Reindeer Chow (cereal snack)

“Puppy chow” is a snack where Chex or Crispix cereal is coated with melted chocolate and peanut butter, and then dusted with powdered sugar. The name comes from when the Ralston Purina Company owned both Chex cereal and Puppy Chow (dog food). Chex was sold to General Mills in 1997.
 
A recipe for “Puppy Chow” was printed in the Sioux City (IA) Journal on April 26, 1986. “Puppy Chow for People” was printed in The News Herald (Port Clinton, OH) on December 11, 1986. “People Puppy Chow” was printed in the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD) on July 15, 1987.
 
An advertised recipe for “Chex Muddy Buddies” was printed in many newspapers on December 15, 1991. The name “Muddy Buddies” was trademarked by the Ralston Purina Company.
 
A recipe for “Monkey Munch” was printed in the Pensacola (FL) Journal on May 31, 1978. This was a “Chex Mix” and not a “Puppy Chow” type of recipe, as it included corn, rice and wheat cereals, pretzel sticks, salted nuts and Worcestershire sauce, but no peanut butter or chocolate or dusting of powdered sugar. However, a recipe for “Monkey Munch” printed in The Northern Light (Bathurst, NB) on December 16, 2014, was essentially the same as “Puppy Chow.” A recipe for “Monkey Munch” printed in the Taos (NM) News on March 1, 2015, also was identical to “Puppy Chow,” but used Honeycomb cereal instead of Chex or Crispix.
 
A recipe for “Reindeer Chow” was printed in the The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS) on November 29, 2000. This was also a “Chex Mix” and not a “Puppy Chow” type of recipe. The “Reindeer Chow” contained corn, rice and wheat cereals, pretzels, peanuts, M&Ms and Worcestershire sauce. A “Reindeer Chow” recipe printed in The News-Messenger (Fremont, OH) on November 12, 2013, included melting chocolate.
   
 
Wikipedia: Puppy chow
Puppy chow, also typically known as monkey munch, muddy buddies, muddy munch, or reindeer chow, is the name for a homemade snack made in the United States. The recipe’s name and ingredients can differ depending on the version, but most recipes will typically include cereal, melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. Cereals used in the recipes are usually Chex or Crispix. The snack’s true origins are not known.
 
The snack’s name is based upon its look and consistency, which can resemble the Dog Chow brand of dog food in its appearance. Many tend to make the snack during special events such as holidays and gaming events, although it is also a popular snack to make for children.
         
Wikipedia: Chex
Chex Mix
Chex is also the basis for a baked snack called “Chex Mix”, in which different kinds of Chex are mixed with nuts, pretzels, and baked crackers, and then often baked again with butter and various other spices (Worcestershire sauce in the original mix) to add flavor. Commercial and homemade varieties exist, and the dish is a common holiday snack in the United States. Chex Mix recipes were regularly featured on Chex cereal boxes, and commercially prepared Chex Mix snacks started to be sold in supermarkets.
 
Puppy chow
Chex can also be used to make a chocolate snack called “Chex Muddy Buddies”, also known as Puppy Chow.
 
31 May 1978, Pensacola (FL) Journal, “Jungle Beat Sets Mood For Teenagers’ Parties” by Ann Collins, Food sec., pg. 8, col. 1:
MONKEY MUNCH
8 Tbsps margarine
1 tsp seasoned salt
4 tsps worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cup bite-sized corn cereal
1 1/2 cup bite-sized rice cereal
1 1/2 cup bite-sized wheat cereal
1 1/2 cup pretzel sticks
1 1/2 cup salted nuts
Melt margarine in shallow pan over low heat. Add seasoned salt and sauce. Add cereals, pretzels and nuts.
 
Mix until all are coated. Heat in 250-degree oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread out on absorbant paper to cool. Yields 8 cups.
         
26 April 1986, Sioux City (IA) Journal, “A Country Cookbook,” pg. 17, col. 1:
Puppy Chow
1 stick butter
1 cup peanut butter’
1 cup chocolate chips
1 box Crispix cereal
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Melt butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips together in your microwave. Pour over cereal in large bowl. Mix well until cereal is covered. Immediately ad powdered sugar, and stir until mixed together. Set aside to cool and get crispy.
Mrs. Floyd Grauer
Marcus, Iowa
   
7 December 1986, Aberdeen (SD) American News, “Holiday Cook Book,” pg. 2, col. 2:
PUPPY CHOW
Josephine O. Nordstrom, Aberdeen
1 stick margarine
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 large box Crispix cereal
Powdered sugar
Melt margarine, peanut butter and chocolate chips together and stir until creamy. Pour over cereal and mix until well coated. Pour into paper or plastic sack with powdered sugar and shake. Use enough powdered sugar to coat cereal.
   
