Finding "real food" boxed cereal is not the easiest thing to do! But I know not everyone is looking for perfection so today I'm going to give you the low down on some of the bad, better and best options that are out there. Our personal favorite cereal is homemade granola, but we do buy boxed cereal on occasion for the kids or house guests.
My Rules for Cereal
- Nothing Artificial
If the cereal looks neon in color or contains artificial sweeteners (or flavors) then just move right along. This one is a non-negotiable for me! - Whole Grains
Is the cereal 100% whole grain? Or does it at least contain more whole grains than refined grains (i.e. what's listed first on the ingredient label)? - Low or No Sugar
Does the cereal contain added refined sugar (listed under a variety of names such as cane juice, rice syrup, agave, corn syrup, etc.)? If so, how high up is it on the ingredient list and how many grams of sugar are listed on the nutrition label? Ideally I prefer options with no more than 2 or 3 grams of added sugar per serving. - Short List of Ingredients
The longer the list of ingredients the more (unwanted) additives a product likely contains! Shorter is better in most cases.
Breakdown of Cereals
There are of course so many things we could consider when looking at cereals, but based on my criteria ...here's how some of the more popular brands stack up! For more helpful information, check out our post about Eat This Not That substitutions.
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Really Bad (The Worst Offenders!)
Bad
Better
Best
Is this post going to change what breakfast looks like at your house? I'd love to know the details in the comments!
Rita says
So, we pretty much only buy honey bunches of oats. I had no idea it was that bad. My question is though, why is it that terrible? Because of the amount of ingredients? Or the amount of sugar? Because you posted the picture of the ingredient list and I have read it before and it says that it has whole grains, but under your whole grain section you labeled it as a NO. I'm confused and wondering what exactly puts this cereal in the top for worst. Had I known this a while ago I would have switched years ago!
jeanette says
How do you tell the added sugar amount from the natural sugar amount? Raisins have a crazy amount of sugar but it's technically not added.
I personally judge my cereals by what they do to my blood sugar (I'm reactive hypoglycemic). I have found that the sugar is less important than the sugar to fibre + protein ratio. So I can eat a cereal with 9 g sugar because has 5 g fibre and 4 g protein. Cheerios, on the other hand, crashes my blood sugar HARD in 20 min flat. Whole oats are great, but ground up oat flour is not ok, whole grain or not. So keep in mind that sheer quantity is not the only important factor.
Christy says
It would be great to have a comparison of the cereals that those of us who eat whole foods often choose from (available in the 'natural' aisle or coop). What about kashi, cascadian farms, bear naked granola, alpine muesli, kind granola, etc?
Staci says
There are versions of Ezekiel cereal without the raisins.
Kristin says
We eat boxed cereal a few days a week for convenience sake as my kids can help themselves. I buy Joe's O's (trader Joe's Cheerios knock off with 1 gram of sugar and no BHT) and Nature's Path Organic "Crispy Rice" (basically a brown rice krispie with 2 grams of added sugar). Though I do worry about the added SYNTHETIC vitamins. I avoid puffed grains based on what I have read. Our usual breakfast staples are steel cut oats, muesli, local eggs, yogurt or whole spelt muffins all served with fruit, or leftover whole wheat pancakes, waffles, crepes or french toast served with fruit and local sausage.
Karen says
Thanks for posting this - very helpful! The way the recommended daily allowances are written at the bottom of the article is a bit confusing. It looks like it reads greater than when it should be less than or equal to the various amounts of sugar.
Melanie says
i stopped buying cereal about a year ago. i don't miss it other than a quick/easy breakfast for the kids. i do make homemade granola from time to time for that reason. we do refrigerator bran muffins, eggs, steel cut oats in the crockpot, etc.
Court says
I buy Kashi brand, Heart to Heart or Cinnamon Harvest, as Kashi is the only brand my grocery store carries without BHT.
Susana says
I stopped eating this type of cereals 3 years ago for all the reasons you stated. I just could not seem to find any cereal that fit the criteria to consider it "healthy" thanks for the list, I now know which one to purchase if I ever wish to have cereal (allthough I don't miss it)
Reny says
Where do post grape nuts fit in?
Noelle says
Just wondering is the arrowhead mills puffed corn non-gmo? Gmo corn is really bad, I will not buy it!
JoAnn says
My Dr. told me a couple of years ago that plain shredded wheat was about the only healthy cereal, so that's what I buy. I do buy granola just to mix a spoonful in with plain yogurt. Even organic does not necessarily mean healthy. It's a lot for a normal, busy person to try and figure out when grocery shopping & cooking.
Kate Little says
Hi,
Quick question? I believe that Cheerios have the BHT preservative in them, which has been touted as a hormone disruptor in some places.
What do you think about this component?
Thank you!
Meghan says
Love this post. Cheerios are a staple at our house so "whew"!
We also buy a lot of Moms Best brand cereals. Their "lucky charms" version uses fruit and veggie juice for coloring. It's a treat I don't feel super guilty about getting my kids.
Check it out!
