A Definitive Ranking of the 15 Best Breakfast Cereals

I love cereal.

As someone who isn't a big fan of breakfast foods, indulging in a bowl of cereal every morning for the first 20(ish)  years of my life was the perfect way to eat the most important meal of the day and avoid gagging on a plate of scrambled eggs (yuck). So, believe me when I say I'm quite the expert in processed morning carbs.

And I've finally decided to put my expertise to good use. Keep scrolling for a definitive ranking of the 15 best breakfast cereals, from worst to best.

15. Frosted Mini Wheats

I only have one thing to say about Frosted Mini Wheats: no. It's like this cereal can't decide what it wants to be. It's made with whole wheat and has a bunch of fiber, but it's also covered in a weird frosting-type substance? The frosting tastes great, but it dissolves pretty quickly when you add milk and then you're left with this thick, chunky thing in your mouth that tastes exactly like eating a mouthful of soggy cardboard. I hate this cereal with a burning passion, and my mind will never be changed. Down with Frosted Mini Wheats.

 

14. Rice Krispies

This cereal is like the ugly step sister of the Rice Krispie treat. Seriously, it barely tastes like anything. You might as well be drinking a bowl of milk for all the flavor these little puppies add into the mix. There's really no way to critique them because they're so bland, hence their very low ranking.

 

13. Cookie Crisp

Something about Cookie Crisp just rubs me the wrong way. It might be because I can't even look at the name without thinking of that wolf howling "CooOOOOkie Crisp" in all the commercials or it might be that this cereal is so filled with sugar that it's overwhelming. I'm all for a sugar rush in the morning, but sweet is the only taste you ever get from Cookie Crisp. Not to mention, it rarely has the "crisp" element that the title suggests. It's much softer and chewer than you'd imagine, and if you can't rely on a cereal's name what can you rely on?

 

12. Corn Pops

I can't lie: I went through a phase where I really, really loved Corn Pops. And then I stopped living in the Dark Ages and realized Corn Pops are kind of the worst. They taste like a weird hybrid of corn on the cob and popcorn without falling solidly into either camp. They're also made of 93% percent air, 6.5% sugar and a minuscule helping of fiber. I ranked them higher out of respect for our very serious 3-month relationship, but, in my view, they're just not very good.

 

11. Cocoa Puffs

Cocoa Puffs are okay, but the only real draw to eating them is drinking the bowl of chocolate milk that's left behind. The actual cereal is pretty "eh." The chocolate flavor is muted—probably because it dissolves into the milk—and there's just nothing to set them apart from the crowd of delicious cereals. Cocoa Puffs have never really wow-ed me, hence their ranking at No. 11.

 

10. Lucky Charms

Lucky Charms is quite the conundrum. On the one hand, it doesn't get much better than the delicious Lucky Charms marshmallows, but, on the other hand, the rest of the cereal tastes like cardboard cut into weird shapes. We all know we only eat Lucky Charms for those puffy pillows of goodness, and that's just not enough to classify it as an objectively good cereal.

 

9. Frosted Flakes

This is painful for me because I truly love Frosted Flakes. The problem here is that you have to eat the entire bowl in under 30 seconds if you don't want your cereal to get soggy. Beyond that, Frosted Flakes are literally corn flakes dipped in sugar, which can make the overall cereal a little overwhelmingly sweet at times. They're amazing, and I'll eat them anytime, but they're not in the top tier of delicious breakfast cereals.

 

8. Trix

Ah, Trix. Part of me believes I only like this cereal because I spent my whole childhood watching a rabbit being told he can't have it, and I always enjoy having things that I know other people can't. However, putting my competitive nature aside, I do like Trix. It's sweet and crunchy, but it has a subtle fruity flavor that makes it different from other cereals. However, I don't fully understand why that rabbit needed this cereal so badly. It's good, but it's not great, ya know?

 

7. Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Much like Frosted Flakes, you really have to scarf down your bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch if you don't want to end up with soggy cereal bits. However, Cinnamon Toast Crunch has a much more interesting flavor that Frosted Flakes. It has the perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar, and there's nothing better than finishing off your breakfast by drinking a bowl of Cinnamon Toast-flavored milk. You're never not in the mood for a bowl of Cinnamon Toast, which is the true sign of a really great cereal.

 

6. Froot Loops

I'm all about Froot Loops. It's a pretty basic and classic cereal, but that's exactly what makes it so delicious. It's fruity, crunchy and all around delicious, and that's about all there is to say.
 

5. Honey Bunches of Oats

As I mentioned above, I ate cereal for way longer than I probably should have, and I don't think I came to realize the true value of Honey Bunches of Oats until I was a bit older. It's crispy and interesting and it has all these little clusters thrown in that make it absolutely delicious. We all need to stop sleeping on Honey Bunches of Oats because this cereal is incredible.

 

4. Honey Nut Cheerios

Ah, Honey Nut Cheerios—another classic. It's sweet without being overpowering and it's a very reliable way to start your day. I wish the commercials weren't all about their cholesterol benefits, but that's cool, too, I guess?

 

3. Fruity Pebbles

I honestly don't understand why Fruity Pebbles is so good, but it is. It looks like it would be horrific—I mean, it turns your milk green—but it always ends up being a yummy way to start the day. There's no getting bored of this cereal, and we definitely understand why Fred is so protective of it.

 

2. Cap'N Crunch

My favorite sleeper hit, Cap'N Crunch never disappoints. I had no idea, but apparently it's made with sweetened corn, which makes it a miracle that this cereal doesn't carry the same disappointment as Corn Pops. It has an almost vanilla taste that's sweet and simple, and I could happily eat a bowl of the ol' Cap'N any day of the week.

 

1. Reese's Puffs

Honestly, is there any better way to start the day than a peanut butter-chocolate cereal hybrid? Reese's Puffs is everything good in the world in a single bowl of cereal—how could it not be No. 1? Plus, it takes quite a while before this cereal gets soggy and you get a bowl of chocolate milk afterward. There's nothing to hate and everything to love. Reese's Puffs for the win!

 

Wondering how more of your favorite foods stack up against each other? Click HERE for a definitive ranking of signature fast food hamburgers.