A couple nights ago I was leaving a friend’s house when we landed on a really serious discussion. It was so serious that I set my purse down and sat back down on the couch. What was so important, you might wonder?
Cereal.
Not just any cereal, y’all, we were salivating over the sugary, good, delicious, unhealthy, childhood cereal that we all secretly dream about while we choose to eat the healthy cardboard junk. Who invented Kashi cereal anyway?
Even as I type this I’m feeling all giddy again.
I went on to explain to my friends that growing up my mom might have well been named the Junk Food Queen. We had every imaginable sugary cereal and Hostess Cupcake you can imagine. I wish it weren’t true. In fact, I’m almost certain that if I were to open my mom’s pantry door today, I’d see remnants of my childhood. (Well, they wouldn’t be THAT expired, but you get the point.) My mother still doesn’t believe in food tasting like cardboard and I don’t blame her.
(I think she got the habit from my Grandpa who, until the day he passed away, would eat Cap’n Crunch nearly every morning. I ate it in his honor the last time he visited, because you better believe he had a box left.)
Since I am now considered a grown up, I try to make healthier food choices, including the cereal I eat. (And let’s be so honest, any evening that includes cereal for dinner is a really good evening.) This means I steer clear of the Cookie Crisp, the Corn Pops, the Cocoa Pebbles, the Apple Jacks, the Cap’n Crunch, the Frosted Flakes, the Fruit Loops and well, you get the point.
(And don’t even get me started on how Lucky Charm marshmallows should be saved for the end of your bowl and then eaten all together. Or the fact that you can buy Lucky Charm marshmallows separately and if that doesn’t make you happy, I don’t know what will. If you’re one of those eat-one-marshmallow-with-each-bite kind of person, I don’t know if we can be friends.)
I could name twenty more cereals and add a jingle or a tag line with each one of them.
(Oh, and shall we discuss at large the leftover milk if you’ve eaten Fruity Pebbles or Cocoa Pebbles? It was one of the best parts of the cereal eating experience.)
After our detailed discussion we decided we needed to have an official cereal night. There are a bunch of us that frequently eat dinner together on Sunday evenings, so the rule this past Sunday for all who decided to join was to come with your favorite sugary cereal. I’m not even kidding, y’all. These are adults I’m speaking of. We usually eat very adult meals with an occasional chicken nugget thrown in, but Trix aren’t really just for kids.
I failed to get a picture of our cereal choices Sunday evening because I was too busy eating said cereal, but despite my lack of photographing that particular evening, I struck gold when I reached this aisle the day before and bought myself a box of Cocoa Pebbles. Not for the Cereal Extravaganza of 2013, but just because.
I think I even heard angels singing.
This entire conversation and experience is something I felt so passionate about, I knew I had to share it with you guys. I know how you people get all excited about the little things with us. Even if it’s about cereal.
So can we all just take a moment and relive our childhood by naming off our favorite all time cereal? And by all means, throw the slogan in there, too.
And if your mom never bought you the good stuff, today we grieve with you. But please, for the love of all things normal, go buy yourself a box of Fruity Pebbles.
They even make those gluten free.
Boom.
Lindsee, mine would have to be count chocula or boo berry..they were the bomb when I was little!! And I always saved my marshmallows until the end.
Frosted Flakes. They’re Grrrrrreat!
And oh, those Golden Grahams. Golden honey, just a touch, with graham golden wheat. Talk about memory lane. It has to have been 25 years since I had those last. If the cereal jingle people ever start writing Scripture memory songs, well, revival might break out.
Thanks for the light post today.
Honey Combs. I eat them even dry while taking a bath and reading a book. Sweet cereal is my go-to bath snack! LOL TMI? LOL. Probably. …sigh…
Rice Chex. I know what you’re thinking, but stick with me here. You can put as much sweetener as you want, and they stay crunchy in milk. I can’t stand soggy cereal. Light and crunchy trumps everything. So, it’s Rice Chex. Final answer. 😉
When I was a kid it was Alpha Bits, Frosted Flakes, Super Sugar Crisp and something like Cap’n Crunch that they no longer make (probably had too much sugar!).
