Review: Asda Rainbow Hoops Vs Kellogg's Froot Loops

I couldn't resist reviewing the new(ish) Rainbow Hoops from Asda. This blog has seen more than it's fair share of reviews for brightly coloured hoopy cereal. There was the original  US Kellogg's Froot Loops, the launch of a UK Version in 2012 Limited Edition Kellogg's Froot Loops, which were followed in 2017 by a Unicorn themed variety. These last too are no longer available in the UK so I was pleased to find the Asda Rainbow Hoops to fill the gap. 

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The Asda Rainbow Hoops are the first time I've seen a supermarket own-brand join in. And luckily - I just so happened to have a box of Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops (from Germany!) and a mini box of the American Kellogg's Froot Loops in the house - so get ready for a lots of comparison photos.

Asda Rainbow Hoops: These are made with natural colours so it's not surprising that they are quite pale in colouring. They are also covered in a visible white sugary glaze which makes them even paler. The overall flavour is fine, although not as fruity as I was expecting, and far too sweet. I know this type of cereal is always going to be sugary but these were pushing it even for me.

Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops: I found these in Home Bargains for £1.49. I thought they were a return of the Unicorn Froot Loops from a few years ago, as they look identical, but it seem that these are imported from Germany (and even feature a wordsearch in German on the back). Even though these are also made with natural colours, they are much more colourful than the Asda Unicorn Hoops. The pinks and yellows are especially vibrant. I also preferred the flavour of these Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops, they manage to stay on the right side of sweetness and also have a generic fruity flavour in the background.

Kellogg's Froot Loops (US): Lastly, the craziness that is the original American Froot Loops from Kellogg's. These are packed full of colourings and look super bright next to the paler British versions. Personally, I find the bright blues and greens really off-putting in a food but they are fun as a one-off. The flavour is also the fruitiest and most distinctive. 

Overall, my favourites are the Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops which have the right combination of colourful fun and sweetness (I know fans of American cereals will disagree!). Sadly they don't seem to be available in the UK anymore, but look out for them in bargain shops as they are available in other European countries.

If you've tried any of these cereals, especially the new Asda Unicorn Hoops, then let me know in the comments below.

I'll be back with some more reviews soon so check back.

Katherine @grocerygems

New Review: Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops

A quick post about this awesome limited edition cereal from Kellogg's - Unicorn Froot Loops. Seriously how cute is this packaging? I'm never throwing this box away!

Cute colouring on back of the box.

The cereal itself is the same as the regular Kellogg's Froot Loops (the version in the UK at least) but with different colours - pink, purple and orangeish instead of the previous colours. 

It's not actually that different and it's a shame there are no extra marshmallow pieces but I understand that sugar content is always a concern for kids cereals in the UK. The flavour is sweet but very natural tasting - nothing at all like the American version. There's a hint of fruit that makes them very moreish - I've been eating them as a straight up snack without milk! 

Overall, these limited edition Unicorn Froot Loops are super cute and fun and I'll definitely be picking up another box before they disappear.

Grocery Gems Review: Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops

RATING: 9 out of 10.

Buy it again?: Yes.
Purchased: Asda
Price: £2.00p (special offer).

You might also be interested in  - Kellogg's Froot Loops Review (UK version). 

Review: Kellogg's Disney Moana Cereal

A quick review of Kellogg's Disney Moana cereal. It's great to see Kellogg's making a cereal for the latest Disney movie Moana - it makes a change from all the Frozen/Star Wars themed products.

This cereal is described as a 'honey flavoured multigrain cereal'. It certainly looks appealing and my kids loved the whirly design. Initially they were quite excited as they thought the cereal looked like little cinnamon whirls and assumed it would be cinnamon flavoured. Unfortunately the flavour here is quite plain. It's quite similar to the flavour in Kellogg's Multigrain shapes but less sweet. The texture is very light and puffy with a light crunch. It's a nice enough cereal, and my kids did enjoy it, but I think the flavour could have been a little more adventurous.

Just like the Kellogg's Star Wars cereal, the Kellogg's Moana box has a great design with a fun double sided box.

Have you tried this cereal yet? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

Grocery Gems Review: Kellogg's Disney Moana Cereal

RATING: 7 out of 10,
Nutrition:  113 calories (per 30g serving).

Vegetarian: Yes.
Purchased: Co-Op.
Price: £2.00p (370g box).

