Halloween’s Breakfast of Champions
October 18th, 2008 by John Wolfe
Lately, I’ve been searching high and low for General Mills’ spooky cereal lineup. I finally found them this morning at my local grocery store. I’m sure the clerks were getting sick of hearing my voice on the phone asking for Boo Berry cereal! 
I can only imagine the amount of eye rolls I was receiving on the other end. Count Chocula, Franken Berry and Boo Berry represent the trinity of Halloween breakfast treats. When I was a kid, you could buy all three throughout the year. Within the last decade or so, GM has turned them into seasonal items which make their sole appearance at the end of October.
As I thought of the title for this post, I was reminded of the old SNL sketch in which John Belushi played a triathlete heavily engaged in training. At the end of the bit he can be seen refueling his body. Instead of eating Wheaties, however, his choice was little chocolate covered donuts floating in milk. And so, the tradition continues – the Halloween Haunter’s Breakfast of Champions. I haven’t tried Count Chocula or Franken Berry yet, but Boo Berry tastes just like it did when I was a kid.
Posts Related to Halloween Food Items
Halloween Egg Nog: Located
Halloween Sodas
October 18th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Oh My Heavens, I totally forgot about the Halloween cereal. Only when I was a young kid, those cereals above were a round year thing. Ohhhh the Count Chocula!!! Yumm, then my little brother and I would have chocolate milk to drink. The Count was my first pick always out of the line up. Next was Franken Berry, again, at the end we would have strawberry milk to drink. I don’t believe Mom ever bought much of the Boo Berry. Bro liked his Franken and I liked my Count
Sharing this Halloween with you this year sure has brought back MANY old memories from the past. Like I said before, LOVE LOVE LOVE the variety on your website John!
A Blast From the Past, AGAIN
–All My Best, Goldie~~~
October 18th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I can remember trying all three flavors as a kid, but for some reason Boo Berry stands out in my mind. Funny you should mention drinking the perfect flavor of milk to match the cereal. I would do something similar. Instead of drinking it afterward though, I would pour chocolate milk right on the cereal.
October 18th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Ahhhhhhhh Count Chocula. I was all about the Count when I was a kid. Although Boo Berry was my favorite character. I’m a sucker for the Peter Lorre bit.
Bummer, it’s just seasonal now.
October 19th, 2008 at 1:06 am
This is so nice to be among company that can “remember” such cereals even being around, let alone eating them as a young-in. I can still remember the rountine well, the Count and I having our morning time while watching Banana Splits on the tv. After that was a second bowl of cereal (love your idea of pouring the flavored milk OVER the new cereal, BRILLIANT!) and finish off with Scooby Doo. Oh wow, I can even remember the good old fashioned Scooby Doo metal lunch pail we used to have, you know……the kind with the thermos inside held down by that lever bar? LoL….John, yet again, something about you invoked childhood memories in me. Well that and to see that your viewer “Johnny” also remembers such a time. It’s odd too cause that still feels like it was just a few years ago, well sort of
The memories are so vivid, I can almost remember the smell of that house we lived in at that moment in time.
Great news, I stopped by the store on my way home to stock up on soy milk and WHAT WAS BEFORE ME, the exact same cereal line up on saw pictures of moments earlier in the day from SOS!! Synchronization…amazing, “hmmm, I sure could go for a bowl of the Count!” Hours later, I’m buying it and had it for dinner and for dessert. LoL, I know, I’m a nut
Your site is so much fun John. I’m extremely thankful I “stumbled” upon your youtube videos which led me to SOS earlier this year. Sorry for the second reply. I’ll do my best to behave;-)
October 19th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Goldie,
Soy milk is what I poured over Boo Berry in the photo too.
You can see it glistening, but can’t tell what it is. I’ve heard they use glue in actual cereal ads because milk doesn’t photograph all that well. Did you happen to check again for Halloween Egg Nog?
I remember the metal lunch pails too – only mine was a Dragon’s Lair arcade game rendition.
Johnny,
Mentioning Peter Lorre struck a chord with me and rang a bell. Did Boo Berry’s voice have a Peter Lorre quality to it in the commercials? It seems like it did and I assumed that’s why you mentioned it.
