Let me tell you a secret: I’ve never been much of a sugary cereal person. Traditionally, I’ve stuck with Special K and the ever-nutritional Grape Nuts, and growing up, I found myself indulging only when the time was right. Post announced it’s debuting Hostess cereal in January 2019 inspired by popular “snack cakes” sold in grocery stores across the country. Now that’s something I would have loved in my youth.
This is the most talked-about breakfast news since Post announced its Sour Patch Kids cereal hitting shelves the day after Christmas.
The Hostess cereal comes in two classic dessert options: Donettes and Honey Bun (AKA, the popular powdered mini donuts and cinnamon pastry rolls Hostess sells at retailers nationwide). This is the first time Post and Hostess have teamed up for a project like this, a spokesperson confirms.
In a company press release, the Donettes Hostess cereal is described as “the perfect tiny and sweet addition to your breakfast table. Each spoonful features the sweet taste of this beloved baked good in a cereal bowl-friendly treat.” And, the Honey Bun Hostess cereal “delivers the deliciously sweet taste of America’s favorite breakfast pastry right to your cereal bowl, for a sweet and satisfying start to the day.”
Each box of this Post-Hostess cereal will cost $3.99.
Want to know another secret? The kid in me who never consistently indulged my sweet tooth was very excited about taste-testing the Hostess cereal creations.
Metro gives it a taste
Before we start, remember that these reviews are all coming from a journalist who had little experience with sugary cereal growing up.
Here goes nothing.
Donettes Hostess cereal
When you open the box and look inside, it really is filled with what appears to be mini powdered Donettes. And the smell is equal parts vanilla and sugar.
Below is an assessment of the taste, both with and without milk.
Without milk
These are extremely sweet and taste almost like yogurt-covered Cheerios. I’m all for the crunch, and the sugar that lingers on the tongue is a nice touch that isn’t too overwhelming.
One fellow Metro staffer says the Donettes cereal reminds him of the powdered sugar you’d put on funnel cakes. “It was a bit too sweet for me,” he says.
To put it simply, and to be blunt, it’s not something I’d start my day with, but it is something that I might use to end my evening (especially if I had a few alcoholic drinks beforehand).
Sug-o-meter: 8.5 out of 10 (10 being insanely sweet)
Grade: B
With milk
Adding milk to the Donettes Hostess cereal cuts through the sweetness and reminds me of Fruit Loops without the fruit flavors (or Apple Jacks without the cinnamon and apple). There’s a sugary aftertaste, but it’s not jarring.
Sug-o-meter: 6 out of 10
Grade: A-
Honey Bun Hostess cereal
All I need to do is crack the box open a smidge before an intense aroma of sugar wafts into my nose.
I’d be lying if I say it’s an enjoyable smell. It’s kind of sickening and reminds me of the icing you put on gingerbread houses, but a tad more artificial, which automatically makes my adult brain sound the alarms (and the kid in me lick her lips).
But, I digress. The tasting must go on.
Without milk
Believe it or not, these dehydrated mini Honey Buns are even sweeter than the Donettes cereal. They’re extremely crunchy and have a nostalgic taste I can’t quite seem to put my finger on.
I can’t say I enjoy eating them straight from the box, but I know they will make some kids out there very happy.
Sug-o-meter: 10 out of 10
Grade: C
With milk
Again, adding milk really cuts through the sweetness. The Honey Bun Hostess cereal, even with some Skim, still packs more sugar onto the taste buds than Donettes. And, I can no longer taste the wisp of cinnamon that the dry cereal has.
Sug-o-meter: 7.5 out of 10
Grade: B
Admittedly, by the end of this evaluation, everything just had a pronounced sugar flavor. The sugar was all-consuming. That being said, if you have a massive sweet tooth and are a self-proclaimed Hostess fan, you’ll definitely want to give these a try starting January 2019.
While the kid in me is smiling from ear to ear about these creations, the adult is shaking her head shamefully. (I’ll have to sneak these past her then.)