PR Sample sent for an honest review but I also bought another box from Co-Op. 

Review: New Kellogg's Special K Nourish

Special K Nourish cereal is a nutritious combination of multigrain flakes, wheat bran flakes, clusters and seeds. There are three flavours available; Nourish Dark Chocolate & Coconut, Nourish Dark Berries (Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries & Redcurrants) and Nourish Nuts & Seeds (Hazelnuts, Almonds & Pumpkin Seeds). The Special K Nourish range is also high in fibre (6g per 100g) and is a source of Vitamin D and Vitamin B2.

Special K Nourish Dark Berries: This is the flavour that appeals to me the most and the one that I would normally choose for myself. It's a fruity combination of freeze dried blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and redcurrants with oat, rye and seed clusters and multigrain flakes. There is a generous amount of fruit pieces within the cereal which add a tart fruity flavour. The oat & seed clusters are not as plentiful but do add flavour without being excessively sweet. Overall, this cereal is quite similar to my favourite Special K Berries but the added clusters and seeds provide an extra boost of flavour. 

Special K Nourish Dark Chocolate & Coconut: This was my favourite flavour of the three. I wouldn't normally go for a chocolatey cereal but the combination with the crispy coconut pieces is really delicious. The dark chocolate curls are not too sweet but add a lovely hit of flavour to each bite. The coconut and chocolate work well with the crispy clusters which are made with wholegrain grains such as oats, wholewheat rice and barley and also linseeds and sunflower seeds. 

Special K Nourish Nuts & Seeds: This is a combination of hazelnuts almonds and pumpkin seeds with crisp flakes and clusters. There's a good amount of small toasted almond pieces and sunflower seeds within the cereal which taste delicious with the wheat bran flakes and the sweet multigrain flakes. There didn't seem to be as many hazelnuts (unless they have all fallen to the bottom of the pack) and I would have preferred a few more, but I still really enjoyed their crunchy texture and nutty flavour. 

Overall this is a tasty range from Kellogg's Special K. The addition of bran flakes alongside the multigrain Special K flakes makes it extra appealing. It's a nice alternative to regular bran flakes rather than as a replacement for granolas etc. There are more flakes than the 'added' ingredients so this is really for people who enjoy bran flakes rather than super sweet or heavy cereals. The range of flavours is great too: I especially enjoyed the fruity and chocolatey varieties whilst Mr. GG preferred the nutty, seed combination.

Grocery Gems Verdict: Special K Nourish

RATING: 7 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Vegetarian: Yes.
Calories (per 40g serving): Berries - 150; Chocolate - 160, Nuts - 162. 

PR Samples. 

Review: Kellogg's Ancient Legends Muesli - Quinoa, Apple, Cranberry & Chia Seeds

Kellogg's has launched a new range of cereals called Ancient Legends - all featuring ancient grains such as spelt and quinoa. These grains are usually seen in more expensive items so it's interesting to see them moving into some mainstream products. Apparently there are six new cereals in this range but I've only spotted two of them; Ancient Legends Muesli with Quinoa, Apple, Cranberry & Chia Seeds and Ancient Legends Granola with Spelt, Cranberry, Sultana & Flax Seeds.

The Kellogg's Ancient Legends Muesli has an appealing appearance with a jumble of different ingredients. The oats are plentiful but so are the sultanas, cranberry pieces, apple and puffed quinoa grains. 

I enjoyed mine alongside a few dollops of Alpro Soya Plain with Almond (my favourite yogurt at the moment). The flavours within the muesli are all good with the apple and sultanas providing lots of sweetness. The combination of whole oats and quinoa gave the base muesli a slightly chewy texture and sadly there are no nuts here to provide any additional crunch. Despite this I still enjoyed this muesli, especially as a little side serving for the yogurt. If anyone has tried it with milk then let me know what you thought in the comments below.

I'm looking forward to trying the Kellogg's Ancient Legends Granola next - look out for a review soon! 

Grocery Gems Review: Kellogg's Ancient Legends Muesli

RATING: 7 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Nutrition (per 45g serving): 175 calories.

Purchased: Waitrose.
Price: £1.49p for 450g (introductory offer).

New Instore: Goodfella's Chocolate Brownie Pizza & More!

