Grocery shopping with your mom in the 1990s often served as a form of torture. You’d watch her spend 20 minutes in the produce section and then breeze by the ice cream aisle. Suddenly, you’d see them: rows upon rows of cereal boxes more colorful than unicorn poop. You’d point to the one with your favorite cartoon mascot and look up at Mom with big puppy dog eyes. She’d instantly laugh off your exaggerated dismay, and continue heading to the dairy section. Sigh.
Maybe Mom was right to deny us of such treats, but can you really blame us for falling for these sugary temptations? They just don’t make ‘em like they used to, which is particularly unfortunate because now we’re all (mostly) capable of buying groceries without our mommas. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t reflect on what once was...
Oreo O’s
Photo Credit: theimpulsivebuy
“You mean I can eat Oreos for breakfast?!” was probably the thought on every kid’s mind when these babies made their debut. The little chocolate loops came with white chocolate specks and chunks of what was assumedly Oreo creme. Imagine all the kinds of insane dessert creations that would have spawned if these were still around...
Reese’s Puffs
Photo Credit: Mike Mozart
Reese’s Puffs, Reese’s Puffs! Peanut butter chocolate flav-a! Every time you saw a bunch of kids on TV rapping in orange and yellow colored rooms, you knew it could only mean one thing: Reese’s Puffs. The cereal, which is luckily still in stores, consists of little balls covered in either peanut buttery chocolate or chocolatey peanut butter, to mimic the taste of Reese’s famed chocolate peanut butter cups. They certainly succeeded; both are prime of examples of the right way to unite PB and chocolate.
Cinnamon Mini Buns
Photo Credit: theimpulsivebuy
Also known as “Mini Swirlz Cinnamon Buns,” these crunchy little cinnamon swirls both dazzled and confused us by blurring the line between dessert and breakfast. Why have one cinnamon roll when you could just as easily take on a few hundred of these?
Cookie Crisps
Cookie Crisps were essentially many, many bite-size cookies posing as cereal. Who knows how many people actually ate these for breakfast; I’m sure more people have only bought them as a reward for eating salad for dinner. Nowadays, the Crisps are mostly spotted in frozen dessert shops as delicious, heavy toppings.
French Toast Crunch
Photo Credit: theimpulsivebuy
This was holy grail of 90s cereals and probably of cereals in general—buttery, cinnamony-sweet mini French toasts that crunched with every bite. Boxes recently resurfaced at certain locations due to popular demand and overwhelming nostalgia. They’re scarce, but you just have to do your homework! General Mills, if you’re reading this, call me.
