Take the confusion out of the cereal aisle and learn which healthy cereals for kids are the most nutritious and easiest to eat—and what to look for on a label to help you feel confident in the choices you’re making at the store.

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Kids Cereal

With so many options at the store, choosing a healthy kids cereal for the family can be totally daunting. But this post will share a few good brands to turn to, as well as give you pointers on how to read an ingredients label to ensure you’re buying what you think you are.

I love having cereal on hand for easy breakfasts, to use as snack components, and for a favorite shortcut meal. It’s easy to round it out with fresh fruit and milk to make a satisfying, nutritionally dense breakfast—that the kids like, too!

These cereals are great for breakfast and snack time, so they’re a pantry staple to keep on hand.

The ones I’m including in my recommendations here are lower in added sugars, taste less overtly sweet, and are easy and appropriate for toddlers and kids from a chewing perspective.

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toddler breakfast idea cereal snack plate

Ingredients in a Healthy Cereal

When buying cereal from the store, you’ll want to look for one that includes the following ingredients:

  • whole grains
  • fiber
  • protein
  • 0-5 grams of added sugar

TIP: I prefer to buy cereal with less sugars since they still taste great, aren’t overtly sweet, and can be sweetened with fruit.

How to Choose a Cereal for Kids, Step-by-Step

No matter where you shop, the process of choosing a healthy cereal is the same. Here’s what I recommend:

  1. Look for a type that has a whole grain as one of the first three ingredients.
  2. Look for a type that has fewer than 5 grams of sugar, plus some fiber and protein.
  3. Remember that the nutrition label and serving size are not portion-size mandates and the best guide for the amount of food your child needs is their unique appetite.
  4. Do not stress about it—this is just one food in the overall bigger picture of your child’s diet so it doesn’t have to be perfect.

(Remember that when served with milk, cereal can be a great source of calcium, too.)

best low sugar cereals for kids in grid of 6

Best Cold Cereal for Toddlers

When buying a cereal for toddlers, I like this group that has less than 2 grams of added sugars. These low-sugar cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals, and still taste really good. They also are easy to eat and can be served dry or softened slightly in milk. Here are my favorites.

TIP: That New England Naturals granola is the first granola I’ve seen without added sugar. It’s also free from large clumps and it softens nicely in yogurt and milk, making it a great options for kids.

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Best Cold Cereal for Kids

If you have older kids who want a little more going on in their cereal, these options have a little more added sugar but are still considered to be “healthy” due to their overall mix of nutrients. We sometimes mix these (or any other) sweeter cereals with plainer ones for a fun bowl with a little less sugar.

chia-seed-oatmeal-with-blueberries

Best Hot Cereal for Kids

When looking for a hot grain or oatmeal for kids, the same tips apply: low sugar, high fiber, and some protein if possible. The easiest hot cereal to buy is old-fashioned rolled oats, though any oatmeal can work—even flavored ones that say “unsweetened” on the label.

TIP: Find my favorite Oatmeal with Fruit recipes here.

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Best Cereal for Babies

It’s recommended that younger babies have cereal with added iron since their iron stores begin to deplete around the age of 6 months. I love the Clearly Crafted line from Happy Babies since they have fewer ingredients than most other baby oatmeals AND the ingredients are actually easy to understand.

TIP: If you’re worried about heavy metals, oat cereals usually are less of a concern than rice-based ones. You can also make homemade Baby Oatmeal and Baby Rice Cereal.

High-Fiber Cereal for Kids

Shredded wheat cereals typically have about 4 grams of fiber, so they are a good option. You can also look at bran cereals, though do check the label to make sure you choose one with low sugar, too.

oatmeal-with-fruit-in-kids-bowls

Kids Cereal Recipes to Try

If you want to try some homemade cereal options, here are a few easy ones we love.

Easiest Baby Oatmeal
The initial portion on this recipe is small to avoid potential waste, though increase it according to the hunger of your child. Their appetite is your best guide for how much is the right amount for them to eat. Find our favorite options for adding yummy flavor to this baby oatmeal, too.
Get the recipe
baby-oatmeal-on-green-silicone-spoon2
Favorite Chia Seed Oatmeal
With an easy method and the option to flavor with a range of fruit, Chia Seed Oatmeal is a delicious, nutritious breakfast for kids…and us parents!
Get the recipe
chia-seed-oatmeal-with-blueberries
Quinoa Baby Food (Easy Baby Cereal)
Transform nutrient-rich quinoa into a delicious baby food—with options for older kids and parents to share it—using this simple method. (Find flavor variations and storage tips too.)
Get the recipe
quinoa-baby-cereal-in-bowls-on-counter
Banana Bread Oatmeal (to Share with the Kids)
When you use a really ripe (or over ripe) banana in this recipe, it tastes so much like banana bread—but is much faster! See the options for which toppings make this even more delish.
Get the recipe
banana-oatmeal-in-three-bowls
Easy Instant Oatmeal
You can make a handful of containers ahead of time, then pull them out for easy breakfasts when you need them. Or, make and serve all at once.
Get the recipe
instant-oatmeal-in-storage-containers
3-Ingredient Cereal Bars
Made with just 3 pantry staples, these bars make an excellent kids snack. They hold their shape best when stored in the fridge and served cold.
Get the recipe
cereal-bars-sliced-on-counter
Easy Homemade Granola Bars
We like to have these granola bars as a snack or toddler breakfast with milk or a smoothie—and they're an excellent lunch box component too. You can make them plain or choose a flavor to add!
Get the recipe
stack-of-homemade-granola-bars
kix in teal kids bowl with canned fruit

Best Tips for Kids Cereal

  • I started serving cold cereal to my little guy around 16 months. Start with just a little milk to soften the cereal (but not make a giant mess).
  • You can serve cereals dry as a snack or meal component if you prefer.
  • Remember it takes kids time to become proficient in using a spoon, so expect a little bit of a mess for a while.
  • Use dry cereal as an easy toddler snack, too.
  • You may also like Favorite Store-Bought Snacks for Kids and my go-to Peanut-Free Snacks.

Related Recipes


If you have a favorite kids cereal you love that I didn’t include here, I’d love to know about it so please comment below to share!

This post was first published August 2019.

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Comments

  1. I also found my daughter got really constipated after eating Cheerios and when I looked at the back of the packet I realized it was because that they had a fairly high iron content. That particular brand of Cheerios was perfectly suitable for adult DRVs but definitely not toddler appropriate.

  2. I think you are right, choosing a cereal can be really daunting, and that’s just when I am picking one for myself. There are so many brands out there that give the impression of being healthy and unless you know what you are looking for on the ingredient list, with all the different names for sugar, and nutrition facts you may miss that it’s like 8g of sugar per 30g of cereal. Who eats 30g of cereal anyway???????

  3. Yes. instead of cereals with less sugar, we can also opt for the best natural cereals which has no added sugar, salt, preservative or additives.