Unlike some of the other head-scratching foods I’ve written about, using orange juice instead of milk when eating cereal is something I’ve heard about. Granted, I didn’t exactly hear about it in a positive light (more like a playground dare, really), but I know it’s a thing that exists. I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone decided to make something out of it beyond “I accidentally grabbed the wrong liquid for my cereal,” after all, we live in a world that has Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew and Sour Patch Kids cereal that I’m too scared to try.
Introducing the world’s first intentionally made cereal meant to soak up orange juice instead of milk—at least I think it’s the world’s first? If it’s not, then perhaps it’s the first to actually come with a straw so you can sip the juice afterward instead of lifting your bowl to your lips and drinking it that way. That certainly is … something?
Cereal made for orange juice
15 million people have tried OJ on cereal. So how weird can it be? Find out for yourself when #TropicanaCrunch drops on #NationalOJDay pic.twitter.com/0qoHFa40zd
— Tropicana (@Tropicana) April 26, 2022
The official website for Tropicana Crunch is, at least, honest about the fact that this is a weird choice, going so far as to say that they didn’t even know this was a thing people did. But it IS a thing. In fact, it’s the perfect marketing ploy for National Orange Juice Day on May 4th, and no, I didn’t know we had a National Orange Juice Day.
Orange juice on cereal.
Some call it weird. Some call it breakfast.
We . . . didn’t even know it was a thing.But turns out, there are totally normal people
amongst us juicing up their cereal bowls.
You might be one of them!So for those who are cereal curious like us,
we made Tropicana Crunch.
Cereal that’s down to be drowned in OJ.
Honey almond clusters that are
made to be spooned and sipped.
A breakfast taste test we can all take together.Because whether you hate it or love it,
you won’t know until you try it.Tropicana Crunch
It may not be for everyone
(but it could be for you!)
Unlike some other WTF food releases, Tropicana Crunch is actually going to be given away for free while supplies last via their website.
According to Food & Wine, a number of flavors were tested to see what would pair best with orange juice. The kind of cereal used was also tested to make sure it wouldn’t get soggy too quickly. “A Tropicana spokesperson further explained to us that, after testing multiple flavors and textures, the company opted for a granola-based cereal because it can withstand the acidity in OJ better than things like flakes, which would go soggy more quickly. And the honey almond flavor was chosen to balance against the orange juice’s tartness.”
Well … at least they did their research?
Last year it was toothpaste
This isn’t the first time Tropicana has released an orange juice oddity, but their 2021 limited run of Tropicana Toothpaste actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea. We all know that drinking orange juice after you brush your teeth is a terrible flavor combination, so in honor of National Brush Day (which is November 1st, according to Food & Wine) they released a toothpaste that wouldn’t ruin the taste of orange juice. “Tropicana Toothpaste is different from other toothpaste because it was specifically designed to protect the delicious taste of orange juice. It does not include sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) as an ingredient, a cleaning agent prevalent in toothpaste that contributes to the bitter aftertaste from brushing your teeth with toothpaste and then drinking OJ.”
While the cereal is available while supplies last, the toothpaste was only available if you commented on Tropicana’s Instagram, where you “may just receive a fresh surprise.” Perhaps they got so much interest in the toothpaste that they decided to just open orders for everyone with their cereal. According to Tropicana, at least 15 million people have tried to eat cereal with orange juice. Are those 15 million going to overload their website with orders? Do they have 15 million boxes ready to go?
Will this work with champagne mixed with the orange juice? Do honey and almond pair well with a bowl of cereal mimosa? More importantly, which influencer is actually gonna try this for the views?
(Image: Tropicana)
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