Candy Corn Pebbles

This is the one that almost got away!  Thanks to social media, I find so many seasonal products on Twitter and Instagram long before I ever do in stores.  On one hand, that's a good thing because it makes me aware of items that I may have overlooked otherwise.  But, on the other hand, it can be pretty aggravating when thousands of people are posting pics with one of the coolest Halloween things of the season and I can't seem to find it anywhere.  The tease is what sometimes makes the hunt more fun and all that more worth it, but when it becomes impossible, it just gets frustrating.  That's what was was happening with new Candy Corn Pebbles.  In reality, this box was one of the first images I noticed back in early September when I searched #halloween2014 on Instagram.  One guy had it and I figured, okay, soon enough it'll be available nationwide and I'll snatch one up.  Then, weeks and weeks went by without any sign of transition.  Finally, on October 23rd, I resorted to the last of all resorts - Ebay!  $13 later, I'm no longer left out in the cold, I'm simply questioning my life's priorities.

Have you read any reviews for Candy Corn Pebbles, yet?  Well, I have and the majority of them have not been good.  I grew up on Fruity Pebbles and enjoyed a bowl every morning before school when I was a child.  Throughout the years, as other varieties of the Pebbles brand debuted in the marketplace, I was always satisfied with the product.  There have been a lot!  Off the top of my head, I can think of Sugar Cookie, Summer Berry, S'mores, Boulders, Cupcake, Poppin', Marshmallow, Cocoa, Cinna-Crunch, and Dino!  That may not be all of them, but I think you get the point.  Growing up, I tried all but Marshmallow and every limited-edition has been a success in my book.  So, the fact that Candy Corn Pebbles, a cereal released specifically for my favorite time of year, received such poor reviews from like-minded individuals baffled me.  It was one of many reasons why I needed to get my hands on this beautifully designed box.  Another?  Pebbles is dressed as a Witch and Bam-Bam is a bat wielding Vampire who's smashing a Jack-O-Lantern filled with Candy Corn Pebbles cereal.  Who doesn't want to hang that up on their wall?

When I opened the box and then the bag, I expected to be smacked in the face by the scent of Candy Corn.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.  Actually, what I smelled was an insanely strong scent of maple syrup.  Maybe the sugar content in syrup is equal to that of Candy Corn and that's where the mix-up comes in, but it's definitely the aroma of Waffle Crisp.  Now, while that may not be related to Candy Corn, that didn't necessarily mean it was a bad thing.  In fact, it smelled great and definitely sparked my interest.  I was intrigued by my senses and knew not to judge this cereal based on smell alone.  The box art is great, the fragrance is a bit off.  We're 1 and 1.. Bam-Bam is hitting .500 and we have one more at-bat remaining.

Guys... This is taste-test approved by The Holidaze!!  For any of you out there who have tried this and given Candy Corn Pebbles a bad review, I have to beg to differ.  What more can you ask for?  I get it, it doesn't really taste like Candy Corn and I guess if you were actually expecting that going in then you'd be a bit disappointed.  But personally, I didn't want a cereal that tasted TOO much like Candy Corn.  That would have been worthy of a bad review, not this!  Candy Corn Pebbles do taste more like Waffle Crisp or French Toast Crunch than they do Candy Corn, but that's far from a bad thing.  There is a faint Candy Corn flavor and it's just enough to welcome in those of you who hate the flavor and those who love it.  This is the perfect middle-ground for all Halloween enthusiasts to hang out on and compare interests.  I'm actually shocked by the amount of hate this has received from fellow bloggers and I honestly don't understand it.  This is a top-shelf product and I'm proud of Post for going the extra mile to deliver us a new Halloween cereal.  I'm not gonna lie to ya, Halloween Crunch and the Monster Cereals are starting to get old.  I love to retro box art and characters themselves, but not even I had one bowl of Frankenberry, Boo Berry, or Count Chocula this season.  Personally, I'm happy to have something new and I hope more companies follow suit in the future.  In 2015, bring me all types of Halloween cereal.  How about Bloody Pebbles featuring red and white oats that turn milk blood red?  Bam-Bam and Pebbles can dress up as Zombies.  Or how about Spook Loops with black and orange fruit loops?  Trix or Treat?  Honey Nut Scarios?  Unlucky Charms? Or, best case scenario, the return of Slimer and The Real Ghostbusters Cereal!!  I mean, the possibilities for new Halloween varieties and flavors are endless and I'd love to see more coming at us in the future.  But for now, I couldn't be happier with Candy Corn Pebbles and I urge all of you (who can actually find a box) to complete your Halloween season with a bowl of Candy Corn Pebbles Cereal!

9 / 10