It’s not a secret that I’m a sucker for fun branding. So when Backflip cereal started taking over the cereal aisle at Target, it was only a matter of time before I grabbed a few boxes for myself. I mean, how fun are these?
If you haven’t seen it yet, Backflip comes from YouTuber Ben Azelart and entrepreneur Shaun Neff. The boxes are covered in bright, hand-drawn cartoon artwork that feels like a Saturday morning cartoon, and it absolutely jumps off the shelves.
The whole idea behind the brand is “flipping” cereal on its head, which is where the name comes from. That means less sugar, some added protein, no gluten, no seed oils, and no synthetic dyes.
Now, before we get into the flavors, I want to set expectations. I’ve reviewed a lot of protein cereals on this site, like Truely, Magic Spoon, and Ghost, but Backflip isn’t really trying to compete with those.
With 6 grams of protein per serving, this isn’t a performance cereal for adults hitting their macros. It’s meant to be a cereal that kids actually want to eat and parents actually trust (I know that sounds like marketing jargon- that’s because it comes straight from their site).
So I went into this one through that lens. I wasn’t asking “is this the best protein cereal?” but “is this a better version of the cereal my kids would already eat?”
It’s also worth noting there’s no fiber here, which is a bit surprising since a lot of newer “healthy” cereals lean on fiber pretty heavily.
But this promises to be an elevated version of cereal that kids will enjoy, so the flavor tells us everything.
Flavor Review: Fruit Galaxy
The first few bites of Fruit Galaxy are really good. The flavor and texture remind me a lot of Froot Loops, and the star shapes make it genuinely fun to eat.
The problem shows up on the back end. There’s a slight bite followed by an aftertaste that gives it an artificial taste even though there really isn’t anythign artificial to this cereal.
My guess is it’s the pea protein lingering, combined with the small amount of stevia. Stevia is low on the ingredients list, but the bite it gives tends to be pretty potent. If that aftertaste wasn’t there, this would be a much more enjoyable cereal.
That said, not everyone is as sensitive to stevia as I am. If you don’t usually notice it, this probably won’t bother you much at all.
Overally, I think the cereal is much better in milk. The milk lessens that bite a bit, although it’s still there slightly, and the cereal softens the way it should.
It doesn’t turn to mush halfway through the bowl, and it isn’t overly crunchy the way a lot of higher-protein cereals tend to be.
Flavor Review: Chocolate Sundae
I had higher expectations for Chocolate Sundae, but it’s just okay. Cocoa is pretty far down the ingredients list, and it kind of tastes like an afterthought in this one.
It comes across as more sweet than chocolatey, like it’s a generic sweetened cereal with a hint of chocolate added to it. I find myself craving more flavor, and it would be so much better with a richer chocolatey taste.
On the plus side, there’s no stevia in this one. That means you don’t get the same bite in the aftertaste that you get with Fruit Galaxy, which is a huge plus.
In milk, the little chocolate flavor it does have completely falls off. A lot of the chocolate coating runs off the cereal and into the milk, which leaves the cereal itself tasting even more plain.
Normally that wouldn’t be a bad thing, because chocolate milk is delicious, but the leftover cereal milk doesn’t have that rich chocolate milk flavor you’re hoping for. It looks the part, it just doesn’t deliver on it.
Mixing it with another chocolatey cereal works pretty well, but obviously you want a cereal to stand on its own. If Backflip could punch up the chocolate into something richer, this flavor would be so much better.
Like Fruit Galaxy, the texture holds up great in milk, and the star shapes are a fun touch, but the flavor falls short on this one.
Backflip Cereal: Final Thoughts
Backflip is exactly what you want it to be. It’s a healthier option for kids to enjoy that parents can feel good about buying.
The branding is fantastic, the shapes are fun, and the texture is close enough to traditional cereal. It’s not a direct replacement for something like Froot Loops, but the texture is close enough that kids won’t question it.
The flavors are where it falls a little short. Fruit Galaxy starts strong but has a slight aftertaste, and Chocolate Sundae needs a lot more chocolate to really win me over.
As an adult, there are far better tasting “healthier” cereals to turn to. If you want a protein cereal for yourself, something like Truely gives you way more protein with great flavor.
But that’s not really who Backflip is for. If you’re shopping for your kids and want something with less sugar and a cleaner ingredient list than the classic cereals, there’s real merit here.
Even if you’re shopping for you, who is probably not a child, there’s a chance you’ll love this cereal for what it is: a fun cereal that’s overall better for you. It’s not as good as your favorite childhood cereal, but it doesn’t have to be.
My recommendation: start with Fruit Galaxy, especially if you or your kids love fruity cereals. I can’t speak to the other flavors, so time will tell how those stack up. But if Backflip ever reworks the chocolate flavor, I’ll be willing to try it again, because I see the potential here.
