Oat cereals have been a staple breakfast choice for decades, offering a healthy and filling start to the day. From classic brands like Cheerios and Life to newer additions like the reformulated Honey Oh’s!, there are numerous options to choose from.
But with so many oat cereal brands available, how do you know which one to choose? In this article, we will explore some of the most popular oat cereal brands at grocery stores today and what makes them stand out.
Whether you’re looking for a heart-healthy option or a deliciously sweet treat, you’ll likely find one to enjoy based on the selections below!
As a quick note, if you see nutrition facts referenced below, these are for the cereal only without milk. Be sure to reference the nutrition facts and ingredients on the label for the most accurate information.
Brands of Oat Cereal
Alpen
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Muesli is Alpen’s cornerstone product. It is is made with uncooked whole oats, dried fruits, and nuts.
This cereal is available in Original and No Sugar Added varieties.
A 2/3 cup (60 g) serving of Original Alpen provides 210 calories, 3 grams of total fat, only 15 milligrams of sodium, 4 grams of added sugar, and 7 grams of protein.
The same size serving of the No Sugar Added variety provides 210 calories, 3.5 grams of total fat, 20 milligrams of sodium, no added sugar, and 8 grams of protein.
Barbara’s Oat Crunch
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Barbara’s Oat Crunch is made with whole grain oats and wheat making it not only delicious, but also heart-healthy and an excellent source of fiber. It is also Non-GMO Project Verified, vegan, and kosher, making it an option for many diets.
With the perfect blend of natural sweetness from cane sugar and unsulphured molasses, this cereal is a nutritious and tasty way to start your day.
Basic 4
Basic 4 cereal is a flavorful blend of fruits, crunchy almonds, and a variety of grains including whole wheat and oats. It is made with 25 grams of whole grain per serving and is a great way to start your day as a source of energy.
This cereal contains no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors, and is packed with essential vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, and vitamins B6 and B12.
Basic 4 is a great choice for breakfast or a healthy snack any time of day. A 1 cup serving (55 g) has 200 calories, 2 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbs, 12 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.
Cap’n Crunch
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Cap’n Crunch is an oat and corn cereal made by Quaker Oats, a business of PepsiCo. The cereal has been made since 1963 and features a naval captain cereal mascot who is officially named Cap’n Horatio Magellan Crunch.
The current varieties of Cap’n Crunch include Original, Berries, Peanut Butter, All Berries, and Chocolate Caramel. All of these flavors are made with sweetened corn and oat.
Cheerios
Cheerios is the most popular oat cereal brand in the United States. In fact, Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios take the one and two spots for the most popular cereals in the United States.
Cheerios contains 100% whole grain oats and real honey. All oats used to make them come from the fields of Canada and are transformed into oat flour which is used to make the cereal.
Cheerios cereal was invented in 1941 and was originally called Cheerioats until it was shortened to its current name in 1945. Original Cheerios was the only product until 1976 when the manufacturer started producing Cinnamon Nut Cheerios.
Today, these are the various Cheerios products made: Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, Oat Crunch Almond, Oat Crunch Berry, Oat Crunch Cinnamon, Oat Crunch Oats ‘N Honey, Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cinnamon, Frosted, Honey Nut, Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, Honey Vanilla, Multi Grain, Pumpkin Spice, Strawberry Banana, and Very Berry.
Cracklin’ Oat Bran
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A quick glance at Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran might leave some people thinking this is a bland cereal. However, the cereal is certainly has some flavor with the addition of sugar, coconut flakes, cinnamon, vanilla flavoring, and nutmeg to the oats.
A 3/4 cup serving has 15 grams of added sugar so you’ll undoubtedly taste some sweetness when eating this cereal. One of the major benefits of Cracklin’ Oat Bran is its fiber. It has 7 grams per serving or 25% daily value.
Great Grains
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Great Grains is a nutritious but tasty combination of real fruit, nuts, and grains. The cereal is known for its fiber content and numerous beneficial vitamins & minerals.
Flavors of this cereal include Banana Nut Crunch, Blueberry Nut Crunch, Cranberry Almond Crunch, Crunchy Pecan, Raisins + Dates + Pecans, and Red Berry Almond. All of these cereals contain whole grain rolled oats and other grains such as wheat and/or rice.
Honey Bunches of Oats
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This cereal, introduced in 1989 thanks to an employee’s idea, is a mixture of crispy flakes, crunchy granola clusters, and a touch of honey that come together to make something pretty legendary when it comes to cereal. It is the perfect combination of a flavorful and tasty cereal with healthy components such as whole grains, vitamins, and minerals.
This is the top-selling cereal brand for Post Consumer Brands, the manufacturer of Honey Bunches of Oats. The current varieties of this cereal are Honey Roasted, With Almonds, With Real Strawberries, Maple & Pecans, Cinnamon Bunches, Vanilla, French Vanilla Almond Granola, and Honey Roasted Granola.
Honey Oh’s!
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Honey Oh’s! might seem like a newer addition to the cereal aisle, however, the brand was actually launched in 1980. It was introduced by Quaker Oats but was later sold to Post in 2014. It was reformulated in 2018 removing ingredients like graham flour and brown sugar.
The most predominate ingredient in this cereal is corn flour but its also contains whole grain oat flour among other ingredients. Keep in mind that one cup (40g) of this cereal has 170 calories, 34 grams of carbs, and 18 grams of sugar. It’s not the healthiest cereal but its one of our family favorites to eat on occasion.
Life
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Life is a multigrain cereal with whole grain oat flour being one of its most abundant ingredients. This brand of Quaker Oats comes in four flavors: Original, Cinnamon, Vanilla, and Chocolate.
Life cereal offers a tasty and nutritious start to the day. Its unique crunchy texture and slightly sweet flavor have made it a favorite among both kids and adults alike. Whether enjoyed with milk or eaten dry as a snack, Life cereal is a classic choice for any breakfast table.
Oatmeal Crisp
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Oatmeal Crisp cereal is a mouth-watering blend of crispy flakes, whole grain oats, crunchy almonds, and tasty oat clusters that’s hard to resist. With wholesome ingredients like whole grains, it provides long-lasting energy and helps you stay full for longer.
Each serving (1 cup, 60g) contains 41 grams of whole grain and a healthy dose of fiber and protein at 6 grams each. Lastly, this is an excellent source of iron at 50% daily value per serving.
Quaker Oatmeal Squares
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Quaker Oatmeal Squares are available in three flavors including Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Honey Nut. They feature 46 grams of whole grains in a serving.
Each flavor has a serving size of 1 cup (56 g) and contains 210 calories, 2.5 – 3 grams of total fat, 44 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fibers, 9-10 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.
The primary ingredients of this cereal are whole grain oat flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and sugar.
Sweet Dreams
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Sweet Dreams is a new oat cereal brand made by Post. Instead of being a breakfast cereal, Sweet Dreams is a pre-sleep cereal designed to support a healthy sleep cycle.
It’s available in two unique flavors, Blueberry Midnight and Honey Moonglow. Each box is packed with healthful ingredients and an herbal blend of lavender and chamomile, as well as essential vitamins and minerals to support natural melatonin production.
The primary ingredients of the cereal include whole grain wheat, rice, cane sugar, almonds, and whole grain rolled oats.
