reviews: *limited edition* Honey Bunches of Oats -- Sugar Cookie and *new* Kashi Apple Cinnamon Loops

 It's been how long? Needless to say, I've been busy. Also had some technical difficulties. But hey, at least I'm into my 2026 notes 😄

Let's start with the Honey Bunches of Oats. It's been awhile since I've had any Honey Bunches of Oats (or, come to think of it, any Post cereal!) so I absolutely had to snap these up during the holiday season. They smelled like sugar cookies as soon as I opened the bag. And those were some big oaty clusters--wait, are there sprinkles in the bunches? Well played. The flakes were lightly frosted, so the overall flavor impression was more "sweet" than "sugar cookie." According to my notes, I needed a second tasting to determine how I really felt, but I never did write anything else down. But I can say I finished them, so they must not have been objectionable.

Now to the Kashi. I enjoyed the original Strawberry Banana Smoothie Loops but it wasn't exactly a rave review. These, however? I tried them in January and they're still the cereal to beat for my favorite new cereal of this year. They're the same pressed-together loops, which makes them a little bit bigger than your standard-size Cheerios. The scent was very much apple pie spice and reminded me of the apple Nutri-Grain bars I used to eat back in my college years. As for the taste, for once the flavor lived up to the promise of the aroma. These were delicious and I probably poured more than I should have 😅 A surprisingly pleasant morning experience.