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Here's A Ranking Of The Top Breakfast Cereals Of All Time

Do you agree with our pick?

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breakfast cereals, ranked
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In case you hadn't already heard, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Walking down the cereal aisle in the grocery store is an opportunity to spot fun characters, vibrant colors, and about a million varieties of wheat pieces cut into shapes. But which cereal is the best? Which one deserves a spot on your kitchen table every morning (until it's rotated out for another top pick because the monotony is driving you crazy and there are too many delicious cereals out there to stop at just one)?

We set out to judge the following cereals not on nutritional status—you also might have heard most cereals are packed with sugar—but rather on originality, taste, fun factor, and other intangible qualities. Does the cereal instantly get soggy when you add milk? Or is that bowl of cereal the best meal you’re going to eat for the entire day? With all of these factors in mind, here is our ranking of our favorite cereals.

11. Life

breakfast cereals, ranked
Life

Life cereal is geared for the health-conscious as it is made with 100% whole grains and is low in cholesterol, but overall it lacks a unique taste. The brand was wildly popular in the 1970s but now seems like an afterthought, considering all the delicious and innovative competitors on the shelves.

10. Rice Krispies

breakfast cereals, ranked
Rice Krispies

Who can forget Snap, Crackle and Pop, the mascots who recall exactly what it sounds like when you pour milk into a bowl of Rice Krispies? But in our opinion, the cereal is best enjoyed when baked into the famous sticky marshmallow treat, not as a breakfast food. With milk, the pieces just get too soggy too quickly.

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9. Cap'n Crunch

breakfast cereals, ranked
Cap'n Crunch

While we love the tagline “Crunchatize me Cap’n!” from mascot Jean LaFoote, this cereal doesn’t exactly measure up the way you might remember. Even with that Cap'n Crunch original golden flavor, the bowl lacks a punchy taste that other brands easily achieve.

8. Frosted Mini Wheats

breakfast cereals, ranked
Frosted Mini Wheats

Frosted Mini Wheats are a breakfast staple and a solid choice. The cereal is comprised of ten layers of wheat covered with frosting, making it a great option to fill you up in the morning or a snack. Just make sure to give a good pour of milk with this hefty cereal so your mouth isn’t left dry.

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7. Lucky Charms

breakfast cereals, ranked
Lucky Charms

While we love that Lucky Charms is gluten-free and made of whole grains, the cereal is really all about the candy marshmallows. Some of us may have even picked our favorite shapes right out of the box as kids (or adults). Plus, the pastel color left in your milk is just fun, not to mention delicious.

6. Frosted Flakes

breakfast cereals, ranked
Frosted Flakes

We have to agree with Tony the Tiger that Frosted Flakes are grrr-eat! The crunch of those oven-toasted flakes, when progressively softened with just the right amount of milk, is just delicious. As the name describes, the pieces are coated with a sugary sweetness, but seeing as the cereal is also fat-free and a good source of vitamin D, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of Tony’s favorite as a treat.

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5. Froot Loops

breakfast cereals, ranked
Froot Loops

While Froot Loops won’t give you the recommended serving of fruit, it is a tasty and sweet meal with a tropical spin. This whole-grain cereal is approved by Toucan Sam, who has been the brand’s mascot since 1963!

4. Raisin Bran

breakfast cereals, ranked
Raisin Bran

Raisin Bran is is a heart-healthy cereal that also serves as a good source of eight vitamins and minerals without any artificial colors or flavors. But don't let the health halo suggest a lack of flavor! The sticky-sweet raisins provide heft and sweetness, while the bran is thin, crunchy, and fresh.

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3. Reese’s Puffs

breakfast cereals, ranked
Reese's Puffs

Reese's Puffs is basically like having candy for breakfast. With peanut butter from classic Reese’s along with Hershey’s cocoa, the cereal requires you to brush your teeth after all of that salty, sugary goodness. Totally worth the effort!

2. Cheerios

breakfast cereals, ranked
Cheerios

Cheerios has defined breakfast for decades with their boldly simplistic whole grain oat cereal and innovative advertising (including the recent tagline “Bee happy, bee healthy”). It's often a baby's first solid food, and of course adults love it, too. The cereal serves a list of health benefits, as it's a good source of fiber and calcium and naturally gluten-free.

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1. Cinnamon Toast Crunch

breakfast cereals, ranked
Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a stroke of genius. Made with real cinnamon, the cereal is basically French toast in crunchy miniature form. And adding milk is half of the fun—the combination of the two creates a “cinnamilk” finish that's delicious to slurp once the cereal is gone. Plus, it can be eaten like a snack in handfuls dry, too.

Headshot of James Barrett
James is a journalist covering everything from travel, interviews, personal essays to lifestyle and entertainment. He's a Syracuse University alum and New Jersey native.
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