11 December 1986, The News Herald (Port Clinton, OH), supplement, pg. 11, col. 1:
PUPPY CHOW FOR PEOPLE
6 ounces chocolate chips
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup peanut butter (smooth)
6-7 cups Rice Chex
Powdered sugar, approx. 1/2 pound
Melt chips and margarine. Stir in peanut butter to coat. Pour over Rice Chex. Shake Rice Chex in bag with powdered sugar.
Julie Paule
Elmore
   
15 July 1987, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD), “Recipe Exchange” by Shirley Schemmel, pg. 2C, cols. 1-2:
(Recipe from Mrs. Gary L. Madison.—ed.)
People puppy chow
1 stick margarine
12-ounce package chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
6 to 7 cups Crisp-X cereal
2 cups powdered sugar
In large bowl, in microwave, melt margarine, chips and peanut butter. Pour over Crisp-X cereal. Mix well and shake in large paper bag with powdered sugar.
 
28 June 1988, Mattoon (IL) Journal Gazette, “22nd annual Cookbook,” pg. 7, col. 5:
PEOPLE PUPPY CHOW
1 stick margarine
1 cup creamy peanut butter
12 oz pkg chocolate chips
12 oz box Crispix cereal
2 cups powdered sugar
Melt butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips in microwave until creamy. Stir twice. Pour over cereal and mix well. Put powdered sugar in a grocery bag; add cereal and shake. Lay out on a cookie sheet. I use 2 sheets. Cool well. This can be kept cold or at room temperature. Freezes well. My young children love to help with the shaking. I have used Corn and Rice Checks mixed in place of Crispix. Also, I found if you put some powdered sugar in sack, then add half of cereal mix and more powdered sugar on top of it mixes better. Also, you can use more or less powdered sugar to your taste.
Nancy Sowers
PO Box 294
Greenup
 
14 August 1988, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), “Camp cook seeks help from peers” by Mary Hart, pg. 3T, col. 2:
Jan Gallup, Mankato, Minn., received an interesting recipe from Laura Dauffenbach, one of her students at East Junior High in that city. Gallup described the mixture as looking like Puppy Chow but tastes great and is a wonderful after-school snack for active children.
(...)
Power Chow
1 c. peanut butter
1 stick margarine
1 (12-oz.) bag chocolate chips
1 (12-oz.) box Rice Chex
1 (12-oz.) jar low-sodium peanuts
2 c. powdered sugar
In a saucepan, melt together peanut butter, margarine and chocolate chips. Pour over cereal and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the powdered sugar and mix well. Cool and store in an airtight container.
 
15 December 1991, The Tampa Tribune and the Tampa Times (Tampa, FL), advertising supplement:
CHEX MUDDY BUDDIES
9 cups of your favorite Chex cereals (Corn, Rice and/or Wheat)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine OR butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
 
1. Parents: Measure out ingredients.
Kids: Pour cereal into large bowl and set aside.
2. Kids: Combine chocolate pieces, peanut butter and margarine in 1-quart microwave-safe bowl.
Parents: Microwave on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring after 1 minute. Stir in vanilla.
3. Parents: Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, stirring until all pieces are evenly coated. Then pour cereal mixture into plastic bag with powdered sugar. Seal securely.
Kids: Shake until all pieces are well coated.
4. Kids: Spread on wax paper to cool.
Parents and Kids: Share it with your family and friends. If you happen to have leftovers, store in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container.
Makes 9 cups.
   
29 November 2000, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS), “Recipe Swap” by Butchie Nations, pg. 2E, col. 5:
REINDEER CHOW
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3 cups corn Chex
3 cups Rice Chex
3 cups wheat Chex
1 cup peanuts
1 cup pretzels
1 1/2 cups M&M’s (red and green for Christmas)
Heat oven to 250 degrees. Melt butter in large roasting pan in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients, until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Add M&M’s when cool. Store in an airtight container.
   
12 November 2003, The News-Messenger (Fremont, OH), advertising supplement, pg. 3, col. 4:
Reindeer Chow
1 lb. white chocolate or Almond bark brand melting chocolate
3 cups rice Chex brand cereal
3 cups corn Chex brand cereal
3 cups Cheerios brand cereal
2 cups stick pretzels
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 12 oz. bag M&M’s candies
Slowly melt chocolate in double broiler over water, combine rest of ingredients, then pour chocolate over top and mix well.
Submitted by: LuAnn Fellhauer, Vickery
 
Twitter
Liz Harvey
@_lizharvey
SO MUDDY BUDDIES(pre made pouches of puppy chow chex mix treats aka my favorite thing) are gf. There’s loads of them in this house for me…
8:54 PM - 2 Nov 2014
           
16 December 2014, The Northern Light (Bathurst, NB), “In the Kitchen with community food, craft market coordinator Wilma Murphy, pg. B5:
Monkey Munch
INGREDIENTS
9 cups of Chex Cereal
1 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
DIRECTIONS Melt Butter, peanut butter and chocolate in heavy saucepan. When all blended add cereal. Put in a large container with a lid and shake until all cereal is coated. Add the icing sugar and shake again Store in the refrigerator.
 