My present cereal addiction is Special K Fruit and Yogurt-you must, must, must try it!
Love this!
Kellog’s Sugar Smacks … Dig Em.
The best.
They are called Kellog’s Honey Smacks now. I guess changing the name to Honey Smacks makes them sound healthier. 🙂
I loved Dig Em the frog.
I laughed OUT LOUD throughout this entire post. Hilarious!!! Mine is Cinnamon Toast Crunch…and guess what! My GRANDMOTHER got me addicted to it!!!
True story: If the nutrition facts on the side of the box said that a serving contained more than 10g of sugar, we weren’t allowed to get it. And if it had more than 2g of protein it was even better. What a deprived childhood, right?! (First world problems, for sure.)
BUT!
My grandparents always had Lucky Charms in their pantry. And *luckily* (see what I did there?) they only lived a mile away. And YES, the marshmallows MUST be saved for the end. Spoonfulls of them…delicious. They also usually had Cap’n Crunch Berries and Cocoa Puffs, which do indeed make for delicious milk.
I didn’t realize I was so passionate about this subject until I read this post….
Sugar Cereal Lovers unite!
Bethany, I didn’t realize I was so passionate about cereal until I started talking about it either. So funny!
My mom hated to cook, so we’d have only sugar cereals in the pantry for BOTH breakfast and bedtime snack! I loved all of these:
Remember Quisp and Quake? Oh yeah!
Cap’n Crunch
Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch
Cap’n Crunch with Crunchberries
Sugar Smacks
Sugar Pops
Super Sugar Crisp (remember when they stopped putting the word “sugar” in the titles of cereals? Ha!)
Cocoa Puffs
Alpha Bits
Count Chocula
This is making me hungry.
Thanks Lindsee!
Captain Crunch growing up. Homemade granola now 🙂
Lucky Charms, Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, and regular Cap’n Crunch were my favorites. I will confess that as a single mother, Thursday nights were always cereal and pop corn nights. I don’t know why, but by Thursday evening, I was always exhausted. I kinda revived on Friday for the weekend, but Thursday night was the worst! So my kids and I would eat cereal for dinner, and then popcorn during the 8:00 sitcom before they went to bed at 8:30. I truly think it helped me maintain my sanity during those years!! Ha ha ha!!
I’m with Grandpa… “Hey, Cap’n!!” Cap’n Crunch.
I go cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!!!
This brought back a few great memories! One being that I grew up with Honey Nut Cheerios being the “sugar cereal” in our house. That was the limit. However I was resourceful! Every morning I would walk down to my cousin’s house to catch the bus and you better believe I threw down a big bowl of Lucky Charms before catching the bus! 🙂 Thank goodness for family…there when you need them! Ha!
I’m one of those people who like to eat a bowl of cereal
with a glass of milk:) I know that is crazy. I eat my Special K,
with milk in the bowl, but my childhood gave, is
Cinnamon Toast Crunch with a glass of milk. Oh and do y’all
remember the cinnamon bun cereal? That was delish!
And I like cracklin oat bran. Lik
Growing up my mom always ate cereal…she still does every chance she gets. I however did not inherit the love of cereal. I do remember having Lucky Charms and some others I’m sure BUT to this very day, my absolute favorite cereal is GrapeNuts. I know….nothing crazy about that. But the catch is that I had to load it down with sugar. Mmmmm….nothing quite like it. In fact….I think I’ll have a bowl now. 🙂 Totally enjoyed this post!! Fun…fun…
What a fun post to read! I’m loving Chocolate Cheerios right now. Yummy!
Hahaha … love it … fruity pebbles “they even make those Gluten-free” Boom
nothing better than snacking on sugary cereals. can’t eat this for breakfast, ever, but as a snack …
Oh my word! My friend just told me to read the blog today because she thought of me when she read it. Cocoa pebbles or cocoa puffs are my favorite and the milk after it, to die for! My mother in law would buy it for me when we would visit. It meant the world to me as an adult. I recently discovered I’m gluten intolerant so no more cocoa pebbles for me. Thanks for this fun post. I think a cereal dinner party is in order soon. Great idea.
