16 Identity Crisis Driven Foods to Try or Avoid

Cheerios: Take A Walk On The Wild Flavored Side

Not even healthy cereals are immune to the identity crisis epidemic. Cheerio flavors have been proliferating the last few years. Some of them are relatively normal variations of what you’d expect from healthy tasting Cheerios, Multi-Grain and even Honey Nut. The newer flavors read like the squeaky clean kids of the breakfast world taking a dip in the bad boy pool of sugary cereals. Chocolate, frosted, apple cinnamon, and fruity variants sound inspired by cereal rival Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies, Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, and Froot Loops.

I tried the Fruity Cheerios. They lack the same level of bright color from loads of food coloring. The version on the Cheerios website shows some green ones in the mix looking like rings of algae, but my box only pictured and had normal, orange, pinkish, and purple colors.

There is definitely more sugar than regular Cheerios, and it’s nearly as much as Froot Loops (9g vs 10g). It might just be the duller colors influencing me, but Fruity Cheerios feel like the flavors are more subtle. They keep that Cheerios slightly gritty I-am-having-some-whole-grains texture that makes you believe it’s healthy (Froot Loops has more fiber listed, 2g vs 3g).

I think that these Cheerio varieties are looking to appeal to the generation that went to school on a sugar high from their breakfasts, but are reaching adulthood and don’t want to let go of childhood flavors while appearing to set a healthy example. Even if they might not be any healthier than sugary cereal options, Fruity Cheerios get a thumbs up from me because they’re pretty tasty.

Next: Whopperrito: Burger King's Answer to Chipotle