The Viral Snack Fans Are 'Getting Out of Bed' to Make

Meet your new favorite midnight snack.

It's hard for me to believe that there is anyone out there who doesn't like cereal. While some might prefer different eating methods—whether it's grabbing handfuls straight from the box or spooning it from a bowl of milk—it feels like a universal truth that cereal never fails to hit the spot. It's as great for breakfast as it is for a midnight snack.

Despite my passion for cereal, a recent viral TikTok trend has shown me that I haven’t been enjoying it to its full potential. If you're a cereal lover like me, this new method of eating it is about to blow your mind. And if you aren’t so sure about cereal yet, I’d be willing to bet that this trend might change your mind.

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Meet Loaded Cereal: The TikTok Trend That Is ‘Changing Lives’

If your TikTok is anything like mine, the loaded cereal trend has taken over your feed. But if you haven’t been lucky enough to see these videos yet, let me catch you up.

A couple of weeks ago, TikTok creator @laurenhoffman0 posted a video of herself making a late-night snack of “loaded cereal,” a snack she claims is one of the only things she wants to eat during her pregnancy.

In the video, Lauren adds Honey Nut Cheerios to a bowl with various extra additions, such as fresh strawberries, a dollop of peanut butter, and brownie pieces. The decadent bowl is practically overflowing. Of course, she tops the concoction off with milk and digs right in. I’m pretty sure this is my dream midnight snack.

While it might sound simple, the concept of adding extra ingredients to cereal never crossed my mind. And I am not alone. The video received over 1.4 million views and dozens of enthusiastic comments.

“I’m crying real tears because I’m so excited to make this,” one fan wrote. “10:23 pm and I’m getting out of bed right now to make this,” said another. “I think you changed my life,” said one commenter.

Since this video was posted, Lauren has continued to share a variety of loaded cereal ideas. In one bowl, Lauren adds Nutella, strawberries, and almond croissant pieces to her cereal. Another version is a riff on peaches and cream, which includes a drizzle of honey, peaches, bananas, cinnamon, and ice cream.

With the popularity of these videos, a variety of other creators have created their own version of the treat. There are so many ways to get creative with this snack and I can’t wait to try every one.

Different Ways to Enjoy Loaded Cereal

Lauren’s base recipe for loaded cereal is to add strawberries, bananas, nut butter, and a sweet treat. It's a simple formula for success.

However, there are many other ways to spice up your cereal when making it “loaded.” For example, you could add chocolate milk instead of regular milk or add a variety of cereal brands. In one video by @eatswithevad, she adds both, in addition to leftover Halloween candy—genius!

Some other ideas for loaded cereal include adding whipped cream, yogurt, or ice cream. There are endless possibilities for the sweet treat. From cookies to banana bread, loaded cereal is a creative way to spice up your nightly dessert. Essentially, the idea is to treat your cereal like an ice cream sundae. This means that Oreos, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and even gummy worms are all fair game.

I can't wait to make a rocky road-loaded cereal with marshmallows, chocolate milk, and nuts. I also feel like an apple crumble version would be delicious with some cooked apples and vanilla ice cream.

On that note, I need to run to a store to get my hands on a box of cereal stat—but I have a feeling it's going to disappear from my pantry fast.