I’ve always had a soft spot for Boo-Berry. His cereal is a bit on the ghastly tasting side, but since his debut in 1973, I’ve loved him. Frankberry and Count Chocula were always great standbys when I was growing up. I only got to eat them occasionally, mind you, as my parents would typically only by un-sugared cereals with Cheerios being about the most exotic bowls to enjoy, but at friends’ houses, I really got to let loose.

Recent redesigns of the boxes make Boo-Berry look a little too streamlined and cool for my liking, but that’s par for the course for most things aimed at kids these days. And I know it’s not just me saying “things sure tasted better when I was a kid”, but they clearly changed the recipe for all of the monster cereals.

A year after Boo-Berry was introduced, General Mills unleashed Fruit Brute on the world. The Fruit Brute werewolf was a great addition to the monster stable, but the cereal was mysteriously discontinued in 1983. The cereal has a cameo appearance in Pulp Fiction, featuring Eric Stoltz’s character eating the stuff.

From 1987 to 1990, Fruit Brute cereal was brought back in identical form as Yummy Mummy. But he didn’t stay around long enough to get much of a legendary status. This commercial is actually one of the catchier monster cereal ads they’ve made with the hard to forget “Makes Your Tummy Go Yummy” slogan.

The original 3 monster cereals are still produced seasonally, and they’re appearance at the grocery store is a perfect sign of the Fall weather about to begin. Some stores are carrying Frankenberry and Boo-Berry themed fruit roll up snacks, as well.

I’ll leave you with this wonderful animation project in which Frankenberry and Count Chocula’s original commercial is redone with using CGI in the style of those awesome Rankin Bass stop motion specials.