Five Healthy Breakfast Cereals

Oh, the cereal aisle.  Are we the only ones that feel like every trip to the grocery store, the cereal options continue to multiply?  Some boxes likely remind you of childhood while others are brand new.  You may wonder if cereal can fit into your current balanced eating plan.  We vote yes!  Read more to learn how to find a breakfast cereal that’s nutritious and right for you.

What To Aim For

Whole Grains

According to USDA’s MyPlate method, cereal falls into the grains category.  It’s recommended for you to make at least half of your daily grain choices whole grains.  Choosing a whole grain cereal choice is an easy way to meet this goal and, therefore, the number one thing we recommend looking for in a cereal.  Whole grains ensure you’re getting a cereal with fiber and B vitamins that can be helpful with weight loss, lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugars, and improving gut health and regularity.

Low Sugar

The next item to pay attention to is sugar, specifically added sugar.  Breakfast cereals often pack too much sugar.  This, unfortunately, makes some of the cereals marketed as healthy actually similar to a baked good or cookie.  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10 percent of total calories per day.

The good news is there are plenty of great options once you know what to look for.  Start by reading the ingredients and nutrition facts panel to identify options with low added sugars. A choice with a 20% daily value of added sugar is considered high, so try to select something with a lower percentage.  Try comparing flavors within the same brand, as these numbers will also vary.

Minimal Salt

Salt is last on our list, but an important one nonetheless.  While we don’t often salt our cereal, the American Heart Association says that most of our salt consumption actually comes from packaged, processed foods.  Cereals may be a source of extra salt without even realizing it.  Aim to find a cereal with a daily value of close to 5% or less per serving.

Here are Five Cereals To Give a Try

Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes is an organic cereal made with six ancient grains, including amut khorasan wheat, quinoa, millet, spelt, oats, and barley.  A serving of this cereal can be a great way to get in one-fourth of your daily fiber needs while also consuming a wide variety of grains you might not otherwise get from your typical diet.  It is low in sugar, with just five grams of added sugars per serving, and low in salt as well.  This cereal is delicious on its own but great with the addition of freeze-dried strawberries.

Kashi Go Original has a generous serving size for a cereal with 1¼ cup.  Similar to the cereal above it’s also made with a blend of whole grains (seven, to be exact).  This is a great cereal to include in your diet if you’re trying to up your fiber, as just one serving provides almost 50% of your daily fiber needs.  It contains seven grams of added sugar and hits the sodium targets with a daily value of 5%.  If you’re looking to up your protein, this cereal might be a good choice for you as one serving (combined with cow’s milk) provides 20 grams of protein.

Love Grown Power O’s are a cereal made of beans (navy, lentils, garbanzo), brown rice, and salt.  In total it contains just five ingredients perfect for those trying to keep their food choices simple and minimally processed.  It has 5 grams of fiber and a 5% daily value for sodium.  The original flavor has no added sugar, which is a huge win in our book.  It’s a crunchy cereal that makes for a great addition to your homemade trail mix.

Post Shredded Wheat is a true classic in the cereal department.  One thing we love to mention is that it contains absolutely no sodium.  This makes it a great option for anyone but especially those who are following a DASH diet.  In addition, it contains 8 grams of fiber due to the whole grain wheat and no added sugars.  It actually contains only one ingredient.  It’s great as a cereal but the manufacturer’s website also suggests turning it into breadcrumbs to use in meatloaf.  We love that it’s such a versatile cereal.

Bobs Red Mill Museli is another fav of ours and a mix between a traditional cereal and oatmeal.  It’s a blend of grains (whole grain wheat, rye, barley, whole grain oats, whole grain triticale), dried fruit (dates, raisins), nuts (almonds, walnuts), and seeds (sunflower seeds, flaxseeds).  It contains no salt and no added sugars. It has 4 grams of fiber per serving due to the blend of grains, nuts, seeds, and fruit.  Muesli is popular in European culture. Traditionally museli is mixed with yogurt and grated apples then soaked overnight in the refrigerator; however, it can also be eaten cold with milk or hot like oatmeal.

The Bottom Line

Navigating the cereal aisle requires some label reading, but there are plenty of balanced choices to add to your healthy eating plan.  Aim for one that is high in fiber and low in added sugars and sodium.