Anya says
I used to think I was making healthy choices for my family with "good" cereals. Then I realized many have as much sugar as ice cream and as much salt as a bag of chips. I gave up cereal all together about 5 years ago and when my kids have it now that think it is gross and makes them hungrier.
Joy says
I just want to cry! How overwhelming this all is! I am so thankful for your hard work on these blog posts and on your recipes. I feel terrible that even my "healthy" choices were really bad for my three precious children. I can't afford to toss out everything in my cupboards, but I am going to slowly finish and then replace our food bit by bit. Thanks so very much for sharing all of your knowledge with all of us!
Stacey says
Don't feel bad! How were you supposed to know when all we see and hear is campaigns from food companies telling us what is healthy and what isn't! I am exactly like you. We have never eaten too horribly bad, and I make alot of our food, but I was also buying things that said "healthy" or "low-fat" thinking I was doing my family a favor. And I also cannot afford to throw everything out, nor can I afford to 100% organic, so we are just replacing what we can with whole, organic foods as we run out, we've cut back meat, milk, and egg consumption so that I can start to be able to afford organic versions of those. It's a process and just know that you are not alone. And just because we were feeding that stuff to our kids does not mean we were being harmful on purpose...we didn't know!!! Please don't feel bad
And yes Lisa, thank you for all you're doing to help educate the world. We feel so thankful that we came across your blog!!!
Julie says
Stay the course, Joy and don't despair! It's a slow process but every change you make, even what seems the smallest, most insignificant all add up! I've been on this journey for a couple of years and I'm still learning all the time. And remember, you need to do what works for you. Sure, in a perfect world we would all be 100% real, organic, whole food but real life doesn't work that way so ignore the naysayers and do what you can!! I have 3 children as well and they are adapting well and learning to make good choices on their own. That being said, do they ever sweet talk me into buying a box of Honey Nut Cheerios as a treat on occasion? Sure do! And I'm ok with it because on the day to day they eat clean (our version). Do what works for you and don't feel it has to happen overnight! Any change is good change on this journey!
Pam says
I don't personally eat a lot of cereal but my son does. According to the list all the cereal I buy for him is in the "better" category. None fall in the "bad" category. The ones in the "best" category just do not look appetizing. I probably would not enjoy eating them and my son won't eat them. Maybe I should start making some homemade granola cereal.
J says
Doesn't change breakfast at our house. Sadly none of the "best" cereals are safe for tree nut/peanut allergies (last time I checked with arrowhead mills they manufacture on shared lines (meaning there is a cross contamination risk). It'd would be lovely to not have to choose between something "real" and somethings safe. Until that gets better with companies and allergies I'll keep doing the best I can.
JD says
I'm in the same boat! And no corn for my little one either. Really limits the choices.
Mary says
Try Erewhon crispy brown rice. Ingredients are brown rice, brown rice syrup and salt. And less than 1g of sugar! They are organic and Peanut free. We also have peanut allergy. They have corn flakes and Raisin Bran. I know they have other varieties I don't remember now.
Jessica says
Thanks! They are also Tree nut free and possibly sold locally.
Jessica says
I read once to look for dietary fiber of more than 5 grams. Do you think this is a beneficial tool in evaluating cereals?
Mandy says
I am so glad I found this page today! I just got done telling my kids and husband to enjoy the cereal we have now, cause when it's gone I am only replacing it with "the good stuff". Now I know what that is!!! I am totally new at this and I'm looking forward to learning how to transform our eating habits. :)
Lynn says
Any reason Grape Nuts didn't make the list?
Melissa says
I have a question....arrowhead mills corn puffs looked really good-except for one thing. Are they organic? Because I'm thinking that even though they are nothing but whole grain corn, if that is GMO corn then that cereal would be bad on my list.
Ruth says
Wait wheat Chex are bad
Katelyn Jackson says
We hardly ever eat cereal - the rare box of Cherrios maybe once a year. I occasionally make homemade granola. We do eat oatmeal. Breakfast is mostly eggs with toast/homemade muffins/pancake/waffle, or oatmeal. Smoothies are popular too.
Renee says
Honey bunches of oats is my favorite! :( but they're is a whole grain version out now... I wonder how that stacks up... I might have to make some changes...
Corrine says
Crud!!! I'm so glad I joined this page at the same time, crud, crud, crud!! I'm learning a lot and continue but I thought Kix and Rice Chex would've been rated higher. Time to switch it up! Thank you for educating me :)
melissa alder says
What's your thougjts on rice cakes? I'm looking for healthy stuff I can snack on in a rush. Thanks :-)
Mary says
Lundberg organic brown rice cakes are pretty good. The best I have found.
Charlene says
It appears all of these cereals contain GMO's except for Ezekiel's. I would not touch any of them.
