Finding one’s niche in the highly competitive market of breakfast cereals can be a daunting task. There are only a few specific grains used and only so many shapes they can be formed into. Sure, you can add some colored marshmallows to the mix, but beyond that, there is little that hasn’t already been tried. General Mills, however, slyly decided to take the focus off the cereal and put it on the milk, in a delightful concoction known as Crazy Cow cereal.
Introduced in 1971, Crazy Cow cereal was available in two flavors, strawberry and chocolate. But the real fun came when milk was added to the mix, for each little ball of cereal goodness was coated with a powder that would dissolve when the milk was poured. Consume all of the crunchy morsels and you were left with a bowl of yummy chocolate or strawberry flavored (and colored) milk to finish off the meal.
Featuring a big, smiling cow on the front of every box, Crazy Cow is also a very familiar brand with fans of Star Wars, thanks to a series of collectible cards that were used as a promotional item and have since become highly collectible. But even those without a fondness for science fiction, a cereal that rewards the consumer with a tasty beverage at the end of breakfast is one that is certain to be fondly remembered by the masses. Crazy Cow undeniably found a unique niche that would keep its memory alive for decades beyond its lifespan.
Did a box of this beloved cereal ever make its way to your breakfast table? Did you have a preference between the two flavors? Share your memories of Crazy Cow cereal with us in our comments section as we pay tribute to this kid’s food from yesteryear.
I didn’t know Crazy Cow was introduced way back in 1971! It wasn’t until 1977 when my mom brought a box home from the store. I don’t remember which flavor I had first, but I know I had both the chocolate and strawberry. I would say chocolate was my favorite.
I loved this stuff! I remember eating the strawberry flavored kind this one chilly December morning, then starting to walk to school, getting about 20 paces from my front door and then puking it all, pink and disgusting, through my pretty white scarf. Never ate it again. I also had all the Star Wars cards that came inside the box, and decided to throw them away. What a doofus I was!
My, that paints a colorful mental image.
I never had Crazy Cow cereal!
Looks like test marketed starting back in 1971, but not released nationally until 1977…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/planet-q/2939069619/
I absolutely loved strawberry Crazy Cow. I ate it up until it was discontinued. In an office of 20 people in Baltimore no one had ever heard of Crazy Cow. I called General Mills a few years ago to inquire about it. I was advised that it was popular only in certain areas of the U.S. I lived in the NYC tri-state area growing up in the 70′s and early 80′s. I was advised that if they get enough requests they may revive it for a special occasion.