There’s something about breakfast cereal that hits different when you’re talking about the ones that got away. You know, those boxes that disappeared from the aisle without warning, leaving nothing but a hole in your morning routine and a weird ache in your chest every time you pass the cereal section. Some of us still remember the exact taste, the crunch, even the way the milk changed color. These aren’t just discontinued products. They’re memories in a bowl, and people haven’t stopped asking for them back.
From petitions with thousands of signatures to social media campaigns that won’t quit, cereal fans have made it clear that some breakfast classics deserve another shot. Let’s be real, not every cereal needs a comeback. There are plenty that faded for good reason. These seven, though? They’ve got legit cult followings, and the demand hasn’t died down one bit.
Oreo O’s: The Cookie Cereal That Can’t Stay Gone
Oreo O’s first launched in 1997, got discontinued in 2007, and then returned to shelves in 2017. The problem? Post Consumer Brands recently confirmed that Oreo Puffs cereal will permanently replace Oreo O’s, meaning fans are facing yet another heartbreak in 2024.
This cereal has had more comebacks than a retired athlete. The discontinuation was simply a byproduct of Kraft selling Post, its cereal division, in 2007, and without the rights to use the name Oreo, Post could no longer continue selling Oreo O’s cereal. During the decade it was gone from American shelves, people were literally ordering boxes from South Korea and paying steep shipping fees just to get their fix.
The chocolate rings with creamy coating became so legendary that when Post brought them back, it felt like a national holiday for cereal lovers. Now that they’re being replaced again with Oreo Puffs, fans are not happy. The new version swaps out the iconic O shape for chocolate puffs, and honestly, it’s just not the same vibe.
French Toast Crunch: The Comeback That Actually Worked
In 2006, General Mills discontinued French Toast Crunch in the United States, but popular demand led them to reintroduce the product on December 5, 2014. This one’s proof that fan campaigns actually work sometimes.
Given the popularity of its sister cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, General Mills made the obvious decision to expand the brand in 1996 with maple-flavored miniature pieces of French toast sprinkled with cinnamon, and it didn’t take long for it to become a household favorite. The thing that made French Toast Crunch so addictive was the shape. Those little toast pieces weren’t just cute, they held up in milk and delivered serious maple syrup flavor in every bite.
While Americans mourned its loss for eight years, Canadians kept enjoying it like nothing happened. A Facebook group called “Bring Back French Toast Crunch!!” formed, started a petition, and demanded a comeback, and as of 2023, the group has over 7,000 members. General Mills eventually caved to the pressure, and the cereal returned in its original toast shape. Sometimes persistence really does pay off.
Rice Krispies Treats Cereal: The Discontinued Legend
Here’s one that still stings. Rice Krispies Treats cereal has been discontinued, and fans have been in mourning ever since. The cereal first was stocked on store shelves in 1993, but the cereal has been discontinued so it is highly unlikely that your local grocery store has it in stock.
What made this cereal so special? The cereal was comprised of small Rice Krispies clusters bound by a buttery marshmallow goo that was the real star of the show, and it was a clever facsimile of a real Rice Krispies Treat. It wasn’t just Rice Krispies with marshmallows thrown in. It was an actual attempt to recreate the bar in cereal form, and it worked beautifully.
Over 20,000 supporters have voiced their opinion and signed petitions to let Kellogg’s know that they’ve made a mistake. Kellogg’s tried reformulating it with a new recipe that fans absolutely hated, then discontinued it altogether around 2020. Now people are left with nothing but memories and expired boxes selling on eBay for ridiculous prices.
Waffle Crisp: Petitions That Actually Brought It Back
Waffle Crisp was discontinued in August 2018, but in January 2021, Post Foods decided to return it to the market after fans expressed great interest in the cereal even after its discontinuation. This is another victory for the petition crowd.
After its release in 1996, Waffle Crisp quickly became a household staple for many, but the cereal was temporarily discontinued from 2018 to 2021. The maple syrup flavor and waffle-shaped pieces were so beloved that people launched multiple Change.org campaigns. Post Cereals even acknowledged the petitions, saying they saw all three of them.
When Waffle Crisp first returned in 2021, it was only available in bags at select Walmart stores, and it sold out fast. Post announced in 2022 that Waffle Crisp would be returning permanently, though some fans say it’s still hard to find in stores. Either way, it’s proof that companies do listen when enough people make noise.
Cinnamon Mini Buns: The Most Missed of Them All
In a Mashed survey, Cinnamon Mini Buns came out on top, with 24.71% of respondents wanting to see it back on store shelves. This cereal was basically tiny cinnamon rolls you could eat with a spoon, and people have never gotten over losing it.
The 1990s cereal was described as “like cinnamon buns,” but in “the size of cereal,” and it sounds like the cinnamon bun was shrunk to a more convenient eating form without requiring turning on an oven. Kellogg’s has tried to replace it with similar concepts like Mini Swirlz and Cinnabon cereal over the years, but fans say it’s just not the same.
The Cinnabon cereal was discontinued in 2018, only to be revived in 2022, and dead again by 2024. It’s like Kellogg’s keeps teasing us with cinnamon roll cereal but never quite delivers the original magic that made Cinnamon Mini Buns so special.
Peanut Butter Toast Crunch: The Flavor Fans Can’t Forget
Peanut Butter Toast Crunch was a sugar-dusted cereal that the box claimed had “real peanut butter in every bite,” and it was introduced in 2004, removed from shelves, and brought back in 2013 before disappearing again. It’s had more comebacks than a reality TV star, but it never sticks around long enough.
The concept was simple but brilliant: take everything great about Cinnamon Toast Crunch and add peanut butter. People loved this cereal so much that there was an online petition demanding that General Mills resurrect the fan favorite. The combination of cinnamon coating and peanut butter flavor was apparently too good for this world.
General Mills keeps the Toast Crunch brand alive with various flavors like Apple Pie and Tres Leches, but they won’t bring back the peanut butter version permanently. It’s frustrating because the demand is clearly there, and peanut butter cereals have a dedicated following. Maybe one day they’ll realize what they’re missing.
S’mores Crunch: The Campfire Cereal
General Mills introduced a cereal in 1982 that had bite-sized marshmallows and chocolate-coated graham cracker pieces all mixed together, and it was a hit with kids, although you can find some s’more cereals today, none compare to the original. This was breakfast that tasted like dessert, and honestly, what more could you want?
S’mores Crunch landed 20.23% of the vote in the Mashed survey, making it one of the most-missed discontinued cereals. The combination of chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers was executed perfectly, giving you that campfire taste without needing to leave your kitchen.
General Mills sold this cereal for six years, which is a decent run, but clearly not long enough for fans who still remember it fondly decades later. There have been other s’mores-themed cereals since then, but people who grew up with the original say nothing captures that exact flavor and texture. It’s another case of a cereal that was ahead of its time and deserves another chance.
