoa Loops Cereal

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Kellogg’s Cocoa Loops Cereal box

While some cereals churn out new varieties all the time, Toucan Sam has mostly been content to stay in his lane, or should I say loop, for sixty years. There have occasionally been marshmallows added, or the rings swapped for hearts for Valentine’s Day, but the fruity essence has remained largely the same until now. A new iteration, Cocoa Loops, has arrived on shelves and is slated to be a permanent addition to the Kellogg’s lineup. This feels overdue, but perhaps it took this long to perfect things?

The box features a delighted Sam along with his niece and nephews, stirring up some liquidy-looking chocolate batter that looks like it should become brownies, but the crew is somehow able to use their feather-fingers to form it into tiny hoops. There’s a pleasant cocoa scent upon opening the bag, not overwhelming but enough to let you know it’s a chocolate cereal. When eaten on its own, the cocoa flavor doesn’t come through as much as I’d like, and I don’t enjoy the chalky experience of eating it dry.

Kellogg’s Cocoa Loops Cereal dry

Cereal is one of the easiest foods to assemble, since it basically only requires you to pour it into a bowl and add milk. But I know there are a lot of people out there who, due to laziness or personal preference, sometimes skip the milk component. If you’re looking for a cereal to snack on by the handful, keep looking cause this isn’t it. But that’s not a deal breaker, let’s try it with milk!

Kellogg’s Cocoa Loops Cereal in milk

Cocoa Loops fares so much better with this addition. When given the chance to mingle with milk for a few moments, the corn and oat-based loops soften to a nice texture and aren’t quick to sog. The chocolate flavor is more pronounced, and it’s a big improvement, but I still don’t think I’d choose it over already established chocolate favorites in the aisle. The box declares that it “makes milk chocolatey!”, and as with most chocolate cereals, if you truly want to experience chocolate milk flavor and not just milk that’s a slightly darker shade, you’ll have to let that bowl sit around for a while.

Kellogg’s Cocoa Loops Cereal back of box

I’m unsure if it’s intentionally goofy in the name of being “loopy,” but I have to mention some bizarre aspects of the box art. We have one nephew sounding like a Bluey knockoff by introducing himself as Pluey, and according to a heart-shaped craft project on the kitchen shelf, these kids refer to their uncle as “Uncle Toucan Sam”. I get that they can’t call him Uncle Sam without sounding like they’re talking about the familiar red, white, and blue-clad figure, but something about this moniker seems strange and redundant. Cocoa Loops with milk are a perfectly acceptable but not especially remarkable cereal. Without milk, I think these are for the birds.

Purchased Price: $6.99
Size: 9.2 oz box
Purchased at: Mariano’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 ¼ cup) 140 calories, 2 grams of total fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 210 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of total carbohydrates, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of total sugars, and 2 grams of protein.

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