If you remember any of these delicious cereals, your childhood couldn't have been all bad! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best Saturday morning cereal classics of all time.
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00:00 Ah, the amazing, delicious cinnamon and sugar taste of cinnamon toast crunch and cold milk.
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best Saturday morning
00:10 cereal classics of all time.
00:12 They're magically delicious!
00:15 Number 20, Corn Pops.
00:18 We all know that some of the tastiest and most retroactively appreciated cereals ever
00:21 created contain tons of sugar.
00:23 Quite a Corn Pops.
00:24 Compose, man.
00:25 Hey, it's just a cereal.
00:26 I mean, look, there's plenty of, uh, Albrecht.
00:30 Are you kidding?
00:31 Who am I kidding?
00:32 It's not just a cereal, it's Corn Pops.
00:33 We're not fooling ourselves into thinking otherwise, yet the Corn Pops brand has endured
00:37 a history of taking the word "sugar" in and out of their name.
00:40 That said, a cereal by any other name, be it Sugar Corn Pops, Pops, or our beloved Corn
00:45 Pops, would still taste as sweet.
00:47 These little pillows of puffed corn possess an undeniable appeal that keeps us coming
00:51 back for bowl after bowl of the good stuff.
00:53 I want my cubs Corn Pops.
00:55 While we're young?
00:56 Can you hang on a sec?
00:57 Mmm.
00:58 Oh, you're killing me.
00:59 What happened with that?
01:00 You're killing me.
01:01 Number 19, Life.
01:02 The worlds of advertising and breakfast cereals have always had a symbiotic relationship.
01:07 Good morning, it's time for a healthy breakfast.
01:10 This time your kids will eat it.
01:11 A cereal with lots of protein.
01:13 Don't worry, your kids will eat it.
01:15 And complex carbohydrates.
01:17 It's new, crunchier Life cereal.
01:19 Kids have long been targeted on Saturday mornings by every toy and breakfast food commercial
01:23 in the game, all vying for parents' hard-earned grocery money.
01:26 Back in the day, Life cereal went with a particularly effective campaign featuring Mikey, a little
01:31 boy with a hard-to-please palate.
01:33 Let's get Mikey.
01:34 Yeah.
01:35 He won't eat it.
01:36 He hates everything.
01:37 He likes it.
01:41 Mikey Likes It became the calling card for Life cereal's ostensibly pleasant texture,
01:45 hearty ingredients, and tasty sweetness.
01:48 This wasn't marketed as an overtly cloying breakfast experience, but a more nuanced bowl
01:52 of goodness that could make both kids and parents happy.
01:55 Number 18.
01:56 Trix
01:57 Are you a chocolatey cereal person or a fruity cereal person?
02:01 If you answered affirmatively to the latter option, then it's highly likely that you
02:04 loved eating Trix as a kid.
02:06 I love my fruity Trix.
02:07 Trix.
02:08 It's a part of this complete breakfast.
02:09 And it's just for kids.
02:13 Your parents probably weren't too thrilled, however.
02:16 Since the cereal didn't even pretend to be anything but garishly colored sugar puffs
02:20 in a bowl, these fruit-flavored puffs were pungently aromatic, a burst of fruit flavor
02:24 for those who demanded an extra jolt of energy in the morning.
02:27 Chocolate lovers out there may not see what all the hype is about with regards to Trix,
02:31 but if you need all of that artificially flavored goodness in your life, then Trix is for you.
02:38 Number 17.
02:52 Special K
02:53 Real talk.
02:54 A lot, okay, almost all of the cereals on this list are sugar bombs.
02:58 Special K, however, is something a little, just a little different.
03:02 Special K gives you the highest level of protein available in a cereal.
03:06 And protein can help you keep muscle while you lose fat.
03:11 So make the Special K breakfast part of your daily diet and exercise plan.
03:15 This longstanding Kellogg's product was actually once marketed to those seeking to lose weight.
