Did you eat cereal growing up? Yeah, so did we. Then, as the years snuck by and our childhoods waned, we found ourselves eating less and less cereal.
So that's why, when we heard the New York Daily News reported that 40% of millennials don't eat cereal, we were sad but not that surprised. Still, the reason is interesting.
The millennials surveyed said cereal was just too labor-intensive, as it requires cleaning up after eating, according to a report published by Mintel in August of 2015.
Yet, just because we don't eat cereal that often doesn't mean we don't love cereal. Cereal shines with nostalgia for our youth, for simpler times, for separating Lucky Charms into marshmallows and non marshmallows.
Recent figures show cereal's popularity has been fading since the 1990s. In the cereal industry, sales have suffered a 30% decline in the past 15 years.
We're also more health-conscious than the consumers of the 90s. As a society, we care more about the fact that cereal isn't good for us than did the young adults of the 90s.
General Mills knows this, and as a result they've added three new organic kinds of cereal to its line of children's foods.
Kellogg's, too, has increased the nutritional value of its cereals. They've added quinoa to Special K, and is also rethinking more environmentally friendly packaging alternatives.
All this comes at an interesting time, as last year fashion retailer KITH NYC opened NYC's first cereal bar called Kith Treats.
At Kith Treats they've got more than 23 kinds of cereal, more than 25 types of toppings, and five types of milk.
In the spirit of this data, nostalgia, and a long-held love for the cereal that we don't eat that all that often anymore, we decided to compile a definitive ranking of breakfast cereals.
You're welcome.
1. Reese's Puffs
Oh my god, how incredible are Reese's Puffs?
The answer is extremely, extremely incredible. Reese's Puffs are probably the most delicious dessert-cereal. They're like mind blowingly incredible, sweet enough to give us tremors but not too sweet.
[anad]
Really, they're the perfect proportion of sweetness to peanut butter. They're a fabulous invention. And we want a bowl right now.
2. Lucky Charms
Lucky Charms are hands-down the best cereal. They had the perfect balance of marshmallows and grain, so you could get your dose of sweet and your palate cleansing, semi-healthy fix, too.
In other words, you're not inundated by the sweetness of the marshmallows, but you still get to be delighted by them.
Plus, the milk is always fun colors at the end, which always makes it more fun to slurp it down.
3. Apple Jacks
They stay delicious even when they get soggy, which is a big plus.
Also, Apple Jacks have the benefit of smart branding. They managed to convince childhood-us that they're kind of healthy, because they actually are made from apples (they're not).
Plus, they're coated in a sprinkle of cinnamon, and, did we mention delicious?
4. Kix
Kix! They're kid-tested, and mother-approved!
We know that's not for real, but we love Kix because, again, they're sweet but they're not too sweet. They're delicious enough that we keep coming back for bites, but not so sweet that we get tired of their taste after bite three.
5. Honey Nut Cheerios
We love Honey Nut Cheerios because they're a fun, sweet spin on the tired, all-too-familiar Cheerios.
Really, we think Cheerios have got to be like, the foundation on which all other cereal was built. It's definitely the most boring cereal, but when you add a little honey to them, they're suddenly delicious and exciting.
Chop up a banana in there and you've got a cereal that's delicious and nutritious. Score.
6. Rice Krispies
Rice Krispies are near and dear to our hearts, because what child of the 90s wasn't in love with Snap, Crackle, and Pop?
Also, Rice Krispies are the genesis for one of the best desserts of all time: Rice Krispie treats. If they're not the best dessert of all time, they're one of them.
[anad2]
Rice Krispies do tend to get un-eatably soggy if they're left in milk for too long, but at least you get to listen to it snap, crackle, and pop while it's getting soggy, right?
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7. Corn Pops
Oh my god. We could totally get worked up about some Corn Pops.
They're sweet and delicious, they've got a very interesting texture. Plus, again, they're sweet enough to keep us interested but not too sweet so we get chased off.
[anad]
There's no nutritional value in Corn Pops whatsoever, but they remind us of our childhoods, so that's fun.
8. Cookie Crisp
Okay, let's face it. Cookie Crisp isn't cereal. It's just tiny cookies dunked in milk and eaten with a spoon.
Still, whoever came up with this idea was brilliant. It appealed to our childhood sense of adventure. As kids, we thought we were tricking our parents. They think we're eating breakfast, but we're really eating dessert.
The last laugh was on us, though, as our parents frequently refused to buy us this dessert-masquerading-as-breakfast.
9. Count Chocula
We mean, come on. This is all the chocolate, marshmallow goodness you could ever hope for in a cereal.
If your goal for breakfast was to be completely overrun with chocolatey marshmallows, Count Chocula was the move.
It wasn't healthy in any way, and it gave us no actual nutritional value, and our parents mostly refused to buy it for us.
When they did give in and buy it for us, though, it changed the whole game.
10. Frosted Flakes
Frosted Flakes are fine. We don't feel too much about them either way.
What we do feel something about? Obviously Tony the tiger was a brilliant marketing strategy. We cared way more about that cartoon tiger than we ever did about the cereal he was advertising.
The marketing team at Frosted Flakes in the 90s must have been grrrrrrrrrrreat.
11. Cocoa Puffs
Craving chocolate? Craving chocolatey milk to slurp up after you eat your cereal?
[anad2]
Cocoa Puffs is perfect for all that. This is another example of a cereal with absolutely zero nutritional value, but a high appeal for kids who thought they were tricking their parents into letting them eat dessert for breakfast.
12. Cinnamon Toast Crunch
The taste we can see indeed. Cinnamon Toast Crunch was effing delicious.
We mean, who didn't like cinnamon toast? Who didn't like cinnamon toast in cereal form? This cereal was brilliant, and real morning treat for us as children.
Check out 7 Best Breakfast Foods to Eat in Bed.
[Feature Image Courtesy Tampa Bay Times]