Last week, I debriefed my former passion for Lucky Charms and the staple that it was in my diet. As I have progressed out of my childhood years, my Lucky Charms consumption did not make it past the elementary years.  However, there are some cereals that seem to keep the same flavor ideas, but they come in a kid and adult version to appeal to cereal-consumers of all ages.

Kellogg’s produces Apple Jacks—a three-grain, apple-cinnamon flavored cereal targeted towards children.  This kid-friendly cereal claims that “We eat what we like.” However, as we get older, our health conscience tells us that we cannot just eat whatever we want.  There is no need to abandon the delight of the apple-cinnamon cereal. General Mills produces Apple Cinnamon Cheerios. This mature version of Apple Jacks contains 12 vitamins and minerals, whole grains, and is low in fat.  On top of nutrition, the Apple Cinnamon Cheerios box would look more mature and more professional than a box of Apple Jacks in the kitchen at work.

This sort of maturation of cereal flavors can be seen as well with Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  General Mills produces this cereal and claims that “everyone is a kid a heart” and to “eat a cereal that was made for kids.”  Kids love the cinnamon swirls, the iconic crunch of their cereal squares, and the sugar that coats this childhood cereal. However, Kashi takes this flavor combination and produces it in a way to market to adults.  Kashi’s GoLean Cinnamon Crisp cereal gives eaters the same sweet cinnamon taste in a more mature version. This Cinnamon Crisp is made with multigrain clusters, opposed to wheat and rice rectangles, and is lightly sweetened rather than coated in sugar.  Kashi sells its cereal in a simple, professional-looking box rather than the kid-friendly design of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch box that is multicolored with animated cereal pieces.

There are many other pairs of cereals that seem to be comprised of versions for childhood and adulthood.  At the end of the day, it is cereal, and we can eat whatever we want. However, it is intriguing to see the differences in production and marketing that companies pursue to appeal to the values of different age ranges.  They try to target kids with sweet flavors and dynamic box designs whereas adults are targeted with healthy ingredients and simple, clean designs.