There are two kinds of Super Bowl people: the ones who care deeply about the score, and the ones who show up for the snacks. We definitely fall into the second category.
In between work (which is essentially taste-testing handfuls of cereal) and deciding what to bring to a watch party, Puppy Chow unsurprisingly came to mind.
Every year, without fail, Puppy Chow finds its way onto our coffee table on game day. It's nostalgic, messy, and delicious, the kind of recipe that you rarely prepare enough of. And so, we had a crazy idea, got excited, and made a batch using Love Grown cereal, and the results were as delicious as expected.
When we looked down, we realized the dogs were fully invested in this process too. So we made a second batch, one that they could safely enjoy during the Puppy Bowl. They loved it, and thus our suspicions were confirmed: Love Grown Puppy Chow is a win.
Reimagining a classic is always exciting. This was all about making something fun, shareable, and easy for a weekend that is dedicated to being on the couch together... with a side of football.
Here's what we made.
Love Grown Puppy Chow (aka Muddy Buddies)
For the humans
This is the classic version you know — chocolatey, peanut-buttery, and crunchy — just using Love Grown cereal as the base.
You’ll need
- 4–5 cups Love Grown cereal Original or Chocolate (we mixed the 2) work great — O’s or Stars, depending on what you have on hand
- 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
- ½ cup peanut butter (or almond or sunflower butter if you prefer)
- 2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla (optional, but worth it)
- ¾-1 cup powdered sugar
How to make it
- Pour the cereal into a large bowl and set it aside.
- Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter together, stirring constantly until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently fold until everything is evenly coated.
- Take your time — crushed cereal is sad cereal.
- Transfer everything to a large zip-top bag or container with a lid, add powdered sugar, seal, and shake until coated.
- Spread it out on a baking sheet and let it cool for 10–15 minutes… if you have the patience.
Fair warning: this is best eaten by the handful.
Puppy Bowl Puppy Chow 🐾
A dog-friendly version
If your dog plans on watching the Puppy Bowl with you (or at least barking at the TV), this version keeps the crunchy, snackable vibe without any ingredients that are unsafe for pups.
You’ll need
- 3 cups Love Grown cereal
(Original or Cinnamon — O’s or Stars, depending on your fur baby’s preference) - ½ cup xylitol-free peanut butter
- ¼ cup carob chips or carob powder (a dog-safe chocolate alternative)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- ¼ cup plain powdered coconut milk or cornstarch (instead of powdered sugar)
How to make it
- Pour cereal into a large bowl.
- Melt the peanut butter, carob, and coconut oil together until smooth.
- Pour over the cereal and gently mix to coat.Toss with powdered coconut milk or cornstarch until lightly coated.
- Let cool completely before sharing with your pup.
Optional add-ins
Carob can be hard to find or a little pricey, so we experimented with what we already had:
- Crushed freeze-dried blueberries
- A spoonful of canned pumpkin
- Finely chopped dried apple
Our dogs did not notice the difference.
A Final Note
We've long suspected that cereal is more than just a breakfast food. Making our Love Grown Puppy Chow confirmed this: Cereal is just as good, if not better, when enjoyed as a snack (preferably, a snack shared with your dog). And when the cereal in question is Love Grown, your snack becomes deceivingly nutritious. You may never have thought that you would say Puppy Chow and protein in the same sentence, but now you can. At least to us, that's something worth getting excited about!
If you make it, share it with us. We hope it disappears as quickly as ours did. Happy snacking!
