New product Wednesday: Honey Bunches of Oats Raisin Medley

Three kinds of raisins.

Purchased at: Kroger store at 5665 East Mockingbird Lane, at Greenville Ave.

Introduced this spring, Honey Bunches of Oats Raisin Medley is the latest in a well populated line of Honey Bunches of Oats that includes Almonds, Cinnamon, Peaches, Pecans (bleh), Strawberries, and Vanilla. That's a lot of Honey Bunches. It's by Post, a company I am loathe to utter an unkind word about because they seem smaller than their mega peers General Mills and Kellogg's, and they still bravely make GrapeNuts, for which I have a nostalgic affection.

The name Honey Bunches of Oats has a mildly irritating, whimsical meter. But the cereal recipe itself is similar to another Post line, "Great Grains." Both combine flakes with granola-like "clusters," but Great Grains is more about the whole grain while Honey Bunches of Oats is more about the sugary honey coating.

The raisins

Honey Bunches of Oats Raisin Medley's differentiating factor is the fact that it has a multiplicity of raisin varieties, or to quote the box: "3 kinds of raisins!" Not more raisins, but a variety of raisins. But nowhere on the box does it say what kind. Just THREE. It's not on the front, it's not on the back, it's not on the ingredient list, which reads: "Corn, raisins, sugar, etc etc." Doesn't that seem strange?

If the variety of raisins is your distinguishing characteristic, wouldn't you think you'd list the kinds of raisins? Sorry, we will tell you there are three kinds, and that is all. Be happy that there are many, and do not worry your pretty little head about what kind.

Who even knew there were three kinds of raisins? You've got your regular, and your golden, and then what? They're missing an educational opportunity here.

You'll get little clarification from the raisins themselves. As the photo shows, it's hard to discern one raisin type from another.

Only if you are the recipient of a press release might you know that the three kinds are 1. natural seedless, 2. jumbo seedless, and 3. flame red. But most people eating Honey Bunches of Oats aren't getting the press release. At best, they're reading the back of the box, whose entire space is wasted with an ad for the many other Honey Bunches of Oats. When clearly the back of the box should be devoted to a lesson in raisin types.

Saying you have a Raisin Medley definitely has more panache than Honey Bunches of Oats With Raisins. And as you're eating them, it's mildly entertaining to try and figure out which raisin is which. Just wish they'd given a field guide.