No breakfast food offers nutrition and convenience the way cereal does. But when you go down the cereal aisle you may be overwhelmed by the choices. Which cereals are best for my kids? How much sugar is too much? How much fiber and whole grains should I shoot for?
You’ll be glad to hear that research is on cereal’s side. In fact, a review study looking at the evidence up to 2013 found cereal eaters have diets higher in vitamins and minerals and lower in fat than those who don’t eat cereal for breakfast. People who eat cereal are also leaner and at a lower risk of gaining excess weight. And research clearly shows that cereals made with oats, barley or psyllium help lower cholesterol while high fiber, wheat-based cereals benefit digestion.
The Criteria
So I compiled a list of guidelines to help you choose ready-to-eat cereals that are right for your family. The guidelines listed below include (per serving) 10g or less of sugar, 3g or more fiber, whole grain as the first listed ingredient and no artificial colors & questionable preservatives. Fortification can benefit kids, especially babies, toddlers, and adolescent females at increased risk for iron deficiency.
The Cereals
Here are 10 kid-friendly kinds of cereals that meet these criteria. If you have a great cereal that is not listed, let us know in the comments.
1. General Mills Cheerios: 1g of sugar, 3g of fiber and whole grain oats as the first ingredient (14g whole grain). Cheerios also contain 45% Daily Value (DV) for iron, making it a great finger food for toddlers. There are other similar products such as Trader Joe’s Os. Cheerios will be going gluten-free in the fall of 2015.
2. General Mills Kix: 3g of sugar, 3g of fiber and whole grain corn as the first ingredient (15g whole grain). This cereal is fortified and contains 45% of the DV for iron.
3. Nature Path’s Whole Oats Cereal: 4g sugar, 3g fiber, and brown rice flour is the first ingredient (14g whole grain). This cereal is gluten-free and is not fortified. A good choice if you’re looking for a bit sweeter cereal without going overboard on sugar.
4. Barbara’s Bakery Multigrain Spoonfuls: 5g of sugar, 4g of fiber and whole oat flour is the first ingredient (19g whole grains). This cereal is not fortified.
5. Kashi Honey Sunshine Squares: 6g of sugar, 6g of fiber and whole-grain yellow cornmeal is the first ingredient (20g whole grain). This product is not fortified.
6. Kashi Whole Grain Flakes: 6g sugar, 6g fiber and Kashi’s 7 whole-grain ingredient blend is the first ingredient (31g whole grains). This is a good choice if you want something more substantial and nutritious than corn flakes. It is not fortified.
7. Nature Path’s Sunrise Crunchy Maple: 7g sugar, 3g fiber, and whole-grain cornmeal is the first ingredient (12g whole grain). This product is gluten-free and is not fortified.
8. Cascadian Farms Honey Nut O’s: 7g sugar, 3g fiber, and whole oat flour as the first two ingredients are whole grain oats and whole grain barley (18g whole grains). This product is fortified and contains 25% DV iron. This is a good choice for the honey nut lovers in the house.
9. Cascadian Farms Graham Crunch: 8g sugar, 3g fiber, and whole-grain wheat is the first ingredient (12g whole grains). A bit more sugar than the other cereals but its a fun cereal choice for kids who like that graham taste.
10. 360 Everyday Value Crunchy Cinnamon Squares: 8g sugar, 3g fiber, and organic whole wheat flour is the first ingredient (17g whole grain). This product is only fortified with calcium (10%DV) and it is a Whole Foods brand.
Almost made it but…
There are lots of great cereals not included like Rice Chex falling short on fiber and Mini-Wheats with 11g of sugar per serving but is packed with whole grains (42g) and fiber (6g). And Oatmeal Squares and Life Cereal were left out because they contain artificial colors. And many cereals have the BHT preservative which is on CSPIs caution list. Again, still fine products but not enough for our best list.
Last updated 5/20/15
For everything you wanted to know about feeding your young child, check out Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School
Thanks for this information. There are so many choices in the cereal aisle and a lot of commercials advertising different nutrients. This is helpful.
Thanks Amanda!
Hi,
My son is 17 months old and eats very well. Aside from his yogurt, egg, numerous fruit and veggie snacks, rice pudding, pureed meat/chicken/fish soups – full of veggies, red lentils and rice or pasta, he eats a fair amount of iron-fortified cereal. The brand we use is My Organic Baby – popular in Canada, and 10 tbsp. is 60 % of his RDA for iron. He gets about 16 tbsp. a day. Is that too much? It seems to be to me, but the company will not say. My pediatrician has been alerted because his poop was black last night and this morning. Can you tell me what I should be giving him if not this cereal?
Thanks,
Maria
I was reading the list of 10 best cereal for kids and while the sugar content and whole grain ma be good, some of them have chemicals that in my opinion make them poor choices for anyone. Life cereal has BHT as preservative shich is considered a liver toxin and Frosted mini wheat has high fructose corn syrup as an ingrediaent.
Thanks Tracey. The BHT was an oversight — will let readers know in the post. I also acknowledge that Frosted Mini Wheats contain HFCS so parents can decide for themselves.
Any opinion on Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds? My daughter could eat the whole box in one sitting if let her!
Kat — I just checked it out and its relatively low in sugar (6g). It doesn’t have as much whole grains as the other ones but still a significant amount (10g when 16g = serving). Overall, not bad!
Thank you!
I am surprised that Multigrain Cheerios did not make the list. It seems to be better than Honey Nut Cheerios. MG Cheerios has 5 whole grains, 6 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, and 100% of several vitamins and minerals.
I also wonder about Puffins? We eat a lot of Puffins as a snack. I know that they’re relatively new, but I think that they’ve been out long enough to have made the list. Hmm…
I was surprised by a lot of cereals on this list. I have to tell you, I THOUGHT that the Honey Nut Cheerios had HFCS, but I was wrong! They do however, have modified corn starch. I do try to not give my kids anything that is modified or enriched. HNC are one of the exceptions 😉
My kids absolutely love the Barbara’s brand cereal, especially the Puffins.
What is your take on the Envirokidz brand?
A big hit in our house is Kashi Golean Crunch. 🙂
I’m a big Barbara’s Bakery fan too. I don’t knwo much about those products…they look great. Because my kids are young I do like to have at least one or two cereals with extra iron. Especially for my daughter who eats very few iron-rich foods.
my son is 13 months old .i need healthy&balance meal plan.
thanks
For all concerned about iron and getting a balanced diet. It is virtually impossible for them to get everything (vit. minerals etc) even feeding them healthy foods, because they go through picky stages. My Pediatrician recommended a chewable Flinstones Complete. It has iron in it. I crush up only half since my daughter is only 14 months old and put it in her yogurt. Also, there are other vitamin liquids too with iron.
To answer Shizaa, my daughter is about your son’s age. I feed my daughter Earth’s Best Oatmeal in morning mixed with organic baby food fruit. She has Organic Whole Milk (Horizon’s has one with DHA) in morning and night. She also gets Greek yogurt mixed with baby food fruit. The others marketed to babies and toddlers are full of sugar. She also likes Kashi cereal bars, Kashi waffles with cream cheese or PB. She loves all fruit. When she is picky and wont eat table food, which is everyday, she will always eat her orangic baby food. Hope this helps
Hi there,
I’m confused. Life cereal’s nutritional info lists yellow 5 and 6, harmful artificial dyes. Why is this cereal on this list? And why isn’t, for example, Cascadian Farms Fruitful Oh’s on the list? It lists whole grains and natural dyes such as beet juice and is very kid friendly.
Thanks,
Tiffani
Tiffani — that was an oversight. I plan on updating this list soon. Life and some of the other kid cereals do have iron which is especially important for kids under 5. I couldn’t access the nutrition information on Cascadian Farms Fruitful O’s but the criteria I list in the beginning of the article shows cereals should contain a serving of whole grains (16g per serving) and less than 10g of sugar. I see that Fruitful O’s contains 8g whole grain per serving — not sure how muh sugar. There are a lof great cereals that didn’t make this list — just some I wanted to highlight. Thanks for writing!
I look forward to seeing the list, thanks Maryann
Dear Maryann,
I have come to your site looking for advice and guidance for helping my sweet daughter maintain a healthy weight. My 5 year old is active, plays on a soccer team, ski team, gymnastics… and we are healthy eaters. I am a registered nurse and understand nutrition basics. I have been very cognizant about what we eat at home and the lunches and snacks that are packed for her. I am very fine framed and as a devout yogi, border on the low end of a healthy weight. Sadly, my daughter has inherited my husbands build. My husband is slightly over weight despite being very active. His four sisters range are all overweight. One sister is very committed to healthy living, but still struggles with weight, and one is morbidly obese. My daughter at only 5 is already clinically overweight, with a BMI of 17.7, 52 pounds and 3’9″. I want to do all that I can to help teach my daughter about healthy eating and encourage her to love being active. I don’t want to do or say anything that would negatively impact her self esteem. I am looking for resources to help me toward this end and any advice or direction towards certain articles, etc would be greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU!
I have a similar situation. I get worried and have asked the doctor and family and friends. The doctor suggested an 1hr of cardio type activities daily on top of the regular play, walks, etc. As long as she is healthy with food. She’s too young now but maybe when she is 9-10years, fasting may be helpful. I’ve tried and my daughter was not up to it and so I didn’t push it but merely suggested it as a family activity she could join. She tried 2 days and that was it. Her sister and I are thin and her paternal aunts aren’t. Family always say that she will balance out when she shoots up in height as a growing adolescent. But my main concern is her abdomen and sides. Apparently studies show a large stomach and waistline are precursors of heart disease and diabetes. Good for you because you sound like you are doing more than me.
What about ‘Chex” type cereals? I always thought they were an acceptable option.
Loving Mama –
I am so glad to see you reaching out and exploring your options, and taking a thoughtful approach. Having grown up with a parent who chose to scold without providing education or options.. it can take a lifetime to overcome. Hang in there with the loving encouragement to make healthy choices and an active lifestyle.
Mary Ann, Can you give me your assessment for Quaker Oatmeal Squares?
What are the guidelines for max sugar per serving?
I know that low fat is less than 3grams per 100 kcals. What other stats are good to be aware of? I am thinking of making a set of lamentated index cards of a key ring to keep in my purse or send with my husband when shopping. Since the kids help with grocery shopping, they can learn about how to be choosey about healthy foods.
Not relative to ceral per say, but how do you feel about nuts? For example., when my daughter goes to the after school program on occasion they often have AWFUL snacks such as cheetos, bugles. So I like to send her an alternative that she really likes. My daughter loves peanuts, pistachios and flavored almonds. Nuts are high in fats, but I have thought them to be a better alternative. Yes? What is an appropriate serving size. I an apple too, but that usually comes back.
my daughter is 15 months old i need a full diet plan for her.i am a workink women and get back at home at 4 o clock .and she is also on my feed
We love Mini Wheats at our house. I’m happy to see that they were on your list. That being said, I have made them a little more healthy for my family by mixing them in a tupperware-type container with SpoonSize Shredded Wheat. No one likes SSSW all on their own, but I am uncomfortable with the sugar content of MiniWheat’s, so this is a perfect marriage.
My son loves the whole grain Cheerios. He munches on them throughout the day. We found that he also likes fresh strawberries with Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, which is crunchy and gives off a popping sound. It contains the same amount of iron as in Cheerios.
You may want to retract what you said about iron fortified cereal after seeing this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb_8nFpwV6Y
I wouldn’t want my kids eating it.
Infants SHOULD NOT have infant cereal. Really surprised this is on here. Do some more research before your baby starts solids mama’s!!!
Danielle — thanks for your comment. Can you please explain why with supporting research?
What are your thoughts on other milks than cow milk for 9mo. olds, 1 yr olds and 18mo. olds? ie Soy, almond, coconut etc?
I wouldn’t give milk as a main beverage until after 1 year. Under one year should be either breastmilk or formula because they are better sources of iron and key nutrients needed. There are many alternatives to cow’s milk but, in general, they are lacking in protein and/or fat and calories for this age group and some may not be fortified with important vitamins like A and D, and calcium. Soy is the most comparable alternative to cow’s milk because of it’s fat and protein content. Nut milks and coconut milk contain very little protein and not as much fat as cow’s milk and may or may not be fortified with vitamin D which is important as it is contained in few foods. For chidren under 2 who are still in the critical growth period, check with your pediatrician for options. Here is an article that can give you a little more guidance http://www.littlestomaks.com/2009/12/ask-the-expert-choosing-the-right-milk-for-your-toddler/
What about just puffed brown rice cereal? Wouldn’t that be good for kids? Especially served with almond milk?
Hi Maryanne,
I just saw that there’s been a recall of the Frosted Mini Wheats Bite Size.
Just wanted to let you know.
Heather
Is Cereiac good for a baby of 8 months
Normally I do not read article on blogs, however I would like to say that
this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do it! Your writing taste has been amazed me.
Thanks, very nice article.
Thank you so much for this list! We are going grocery shopping today and wanted some cereal options for our 7 year old and almost-two year old. Before this list it was Cheerios only for our older one (but he is getting bored) and plain rice cereal for my baby, but we will explore the options mentioned in your post and in some of the other comments.
I’m not sue if this is something that has been changed since you wrote the article but, I have a box if frosted mini wheats in my cabinet and it doesn’t seem to contain HFCS.
Great article!
the cerals should be with pic
Today, I went to the beach with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my
4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell
to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic
but I had to tell someone!
I would have loved to see Weetabix original on the list. Great cereal made with whole grain wheat, fiber, iron (25% DV) and very little sugar (only 2 g). Babies love the taste.
My 2 year old moved from Organic baby cereals to Weetabix (sweetened only with fresh fruit, never sugar) and Oatmeal (sweetened with fresh fruit and honey). Breakfast is gone in minutes, and he loves it.
Here are a few very big secrets every thinking carp angler
who wants to keep ahead of the crowd needs to know.
It”s tough to keep things dry on a center console boat. Those heated areas you make available are mighty tempting to them, and they know that human presence normally means an abundant, and readily available, source of food that they won’t need to work hard to find.
NO Cereal is good…grab a piece of fruit…an egg…maybe a handful of nuts….companies spend millions convincing us that we NEED their processed junk….eat more of what your Grandparents did..
Just wanna know Wheatabix is good for
Iron-fortified cereal ?? My daughter is 18 monts old
I just checked and its iron fortified.
Mary Ann:
What is the serving size on the cereals? 6 grams of sugar isn’t too bad unless they count half a cup as a serving size…in which case if a high school student eats 2 cups in one sitting he’d be getting … hmmm… about 5 teaspoons of sugar? did I figure that right?
And I forgot to say THANK YOU for the great info! I appreciate it!
General mills is filled with Gmo corn. How could that be on the list let alone number 1.
I put them from least to most sugar. GMO was not factored into my criteria. There are plenty of GMO free cereals to choose from.
I believe Cheerios are GMO free
http://www.cheerios.com/en/Articles/cheerios-and-gmos
Just wanted to add that Cascadian Farm Organic Purely O’s are a great choice over Cheerios or Joe’s O’s since it is organic and GMO free, and has no corn starch or preservatives. Iron levels are not fortified however but I still think this is a great breakfast cereal for children! Better texture crunch than Cheerios as well.
I feel like a healthy cereal is chex mix cereal… the cinnamon kind… you know, the only GOOD kind….
My kids love organic Stoneground Flakes.
I do not have kids but I would ant to have some in the nearest future. Meanwhile, I try to eat healthy and stay fit so it was easier for me to give birth later on and to have healthy kids. Thank you very much for the shared publication and here you go another good publication on this topic: http://findwritingservice.com/blog/top-list-of-ideal-snacks-for-the-whole-family
My baby boy is 2 yrs 8mnth then he hava a problem of constipation…earlier i though its a formula bcoz i use S26 Gold from 3mnths till 2 yrs then i used Nido n Nespray now.help me plz
What are your thoughts on lack of iron absorption with cereals when eaten with milk? Especially with respec to toddlers who don’t eat much. I’ve recently been looking for alternative breakfasts for my little one and cereal doesn’t seem like best idea because of this issue… would love to hear others’ thoughts
If you add a source of vitamin c (oranges, strawberries, kiwi, melon etc.) significantly increases the absorption. Studies show children are more protected from iron deficiency when they get fortified products like cereal.
So if a toddler eats meat then yogurt in the same meal, is he still absorbing the iron or is the calcium in yogurt preventing absorption? It’s probiotic yogurt and it’s less than 1/4 cup. Thx!
Thank you
I checked out cascadian Farm Graham crunch today in the grocery store and it listed 11g sugar (not 8 gr) for a 1 cup serving. Has their formula changed or are you using a different portion size? Thanks for the helpful article.
It might have changed as I updated this post in 2015. I’ll check on it…thanks!