03:20 The Special K Challenge outlined a diet supplemented by servings of Special K cereal that was intended
03:25 to shave off six pounds in two weeks.
03:27 Drop a jean size in two weeks with the Special K Challenge.
03:31 Results, uh, not exactly guaranteed.
03:34 But this grain-based cereal did make it easy to imagine indulging in some Special K goodness
03:38 as part of a tasty breakfast.
03:40 Number 16.
03:42 Apple Jacks
03:43 This tasty apple and cinnamon-based cereal was initially introduced back in 1965 under
03:47 the moniker of Apple O's.
03:49 We admit that this name captured a more succinct description of its taste, but today's consumers
03:53 know it by another brand, Apple Jacks.
04:09 That bright green box, those colorful shapes, and that immediately recognizable taste.
04:13 You just know Apple Jacks when you eat them.
04:16 And one bowl is almost surely followed by a second.
04:19 There's an addictive quality to the sweetness at play here, and the Apple Jacks O hang tough
04:23 against the milk, eventually passing on their cinnamony flavor.
04:35 Number 15.
04:37 Count Chocula
04:38 It's one of those telltale signs of the Halloween season.
04:41 The introduction of the General Mills Monster Cereals onto grocery store shelves.
04:51 Count Chocula has to be considered one of the best, an indulgent treat that is forever
04:54 paired with falling temperatures and crunchy leaves.
04:57 Plus, if you're a marshmallow person, and who isn't, then the cocoa-flavored treats
05:01 included in this cereal are gonna rock your world.
05:11 We can honestly eat Count Chocula at any time of the year, but we admit that it's a special
05:15 tradition that we look forward to every year.
05:18 Number 14.
05:19 Chex
05:20 It's all about texture when it comes to the success story of General Mills Chex cereal.
05:32 The origins of these checkerboard treats actually date back to another manufacturer, Ralston
05:36 Purina, where it was marketed under the rather unappealing name of "Shredded Ralston."
05:40 Today, Chex's criss-crossing shape allows it to stand up to milk while always providing
05:45 a satisfying crunch.
05:46 Elsewhere, Chex also serves as something of a universal vessel for both sweet and savory
05:51 applications.
05:52 From spicy Chex Mix to sugary, chocolate Chex variants, this brand terminology has got something
05:57 for everyone.
06:05 Number 13.
06:06 Honey Bunches of Oats
06:08 The average cereal aisle of your everyday grocery store is likely going to be packed
06:11 from top to bottom with cereals from Kellogg's, Quaker, and General Mills, and then there's
06:15 the supposed Honey Bunches of Oats.
06:18 Honey Bunches of Oats.
06:19 It's crispy sweetened flakes, plus crunchy granola clusters, plus a touch of honey.
06:25 There's a nice textural complexity going on with the multiple flakes and oats, all
06:31 tied together with the sweetness of honey.
06:33 It's a far cry from the occasionally cloying flavor profile of some cereals, yet it is
06:37 also not boring.
06:40 Instead, Honey Bunches of Oats is a cereal that aspires to that part-of-a-balance breakfast
06:45 tagline so prominently featured in advertising.
06:49 Number 12.
06:50 Reese's Puffs
06:51 It seems so simple, right?
06:52 Take the basic vector of a corn puff cereal and then create a concoction inspired by Reese's
06:57 peanut butter cups.
07:00 In the end, results of Reese's Puffs cereal deliver on that premise, and more, delivering
07:07 a dynamic punch of sweetness and flavor.
07:10 The actual puffs here are crunchy and fun to eat, while the chocolate and peanut butter
07:13 flavors drive home that candy inspiration without diving too much into overkill territory.
07:18 Reese's Puffs have one job, and they absolutely nail it.
07:22 Bring in a favorite indulgent candy to the breakfast table.
07:31 Number 11.
