Inspired by horror film actor Peter Lorre, Boo Berry is a seasonal artificial blueberry flavor frosted cereal with spooky-fun marshmallows. As part of the trio of monster cereals from General Mills, Boo Berry has been around for close to 50 years. You can still buy Boo Berry cereal in most grocery stores around halloween.
Learn about Boo Berry cereal below including the cereal’s history, nutrition information, where to buy, and more.
1. Boo Berry Cereal First Hit Shelves in 1973
While General Mills released Count Chocula and Franken Berry in 1971, it wasn’t until 1973 when Boo Berry cereal first hit grocery store shelves.
2. Toucan Sam and the Pillsbury Doughboy Share the Same Voice Actor As Boo Berry
Paul Frees, a popular voice actor born in 1920, played the voice of Boo Berry. In addition, Frees is also the voice behind the Pillsbury Doughboy, the Froot Loops bird Toucan Sam, and the 7-Up bird Fresh-Up Freddie.
3. Boo Berry Gets a Makeover by a Marvel and DC Comic Book Artist
Jim Lee, who has worked on X-Men and Superman, redesigned Boo Berry in 2014 for a limited edition cereal box. Most notably, Lee changed the color of Boo’s hat and bowtie from yellow and red to shades of blue and purple.
4. Monster Cereal Pieces Weren’t Always Character-Shaped
Cereal pieces for the three monster cereals were initially cylinder-shaped with a cross in the middle. Now, each monster cereal brand has its own character shapes. Multi-colored Boo Berry marshmallows are shaped like flying ghosts.
5. Boo Berry Is a Whimsical Way to Start the Day
Below is the full text of a General Mills promotion for Boo Berry cereal from 2010.
A spoonful of spooky fun in every bowl, Boo Berry is a whimsical way to start the day. Made with whole grain corn, Boo Berry combines blueberry-flavored frosted cereal with colorful marshmallow shapes to create a delicious cereal that kids and adults can enjoy. Each serving of this playful, monster-themed cereal is low in fat with no cholesterol or saturated fat. It’s also a good source of calcium, whole grain, and 9 other essential vitamins and minerals.
6. The First Ever Franken Berry Cereal TV Commercial from 1973
This television commercial from 1973 debuting Boo Berry cereal for the first time depicts a ghost with a yellow top hat and red bow tie ringing the doorbell of Count Chocula and Franken Berry. When they answer the door, Boo Berry introduces himself and his “ghostly good blueberry cereal.”
After some initial fright, Franken Berry and the Count kick Boo out of the house and boast about their strawberry and chocolate marshmallows respectively.
As the Count and Franken Berry are arguing as to who has the best cereal, Boo Berry reappears in a ghostly fashion, thus frightening the duo yet again.
7. RIP Boo Berry Fruit Roll-Ups
In addition to Franken Berry Strawberry Scream, Betty Crocker released Boo Berry Razzle Boo Blitz Fruit Roll-Ups in 2010. Although not available anymore, these naturally flavored snacks were 50% sugar by volume with ingredients such as corn syrup, dried corn syrup, sugar, pear puree concentrate, monoglycerides, and sodium citrate.
8. Fans Could Vote for Boo in the Monsters Vote 2016 Election
During the 2016 presidential election in the United States which happens around the same time as halloween, General Mills created the Monsters Vote 2016 election where fans could vote for their favorite monster cereal. The Boo Berry cereal box encouraged fans to “Vote for Boo”.
As incentive to participate, General Mills offered a grand prize of $5,000 in addition to “hundreds of other frightfully fantastic prizes”.
On the back of the monster cereal boxes, Boo stands behind a podium alongside Franken Berry and Count Chocula with a text bubble that reads:
Boo Hoo! While my opponents cry over spilled milk I’m the only candidate who has stayed true blue to you! Unlike these two scaredy cats, I’ll be fearless in my pursuit to scare up even more frightful fun for you. Don’t be haunted with regret; vote Boo for a ghostly good breakfast.
9. No Wheat, but Not Gluten Free
Boo Berry’s main ingredients are Whole Grain Corn, Corn Meal, Sugar, Marshmallows, Corn Syrup, Canola Oil, and Salt. Although Boo Berry doesn’t explicitly contain any wheat ingredients, gluten may still exist in the cereal from other ingredients. Additionally, if the facility also produces gluten-containing products, trace amounts of gluten may be present in the cereal.
Because General Mills doesn’t market it as gluten free, those with a sensitive gluten intolerance should probably stay away from this cereal.
10. Boo Berry Is 27% Sugar By Weight
While a serving of Boo Berry cereal is 1 cup or 33 grams, each serving contains 9 grams of sugar. That means every single spoonful of Boo Berry is 27% sugar by weight.
Although whole grain corn is the first ingredient, sugar is a close third. Boo Berry also contains corn syrup and dextrose.
11. Boo Berry Goes to Hollywood
In 2018, General Mills went to Hollywood to source ideas for a movie, short film, video, whatever featuring the monster cereal trio. General Mills created a website called WorkWithTheMonsters.com. The website prominently asks Hollywood for their help by stating:
We’re the Monsters and we want to work with you.
In addition, Work With The Monsters directly addresses skilled Hollywood creators:
We’re calling all filmmakers, actors, agents, writers, producers, animators, tastemakers, dealmakers, movers and shakers.
Most people would think that General Mills, probably best know for their breakfast cereals, has no place in Hollywood. Perhaps most people are right, but time will surely tell.
Are you a Boo Berry fan? Let me know in the comments below. Of the three monster cereals, I’d probably pick Count Chocula as my favorite as I am a lover of chocolate.
Also, if you enjoy reading about cereal, check out some of my other cereal blog posts here.
Hello yes i like Boo Berry Cereal and Count Chocula very much and look forward to eating every year at least once per year when they are released in October
Than you very much for posting all this information about these great cereals . Its much appreciated . Scott The Panther
Help! My house has been haunted by Boo Berry and I don’t know who else to turn to! We ate his nasty grey cereal but he just won’t. go. away. Maybe you know something? Who was he in his previous life??
I haunt for this Boo Berry Ghost every October and stock up for months ahead my favorite moster cereal