20 Healthiest Breakfast Cereals (2024)

Forager Cereals might be my top pick for the best healthy cereal on the market today! They are 100% organic, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, whole food based, paleo, low-sugar, vegan, and vegetarian friendly. With a super clean ingredients list like chickpeas, navy beans, and cassava root as the first ingredient, their cereal is one of the healthiest choices you can make! They come in 3 flavors – plain, chocolate, and cinnamon (which is one of the best-tasting healthy cereal options I’ve found that resembles cinnamon toast crunch!) This is definitely the healthiest cereal for adults and kids and is one of my personal favorite cereals, I eat it daily.

Ingredients: Ground Chickpeas, Cassava Flour, Cane Sugar, Ground Navy Beans, Pea Protein, Psyllium Husk Powder, Sunflower Oil and/or Safflower Oil, Cinnamon, Sunflower Lecithin

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 110 calories, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar, and 4 grams protein.

Price:$7.69 for a 7.5oz box.

Oatmeal is definitely one of the best healthy cereals out there. It will always be the best sugar-free cereal and least processed cereal option that is also high in fiber, has protein, and is super filling. I love One Degree Foods’ products because all of their healthy cereals are sprouted, organic, and non-GMO. Sprouted grains have more available vitamins & minerals than regular grains, less starch, and are easier to digest (Source: One Degree Organic Foods). One Degree also has sprouted steel-cut oats, sprouted quick oats, and a Sprouted O’s dry cereal!

Ingredients: Organic sprouted rolled oats

Nutritional Info: 1/3 cup uncooked has 140 calories, 4 grams fiber, 0 grams sugar, and 6 grams protein.

Price: $8.19 for a 24oz package.

Organic rolled oats are a lower glycemic option in comparison to their instant oat counterparts – which is beneficial in stabilizing blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Oats are one of the best cereals to eat, because they are packed with nutrition and are rich in B vitamins, have a high fiber content, and host of essential minerals. The first and only ingredient on the nutrition label for this healthy cereal brand is organic rolled oats. Top these whole-grain oats with sliced bananas, a handful of berries, or a drizzle of peanut butter for a filling and complete meal!

Ingredients: Organic whole grain rolled oats

Nutritional Info: 1 cup of cooked rolled oats has 150 calories, 3 g fat, 27 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 0-1 g sugar, and 5 g protein.

Price: $3.72 for an 18oz package.

This Nature’s Path cereal has just one ingredient – organic whole-grain Kamut Khorasan wheat. Free from artificial flavors, preservatives, and colors, it is certified USDA organic, vegan, and non-GMO. It’s one of the lowest calorie cereals that you can’t really go wrong with!

Ingredients: Organic whole grain kamut khorasan wheat

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 50 calories, 2 grams fiber, 0 grams sugar, and 2 grams protein.

Price:$3.41 for a 6oz bag.

This is my top pick among all of the Barbara’s Cereals line, and it is also one of the most popular cereals I’ve found for kids that’s actually healthy! It has simple ingredients, is non-GMO, crispy, and slightly sweet. Enjoy this healthy cold cereal with low-fat milk, or your favorite plant-based milk like unsweetened almond milk or oat milk.

Ingredients: Yellow corn flour, corn bran flour, unsulphured molasses, whole oat flour, expeller pressed high oleic oil (canola and/or sunflower), salt, baking soda, vitamin c (ascorbic acid), natural vitamin e (mixed tocopherols to maintain freshness)

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 130 calories, 6g fiber, 6g sugar and 3g protein.

Price: $6.70 for a 10oz box.

This is a great healthier alternative to Honey Nut Cheerios. Kashi Heart to Heart is delicious and comes in two flavors (Honey Nut and Cinnamon). It is USDA Organic Certified, non-GMO, and can support heart health. This is one of the best oat cereal brands because it’s perfectly sweet, crunchy, and packed with whole grains.

