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The 16 sweetest free prizes that ever came inside cereal boxes
Glow-in-the-dark pens! Spy kits! Terrariums! We dig deep into the past to find these toys.
Image: biolio88 / Flickr
Last year, Cracker Jack got rid of physical prizes inside their snack boxes. It was the end of an era. Now kids get some kind of download, or have to scan a QR code with their phone. That's hardly the same thrill as digging for a little toy buried amidst the peanuts and popcorn.
Cereal prizes have slowly faded away as well. There was a time you could find a tiny plastic thingamajig in the bottom of every box. The boxes themselves were often toys, that you could convert into, say, a basketball backboard. General Mills, Post and Kellogg's gave away everything from toy cars and rockets to binoculars and decoder rings.
We shoved our entire forearm down into the cereal immediately after opening the box. We did not wait to eat our way to the prize.
Here are the most memorable free prizes we ever found inside a cereal box. Which was your favorite?
1. Terrariums inside Alpha Bits
Some parents said cereal was too sugary and unhealthy. However, thanks to these terrariums, you could tell Mom, "But I'm going to grow my own Luther Burbank Sweet Basil and Curled Cress!" It's basically a salad, Mom.
Image: Cereal Bits
2. Jackson 5 Records on Super Sugar Crisp
Technically this is the back of the box, not inside the box, but how cool was dropping a needle on Sugar Crisp packaging? Sure, the vinyl revival is great, but when is the cardboard revival coming? The cartoon, honey-sweet Archies were an ideal pop act for such gimmicks, but the Jackson 5 were classics.
Image: Guff
3. Star Trek Badges in Kellogg's Sugar Smacks
Obviously, we're a little partial to anything Star Trek. These badges were one of the earliest sci-fi franchise tie-ins you could find in cereal. Notice that Spock's uniform has "SPOCK" on the front, in case you didn't recognize him.
Image: American Otaku
4. U.S. Navy Frogmen in Kellogg's Cereals
Coming in Obstacles Scout, Demolitions Expert and Torch Man varieties, the awesome water toys were one of the first exclusive prizes. This was a peak plaything in the 1950s.
Image: spydersden
5. Glow in the Dark Pen in Super Sugar Crisp
Perfect for doing your homework in a power outage.
Image: Mr. Breakfast
6. Storyscope in Crunch Berries
It was like a tiny Viewmaster worn on the wrist!
Image: biolio88 / Flickr
7. Digital Watch in Honeycomb
Speaking of wristwear, these digital watches were obviously cheap. But, hey, it was a watch! Not everyone could afford a Swatch in 1988. You got more use out of this than a wee plastic car.
Image: Mr. Breakfast
8. The Flintmobile in Fruity Pebbles
That being said, some wee plastic cars were pretty cool.
Image: Mister Toast
9. Archies Car in Alpha Bits
The Archies offered more than music. You could play with them in this vintage red convertible, too.
Image: Mr. Toast
10. 5-in-1 Spy Kit in Pink Panther Flakes
Spies were all the craze in the 1960s, and this made us feel a little closer to Napoleon Solo. The tool came with a magnifying glass, secret message slot and whistle. Though we're not sure how much use a spy has for a whistle.
Image: Mr. Breakfast
11. Monster Bike Spinner in General Mills Monster Cereals
These propellers snapped on your handlebars.
Image: Gray Flannel Suit
12. Poppin' Ship inside Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Cereal
Flick a marble at this three-piece galleon and the thing blew up. Who needs video games? We could kill an hour doing this back in the 1960s.
Image: Business Insider
13. Noggin Nodders in Sugar Pops
"Noggin' Nodders" is more fun to say than "bobble head," no? Too bad that never stuck.
Image: Business Insider
14. Action Pinball Game in Super Sugar Crisp
Trying to flick a ball bearing into a nook is not technically "pinball," but these were challenging.
Image: Gregg Koenig / Flickr
15. Harlem Globetrotter Whistle in Lucky Charms
Kellogg's offered Dragnet whistles back in 1955, but here you could pretend you were the referee at Globetrotters game! Not that the refs ever really called fouls on the Globetrotters.
Image: Mr. Breakfast
16. State License Plate in Honeycomb
Those who lived in the Chicago 312 area code were likely confused when they pulled out a Minnesota plate reading "WET 312."
Image: Gregg Koenig / Flickr
SEE MORE: 5 AWESOME RECORDS FROM THE BACKS OF CEREAL BOXES
The Archies and Monkees sounded better on cardboard. Okay, maybe not, but it was fun to cut them out. READ MORE
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