My father, frugal man that he was, used to bring home King Vitamin from the discount stores he liked to shop at. I remember it was disappointing so far as cereals went: not very sweet, not very crunchy, it tasted like cardboard and there was no toy inside. Years later, have my tastes evolved to appreciate it, or will it be the same nostalgic letdown?
The Facts:
Ingredients: CORN FLOUR, SUGAR, OAT FLOUR, SALT, COCONUT OIL, BROWN SUGAR, SODIUM ASCORBATE, VITAMIN E ACETATE, REDUCED IRON, YELLOW 5, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, NIACINAMIDE, ZINC OXIDE, YELLOW 6, VITAMIN D3, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID, RIBOFLAVIN, VITAMIN B12.
Notable Nutrition Info (per 1 & 1/2 cup dry): Calories: 120; Total Fat: 1g; Sodium: 260mg; Potassium: 85mg; Carbohydrates: 26g; Protein: 2g. The complete Nutrition Facts can be found here.
Vitamins (given in daily percentages): A 20%; C 20%; D 10%; E 10%; Thiamin 25%; Riboflavin 25%; Niacin 25%; B6 25%; Folic Acid 100%; B12 25%.
So how was it?
From beginning to end, this stuff is awful. Dry, it begins with the corn meal-brown sugar flavor of Quaker's flagship cereal Cap'n Crunch, but that soon disperses into a dark "vitaminy" aftertaste that will not leave. In milk, the large surface area made by the crown-shape and hole in the middle cause it to turn to mush almost instantly.
So was it worth it?
Oh, no, no way, never again. I still have the aftertaste in my mouth and my wife won't kiss me until it's gone. I also ended up dumping the bottom half of the bowl because the sogginess, like the aftertaste, was way too overwhelming. Now, it does have a lot of vitamins, but if you feel the need for a supplement it would be better to have a regular non-disgusting cereal and take a vitamin pill. This is a cereal that belongs in the back of the discount stores and ought only to be used against one's enemies.
Final Grade: F
I applaud that you even looked at a cereal with vitamin in the name, let alone tasted it. Soggy cereal is my worst cereal nightmare! I will say that there can be a fine line between nicely milky and total mush depending on the cereal. I do need the milk to soak into my frosted miniwheats for them to approach edible. Anything past that is a no-go. And on a cereal side note-I am disgruntled that the frosting on my miniwheats is slowly disappearing. NOT COOL.
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