Ingredients: Whole oat flour, degerminated yellow cornmeal, invert cane syrup, oat fiber, honey, salt, expeller pressed canola oil, natural flavors, iron (ferric phosphate), mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) for freshness.

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 150 calories, 6 grams fiber, 7 grams sugar, and 4 grams protein.

Price: $6.49 for a 12oz box.

This cinnamon version of Kashi Heart to Heart is just as delicious as its honey nut counterpart, is a heart healthy cereal, and has all of the same benefits as the other flavor! It’s organic, non-GMO, sweet, crunchy, and packed with whole grains.

Ingredients: Whole oat flour, degerminated yellow cornmeal, invert cane syrup, oat fiber, honey, cinnamon, salt, expeller pressed canola oil, iron (ferric phosphate), natural flavors, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) for freshness, ginger, cardamom

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 150 calories, 5 grams fiber, 7 grams sugar, and 4 grams protein.

Price: $6.49 for a 12oz box.

The best alternative to cornflakes or branflakes! It’s the healthiest bran cereal option I’ve found that’s widely available in grocery stores. These flax-based flakes are hearty, filling, and packed with healthy fats thanks to the omega-3-rich flaxseeds. This cereal is organic, Non-GMO, vegan, kosher, and slightly sweet.

Ingredients: Whole Wheat Flour, Wheat Bran, Evaporated Cane Juice, Flax, Oat Bran, Barley Malt Extract, Sea Salt, tocopherols (Natural Vitamin E)

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 150 calories, 7g fiber, 5g sugar and 5g protein.

Price: $3.79 for a 13.25oz box

This healthy whole grain cereal is the best alternative to shredded wheat (especially frosted shredded wheat)! It is non-GMO, has no high fructose corn syrup (frosted shredded wheat does have high fructose corn syrup), is vegan-friendly, and is sweetened with molasses instead of refined sugar.

Ingredients: Whole oat flour (with added oat bran), yellow corn flour (with added corn bran), unsulphured molasses, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, natural vitamin e (mixed tocopherols to maintain freshness), vitamin c (ascorbic acid)

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 140 calories, 5g fiber, 7g sugar, and 5g protein.

Price: $5.49 for a 14oz box.

The best healthy alternative to regular Cheerios! Regular Cheerios are not organic and are high in glyphosate residue (a pesticide). This is one of the best organic cereals because they taste just like regular Cheerios. They are made with 100% organic and non-GMO ingredients which means you don’t have to worry about pesticide residue on your cereal! It’s one of the best low-sugar cereals – it’s crunchy and mild – and is also great for a toddler/kid finger food or cereal snack.

Ingredients: Whole grain oats, whole grain barley, wheat starch, malted barley extract, sea salt, calcium carbonate, oats, malted barley, vitamin e (mixed tocopherols) added to preserve freshness.

Nutritional Info: 1.5 cups has 140 calories, 4 grams fiber, 1 gram sugar, and 4 grams protein.

Price: $6.49 for a 8.6oz box.

This cereal has only 4 ingredients and is non-GMO and vegan. This honestly would be my #1 pick taste-wise, but it’s not organic and it can be pretty bland. I recommend buying this and mixing it with one of the best healthy cereals above (50-50) to bring a little more flavor to your cereal bowl or add it to trail mix!

Ingredients: Whole grain wheat, flaxseed, barley malt, salt

Nutritional Info: 3/4 cup of this low sugar, high-fiber cereal has 220 calories, 10g fiber, 0g sugar and 8g protein

Price: $6.12 for a 10oz box

Three Wishes is one of the tastiest high-protein cereals I’ve found. It’s also a grain-free, vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and paleo-friendly cereal! It’s low in carbs and high in protein and fiber. This healthy cereal comes in 6 flavors (Cinnamon, Honey, Unsweetened, Cocoa, Fruity, and Frosted) giving you something for everyone!

Ingredients: The unsweetened option has just 4 simple ingredients: chickpeas, tapioca, pea protein, and salt. The flavored versions will have these ingredients plus: cane sugar, monk fruit, and natural flavors.