Hi, I’m so sorry and have not wanted to discourage you by mentioning this, but I subscribe the living proof blog for words about our Lord and saviour, and although you are greatly enthusiastic, it doesn’t take away from the fact you didn’t mention Him once, and there are other times also when this was the case.
When you life is all about Him, talking about cereal is … Well right on the sideline of things to talk about! When He talks to is daily and affects our heart in an amazing way, we just can’t help to spread it!
Unless I don’t understand the nature of this blog of course…
I don’t want to be a kill joy- but you do understand don’t you that there are people with big issues going on, and not talking about Him when all they need to know is Jesus, is actively discouraging to them.
Please talk Jesus from now on?? I want to know what He’s saying in your life, what He’s telling you to tell us, minister to us, it’s powerful! 🙂
Hi Nicki! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me. I am so sorry to be a disappointment to you. Our true desire is that no matter what we discuss around here, whether it be cereal or serious, reflects Jesus and the life we have in Him. We understand the big issues, and every now and then it’s nice to have a lighthearted, fun post. While the nature of this blog IS Jesus and what He is teaching us and doing through us, the other part of this blog is having fun together and doing life together, as well. Some people need to see that just like everyone else, we eat cereal and like to have a good time. Our desire is to serve you, so while we are honored that you participate in our blog, we hope you will also enjoy the blogs of other God-loving women and teachers. Many blessings to you!
Cute Blog Post– made me chuckle.
The only cereals in my house when growing up was Shredded Wheat and Cheerios— and we had to add our own sugar — probably a generational thing. My children were not big cereal eaters– you can probably guess why, as I did not permit the sugared cereals very often—only for a special treat !
Now I go to the Honey Nut Cheerios and some kind of “Oatmeal Crunch” with fruit !
Nothing like a bowl of Lucky Charms. And Coco Pebbles, Frosted Flakes (THERE GREAT!!) and Captain Crunch, and I could just go on and on…even when I was in my 20’s I would sneak a box every now and then. Love cereal to this day!!
This isn’t terribly sugary or unhealthy but my mom said that ever since I was about 1 I always loved Kix. And I still do today. I love Kix. And now so does my three year old son! Kid-tested, mother approved.
Oh man, someone wrote Honeycombs, and I got all warm inside! I had forgotten. How sad. As an adult I am hooked on Honey Nut Cheerios -its my go-to for dinner several nights a week. We eat cereal so much at my house for dinner that once I asked my son if he wanted Cheerios for breakfast, he said “Cereal?!?! For BREAKFAST?!?!” Lol. We are oatmeal/cereal bar eaters for breakfast. I died laughing. We are weird.
I LOVE THIS POST, LINDSEE! 🙂
I have always had a sweet tooth and this post made me smile. It was a sad day in my house when my Mom stopped buying sugar cereal. My favorite was Quisp. I don’t think they make it anymore but it was yummy! Cap’n Crunch was a very close second but it tore up the roof of my mouth and I’d need a few days in between eating that to let my mouth recover.
Thank you for being so much fun and for your creative blog ideas. So much love to you!
Fruit loops, corn flakes, Raisen Bran. Oatmeal too!
We had cornbread and milk or buttermilk for my Dad many nights when money was tight. I’m 60.
That sounds like so much fun, Lindsee! My parents mostly bought healthy cereal for cost reasons, not because they were too worried about the whole health factor. With four crazy kids they knew the “good” cereal would only last, oh maybe one breakfast, so they got the boring stuff instead so we wouldn’t eat the whole box in one sitting. That said, though, I did get some of the sugary stuff and among my favorites was definitely Lucky Charms. Yum! Although I did ration out the marshmallows so I had some with each bite as opposed to saving it all until the end. Will you still be my friend? Please.
Of course, Kristin. 🙂
Frosted flakes. The taste adults have grown to love. They’re grrreaat.
This gal is a kindred soul of mine !! Anyone who would save all the marshmallows of Lucky Charms for the last is a friend of mine !!! My all time favorite was the Captain Crunch with the crunch berries!!! Yep, you guessed it!! I saved all the crunch berries till the very last and then drank that great milk. Thank you for this. I so enjoyed it!!!
