Post, one of the biggest players in the cereal game, shared in its most recent quarterly earnings report that cereal volume declined 2.3 percent, according to Food Dive. The owner of classics like Honey Bunches of Oats, Cocoa Pebbles, and Fruity Pebbles attributed declining sales to consumers' shifting preference toward healthier breakfasts. Likewise, volume at Kellogg—the company behind Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops, Raisin Bran, Special K, and Frosted Flakes—dropped 5.6 percent.
Post chief operating officer Jeff Zadok told Food Drive that he believes the smaller, better-for-you cereal brands are behind the reduced volume: "It’s been a challenge for the large manufacturers to succeed in that space, partly because we and our peers are not set up for small-run products, so the margins are really difficult to make sense."
Indeed, a recent analysis from Google tells us that searches for "healthy cereal options" have recently spiked by 300 percent. And if you're curious which breakfast boxes are truly nutritious—because, let's face it, a lot of foods marketed as "healthy" are anything but—grocery expert Bobby Parrish recently broke down his top five choices. He says these are all nutrient-dense and free of seed oils, cane sugar, and "nasty preservatives."
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1. Seven Sundays Cocoa Cereal
Seven Sundays
In a recent TikTok video, Parrish, a Food Network Champion and healthy grocery expert, shared the best cereals you can buy.
First on his list is what he refers to as "a Bobby-approved version of Cocoa Puffs."
He says the cocoa version of Seven Sundays is gluten-free, paleo, and has just one gram of sugar from natural coconut sugar and dates.
By comparison, a serving of actual Cocoa Puffs has 12 grams of sugar, all of which are unhealthy added sugars.
2. Food for Life Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Whole Grain Cereal
Food for Life
Love Raisin Bran but don't want all the processed ingredients? Parrish recommends this Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Whole Grain Cereal from the brand Food for Life, which is also known for its non-GMO sprouted breads.
This healthy cereal has zero grams of added sugar and "a whopping 6 grams of fiber," he notes. "Bonus points: sprouted grains are easier to digest and unlock more nutrition."
As Best Lifepreviously shared, registered dietitian Abbey Sharp explained in her own TikTok video that she looks for cereals that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. ""Fiber is really important for regularity and for satiety," she said.
While Raisin Bran has 7 grams of fiber, it also has 17 grams of sugar, including 9 grams of added sugar.
3. Purely Elizabeth Honey Peanut Butter Cereal
Purely Elizabeth
"It's nice to see a gluten-free cereal made of complex carbohydrates like sorghum, oats, and quinoa," Parrish says of this Honey Peanut Butter Cereal from Purely Elizabeth.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains, complex carbs "increase your blood sugar more slowly because they contain fiber and other complex starches that take longer for your body to digest."
Many other cereals are made with refined carbs like white bread, which are processed and have their fiber stripped, or simple carbs (found in added sugars), which cause your blood sugar to rapidly spike.
This Purely Elizabeth option has 7 grams of sugar, but it's from "paleo sweeteners like honey and maple syrup," Parrish notes.
It also has 25 percent of your daily Vitamin D, whereas Honey Bunches of Oats has just 10 percent.
RELATED: New Website Rates 50,000 Processed Foods From Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods.
4. One Degree Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps
One Degree
"This is Rice Krispies but better because it's made with organic brown rice sweetened with only one gram of coconut sugar," says Parrish of One Degree's Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps. "Bonus points for being sprouted and glyphosate-free."
Glyphosate is a chemical found in weed killers that can leak into foods like cereal, according to the CDC. In fact, a 2019 study found that 21 oat-based cereals and snacks, including Cheerios and Nature Valley granola bars, contained traces of glyphosate above the allowable amount, reported CBS News.
5. NUCO Coconut Crunch Cereal
NUCO
Parrish says the Coconut Crunch Cereal by NUCO tastes like "crispy coconut meat."
"This one's made of nutrient-dense coconut meat and coconut water, with 8 grams of fiber, zero grams of added sugar, and only 10 net carbs per serving," he shares.