Nutritional Info: 3/4 cup has 120-130 calories, 3 grams fiber, 0 grams sugar (the flavored versions have only 3 grams of sugar), and 8 grams of protein.

Price: $6.70 for an 8.6oz box.

Love Grown’s cereal is a good option for anyone looking for a high-protein gluten-free cereal. It’s non-GMO, vegan, and made primarily with beans and lentils!

Ingredients: Bean blend (navy beans, lentils, garbanzo beans), brown rice flour, salt, vitamin E (to maintain freshness).

Nutritional Info: 1.25 cups has 130 calories, 5 grams fiber, 1 gram sugar, and 6 grams protein.

Price: $5.99 for a 8oz box.

A great option for a healthy gluten-free cereal that is also non-GMO and made with whole-grain brown rice flour.

Ingredients: Corn flour, whole grain brown rice flour, cane sugar, whole grain pure oat flour, fructooligosaccharides (prebiotic), oat hull fiber, calcium carbonate, sea salt, natural flavor, caramel color, anatto (for color), tocopherols (to maintain freshness).

Nutritional Info: 1 cup has 130 calories, 4 grams fiber, 7 grams sugar, 3 grams protein

Price: $7.86 for a 10oz box

This healthy low sugar cereal is gluten-free, non-GMO, slightly sweet, and the perfect topping for Greek yogurt or smoothie bowls. A fantastic option for anyone who loves granola but not all of the sugar that they are usually made with!

Ingredients: Oats, tapioca syrup, brown rice, cane sugar, honey, millet, oat flour, coconut, canola oil, buckwheat, amaranth, molasses, quinoa, brown rice syrup, sea salt, Vitamin E (tocopherols to maintain freshness).

Nutritional Info: 1/3 of a cup has 110 calories, 2g fiber, 5g sugar and 2g protein.

Price: $7.90 for an 11oz package

These crunchy clusters are non-GMO, with whole grain oats and hearty almonds. It is one of my favorite healthy breakfast cereal options because it’s low in sugar. This cold low calorie cereal is also a great low-sugar granola – it has 45% less sugar than most leading granola brands!

Ingredients: Whole grain oats, brown rice syrup, almonds, cane sugar, oat bran, brown rice, ground flax seeds, natural flavors.

Nutritional Info: 1/4 cup has 120 calories, 2g fiber, 3g sugar and 3g protein.

Price: $7.99 for a 12oz bag

This granola is certified USDA organic, non-GMO, and made with a variety of ancient grains including quinoa, amaranth, and chia seeds (which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids). It is sweetened with coconut sugar which is a lower glycemic healthy option. This is one of the best healthy cereal brands if you’re looking to get your granola fix.

Ingredients: Organic Gluten-Free Oats, Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Organic Raw Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Puffed Amaranth, Organic Millet Flakes, Organic Quinoa Flakes, Organic Chia Seeds, Organic Cinnamon, Salt.

Nutritional Info: 1/3 of a cup has 130 calories, 2g fiber, 7g sugar, 3g protein.

Price: $5.67 for a 12oz bag

This cereal is certified gluten-free, non-GMO, and made with wild blueberries, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds for more protein. It is one of the best healthy muesli brands with half the sugar and twice the protein when compared to most other brands. Enjoy it cold or hot with milk or water, or even use it as a topping for yogurt!

Ingredients: Gluten-free oats, sorghum flakes, buckwheat groats, blueberries (blueberries, apple juice), unsweetened coconut chips (no sulfites), apples, organic honey, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, lemon extract

Nutritional Info: 1/2 cup has 240 calories, 6g fiber, 4g added sugar (7 grams total sugar) and 8g protein.

Price: $15 for a 32oz bag (equates to $7.50 for a 16oz bag)

Ezekiel makes some of the most nutritious cereal – it’s certified USDA organic, made with sprouted live grains, legumes, and seeds, and has absolutely no flour! This is one of the healthier options for boxed cereal. It is a great option if you are watching your sugar intake. But just like the Uncle Sam cereal, it’s a little on the bland side and works well when paired with another cereal 50-50. They have a few other flavors (Almond, Golden Flax, etc.) that are equally good for you!

Ingredients: Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Filtered Water, Sea Salt.

Nutritional Info: 1/2 cup has 190 calories, 6g fiber, 0g sugar and 8g protein.

Price: $8.66 for a 16oz box.

While dried fruit based cereals may not be the healthiest cold cereals to eat, this particular brand is a great alternative to traditional Kellogg’s Raisin Bran (which has tons of sugar – 18g per serving). It is high in fiber and contains healthy fats from the flax seeds. The Nature’s Path version has only 4.8 grams of added sugar (10.4 grams of total sugar) for each 1-cup serving.

Ingredients: Organic whole wheat meal, organic raisins (coated with organic sunflower oil), organic wheat bran, organic cane sugar, organic flax seeds, organic oat bran, organic barley malt extract, sea salt, tocopherols (vitamin E).

Nutritional Info: 168 calories for 1 cup, 7.2 grams fiber, 10.4 grams sugar (only 4.8 grams added sugar) and 5 grams protein. (Note: 1.25 cups has 210 calories, 9 grams fiber, 13 grams sugar / 6 grams added sugar, and 6 grams protein).

Price: $4.33 for a 14oz box

Raisin Bran is certainly a popular cereal, but unfortunately, the most common Raisin Bran cereal brands (made by Kellogg’s and Post) are not healthy for you. The name sounds healthy, but it’s actually loaded with calories and sugar. Raisins are dried fruit which is concentrated in sugar since they don’t contain water like fresh fruit.

One serving size of Post’s Raisin Bran cereal (1.25 cups) contains 210 calories and 20 grams of sugar. One serving of Kellogg’s (1 cup) contains 190 calories and 17 grams of sugar. That’s almost the same amount of sugar in a can of co*ke or a regular-sized Snickers Bar! For a healthy Raisin Bran-type cereal, try Nature’s Path Flax Plus Raisin Bran instead.

Granola typically runs into the same problem as Raisin Bran – way too much sugar and calories packed into a small serving!

Making granola at home will result in healthier granola since you can control the amount of sugar and fat added to the recipe (like this low calorie granola recipe that is super low in sugar!)

If you are looking for a pre-made/store-bought granola, follow the same rules as you would when looking for an actually healthy cereal (low in sugar, high in fiber). I like KIND Granola, Bare Naked Fit Granola, and Purely Elizabeth Granola. Remember portion size matters – you can go overboard even with the healthy granola brands if you eat more than 1 serving per day!

Grape Nuts cereal is actually pretty healthy! It’s the best choice of conventional breakfast cereals that I’ve found. It’s non-GMO, has only 4 ingredients (whole grain wheat flour, malted barley flour, salt, dried yeast), and has 7 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein per serving.

The only downside to Grape Nuts is that it’s super calorie-dense and is not a granola (which is the only type of cereal I’d expect more calorie density). Grape Nuts has 400 calories for a 1-cup serving (200 calories for 1/2 cup), which is why I didn’t include it on my list of healthy cereals above!

None of the cereals in the above list contain BHT! BHT is an ingredient used to maintain freshness in many ultra-processed cereals. In is currently banned in Japan, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand due to it being classified as a carcinogen (Source: Science Direct).

While BHT is approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in limited amounts in certain foods, it is controversial, and more research is needed to understand the potential long-term effects of consumption (Source NCBI).

On the surface, Cheerios look healthy: one serving (1.5 cups) has 140 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein (and they are gluten-free).

However, because Cheerios are not organic, they have been found to contain high levels of the carcinogenglyphosate– so I wouldn’t recommend them! Instead, tryCascadian Farms Purely O’s.