07:32 Cookie Crisp
07:33 There's just no getting around it.
07:35 Cookie Crisp is a dream snack for Saturday mornings.
07:42 It's a textbook example of a cereal knowing its audience and giving them exactly what
07:46 they want.
07:47 After all, who doesn't want to eat cookies for breakfast?
07:50 Cookie Crisp gives you that chocolate chip cookie taste and crunch in a bite-sized form,
07:54 and they taste amazing in milk.
08:02 It's the sort of indulgence that's tailor-made to a bull or three while watching a lineup
08:06 of your favorite shows while wearing the comfiest pajamas you own.
08:10 Number 10.
08:11 Rice Krispies
08:12 There are a number of well-known cereal mascots out there, but Snap, Crackle, and Pop from
08:17 the Rice Krispies brand have got to be among the most iconic.
08:28 They managed to make an otherwise plain-sounding cereal of puffed rice appealing to kids.
08:33 This was thanks largely to the noises Rice Krispies make as milk breaks them down.
08:36 It made breakfast fun, although we will fully cop to sneaking tablespoons of sugar on top
08:41 of these suckers when we were kids.
08:43 If we're being honest, though, Rice Krispies is good any time of the day, and the brand
08:51 has expanded into a wide variety of offshoots over the years, keeping it fresh for new generations.
08:56 Number 9.
08:57 Cocoa Puffs
08:58 It's amazing what humble little corn and rice puffs can do when they're combined with
09:02 chocolate, cocoa, or sugar.
09:14 These otherwise innocuous confections get the gold-star treatment when Cocoa Puffs enter
09:18 the chat.
09:19 Since this chocolatey cereal is unapologetic when it comes to wanting a good time, Cocoa
09:23 Puffs want to be your pal when you're watching TV.
09:25 A comfort when you're sick, a companion during those late nights or early mornings,
09:40 forget for a moment the sugar content at hand and take yourself back to a more innocent
09:44 time with that chocolatey, cuckoo taste.
09:47 Number 8.
09:48 Fruity Pebbles
09:49 We can't help but wonder how many of those who purchase post-Fruity Pebbles cereal on
09:52 a weekly basis even recognize its source material licensed from the classic Flintstones cartoon.
09:57 Maybe you're too young to remember the show, but thankfully, both Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles
10:13 iterations have endured to the modern day.
10:15 These little bits of puffed rice just possess an addictive texture and are bolstered by
10:19 a flavor profile that packs a punch.
10:29 Post clearly knows what they're doing when it comes to making Pebbles cereal taste just
10:32 as good now as it ever did, and that's no mean feat.
10:36 Number 7.
10:37 Frosted Mini Wheats
10:38 Sure, we know that you can technically purchase Kellogg's Wheat Cereals unfrosted, but much
10:43 healthier options don't really make for nostalgic cravings, right?
10:52 Especially when the company's Frosted Mini Wheats exist.
10:55 These cereal concoctions are scrumptiously hearty pillows of wheat goodness dusted with
10:59 an amazing crispy sugar coating.
11:01 Milk actually makes this cereal taste better as it breaks down that engaging crunch into
11:05 a sweetened paste as the biscuits break down.
11:11 We always eat our bowls of Frosted Mini Wheats down to the last drop, slurping up that delicious
11:16 milk.
11:17 Number 6.
11:18 Fruit Loops
11:19 While on the topic of milk, are you in fact the sort of cereal eater who abandons the
11:22 milk at the end or do you savor that sugary liquid gold?
11:35 We'd be willing to bet that it's the latter, especially if you're a Fruit Loops person.
11:39 The fruit blend here is addictive as all get out, and the Fruit Loops mascot, Toucan Sam,
11:44 has been selling us on these heavenly rings for years.
11:49 They stay crunchy in milk, which is huge, but also turn said milk into a multicolored
11:54 bonanza of fruit flavors that just taste so good going down.