Goodfella's Sweet Fella's Chocolate Brownie Dessert Pizza: A dessert pizza made with a sweet and crispy base and topped with chocolate sauce, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and crumbled brownie pieces. I really regret not buying this! £3.00p at Tesco.

Kellogg's Corn Flakes with Real Mango: My local Tesco Extra had these imported mango flavoured Kellogg's Corn Flakes in their Diwali celebration section. £2.00p at Tesco.

Minions Stack Chips: I spotted these in a discount store called Bargain Buys but I'm not sure if they're available anywhere else. They're Pringles-type stacked crisps in three flavours; Hot & Spicy, Sea Salt or Sour Cream. £1.00p at Bargain Buys. 

Almond Dream Mint Chocolate Chip: A big thank you to Lucy W. for sending me the rest of the photos. I really want to try the Almond Dream non-dairy ice creams. I believe that there are also Salted Caramel and Praline Crunch flavours at Waitrose. If you spot them please let us know in the comments below. £4.99p at Asda.

Naughty But Rice Coconut & Raspberry: These pots look really fun! Lucy described the pot  as having a really funky design - check out their website for a closer look. Spotted at Asda.

Asda Free From Christmas Cake Cookies: These are free from gluten and wheat and are described as a scrummy twist on a classic festive pud. £1.30p at Asda.

Mr Kipling Salted Caramel Whirls: This is part of a new range of 'Deluxe Whirls' from Mr. Kipling. There is also a Belgian Chocolate variety. £1.00p at Asda.

Müller Corner Italian Dream Sicilian Lemon: This is a very sunshiney and summery looking new yogurt from Müller. It's a portion of original yogurt with a side serving of smooth lemon sauce. £0.68p at Asda.

A big thank you again to Lucy W. for the photos. If you've spotted any new products instore then I'd love to hear from you - email grocerygems@gmail.com or tweet me @grocerygems. Thank you!

Review: Kellogg's All-Bran High Fibre Muesli

Kellogg's have launched a range of high-fibre All-Bran Mueslis which are available in two flavours; Cranberry & Sultanas with pumpkin seeds, and Fruit & Nut with banana, coconut, sultanas and hazelnuts. They both have 30% more fibre than the average muesli, and are made with a blend of wholegrain oats, wheat bran shreds and fruit pieces.

All-Bran Fruit & Nut: It's probably no surprise to regular readers of this blog that I absolutely loved the Fruit & Nut variety. The combination of banana and coconut is just delicious. The fruity banana chips and juicy sultanas add plenty of sweetness to the muesli whilst the coconut curls and crunchy hazelnuts are packed full of flavour. I've been obsessed with this muesli since I first tried it and it's going to be a permanent addition to my shopping list from now on.

All-Bran Cranberry & Sultanas: This is a mix of cranberry fruit pieces, pumpkin seeds and sultanas. The mix of flavour is not as sweet as the Fruit & Nut variety above. The pumpkin seeds in particular dominate the other fruity flavours.  However, it's still a very tasty muesli and I really enjoyed the unusual addition of cranberry pieces. 

Overall, these are both excellent muesli cereals from Kellogg's All Bran. I liked the addition of the high fibre bran shreds with the more traditional ingredients of a muesli. Both varieties were delicious but I especially enjoyed the sweeter Fruit & Nut and I'll certainly be buying it again in future.

Grocery Gems Review: Kellogg's All-Bran High Fibre Muesli

RATING: 9 out of 10,
Buy them again?: Yes - especially the Fruit & Nut.
Nutrition:  158 calories (per 45g serving).

Vegetarian: Yes.
Purchased: Available at most supermarkets.
Price: RRP - £2.99p (550g bag).

Recent Kellogg's reviews:

Kellogg's Star Wars & Frozen Breakfast Biscuits
Kellogg's Disney Frozen Cereal Review

Kellogg's Star Wars Cereal Review

PR Samples.

Review: Kellogg's Star Wars & Frozen Multi-Grain Biscuits

The recent Star Wars and Frozen cereals have obviously been a hit with kids and film fans alike, with September seeing the launch of another Disney themed product from Kellogg's. The new Kellogg's Frozen and Star Wars Multi-Grain Biscuits feature fun Disney designs and are high in fibre with no artificial colours, flavouring or preservatives.

Each box contains 6 individually sealed packets of 4 biscuits. The Star Wars Multi-Grain Biscuits are chocolate flavoured biscuits with added chocolate pieces.

