Weird Review: Halloween Frosted Flakes with Marshmallows

It's getting to be that time of year again, when the air chills, and the sky dims a little earlier, and things all around seem to get a little spookier. For some, as Halloween approaches, it's the withering trees and the ritual of putting on another persona that makes one uneasy, but for for us here at Junk Food Junktion, it's something far more sinister: Marshmallows invading cereals in defiance of God, law, and common decency.

For anyone who doesn't spend their free time trawling the aisles at Walmart for the latest bizarre snack foods - well, for starters, get on my level - and also, you may have missed Kellogg's newest seasonal gimmick. Several cereals, including Frosted Flakes, are getting spooky makeovers, which include the addition of marshmallows in the shape of skeleton bits. In the case of Frosted Flakes, those delicious, crunchy corn flakes have also been made chocolate flavored.

In the spirit of the season, and in the spirit of putting unholy confections in my body out of curiosity, I checked out the new spooky chocolate Frosted Flakes, and the result were disappointingly average.

From the moment you break the seal and open the bag, the aroma is extremely reminiscent of Cocoa Pebbles, and this first impression is indicative of the rest of the experience. Maybe it was too much to ask for chocolate Frosted Flakes to taste unique in the realm of chocolate breakfast cereals, but the taste is overwhelmingly similar to Fred Flintstone's favorite morning treat, albeit with the pleasing crunch the Frosted Flakes has always boasted.

Less impressive are the marshmallows. Most of the time, they're barely perceptible, giving off almost no distinct flavor. Only occasionally do you notice a weirdly soft bit of mouth-feel that reminds you that, yes, indeed there are marshmallows in this cereal. The box proudly proclaims that you can "Build your own marshmallow skeletons!" next to a picture of all the limbs, torso, and skull bits properly assembled. It's a nice picture, but in practice? Yeah, good luck.

These Halloween Frosted Flakes are definitely weirder on paper than they are on the taste buds, but even so, they are enjoyable. The box may make one want for something loonier than "Cocoa Pebble flakes with sort-of-marshmallows," but Cocoa Pebbles are still delicious, and it's hard to go wrong even with this facsimile. Check them out, and maybe also try the Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks with marshmallows if you're hungry for something truly weird. That stuff ain't right.