11:58 It's so good in fact that we almost, okay make that definitely, pour ourselves another
12:03 bowl.
12:04 Just don't tell our doctor.
12:06 Number 5.
12:07 Cap'n Crunch
12:08 Time is of the essence when it comes to the Quaker Oats Company's classic cereal, Cap'n
12:12 Crunch.
12:20 Eating it dry isn't so pleasant for the roof of your mouth, and is not highly recommended.
12:24 Waiting too long will result in an extremely soggy and probably disappointing breakfast
12:29 experience.
12:30 However, if you time it right, that moment when milk hits a fresh bowl of Cap'n Crunch
12:34 can be pure magic.
12:43 Granted it takes a little work to figure out the magic hour of double C perfection, but
12:47 Cap'n Crunch mainstays know that it's all worth it.
12:49 There's simply nothing quite like its special texture and flavor.
12:53 Number 4.
12:54 Lucky Charms
12:55 Marshmallow fanatics may not know this, but Lucky Charms was actually the first breakfast
12:59 cereal to include these confections, way back in 1964.
13:02 The original intent was for the cereal to represent charm bracelets, but over the years,
13:07 Lucky Charms has largely been associated with its leprechaun mascot, Lucky.
13:17 The magically delicious combination of oat pieces and sweetened marshmallows was a winner
13:22 then, and that tradition continues on today, with Lucky Charms remaining a staple on the
13:26 breakfast table.
13:27 The quality control has been remarkable too, since the crunchy bits retain their unique
13:31 flavor, while the marshmallows continue to impress us as some of the tastiest options
13:35 out there in the cereal aisle.
13:39 Number 3.
13:41 Honey Nut Cheerios
13:42 The Cheerios brand has something for everyone, from the health conscious to those with an
13:46 appetite for the deliciously decadent.
13:48 That said, Honey Nut Cheerios may be the perfect distillation of Cheerios, with enough cross
13:53 market appeal to make everyone happy.
14:00 The sweet honey flavor used to be combined with actual nuts, although today that flavoring
14:04 is achieved using peach and apricot pit extracts.
14:07 Still, Honey Nut Cheerios balances out sweetness with a pleasant, oaty aftertaste that allows
14:12 us to pretend this stuff is part of a healthy diet.
14:15 It's proven to be very popular as well, enduring today as one of the best selling
14:26 cereals in the United States.
14:28 Number 2.
14:29 Frosted Flakes
14:30 Frosted Flakes cereal possesses a very simple recipe for success.
14:34 Take your average, everyday cornflake and dump a whole lot of sugar on top.
14:44 After all, didn't the average kid already pour table sugar over their plain cornflakes
14:48 anyway?
14:49 Kellogg's was cunning enough to forego that middleman with Frosted Flakes, instead capturing
14:53 some of the sweetest cereal flavors to ever pass our lips.
14:56 The brand's mascot, Tony the Tiger, is iconic to boot.
15:06 Although we don't really need Tony to tell us how great Frosted Flakes are, still, it
15:10 doesn't hurt, right?
15:25 Number 1.
15:28 Cinnamon Toast Crunch
15:30 The modern-day Cinnamon Toast Crunch commercials pride themselves on the wacky antics of their
15:34 anthropomorphic cereal squares, squares that cannibalize each other thanks to their sugary
15:38 and cinnamony goodness.
15:44 We don't blame them one bit either, because Cinnamon Toast Crunch is one of those gold
15:47 metal cereals that everyone seems to like.
15:50 The flavor profile is indulgent, without the slightest bit of healthy pretense to get in
15:54 the way of all that tastiness.
15:56 We recommend eating your bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch quickly, not only to shovel in
15:59 that stuff as fast as humanly possible, but also to ensure this cereal's crunch factor
16:03 stands up to milk.
16:09 What's your favorite breakfast cereal?
16:10 Shout it out in the comments!
16:26 Thanks for watching!