He’s loud. He’s green. He wears a backwards baseball cap like he’s perpetually stuck in 1994. If you grew up anywhere near a television in the last forty years, Dig 'Em Frog is basically an extended family member. You know exactly who I’m talking about. We're looking at the mascot for Honey Smacks, the cereal that smells like a very specific, very sweet core memory the second you crack the box.
But here is the weird thing.
Why a frog? Frogs don't eat wheat. They don't eat honey. In the wild, they mostly eat flies and beetles. Yet, Kellogg's decided that a hip, amphibian hype-man was the secret sauce to selling puffed wheat. And honestly? They were right.
The Identity Crisis of Honey Smacks
Most people don't realize that Honey Smacks has changed its name more times than a witness in a high-stakes trial. It started in 1953 as Sugar Smacks. Simple. Direct. Then it became Honey Smacks in the 80s because "sugar" became a dirty word in the marketing world. Then it was just "Smacks." Now, we're back to Honey Smacks. It’s a lot to keep track of for a cereal that is basically just sugar-coated air.
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Before the frog took over the throne, the mascot situation was a mess. We had a clown. We had a seal. There was even a brief, terrifying stint with a horse named Quick Draw McGraw. None of it stuck. It wasn't until 1972 that Dig 'Em Frog hopped onto the scene, and suddenly, the brand found its soul.
The frog worked because he wasn't trying to be a superhero or a cereal-obsessed thief like the Trix Rabbit. He was just a cool guy who happened to be three inches tall and green. He had a voice like he’d been smoking packs of cigarettes since the Tadpole years—raspy, energetic, and constantly yelling "Dig 'Em!"
What’s Actually Inside the Box?
Let's get real about the nutrition for a second. If you look at the back of a box of Honey Smacks, you aren't exactly looking at a kale salad. It’s one of the sweetest cereals on the market. In fact, back in the day, Consumer Reports and various health advocacy groups like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) pointed out that Sugar Smacks—at the time—contained more sugar by weight than a glazed donut.
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It is basically puffed wheat. The process is actually pretty cool: the wheat kernels are placed in a high-pressure "gun" and then shot out, which causes them to puff up instantly. Then they get drenched in a syrup made of sugar, honey, and soybean oil.
- It has a very specific texture.
- It's tacky to the touch.
- The milk turns into a brown, nectar-like sludge within three minutes.
- You either love it or you find it incredibly overwhelming.
The 2018 Salmonella Incident
We have to talk about the dark year. In 2018, Honey Smacks had a massive, nationwide recall. It wasn't just a small batch; it was everything. The CDC linked the cereal to a Salmonella Mbandaka outbreak that sickened over 100 people across dozens of states. It was a PR nightmare.
For a few months, the frog disappeared. The shelves were empty. Many people thought that was the end of Dig 'Em. But Kellogg’s spent months sanitizing their facilities and eventually relaunched the cereal with a "new and improved" recipe (though most fans would tell you it tastes exactly the same, which is probably for the best).
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Why the Cereal with the Frog Matters Today
Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. You see it in the way people hunt for vintage Honey Smacks boxes on eBay or how Dig 'Em shows up on Funko Pop shelves. There is a specific comfort in the "smell" of this cereal. It’s malty. It’s heavy on the molasses notes.
In a world where every new cereal is a "keto-friendly, protein-packed, cardboard-tasting" ring, the frog represents a time when breakfast was just supposed to be fun. It’s the official cereal of Saturday morning cartoons. Even if you haven't eaten it in a decade, you can still hear that raspy "Dig 'Em!" in the back of your brain.
Making the Most of Your Bowl
If you're going to dive back into a bowl of Honey Smacks, do it right. This isn't a cereal you eat slowly while reading the news. It has a high "sog-factor." Because the puffed wheat is so porous, it acts like a sponge.
- Use Ice Cold Milk: This is non-negotiable. The coldness cuts through the intense sugar.
- Small Portions: Don't fill a mixing bowl. Eat a small amount, finish it while it's crunchy, then go back for seconds if you're feeling brave.
- The Mix-In: Kinda weird, but try mixing it with a plain cereal like Cheerios or Corn Flakes. It acts as a natural sweetener for the boring stuff.
Next time you're walking down the cereal aisle and that green frog is staring you down from the bottom shelf, remember that he's a survivor. He survived the name changes. He survived the "sugar is evil" era. He even survived a massive recall. He's still here, still wearing that cap, and still waiting for you to dig in.
Check the expiration date on your box, grab the coldest milk in the fridge, and eat it before it turns into a wheat-flavored sponge. Your inner eight-year-old will thank you.