The Creepy, Old-School '90s Cereal No One Remembers Anymore

If you were a kid in the 90s, there was a creepy, old-school cereal you may have had that you've totally forgotten about — "The Addams Family" cereal, one of the vintage breakfast cereals no one remembers anymore. Ring a bell somewhere in the nostalgic, bat-filled belfry? The crunchy wheat, corn, and oat-based cereal hit shelves in 1991 to promote "The Addams Family" film, starring Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, and a young Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams. The cereal was made by Ralston, formerly known as the Ralston Purina Company, that produced other nostalgic cereals such as Bill & Ted's Excellent Cereal, Nintendo Cereal System, and Freakies. According to the box, which pictured the full cast of characters from the movie, it consisted of "deliciously demented headless dolls, spooky skulls, and Thing cereal pieces." 

As with many promotional tie-ins, the cereal was not destined for eternity and was discontinued in 1993. But, it certainly hopped on the cereal box toys bandwagon with prizes built right into the back of the box. These included six collectible "movie portraits," three doorknob hangers, and a set of game cards. The best prizes, however, were four miniature plastic flashlights that came attached to the front of the box. They were in the shapes of Thing, Uncle Fester, Lurch, and Cousin Itt. But what did the cereal taste like, and was it any good? That's where truth and sentimentality diverge, because we all know that nostalgia makes everything taste better.

"The creepy, crunchy cereal with the great taste you'll scream for," boasted the tagline on "The Addams Family" cereal box. But, to find out if this "great taste" lived up to the hype, you can either grab a box on eBay, or rely on the recollections from the public. Based on social media commentary, opinions are mixed. In a YouTube video review of the cereal by Cereal Time TV, one commenter describes it as "the most delicious vanilla." Others, however, were not as impressed. 

While several people online recall loving the taste of the spooky oat-based nuggets, even wishing they could get their hands on a nostalgic spoonful, others disagreed. "This stuff was absolutely disgusting," reads one comment on Reddit. "There is nothing currently on the market to even compare to the abomination that was this cereal." 

Nevertheless, the cereal still has its fans. In a YouTube video review by waffler69, the exuberant snack reviewer gave it a 10 out of 10 score. "The spookiest thing about this cereal is that it's good," the YouTuber says in between mouthfuls. Though the cereal may not be making a breakfast comeback like French Toast Crunch, Netflix's popular series "Wednesday" is proof that "The Addams Family," is far from forgotten. In fact, next time you walk down the cereal aisle, you may spot Jenna Ortega's pale visage on Kellogg's "Wednesday" cookies and cream cereal box.