The Kellogg's Star Wars Biscuits all feature either a TIE Fighter or X-Wing design (totally didn't need to look that up on google...). The flavour here was not the simple chocolate and oaty combination that I was expecting. The chocolate has more of a cocoa flavour that is quite milky. It's hard to describe but my son said it was like a creamy hot chocolate in a biscuit. The cereal base is not too sweet and the added chocolate pieces provide an extra pop of chocolatey flavour.

The Kellogg's Frozen Multi-Grain Biscuits are described as cereal and milk flavoured. The designs featured are Olaf the snowman and Sven the reindeer which are both really cute. The flavour here is sweeter than the chocolate version, with a lovely vanilla aroma and taste, against a wheaty and oaty background. This was my kids' favourite of the two biscuits, although I wasn't surprised as they usually favour vanilla flavour over chocolate.

I love how the boxes have images on both sides and can be displayed either way. The Star Wars boxes have Darth Vader/Yoda sides, whilst the Frozen boxes have Elsa & Anna/Olaf sides. I'm sure these Multi-Grain biscuits will be very popular with fans young and old, especially with the upcoming release of the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, in December.

Grocery Gems Review: Kellogg's Star Wars Cereal

RATING: 8 out of 10,
Buy them again?: Yes - especially the Frozen biscuits.
Nutrition:  96 calories (per 2 biscuits).

Vegetarian: Yes.
Purchased: Available at most supermarkets.
Price: RRP - £2.49p (box of six packs x 4 biscuits).

Check out my previous reviews:

Kellogg's Disney Frozen Cereal Review

Kellogg's Star Wars Cereal Review

PR Samples.

New Instore: Mr. Kipling Tiger Slices, Müller Light Yogurts & More!

Mr Kipling Tiger Slices: Another day, another new Mr. Kipling cake. These new chocolate and orange flavoured slices have a gorgeous tiger stripe pattern and look grrreeeat! I'll have  review up soon. £1.50p at Asda.

Müller Light Coffee Shop Inspired Yogurts: The much missed Müller Light Skinny Cappuccino is back in a slightly new format along with another coffee flavoured yogurt - the new Skinny Latte. These yogurts are very popular with Slimming World followers and I'm sure they'll be flying off the shelves. £2.00p at Asda.

Müller Light Inspired by Florida: Thank you to Richard W. who spotted the new Muller Light Florida Key Lime Pie yogurts in Morrisons. It follows previous yogurts in this around the world range, such as the Müller Inspired by Bali and the Müller Light Inspired by Barbados. I like the idea of a Key Lime Pie flavoured yogurt and I'll be giving this one a try soon. £0.68p each at Morrisons.

Chicago Town The Pizza Melt: I've mentioned these before but this is the first time I've spotted it instore. The question is, is it a pizza or is it a burger? £1.25p at Asda.

Weetabix Protein Crunch Chocolate: Protein seems to be the new buzzword in the world of cereals. I know this Weetabix Protein Crunch has been available for awhile but for some reason my locals supermarkets haven't stocked it. Available in two flavours - chocolate and an original version. £2.98p at Asda.

Kellogg's Disney Variety Pack: I love these new mini boxes of the Kellogg's Frozen and Kellogg's Star Wars cereal - they're just too cute! There are also new Kellogg's Disney Multi-Grain Biscuits in this Frozen and Star Wars range which I'll be reviewing soon. £2.49p at Asda.

Chupa Chups Monstrous: Apologies for the terrible photo. These Halloween themed 'eye-ball' lollipops looked more interesting than usual as they are all 'colour changing'. The front of the packaging says 'lick to change the eye colour'. £1.00p at Asda.

Haribo Minions Gone Batty: I've previously reviewed the original Haribo Minions and Haribo Tangy Minions and I've been trying to find the bagged versions of the latest Halloween edition - Haribo Minions Gone Batty. So far I've only seen them available in this large tub. If you spot the bags then please do let me know in the comments below. Thank you! £2.00p at Asda.

If you've spotted any new products instore then I'd love to hear from you - email grocerygems@gmail.com or tweet me @grocerygems.

Review: New Kellogg's Special K Range - Protein Crunch, Granola, Tess Daly Recipe & More!

Kellogg's Special K have launched a range of cereals and cereal bars for the summer that includes a new Special K recipe from Tess Daly, new Super Porridge, Protein Cereal and Granola. The new porridge, cereals and snack bars are being launched this July as part of Special K's 'Live In Colour' campaign - encouraging women to live a life full of variety choice and fun.