Rose says
Well, no, it won't change breakfast at our house, but we don't do a whole lot of boxed cereal either. Sometimes Cheerios or Kix, but normally it's homemade oatmeal (I buy rolled oats and we put in our own mix-ins) or eggs (we have backyard chickens).
linda brodie says
We usually use homemade oatmeal, Weetabix or shredded wheat...but occasionally Honey Nut cheerios or Life (oops). Good info. THANKS
Nicole says
Well, breakfast has already taken a drastic change in my house because I mostly cook some whole wheat pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, etc. However, recently I have cracked down on the cereal that is purchased. My go to brand has been Mom's best or Kashi lately, but based off a lot of information above i'll be evaluating all those labels as well. Other cereals I do not buy at all, my husband, on the other hand, sneaks them in the house! Today we had a discussion on hydrogenated oils, I think he was grossed out and might think twice before consuming things with that ingredient listed. Thanks for all the information you provide, very helpful to keep me and my family on track in 2016!
Blaire says
The cereals in our house are: shredded wheat n bran, kix, and Cheerios. One tip I learned in a college nutrition class is to look and see if there are more fiber grams than sugar grams. Shredded wheat n bran is one of the only ones that passes that test.
Wendi says
I like Barbara's Shredded Wheat and make my own granola. I am glad to see rice and wheat chex and Cherrios towards the top, they are usually in my pantry for my family. I had avoided them, thinking of them as processed food.
Jill says
BHT doesn't bother you? I try to avoid this ingredient leaving very few options that are also Low or lower in sugar as well as few ingredients, etc.
Homeinsight says
I am glad you asked this, too, Jill. I wondered the same thing! I avoid it at all costs and just as you said, it is extremely limiting. I'm curious how Lisa will respond to this question regarding this unnatural, dangerous and wide-spread ingredient that gives cause for concern.
Homeinsight says
What about "natural" cereals that contain no artificial ingredients but are packaged with materials containing BHT for preservative power? Awful and tricky way to ruin many otherwise (semi)good products by some manufacturers... check your Chex and other big name brand varieties ... most of them are packaged that way, unfortunately & it's still harmful.
Beth S. says
I know!!! I was so bummed. The Kix don't have BHT but other General Mills cereals do. I don't get it. The Cheerios don't either. I wish my kids liked oatmeal. The hubs and I eat homemade granola every morning. I like having cereal for back up or a treat. I really need to be better about making oatmeal "casseroles" which my kids do like.
Mrs_MG says
Best to buy bulk from someplace like Whole Foods and bring your own containers!
Sharee says
We have tried the puffed corn and the taste is ok... but even if you ate the WHOLE bag you'd still be hungry. It isn't satisfying at all. My boys will eat the shredded wheat, but it's not really very palitable.... texture is very rough and doesn't have much taste... It has lots of good for you stuff without the sugar though.
Sarah says
Yes, I think while puffed corn has a "real food" ingredient list, it is a terrible breakfast choice that provides little nutrition or lasting fullness.
Patty says
Very informative!!! Will look for Ezekiel cereal in the market. Love that it also has 25 grams of fiber.l
Orsi says
Heads up, you have Corn Pops under Bad and Better in the images:)
Laura says
Are there actually a tablespoon of raisins in a serving of Ezekiel cereal? The 3rd ingredient is malted barley, aka added sugar, so I think more of that sugar comes from something other than raisins than you might be accounting for.
I buy brown rice crisps, which are whole grain and have less sugar, Organic O's (I cannot remember the brand, but for some strange reason, it's hard finding organic O's without much added sugar or other nonsense!), and make my own granola. My granola has 1/2 cup sweetener (honey or maple syrup) for about a 6 cup batch, which I just recently realized is 2 tsp per half cup serving! I'll need to make some adjustments there.
Oh well, once you know better you can do better, right!
Sherry says
There are several kinds of Ezekiel cereals with no sugar so in the cinnamon raisin version the sugar is from the raisins
Laura says
Malted barley is listed as the 3rd ingredient. Malted barley is sugar.
Megan says
Substitute some of the honey or maple syrup with unsweetened apple sauce in your granola - that's what we do, and the kids love it!
Beth S. says
Oooh, I'll have to try that. Although I dehydrate my granola because I can do 8 c. a time. I imagine that would probably still work.
Kristin says
I too agree homemade sugar has way too much added sugar. Consider making muesli instead of granola. I use the recipe from cookieandkate.com, but omit the dark chocolate chips. It has all the granola ingredients, but only 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. It isn't quite as crispy as granola but still filling.
Mrs_MG says
"Malted barley extract is made by sprouting and heating the barley grain. Once the grain begins to sprout, they generate enzymes which convert the barley's starch into sugar. This sugar is extracted from the barley by soaking the grain in water."
So, it may be sugar, but it comes from sprouting and basic fermentation, so it's a diluted form of natural sugar -- lots better for you than corn syrup!
Erik says
We make our own granola for this very reason.
Rolled Oats (6c), chopped walnuts (1c), sunflower seeds (1c), cinnamon (1 tsp), salt (1 pinch), and real maple syrup for sweetness (1/4 to 1/2 cup). Mix and place on a half-sheet pan at 350 for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add 1 cup of dried fruit (raisins) afterwards.
Johnann says
Thanks Erik for the great recipe!
Stephanie says
The Puffins got us! My boys don't eat cereal often. More of a treat/snack then anything, but still...we will go back to plain cheerios...and maybe throw in some Kix. Go figure! Guess it really is mom approved! lol