Honeycombs got a big big bite, big big taste in a big big bite!!! Mmmmmmmmmm.
Skinny Crunchberry Frappe from Starbucks
“Skinny Captain Crunch”
Strawberries & Cream, Sugar free hazelnut syrup, nonfat milk & no whip….YUMMY!!
Hey Lindsee! Gotta go with Lucky Charms! My all time favorite. Of course when I was a kid, there were only four marshmallow shapes! And I have to say I am a marshmallow in each bite eater…..but I hope we can still be friends! Hugs.
Definitely chocolate cheerios
What a fun post ! Thanks for bringing back such happy cereal memories ;0)
I loved Captain Crunch…both the peanut butter and the crunch berries, also loved Lucky Charms.
When my 8 year old was younger he would always eat all the marshmallows and leave the cereal behind :-D. Funny how cereal really is a part of what you remember about childhood.
I try to give my son healthier options but this reminds that I am going to let him try some of these old favorites sometimes too. Aaahh cereal !
Loved Rice Krispies…because they talked to me! Snap, Krackle, Pop!
What a fun post, Lindsee!
I love Lucky Charms, and Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch, but I think my favorite was plain old Rice Krispies. There’s something magical about a cereal that talks to you!
Have a wonderful day!
Adrienne
Snap, crackle, Pop! Rice Crispies
Lucky Charms(hands down)… They’re magically delicious!!
Alpha bets! they still make them but they dont have sugar on them anymore…I ask you…shouldnt it be illegal to destory a perfectly great cereal. :o)
Ummm…should we discuss my current pop tart obsession?
Cookies and cream anyone?
Crunch Berries!!! SOOOOO good!!!
Life cereal – Then they came out with the cinamon Life. That was even better. And yes it did have sugar! Hey Mikey, He likes it!
Thanks for the smile Lindsee
As a child: Rice Krispies (with a bit of sugar), Frosted Flakes (also an after-school snack for my sister and me), original shredded wheat (with a bit of sugar and bananas). I enjoyed Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios and Froot Loops with my children…never soggy or we throw it out and start over—–except for the shredded wheat. My kids called it “hay”. “Moooooooo” said the Cow; “Neeeeeeigh” say the Horse.
Boom.
Golden Grahams! Yum!!!!!!
Can anyone tell me where I can find the purple box of Rice Krispy Treats cereal. It’s heaven in a box and it’s gone MIA. The blue box is blah in comparison. Anyone, anyone at all? Help a sister! 🙂
Oh my! I love it! My all time favorite is fruit loops!!! That cereal got me through 3 pregnancies. In the early part of my pregnancies when most things tasted and smelled awefull that wonderfully sweet fruity box of cereal sved the day! Its no wonder all three of my children love fruit loops. And every now and again I will pour myself a bowl and join my kiddos. They love that!
Hands down Count Chocula!
I don’t remember the slogan…But seriously do chocolate and marshmallows need a slogan?
Pam
Hands down, Lucky Charms! We were NEVER allowed sugary cereal in my house growing up, but at my Nanny’s (my grandmother)every summer… Lucky Charms were always my choice! And, girl, we could so be BFFs–the marshmallows MUST be eaten alone. They just must! Because they are “magically delicious”! 🙂
Sugar Pops. The name says it all. Even had these wrapped in foil and given to me as a treat after Training Union on Sunday nights, which may be what started it all. If you were born in the fifties, you’ll remember training union.
What a fun post! I’m not sure I can pick a favorite, but I sure do love Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch and, of course, Lucky Charms. My mom tried to keep it healthy growing up, so when I began to shop for myself, you better believe I bought everything that she wouldn’t. I confess, I miss the prizes!
I did not see anyone else post this one. It was on the east coast early 80s…Strawberry Shortcake cereal. It must have been a limited edition cereal. I don’t remember the taste but I vividly remember the box and the time my brother ate the last bowl!! It was supposed to be saved for me. My mom would buy one box of sugar cereal every 2 weeks alternating which child was allowed to pick it. Whoever picked it got the last bowl, real size serving not what the other felt was enough (big grin).