Best and worst supermarket breakfast cereals for kids
As a nutritionist, Sarah gets asked a lot about food products including the best and worst breakfast cereals for kids. Rolled oats always come out on top, but other options can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.
On those busy mornings, breakfast cereals can be a great way to get your kids fed and out the door on time. But cereal, especially those that are targeted towards kids are some of the most commercialised and processed packaged foods. Some brands for kids' cereals are just as nutritious as a chocolate bar - we're looking at you, Froot Loops!
Searching for nutritious breakfast cereal for your kids can be overwhelming. Here, Sarah looks at the best and worst breakfast cereals for kids and what to look for when at the supermarket.
How to assess if the cereal is a good option
Browsing the supermarket aisle for a healthy kids' breakfast cereal can be overwhelming. The number of products seems endless and it's easy to get swayed by clever marketing.
Let's be honest. The healthiest cereal for your child is the one you make at home using natural, whole-food ingredients such as oats, quinoa flakes, nuts, seeds, coconut and spices.
But as a busy mum, I know that's not always an option and if you have a fussy eater on your hands, it may take a while to get there.
So here are the steps you can take to assess if the cereal is a good option. My recommendation is to do this at home by looking at your options online. It's easier to take your time reading the nutrition labels, especially if you have a little one with you.
1. Don't be fooled by the cereal box marketing
As with any packaged food, flip the cereal box over and look at the nutrient panel and ingredients list.
Cereal brands love making claims that draw the attention of us parents who all have the best intention of feeding our kids well. Marketing slogans like "no sugar", "additive-free" and one of my personal favourites: "to help nourish kid's minds".
Now it's easy to know Coco Pops isn't going to be the most nutritious option, but don't make the mistake of thinking a cereal with the terms "goodness" or "natural" and featuring whole grains is much better.
2. Review the ingredients - number and quality
The ingredients list of packaged foods can be daunting but there are a few simple rules I always follow.
Consider another product if there is...
15 or more ingredients of varying quality
Names of ingredients you can't pronounce
Lots of numbers indicating it's highly processed
Sugar listed in the first two ingredients
3. Check the sugar content
Breakfast cereals are one of the biggest offenders when it comes to sugar. Some of the cereals marketed to kids contain over 40% sugar. Mind blown.
The product's sugar content can be found under 'carbohydrates' on the nutrition panel. Typically the amount of sugar will be highlighted "per serving" list, but if you're comparing products, I encourage you to look at the per 100g as each serving size will be different.
The other thing to remember is that 4g of sugar equals 1 tsp. This is helpful when visualising how much sugar your child is eating.
Here's where it gets confusing. Sugar is one of the most well-disguised products. There are over 56 different names for sugar. Any ingredient ending in "ose" such as 'glucose' or 'sucrose' is sugar. Ingredients featuring syrup are also a form of sugar.
Dried fruit is also a form of sugar. Yes, natural but the body processes it in the same way as any other sugar. So if you're trying to limit your child's sugar intake for health reasons such as clearing up their skin, improving their gut integrity, or enhancing their mood...then you will want to limit this also.
If you're looking for a healthier breakfast cereal for your family, I recommend choosing a cereal that has 8g of sugar or less per 100g.
4. Look for a product with lots of fibre
If your child has a restricted or highly-processed diet, chances are they aren't getting enough fibre every day.
Children require a minimum of 18-28g of fibre per day from foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, pulses and whole grains.
A refined grain cereal will have less fibre than those that are made with whole grains such as Rolled Oats. Look for cereals with at least 8g of dietary fibre per 100g and with ingredients such as whole grains, seeds, chickpea fibre, psyllium husks and nuts.
5. The sodium content
Processed food diets often contain high amounts of sodium. Breakfast cereals, even the sweet varieties, contain sodium. Some significantly more than others.
Babies and young toddlers shouldn't be consuming any food products containing sodium (We don't recommend giving your baby cereal anyway).
Look for a breakfast cereal that contains less than 250mg of sodium per 100g.
6. The protein content of their breakfast
Lastly, consider the protein content of your child's breakfast. Most cereals are not high in protein, but some contain more than others. It's also an important consideration when you serve your cereal.
Protein is going to help keep your kids feeling fuller for longer and is also going to help regulate their blood sugar and energy balance. If you find your child is still hungry after they've woofed down a bowl of cereal or they have an energy crash soon after, it's because the meal is lacking nutrients like protein.
Fussy eaters, vegetarians or those with high nutrient demands (like little athletes) are often lacking in protein.
