Every Saturday morning as a child of the 90s and early 2000s occurred like clockwork: Wake up, shuffle down the stairs to fight two brothers for a spot on the couch in front of the the TV, cry when they didn’t let you put on power puff girls, and wait for mom to bring you a bowl of cereal.
I wish I was lying about the crying part… but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to get out of another Saturday morning of a laughing, talking sponge.
Whilst feeling nostalgic last week, I ventured to the grocery store in search of my favorite childhood cereal, Waffle Crisps, only to discover the mustard yellow box no longer blessed the shelves. Rude.
So I did some research, and here’s a list of 9 cereals from the 90s and early 00s that you didn’t realize you were missing out on. You’re welcome.
1. Oreo O’s
Photo courtesy of tumblr.com
Quite honestly I’m embarrassed for Post Foods at this decision. This oreo flavored O-shaped cereal was brought to us in 1998 and viciously taken from us in 2007. An “extreme” version of the cereal was also made with bite sized marshmallows.
This is a crime. It is now only manufactured and available in South Korea, or (thank god for the internet) available online to be purchased here while supplies last.
2. Pop-Tarts Crunch Cereals
Photo courtesy of complex.com
Y’all. Pop Tarts for your spoon. I feel like taking this away from society on the year of my birth is just a slap in the face. Pop Tart Crunch cereals came in two varieties, Brown Sugar Cinammon and Strawberry (the only two flavors that matter might I add), but was discontinued in 1995 after a year-long run.
3. Dino Pebbles
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
#Throwback to a time of happiness when vanilla flavored pebbles came manufactured in companionship with color-changing dinosaur marshmallows. The early 1990s kids were truly blessed to enjoy this cereal made by Post Foods, as it was notorious for having a strong marshmallow to pebble ratio.
4. Tiny Toon Adventures Cereal
Photo courtesy of walyou.com
What cereal better to accompany your Saturday morning cartoons than one that featured the show’s characters?
Tiny Toon Adventures cereal was introduced by Quaker in the 1990s and was simply a corn, oat and rice cereal that was shaped like letters of the alphabet. Regardless of the lack of marshmallows, I’d still be down for a bowl.
5. Reptar Crunch
Photo courtesy of buzzfeed.com
I’m starting to develop a real love-hate relationship with Post Foods and their decision making processes.
Like, cool… you guys made my childhood when you released Reptar Crunch cereal, consisting of purple rice crisps and green dinosaur shapes, but at the same time broke a 3-year-olds heart when it only remained on the shelves from August 1-September 15 of 1999. Shame on you.
6. Cinnamon Mini Buns
Photo courtesy of complex.com
Shout out to Kellogs for making bite-sized cinnamon buns doused in milk a reality. Although popular in the 1990s and eventually discontinued, Kellogs partnered with Cinnabon in 2010 to create a revamped version of the cereal, now coined “Cinnabon Cereal.”
7. OJ’s
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
Throwing back to the 80s for this one, and I, for one, am thankful that Kellogs got the idea to discontinue this cereal. Oj’s was released in 1985 and advertised as containing the Vitamin C of a 4 oz. glass of orange juice in every bowl.
I don’t know about you, but the thought of drinking a glass of milk mixed with orange juice comes to mind when looking at this cereal, and a sickening feeling follows.
8. Sprinkle Spangles
Photo courtesy of etsy.com
Because what kid doesn’t love sprinkles for breakfast? This star shaped cereal covered in tiny sprinkles was discontinued in 1998 by General Mills. However, Quaker Oats released Sprinkled Donut Crunch in 2014 and some 90s babies argue that the cereal is nearly identical in taste.
9. Waffle Crisps
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
So I may have just been looking in the wrong places, because it turns out my favorite waffle and syrup flavored corn clustered are still available for purchase. The trick is that their production has been scaled back, so it mostly exists as a treasure hunt to the willing consumer. Challenge Accepted.
Feeling nostalgic? Check out these articles: