I like cereal. I eat cereal. I have been liking and eating cereal for 40 years.
So with that, let's continue on with the first half of the top 10, in my multi-part series on the best cereals of the last four decades.
10. Lucky Charms
Cereal is often marketed toward children with colorful cartoon characters adorning the box. In this case, Lucky Charms features Lucky the Leprechaun. Unless of course you lived in New England in the mid 70's, in which Lucky was actually replaced by Waldo the Wizard. I am almost certain very few people remember that! The marshmallow types have changed over time as some of my favorites like blue diamonds have come and gone. I still hold a grudge that yellow moons are no more. But regardless, the recipe has mostly remained the same and so has my adoration of the charm. After all, how is not possible to like something that is magically delicious?
9. Banana Bugs 'n' Mud
Unless you've traveled to New Zealand, you have likely never heard of Hubbards Banana Bugs 'n' Mud. This puffed rice cereal has chocolate banana flavored morsels that are aptly named mud, and then maggoty, squishy looking bugs that if you squint and pretend real hard, might actually be bugs. Cereal Time TV published a ground breaking piece of journalism in 2014 that covered this cereal in less than three minutes. I highly recommend you watch it here. Anyway, I have had the fortune of traveling twice to the land of kiwi, and spending the better part of a month there in total. On my first day I find the local PAKn’SAVE to pick up a box that I carry with me from city to city. This has fueled my engine for dozens of work meetings, and tramping (that's hiking to the rest of the world) all over the most beautiful country in the world.
8. Honey Comb
I am going to say right up front that I really waffled on where to put this cereal. Wait for it... It's only funnier when you let it sink in. Honey Comb should be sold by volume, not by weight since it basically feels like air. This may be the greatest scam of all time since there is so much space between the hexagonal prismatic cells (phrase "borrowed" from the internet without citation) that the cereal will fill up a standard box and not live up to the standard servings sizes on said box. I digress. Honey Comb is basic; it is conservative; it is perfect. Thank you Post for continuing to manufacture the Delicious combs of honey for all these years.
7. Teddy Grahams
It is difficult to comprehend that as of today, that Teddy Grahams Breakfast Bears has been gone from our lives for 20 years. It lived such a short, yet sweet life, making it's debut on grocery store shelves in 1991. Not normally known for it's cereal making, Nabisco made a big milk splash with this graham cereal in three flavors, highlighted by the popular honey flavor. The commercials featured dancing and singing bears encouraging you to wake up and eat them. This cereal was basically the Nabisco's Teddy Grahams snack crackers in milk, which were packed with so many preservatives that they stayed crunchy to the last bite. The creepy part of this was that the back of the box features a full size bear mask that you could cut out and wear. Thank you Nabisco for making the 90's worth living.
6. Marshmallow Krispies cereal
When a retired cereal has a cult group of followers and a Facebook page, it is time to come back to our breakfast table! Marshmallow Krispies cereal made a debut in 1982 when I was seven years old; also known as the peak year for cereal consumption. The addition of colorful marshmallows to the standard krispy is the perfect amount of sugary goodness in my expert opinion. Kellogg's was definitely milking the success of the Krispies line with multiple varieties, but the marshmallow flavor ranks number six in my book. I think that Crackle has gotten the shaft over the years, being overshadowed by Snap and Pop. His middle child syndrome is clear in his demeanor. Please support Crackle as you think back fondly on this wonderful cereal.
That's a wrap for now. All that remains is the top 5...