(Product Review) General Mills Monster Cereal, Count Chocula Cereal

Monster Cereal, Count Chocula Cereal, 10.4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)

Product Rating: 5

Community Rating: Very Helpful

Pros: Fun to eat, great taste, vitamin fortified, whole grain nutrition, boxtops for education

Cons: Seasonal availability, small boxes go too quickly

Summary: Pick some up if you can find it. Check the expiration dates and stock up if you can because you may not see it again until next year.

It is Halloween morning, so what is for breakfast? One of our seasonal favorites is Count Chocula Cereal from General Mills. This chocolaty marshmallow cereal is impossible to find locally, except for the availability around Halloween, but my family loves it for a delicious change of taste.

Count Chocula is actually one of three different Monster Cereals available from General Mills this time of year. Although Count Chocula is my personal favorite, I have also been known to indulge in a tasty bowl or Boo Berry or Franken Berry cereal from time to time. Like the Count Chocula, these are difficult if not impossible to find in my area any other time of year, but your experience may be different, depending on where you live.

Count Chocula has a sweet,  chocolaty taste. The cereal pieces are not too hard, nor do they get soggy as quickly as some other cereals I have eaten. I like to take my time and enjoy a bowl, and this is one of the cereals that aren't soggy by the time I finish my bowl of cereal. This also works well when being served to my granddaughters because they can be easily distracted at times and even at those times when the cereal sits a little longer than it should, it doesn't get too soggy to eat after a few minutes. Even my son enjoys it, and he wil not eat soggy cereal.

Count Chocula Cereal is also loaded with delicious frosted marshmallow bats, much like Lucky Charms contains assorted marshmallow shapes. These marshmallow bats used to all be uniform in shape, size and color, but these days they vary from solid brown color to a swirled color. They add a delicious sweetness to breakfast.

It may not be the healthiest breakfast because let's face it, a chocolate and marshmallow treat is not going to be the most healthy thing out there, but it isn't the worst either. Although it has a higher sugar content than some other cereals, it is fortified with vitamins and minerals, including iron. A 3/4 cup serving contains 110 calories, and contains 170mg sodium.

From what I understand, the original Count Chocula Cereal was temporarily discontinued years ago because of concerns about the high sugar content. Since that time however, it has been reformulated to a whole grain corn cereal and reintroduced. Even though it is a little different than the original cereal the taste is still great, but now it is healthier than the original product.

Although my family enjoys this cereal, there are a couple of problems with it. First is availability issues. As I mentioned, this is not readily available in my area except around Halloween time. I can get it online whenever I want to, but searched every store in a fifty mile radius a few months ago and was unable to locate a single box. Aside from that, my main issue is that the 10.4 ounce boxes are pretty small and are gone much too quickly.

I never buy a single box because of this. Instead, I pick up several boxes, or even a case at a time to be sure that everyone gets some. I find it best to stock up when it becomes availabe because it won't be around for long. Just remember to check the expiration dates on the boxes and you will be able to enjoy a fresh box of this cereal for months to come.

Another good thing about this cereal is that General Mills participates in the Boxtops for Education program. Every box has the Boxtops for Education which can be given to your local school to help them purchase supplies and other items. It is an easy way to donate to your school district without costing you anything.

During the short time that these cereals are available, you can often find them on sale for around $2-$3 per box. You can often find coupons available as well, which can really save you some money if you don't mind shopping around and using coupons. Personally, I take every opportunity I can find to get this cereal and other items for the best price.

I highly recommend this cereal to chocolate lovers everywhere. I have tried substituting other cereals, but nothing compares to Count Chocula Cereal. I only wish it were available year round.


Originally published on Epinions.
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