October 19th, 2008 at 11:27 am
LoL, oh my heavens, Dragon’s Lair—you did it yet again John, more childhood memories for me. Every Saturday morning my brother and I would take the bus down the street to the rollerskating rink and when the boys were not skating, they were ALL swarmed around that video game. LoL, damn John, how do you do it?!
I wasn’t aware they use glue for the advertisement shots. Upon thinking about, milk never does look like that after poured on cereal. Isn’t soy milk the yummiest! What I like about it also is that it’s alot thicker than the fat free milk I used to buy years ago. Skim milk/fat free milk…they both had the same feel to me—like water! So when I got off of milk, due to abuse of the cows and the thousands of toxic chemicals/hormones they pump those poor cows with, SOY milk was the first of my pick to try. To my absolute delight, it tasted and felt better than regular milk.
Along the lines of dairy, nope, no Goblin Nog, damn! In my neck of the woods, we’ve never had Halloween Egg Nog. The nog is usually busted out on the shelves around my birthday in November, of which I buy 2 to get the season started. Love the nog~!
Lastly, what a GREAT cereal bowl!!! Now THAT, my friend, is a REAL cereal bowl…..and ice cream bowl
I never understood why such little tiny “dessert” bowls were used for cereal. It’s not even deep enough to dip the soup spoon under the goods and get just the right amount of soy milk to the correct ratio of cereal. Between a bowl like that, my wonderful deep soup spoon, half of the Count would be gone in less than 12 hours!!
YOU ARE just a walking factory of all sorts of tid-bits my friend. Just as your 2 websites, your an extremely intriguing person beyond what human words can express. Oh, Treva made something for you that turned out really great so I’ll have to get that off to you in the mail later this week. Nuts, my 3rd reply. Behave Goldie…..I’ll try my best
October 19th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I played Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Tapper, Joust, Pole Position and many of the other 80′s arcade classics, but Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace were always my games of choice. Many hours were spent at Showbiz Pizza and a place called Captain Video perfecting Dirk’s and Dexter’s (Ace) moves.
While in Wal-Mart yesterday, I noticed we already have Egg Nog of the non-Halloween variety too. It’s the Christmas version put out by Southern Comfort.
Glad you like the bowl. I came across it at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. I have a couple of them and they’ve quickly become my favorite cereal bowls.
Tell Treva I’m looking forward to seeing what she made for me!
October 19th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Ok, this is your fault I’m typing YET AGAIN, LoL
My favorite videos, yes a chick that played video games and yes I did stand out at the arcade when Bro and I would go to the mall. I think I was the only female in there and I didn’t care in the least. Ms PacMan was always a must and for quite some time as well. Then, even at a young age, I had a “thing” for race car driving so I remember playing Pole Position. The other day when I was buying my camera’s they had Grand Turismo up on the BIG screen tv hooked up to a BOSE system. Dads and sons alike where giving it a run while I stood patiently in the background. Until…..the seat was empty and I sat down 
Before I knew it, I had a crowd of dudes behind me saying, “woah, she’s not bad for a chick!” LoL, try getting behind the wheel with me in a Subaru WRX Impreza 
Oh and you can’t forget Galaga. I thought it was a great upgrade from Space Invaders. My video playing days started on our Commodore 61 (?) computer hooked up to the tv and we all played PONG and thought it was the coolest thing ever. Wow, look at how far we’ve come in only 20 years or so. When Gameboy came out with the “antique” video game card, I was quick to buy that bad boy and now have the variety of games in my palm when so desired. Course, nowadays, you can play all these great games online, which is odd for us “old timers” to see yet it’s very much appreciated. Again, living in the moment, being in the now and going with the flow. Woops, a blog entry I have in mind from the MANY I read today from your other website. You’ll see
LoL, oh boy will you see 
Typical Goldie fashion of course, it honestly cannot be helped.