24 December 2014, TCA Regional News (Chicago, IL), “Sweets for Santa” by Catherine Godbey:
Reindeer Chow
—14 cups Chex cereal
—18 ounces candy-coated chocolates
—12 ounces semisweet chocolate
—1/2 cup unsalted butter
—1 cup peanut butter
—1 teaspoon vanilla extract
—4 cups powdered sugar
 
Melt the peanut butter and butter in a bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave until melted. Stir between heatings. Add the semisweet chocolates to the mixture a little at a time. Reheat the bowl if the chocolate does not melt. In a large bowl, place half of the cereal, top it with have of the peanut butter and chocolate mixture and mix. Add the remaining cereal and top with the rest of the peanut butter and chocolate.
 
1 March 2015, Taos (NM) News, “Get Creative with After School Snacks,” pg. ?:
Recipe: Monkey Munch
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
* 8 cups Post Honeycomb Cereal
* 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
 
Twitter
ShowDogStruggles
@angryequestrian
Has anyone else had “puppy chow” which is made with Chex, pb, chocolate, and powdered sugar?
5:18 PM - 21 Dec 2016
     
(Trademark)
Word Mark PUPPY CHOW
Goods and Services IC 031. US 046. G & S: DOG FOOD. FIRST USE: 19630000. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19630000
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 73681089
Filing Date August 28, 1987
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition January 19, 1988
Registration Number 1484494
Registration Date April 12, 1988
Owner (REGISTRANT) RALSTON PURINA COMPANY CORPORATION MISSOURI CHECKERBOARD SQUARE ST. LOUIS MISSOURI 63164
(LAST LISTED OWNER) SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE S.A. CORPORATION SWITZERLAND CASE POSTALE 353 VEVEY SWITZERLAND 1800
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Catherine C. Miller
Prior Registrations 0102843;0552944;0611152;AND OTHERS
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “PUPPY” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL-2(F)-IN PART
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20180328.
Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 20180328
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
Distinctiveness Limitation Statement AS TO THE WORD “CHOW”.
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark CHEX MIX
Goods and Services IC 030. US 046. G & S: SNACK MIX CONTAINING BREAKFAST CEREAL. FIRST USE: 19900500. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19900500
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 74018932
Filing Date January 16, 1990
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition July 31, 1990
Registration Number 1663021
Registration Date October 29, 1991
Owner (REGISTRANT) Ralston Purina Company CORPORATION MISSOURI Checkerboard Square St. Louis MISSOURI 63164
(LAST LISTED OWNER) GARDETTO’S BAKERY, INC. CORPORATION BY ASSIGNMENT, BY MERGER, BY ASSIGNMENT, BY MERGER WISCONSIN NUMBER ONE GENERAL MILLS BLVD. MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA 55426
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Joshua J. Burke
Prior Registrations 1388470;1447805;AND OTHERS
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “MIX” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20110726.
Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 20110726
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark MUDDY BUDDIES
Goods and Services IC 030. US 046. G & S: cereal-based snack food. FIRST USE: 19920400. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19920400
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 74226458
Filing Date December 2, 1991
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition December 15, 1992
Registration Number 1797203
Registration Date October 5, 1993
Owner (REGISTRANT) RALSTON PURINA COMPANY CORPORATION MISSOURI Checkerboard Square St. Louis MISSOURI 63164
(LAST LISTED OWNER) GARDETTO’S BAKERY, INC. CORPORATION BY ASSIGNMENT, BY MERGER, BY ASSIGNMENT, BY MERGER WISCONSIN NUMBER ONE GENERAL MILLS BLVD MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA 55426
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Joshua J. Burke
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20130808.
Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 20130808
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
     
(Trademark)
Word Mark MONKEY MUNCH
Goods and Services IC 030. US 046. G & S: Cereal-based snack foods. FIRST USE: 20060818. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20060818
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 86037312
Filing Date August 14, 2013
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition January 7, 2014
Registration Number 4501529
Registration Date March 25, 2014
Owner (REGISTRANT) Dutch Valley Food Distributors Inc. CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA 7615 Lancaster Ave., P.O. Box 465 Myerstown PENNSYLVANIA 17067
Attorney of Record Brian P. Gregg
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE