Knock-off Cinnamon Toast Crunch is always trash. Knock-off Fruity Pebbles almost always tastes exactly like real Fruity Pebbles, but sometimes the color can be a bit off
@togle Cinnamon Toast Crunch is by far the strongest argument for knockoff cereals not being as good as the real thing. General Mills must have some crazy proprietary manufacturing process for it or something.
Last one I got was a Raisin Bran crunch. Don’t remember the brand (bought at Walmart) but it was good. I just don’t eat cereal that often, so when I do buy it I typically go for the brand name.
Plain Cheerios have never been knocked off succesfully, Honey-Nut Cheerios knockoffs are usually close enough. Aldi Froot Loops and Lucky Charms are very much like the real deal.
@bluebeatpete
Aldi definitely missed on the cinnamon toast crunch knockoff, but my son still plowed through the box (we usually buy the real thing at Costco, but had picked up the Aldi one in case we didn’t get to Costco for a while)
@bluebeatpete@guyfromhawthorn My experience is that most of the Aldi knocks off are not that great. My picky entitled kids won’t even consider a second spoonful.
For a year my Mom bought knock-off Cheerios but put the bag inside a Cheerios box. The price of wisdom is learning that the person who loves you most is willing to lie to your face.
The only cereals I get are plain Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran. The private brands are a little different in taste than the name brands but the private brands are OK, and better for being half the price of the major brands. I tried a private brand Cheerios and it was OK too but I like flakes type better.
@cinoclav I recall the malt o meal frosted mini wheats being better than the real thing because they were cheaper and I was in college. Also I think they were called frosted mini spooners.
@cinoclav@mattj Berry Colossal Crunch and Mini Spooners are A game knock offs, but somehow I can get real Capn Crunch cheaper via ‘must buy 2/3/4’ deals.
Store brand/knockoff cereal is a mixed bag of delight/disgust. Some are perfectly fine (albeit a bit different), some are trash. Overall I am inclined to buy the store brand since they are a lot cheaper, and I don’t buy or use that much cereal now that I am old enough to qualify for AARP.
I am currently working thru a box of Elf cereal I bought at closeout for $1 at Walmart after Christmas. I keep it at work for those days in the ER when I don’t have time to eat a meal, but can still pour this (dry) into my face from a styro coffee cup… Not a real culinary treat, but it fills a hole.
@chienfou I swear every movie based cereal is the same thing. Shitty Kix like puffs with marshmallows. The Elf cereal is essentially the same as the Baby Yoda cereal with different shaped marshmallows. They really should have thrown in some spaghetti shaped strands for Elf.
i live in new england and shop at market basket. most of the store brand stuff (not just cereal) is as good or better than the name brand. there’s one cereal i get though, it’s called magic stars and it has a wizard on the box. it’s supposed to be their version of lucky charms. i don’t even like lucky charms but i really like this “knockoff” cereal. definitely one of my favorite store brand things.
My boyfriend had this documentary on once about cereal and it said if you open a box a cereal and spread it out your more than likely to find little bugs in it. I’ve never done bc I still wanna eat my cereal.
@Star2236 I don’t recommend google searching FDA food defect limits. The acceptable amounts of insect parts, mouse shit, maggots, rodent hair, and other foreign matter will have you quick-gagging.
/giphy quick gag
I make my own granola, never found a bug in raw ingredients, never seen any in my Cheerios, either.
(I know all good products are legally allowed to have some percentage of bugs but I prefer they be pulverized and baked in …
Too are referring to bugs that still look like bigs, right?)
Erraboddy knows you can get dried marshmallow bits by the bag on AMZN, right? Add whatever you want. Do not eat them by themselves, that’s childish.
/giphy marshmallow bits
Knock-off Cinnamon Toast Crunch is always trash. Knock-off Fruity Pebbles almost always tastes exactly like real Fruity Pebbles, but sometimes the color can be a bit off
@togle Cinnamon Toast Crunch is by far the strongest argument for knockoff cereals not being as good as the real thing. General Mills must have some crazy proprietary manufacturing process for it or something.
I am going to say never as good because way back when I last tried a knock off cereal it sucked.
Last one I got was a Raisin Bran crunch. Don’t remember the brand (bought at Walmart) but it was good. I just don’t eat cereal that often, so when I do buy it I typically go for the brand name.
Knockoff Cheerios are good. I wouldn’t buy knockoff Cocoa Krispies, because even Cocoa Pebbles are inferior.
@craigthom hmm not the version I have tried of knock off cherios. Those were horrible.
Plain Cheerios have never been knocked off succesfully, Honey-Nut Cheerios knockoffs are usually close enough. Aldi Froot Loops and Lucky Charms are very much like the real deal.
@bluebeatpete
Aldi definitely missed on the cinnamon toast crunch knockoff, but my son still plowed through the box (we usually buy the real thing at Costco, but had picked up the Aldi one in case we didn’t get to Costco for a while)
@bluebeatpete @guyfromhawthorn My experience is that most of the Aldi knocks off are not that great. My picky entitled kids won’t even consider a second spoonful.
Raisin Bran is the same except for the amount of sugar on the raisins. Hah! I don’t need all they extra sugar, so there.
Knock-off soup?
For a year my Mom bought knock-off Cheerios but put the bag inside a Cheerios box. The price of wisdom is learning that the person who loves you most is willing to lie to your face.
I won’t get fooled again
@lehigh
Reminds me of my childhood. Gotta give it to mom, she was trying to save a buck.
@lehigh I have done things like that to my daughter. She never ever caught on. LOL
The only cereals I get are plain Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran. The private brands are a little different in taste than the name brands but the private brands are OK, and better for being half the price of the major brands. I tried a private brand Cheerios and it was OK too but I like flakes type better.
MaltOMeal’s knockoff Cap’n Crunch with Crunchberries is good. But they one upped the Cap’n with this version by throwing in mini marshmallows too!
@cinoclav That looks really good.
@cinoclav I recall the malt o meal frosted mini wheats being better than the real thing because they were cheaper and I was in college. Also I think they were called frosted mini spooners.
@cinoclav @mattj
that’s correct
@Fuzzalini It most definitely is.
@cinoclav Man I love the knock off cereal names. This is incomplete: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/funny-cereal-names
@cinoclav @mattj Berry Colossal Crunch and Mini Spooners are A game knock offs, but somehow I can get real Capn Crunch cheaper via ‘must buy 2/3/4’ deals.
@fibrs86 @mattj But then you have to buy a bag of dehydrated marshmallows to do it right!
@cinoclav
I don’t like marshmallows in my cereal. So I’m very loyal to my capt crunch.
@cinoclav @mattj I was googling for dehydrated marshmallows to order (which are apparently readily available) and somehow ran across this etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ParallelPower?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=905078041
I can’t justify the price, but I’m impressed by the lack of bubbles in the resin.
@cinoclav @mattj Matt, I loved the Aldi version of these, too. I think simpler cereals make better copies (except for Cheerios).
Whatever Knock off fruit loops my wife buys is always better than the real thing. They are bigger and more fruitier
@show_the_maw
Score a point for SWMBO!
Store brand/knockoff cereal is a mixed bag of delight/disgust. Some are perfectly fine (albeit a bit different), some are trash. Overall I am inclined to buy the store brand since they are a lot cheaper, and I don’t buy or use that much cereal now that I am old enough to qualify for AARP.
I am currently working thru a box of Elf cereal I bought at closeout for $1 at Walmart after Christmas. I keep it at work for those days in the ER when I don’t have time to eat a meal, but can still pour this (dry) into my face from a styro coffee cup… Not a real culinary treat, but it fills a hole.
@chienfou I swear every movie based cereal is the same thing. Shitty Kix like puffs with marshmallows. The Elf cereal is essentially the same as the Baby Yoda cereal with different shaped marshmallows. They really should have thrown in some spaghetti shaped strands for Elf.
@cinoclav
Yeah, it’s not my favorite cereal but it works for my use when the ER is slammed…
i live in new england and shop at market basket. most of the store brand stuff (not just cereal) is as good or better than the name brand. there’s one cereal i get though, it’s called magic stars and it has a wizard on the box. it’s supposed to be their version of lucky charms. i don’t even like lucky charms but i really like this “knockoff” cereal. definitely one of my favorite store brand things.
My boyfriend had this documentary on once about cereal and it said if you open a box a cereal and spread it out your more than likely to find little bugs in it. I’ve never done bc I still wanna eat my cereal.
@Star2236 Protein.
@Star2236 I don’t recommend google searching FDA food defect limits. The acceptable amounts of insect parts, mouse shit, maggots, rodent hair, and other foreign matter will have you quick-gagging.
/giphy quick gag
@Star2236 Years ago I had a roommate that went to get a bowl of his Raisin Bran one morning. He found out where all the ants were hiding.
@Star2236 please anybody is this really true?
I make my own granola, never found a bug in raw ingredients, never seen any in my Cheerios, either.
(I know all good products are legally allowed to have some percentage of bugs but I prefer they be pulverized and baked in …
Too are referring to bugs that still look like bigs, right?)
@brasscupcakes @Star2236 I call BS on the “documentary”. Yes blah blah FDA defect standards. You’re not going to see bugs.
@Star2236 My daughter found maggots in a brand new box of cocoa wheats. Gag.
@katbyter
I found them once in a Kit Kat bar. Broke it in half before I ate it and there they were
I love this stuff. Or as I like to call it, “cereal in a sack”
@januarymick For a second there I had read your comment as cereal crack LOL
Instant grits aren’t the same as the real deal.
/youtube My Cousin Vinny grits
Erraboddy knows you can get dried marshmallow bits by the bag on AMZN, right? Add whatever you want. Do not eat them by themselves, that’s childish.
/giphy marshmallow bits
@OldCatLady He’s a sailor. He’s in New York. We get this guy laid, we won’t have any trouble.
store brand of oat circles is just as good as Cheerios. Pretty simple to make, I guess. Hard to screw up.
Aldi cereals are just as good as any other. Don’t think I’ve ever had one I didn’t like.