Breakfast cereals are carbohydrate-heavy so help inject more protein by focusing on the toppings such as cow's milk (if tolerated), yoghurt, nut milk, nuts, seeds, nut butter or a child-friendly protein powder.
You can also consider serving a small portion of cereal with a protein-rich smoothie or a hard-boiled egg on the side.
Does your child complain of tummy pains?
Tummy pains and alternating bowel movements are a common complaint amongst children. If you’re concerned about your child’s gut health or simply want to know what is “normal”, book a free call with the Nutrition For Kids’ practitioners. We’d love to help reassure you and give you the strategies to address any underlying issues.
Are fortified cereals better for your family?
Food manufacturers are great at convincing you that their cereal is healthier because it contains fortified nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin D and iron.
Originally, the fortification was to help prevent nutrient deficiencies that were occurring due to food scarcity.
Today, foods that are fortified are typically processed and refined products where that have stripped all the nutrients or used nutrient-devoid ingredients.
If your child consumes a lot of processed or pre-made foods, they may be overeating some of these fortified nutrients.
The Environmental Working Group raised concerns that many children over 10 years old are consuming unhealthy doses of nutrients such as vitamin A and zinc.
Don't just assume that if the food product is fortified it must be good for your child.
The healthiest cereals for kids
Let's be clear: the healthiest cereal for kids is one that you make at home. A cereal made with whole food ingredients like rolled oats, quinoa, buckwheat, nuts, seeds, coconut flakes and flavours like cinnamon, cacao and vanilla is going to be far more nutritious than one that comes in a box.
Based on the sugar and fibre content and ingredient quality, we've listed the top healthiest cereals for kids.
Of this list, rolled oats are my first choice and Weet-Bix is another that makes its way into my household as it's my son's favourite.
Oats
Ingredients: Whole Grain Oats (100%)
Low in sugar and sodium
Good source of fibre and micronutrients
Affordable
Versatile
Note: some kids may find oats boring, so focus on the toppings and different preparation methods.
Sanitarium Weet-Bix Little Kids
Ingredients: Wholegrain cereals (97%) [wheat (77%), rye (10%), sorghum (10%)], raw sugar, calcium-rich seaweed, barley malt extract, minerals (iron, zinc), vitamins (B3, B2, B6, B1, folate).
Low in sugar and sodium
Good source of fibre
Note: The addition of raw sugar and barley malt extract is a bit disappointing. These are also more expensive than traditional Weet-Bix and only available in a small box.
Sanitarium Weet-Bix
Ingredients: Wholegrain wheat(97%), raw sugar, salt, barley malt extract, vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, folate), mineral (iron).
Low in sugar
Good fibre content
Affordable
Note: Weet-Bix container has slightly higher sodium than recommended for kids which is where they differ from the kid's version. Something to consider if your child regularly consumes cereal or other processed food.
Freedom Foods Rice Puffs
Ingredients: Rice Flour (79%), Resistant Dextrin, Sugar, Salt, Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin).
Good swap for Rice Bubbles
No additives or flavours
Note: These Rice Puffs do contain sugar, salt and sunflower lecithin but a much better option than Rice Bubbles
Be Natural Mini Bites
Ingredients: Organic whole grain wheat (88%), organic demerara sugar, natural flavour.
Only 3 ingredients
Made of organic ingredients
Low in sodium
Note: Sugar is sugar! It also contains a natural flavour - there is no regulation around the use of the term "natural" so I'm not sure exactly what this is.
Jordan's Low Sugar Granola
Ingredients: Whole Grain Oat Flakes (55%), Barley Flakes (19%), Chicory Root Fibre (11%), Nuts (7%) (Sliced & Whole Almonds (5%), Chopped Roasted Hazelnuts (2%)), Sunflower Oil, Seeds (1%) (Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds), Desiccated Coconut, Natural Flavouring.
A low sugar granola option
Good nutrient variety from whole food sources
Low in sodium
Note: this is a more expensive cereal option due to the whole food ingredients. It does contain sunflower oil and natural flavouring.
The worst cereals for kids
Now to the worst cereals for kids. If these make their way into your pantry it might be time to reconsider just going off the sugar content alone!
Kellogg’s Frosties - 41.3% sugar
Kellogg’s Froot Loops - 38% sugar
Kellogg’s Coco Pops Chex - 37.4% sugar
Kellogg’s Coco Pops - 36.5% sugar
Lowan Cocoa Bombs - 29.8% sugar
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