While many would expect to be able to go to the store and buy their favorite cereals whenever, there are some that only come in during certain times of the year, usually to correspond with a holiday. These consumer favorites are known as seasonal cereals.

The three seasonal cereals that might automatically jump to someone’s mind are the Monster Cereals—these being “Count Chocula,” “Franken Berry” and “Boo Berry.” While there are others like “Cinnamon Pebbles” and Christmas-inspired “Rice Krispies,” those first three are the most iconic and recognizable. 

They come into season during October to coincide with Halloween, hence the names, and are made by General Mills. The cereal they’re most comparable to is “Lucky Charms,” which makes sense because “Lucky Charms” is also owned by General Mills. Both have a Cheerio-like base with some marshmallows thrown in that really give them a notable identity. However, where “Monster Cereals” differs is in its specific flavoring. 

The most well-known of the three cereals is “Count Chocula.” It is a chocolate flavored cereal inspired by Count Dracula, but unlike many chocolate cereals, it’s not too overwhelmingly sweet. “Count Chocula” benefits from being more mild, but the marshmallows still give it a good, out-there flavor. These marshmallows also differentiate from other chocolate cereals, making them more unique. Plus, “Count Chocula” still gives that benefit of chocolate cereals resulting in chocolate milk, which really just elevates the whole experience. 

Next is “Franken Berry.” Inspired by Frankenstein, this cereal is strawberry flavored, and definitely not subtle either. For the most part this is a good thing, as they really nail that sweet and savory strawberry flavor, and the marshmallows undoubtedly help. Unfortunately, the strong flavors can be overwhelming. Also, unlike Count Chocula, the milk does not become strawberry flavored, which is just rather disappointing. That being said, there isn’t any cereal with flavors like “Franken Berry,” so it is still a quality cereal.

Last, and certainly least, is “Boo Berry.” This blueberry-flavored cereal is just plain and boring. The blueberry is just not strong enough to hold its own, and the marshmallows, while good, are far fewer in quantity than in the other two cereals. The milk also doesn’t change flavors here—however, that’s not quite as big of a deal since blueberry milk isn’t really a thing. “Boo Berry” is lacking in flavor and fails to live up to what the other two Monster Cereals bring to the table. 

Seasonal cereals are one of the more interesting types of cereal. They can be elevated by their exclusivity, or they can be brought down by the fact that they only come once a year. While “Count Chocula” and “Franken Berry” represent the former, “Boo Berry” is more indicative of the latter.