I've been trying out the new Special K range for the past week so here's a closer look at each of the new cereals.

Special K Granola: Kellogg's Special K Granola is available in three varieties: Chocolate & Hazelnut, Raisin and Red Apple or Cranberry and Almond. I received the Special K Granola Chocolate and Hazelnut variety which is such a classic flavour combination and one of my favourites.

The granola itself has a great texture, with larger clusters within the lighter individual pieces (I really don't like granola that is too hard or in solid lumps). I usually find that granolas are quite heavy to eat on their own so I served it as a small portion with Skyr yogurt and frozen blueberries and strawberries.

I was pleased to find that the hazelnut flavour is lovely and strong. There are plenty of hazelnut pieces which add a crunchy texture and delicious nutty flavour. The dark chocolate curls are packed full of flavour too - they're richly chocolaty with a very dark yet sweet taste. The whole thing tastes quite rich and is definitely one for fans of dark chocolate.

Nutrition (per 45g serving): 180 calories, 4.1g fat, 7.7g sugars. 

Grocery Gems Rating; 8 out of 10.

Special K Tess Daly's Recipe - Red Apple, Almond & Vanilla Flavour: This rather gorgeous looking metallic red topped box features a new Special K flavour created by Strictly presenter Tess Daly. It's a delicious combination of new Nutri K flakes (which are now packed with 9 essential vitamins and minerals plus wholegrain and fibre) with Red Apple, Almond & Vanilla Flavour. 

I love the look of this one, the cereal flakes are joined by vanilla flavoured cereal clusters, almond pieces, alongside flakes of dried red apple. There isn't a huge amount of the additional ingredients but it's still enough to liven up the bowl of Special K. The whole thing has a lovely vanilla flavour (just opening the box you can smell the vanilla straight away) with extra sweetness from the red apple pieces. There wasn't much almond flavour or many almond pieces, but I still really enjoyed the overall flavour here.

Nutrition (per 30g serving): 116 calories, fat 1.1g, sugars 5.7g.

Grocery Gems Rating: 8 out of 10.

Special K Protein Crunch: Protein cereals are a popular growing trend in the world of cereals and I was excited to try this Special K version. It's described on the back as being 'a combination of 6 wholegrains to provide a nutritious cereal that is high in fibre'. Each bowl of Special K Protein Crunch provides 7g protein, 6g fibre and 10g wholegrain.

The Protein Crunch is made up of large clusters which have a surprisingly light, yet crunchy, texture. The flavour is mainly of a sweet puffed wheat and honey with a subtle background hint of cinnamon. It's a simple combination but it works really well and everyone in my household enjoyed this one - even the kids (probably not surprising given the sugar content!).

Nutrition (per 45g serving): 173 calories, 2.9g fat, 12g sugars.

Grocery Gems Rating: 7 out of 10.

Kellogg's Special K Super Porridge: The new Special K Super Porridge range is available in three 5 Grains flavours; Apricot, Linseed and Pumpkin Seed, and also Raspberry, Pomegranate and Pumpkin Seed, or Almond, Pecan, and Sunflower Seed. 

I received the Special K Super Porridge 5 Grains with Almond, Pecan and Sunflower Seeds. This is a combination of 5 wholesome grains (whole oats, barley, whole rye, wholewheat, and whole spelt) with 5% nuts (almonds and pecans) and 2.5% sunflower seeds. The porridge is easy to make and takes just 2 minutes in the microwave. It has a thick consistency with an additional crunch from the seeds and nuts. The flavour is lovely and creamy with a deliciously nutty flavour. It's no doubt much healthier to make this type of porridge from scratch but these Special K sachets are certainly very convenient.

Nutrition (per 30g serving): 123 calories, 2.9g fat, 3.9g sugars.

Grocery Gems Rating: 8 out of 10.

Also available (and pictured above) are the new Special K Cereal Bars Milk Chocolate which are now made with wholegrains and Belgian chocolate chunks, and a larger pack size for Special K Cereal with Milk Chocolate which is also now made with the more nutritious Nutri K flakes.

The range is available in all major supermarkets. If you spot any of these products instore then let us know where know in the comments below!

PR Samples.

Note: Nutritional information above does not include milk.