Lucky Charms vs Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Lucky Charms vs Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch rank up there as two of the most iconic breakfast cereals of all time. Both of these cereals have been around for several decades and have amassed a loyal following of fans who swear by their unique flavors and textures.

Below, we will compare and contrast these two breakfast favorites, examining their histories, ingredients, nutrition, and overall appeal. So sit back, grab a bowl of your preferred cereal, and join us as we explore the battle of Lucky Charms versus Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Be sure to vote for your favorite in our poll at the end of this article!

Lucky Charms vs Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Brief History

Lucky Charms is a breakfast cereal with marshmallows that was launched by General Mills in 1964. The cereal initially contained bells, fish, arrowheads, clovers, and X-shaped oat pieces, as well as marshmallows consisting of shapes like green clovers, pink hearts, orange stars, and yellow moons.

The initial concept for Lucky Charms was produced by a General Mills product developer named John Holahan. Holahan’s prototype for the cereal was Cheerios with cut up pieces of Brach’s Circus Peanuts mixed in. When he tasted it, he knew it would be a success, especially with children.

Lucky the Leprechaun has been the mascot of Lucky Charms since its creation and has certainly helped sell countless boxes of the cereal. Today, the cereal is still going strong, with new marbits and promotions being introduced regularly.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch is one of the most popular breakfast cereal produced by General Mills. It was first introduced in 1984 and was inspired by a radio contest idea from a child.

The product was marketed with a mascot named Wendell, a jolly baker, and two secondary bakers named Quello & Bob. The bakers were later replaced by the “Crazy Squares.”

In the United Kingdom, the cereal was first introduced as Cinnamon Toast Crunch, then changed to Cinnamon Grahams, and finally to its current name of Curiously Cinnamon.

Ingredients

Lucky Charms is a frosted toasted oat cereal with various shapes and colors of tiny marshmallows. The current marshmallow shapes are hearts, shooting stars, horseshoes, clovers, blue moons, unicorns, rainbows, red balloons, and magic gems.

Its ingredients are as follows: Whole Grain Oats, Sugar, Corn Starch, Modified Corn Starch, Corn Syrup, Dextrose. Contains 2% Or Less Of: Salt, Gelatin, Trisodium Phosphate, Red 40, Yellow 5 & 6, Blue 1, Natural And Artificial Flavor. Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols) Added To Preserve Freshness. Vitamins And Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate), Iron And Zinc (Mineral Nutrients), A B Vitamin (Niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate), Vitamin A (Palmitate), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), A B Vitamin (Folic Acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch consist of wheat & rice cereal squares that are flavored with sugar & cinnamon. The sugar & cinnamon flavor is referred to as CINNADUST by the manufacturer. When poured into a bowl and combined with milk, the cereal/milk mixture creates what General Mills calls “CINNAMILK” that is both satisfying and delicious.

The ingredients of Cinnamon Toast Crunch are as follows: Whole Grain Wheat, Sugar, Rice Flour, Canola And/or Sunflower Oil, Fructose, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Salt, Cinnamon, Trisodium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Caramel Color. Bht Added To Preserve Freshness. Vitamins And Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate), Iron And Zinc (Mineral Nutrients), A B Vitamin (Niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate), Vitamin A (Palmitate), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), A B Vitamin (Folic Acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3.

Overall, both cereals contain a similar amount of essential vitamins and minerals, but Cinnamon Toast Crunch has more calories, total fat, and carbohydrates per serving than Lucky Charms.

It’s also worth noting that both cereals contain a relatively high amount of added sugars. For a reference, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends daily added sugar intake of a maximum of 24 grams for most adult women and 36 grams for most adult men.

	Original Lucky Charms	Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Serving Size	1 Cup (36g) – [Cereal Only]	1 Cup (41g) – [Cereal Only]
Calories	140	170
Total Fat	1.5g	4g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g
Trans Fat	0g	0g
Polyunsaturated Fat	0.5g	1g
Monounsaturated Fat	0.5g	2.5g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	220mg	230mg
Total Carbohydrates	30g	33g
Dietary Fiber	2g	2g
Total Sugars	12g	12g
Includes Added Sugars	12g	12g
Protein	3g	2g
Vitamin D	4mcg, 20% DV	2mcg, 10% DV
Calcium	130mg, 10% DV	130mg, 10% DV
Iron	3.6mg, 20% DV	3.6mg, 20% DV
Potassium	0% DV	0% DV
Vitamin A	10% DV	10% DV
Vitamin C	10% DV	10% DV
Thiamin	20% DV	20% DV
Riboflavin	10% DV	10% DV
Niacin	10% DV	10% DV
Vitamin B6	20% DV	20% DV
Folate	20% DV	20% DV
Folic Acid	45mcg	45mcg
Vitamin B12	20% DV	20% DV
Phosphorus	–	6% DV
Magnesium	–	6% DV
Zinc	20% DV	20% DV

Varieties

As you can see below, Cinnamon Toast Crunch offers over double the amount of cereal varieties compared to Lucky Charms.

Annual Sales

According to a recent article by Zippia, Cheerios is the largest cereal brand in the United States with annual sales of $435.9 million, followed by Frosted Flakes ($412.6 million), Honey Nut Cheerios ($421.7 million), and then Honey Bunches of Oats ($375.2 million).

Next, in the fifth position, is Cinnamon Toast Crunch with $344.3 million in annual sales. Lucky Charms falls in the seventh position with $283.4 million in annual sales.

If you had to select a favorite between Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which one would you choose. Vote for your favorite in the poll.

References:
luckycharms.com
cinnamontoastcrunch.com
Zippia. “The 10 Largest Cereal Brands In The United States” Zippia.com. Apr. 28, 2023, https://www.zippia.com/advice/largest-cereal-brands/
Image Credit – Famartin/Cinnamon Toast Crunch/CC
Image Credit – m1229/Lucky Charms/CC