Southern Comfort makes egg nog? LoL, oh wow…..wait, it’s that the Shirley Temples of egg nog? LoL, guess it would have to be to be sold in Wal-Mart. All this talk about the nog is making me crave some badly. Mom brought back my cherished Spiced Pumpkin, cream cheese roll. Oh my heavens, that warmed up with some ice cold soy milk…….I am again loving the moment of NOW
Thanks for telling me where you bought those great bowls. I’ve got Wal-Mart tagged now 
Oh and I just realized something regarding the art Treva made for you…..I won’t mention it in public though so I’ll shoot ya an email. I’m sure it’s no big deal.
Thanks again for the awesome reply John. I know how busy your schedule is right now so thank you from the depth of my heart~~~
October 19th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I remember when you told me about you and your brother’s competitive video game duels.
Yeah, we had a Commodore too. I remember playing Colecovision, Atari and Intellivison. I loved Coleco because they had the closest home rendition to the arcade version of Donkey Kong.
Southern Comfort does have an egg nog, sans the alcohol. I haven’t tried it, but I’m still working on my quart of Goblin Nog from a couple weeks ago. It takes me quite awhile to finish off anything with a high sugar content. I’m going to head back to Alberstons soon and look for more of it in the Halloween variety. I like to support my local Creamland Dairy, since they are cool enough to carry (apparently) the only version of Goblin Nog in the states.
Spiced pumpkin cream cheese roll? That sounds great! I hope your parents enjoyed themselves.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:08 am
John, I thought you don’t like “eating” pumpkin? Perhaps I’m thinking of a past life of yours
I could have sworn you mentioned your not big on eating pumpkin. If you are….hang onto your hats cause I could send you something that would leave your tastebuds wanting more, and more, and more 
Hit me up yo, na or ya on eating pumpkin treats?
October 20th, 2008 at 12:26 am
I miss these days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFyQfNdUp3s
October 20th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Goldie,
I may have mentioned I don’t usually eat pumpkin much until the holidays. I actually use pumpkin spice in my protein drinks all the time, either that or cinnamon. Heck yeah, I’m all for trying a good treat if you have one you would like to send. Like I said, I’ll have to find a way to send you the Halloween Egg Nog. I need to get a dry ice container suitable for mailing.
Johnny,
Thanks a lot, man!
October 20th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Coolness for the reply back
What a great day of comments! Oh, I get it now….well alrighty then, you KNOW how I am about sending things so I’ll have to see what I can come up with, again 
I know, I can’t be stopped!
Ooooooo pumpkin spice in the protein shakes, why haven’t I thought of that? I’ve got to give that a try here shortly and the cinnamon, Oooooh the cinnamon, huge fan of the flavor in a big way. Jamba Juice USED TO make my all time favorite pumpkin drink but it was discontined as I seem to have been thee only city folk buying the drink. No probs though, nothing MY blender can’t handle and with healthier ingredents, such a soy milk and extra pumpkin spice….yummmm
It dawned on me after reading your comment about the nog that it must be a dairy farm thing. Meaning, out here, our main groupings are Sunnyvale, Bayview and of course Crystal. All of which don’t start the nog thing till my bd, just shy of Thanksgiving. Given how sensetive egg nog is in general, it would require special packaging, to say the least, to have it arrive in a drinkable state, as you well know. I do appreicate the gesture though, that’s most kind of you.
Might I also add that it’s been really awesome to have the chance to comment back and forth like this. You allow such freedom on both of your websites and for that, I thank you. This reminds me more of a message board, LoL, then again, at the rate I leave “comments” it might as well be a message board…LoL, again, your most patient and extremely flexible with everything in your life. That is an essential attribute to have. Thank you again for allowing everything on your website that you do. Again I say, your most unique in that fashion and it’s why we all keep coming back to your website for MORE MORE MORE!! We’re like SeasonofShadows JUNKIES or something!!! Damn you John
JK of course….you keep doing everything your doing, for you are helping to set the example for us all in how to live life in the moment, in the now. You remind me alot of Treva in that regard and I’m learning a great deal from both of you right now regarding being in the NOW and not the “then and when” stage of life. NOW….so much powerful energy in the moment. Who knew 
I do now thanks to you both.
Woops, I’m doing it again. Ending transmission now…………..
Have a Great Day, G~~~