The Best And Worst Gluten-Free Cereals On Grocery Store Shelves

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Let's be real — finding a gluten-free cereal that actually tastes good can be hard. Although breakfast cereal sales are overall in decline, I've remained a cold cereal buff, and after discovering that my body was sensitive to wheat, I cannot tell you how often I found myself repulsed by certain gluten-free cereal options. Having tasted plenty of weird textures and "off" flavors in gluten-free breakfast cereals, I longed to find options that not only would benefit my body but would taste amazing as well. 

As such, I'm happy to present you with the best and worst gluten-free cereals I've found (so far) on grocery store shelves. I've taste-tested all of the following cereals — from the all-natural brands that cost a pretty penny to the old-school picks laden with sugar that you probably remember from way back. 

Each cereal tested has the words "gluten-free" printed on the packaging. However, make sure to do your own research before purchasing any of the brands mentioned here to be certain that they are suitable for your diet, especially if you have severe symptoms associated with the consumption of gluten. With that said, join me as I embark upon a much-needed quest to uncover the best and worst gluten-free cereals on the market. 

Wow, is this for real? Magic Spoon Fruity Cereal checks all the right boxes — not only is it gluten-free, but it is also naturally flavored and free of sugar. Still, expect this to cost a pretty penny; it's sold on Amazon for well over $11 per 7 ounce box of cereal. Some may wonder: Is Magic Spoon Cereal worth the price? Well, it is definitely worth a try. For a single cup, Magic Spoon Fruity Cereal contains 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of added sugar, and a hefty 13 grams of protein. The cereal is composed mainly of a milk protein blend, tapioca starch, and sugar-free sweeteners that include allulose and monk fruit.

Did I walk away from Magic Spoon Fruity Cereal impressed? Definitely. You can't even tell it's keto-friendly or that it is gluten-free. The texture is perfect; while I wouldn't describe it as light and airy, it also isn't too dense. The same is true of its flavor — this cereal tastes exactly like Froot Loops, and maybe even a little better. Aside from the expensive price tag, my only qualm is that it did leave a slight residue on my tongue and had an aftertaste ... but both were barely noticeable. In general, this is one of the best wheat-less cereals I've tried.

It was my favorite cereal as a kid — but would this gluten-free grab be as tasty as I remember? Not hardly. A 19.5-ounce box of Fruity Pebbles is available on Amazon for under $4. In a single cup of this cereal, there are 1.5 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 12 grams of added sugars, and 1 gram of protein. Its main ingredient is rice, and though this cereal comes enriched with a variety of vitamins and minerals, it also contains artificial food coloring and flavors. 

I never knew that Fruity Pebbles is a gluten-free product, and since this cereal was a childhood treat, I was happy to resample it. Upon cracking open the box, I was met with the familiar smell of (artificial) fruit, which, I won't lie, delighted my soul. I gave the cereal a taste and was happy to discover its flavor was as delicious as I remembered. So, what's the problem here? The texture.

As soon as the flakes were immersed in milk, they resembled little soaked scraps of rainbow-colored construction paper. They'd almost completely dissolved into the milk! I don't remember this being an issue when I was little, but hey, I was a kid. Given my now-refined taste buds, I can't recommend Fruity Pebbles as your next go-to gluten-free cereal in good conscience — even if it is a cold cereal classic. 

Not too bad! Cascadian Farm Honey Vanilla Crunch Cereal may be found in stores, but I grabbed it off Amazon for $6.96 for 10.5 ounces. For every 1¼ cup, you'll find 1.5 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 9 grams of added sugar, and 3 grams of protein. The cereal is made up of organic components, including whole-grain cornmeal, sorghum flour, and chickpea flour among its primary ingredients. 

While I wasn't sure what to expect taste-wise, Cascadian Farm Honey Vanilla Crunch Cereal is actually really good. It could have packed a little more flavor than it did, but overall, I was impressed with its taste. Being that it's a gluten-free cereal, its texture wasn't at all dense or overly hard — it was airy and crisp, similar to the texture of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Its flavor is also quite pleasant — I'd describe it as having a soft vanilla essence that isn't too sweet. Overall, Cascadian Farm's Honey Vanilla Crunch is a solid choice for gluten-free folks. 

Oh, yikes — this one is bad. Seven Sundays Simply Honey Oat Protein Cereal can be bought on Amazon for about $16 for three 8-ounce packages, meaning that each costs a bit over $5. This cereal comes in a bag that features a resealable top, and it's non-GMO certified. It contains only six ingredients, with oat protein, corn, and wildflower honey among its highlights. Per 1 cup, expect to find 160 calories, 5 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 7 grams of added sugars, and 5 grams of protein. 

I loved the ingredients in Seven Sundays Simply Honey Oat Protein Cereal — and as someone who likes to eat plain Cheerios coated in honey, I thought this would be right up my alley. As it turns out, this was one of the worst-tasting cereals of the bunch. The only way I can describe its flavor is odd; the aftertaste was stale and flat. Overall, though it has the potential to be included among snacks to take on-the-go, this is one gluten-free cereal that just didn't float my boat. 

I've been eating Nature's Path Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla Cereal for some time now, and it's still one of my favorite gluten-free eats. A 10.6-ounce box of this cereal is available on Amazon for $3.99 per box. The cereal is proudly made with organic ingredients like cornmeal, brown rice flour, quinoa, buckwheat flour, and molasses. Per every 1 cup, you'll find 150 calories, 1.5 grams of at, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 7 grams of added sugars, and 2 grams of protein.

The thing I love most about Nature's Path Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla Cereal is its unique texture. The cereal features a mixture of flakes, rice crisps, and corn puffs, making for a uniquely pleasing mouthfeel. As for its flavor, I'd say that the vanilla is very subtle, but still quite enjoyable. Overall, Nature's Path Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla Cereal is worth trying out. 

As an avid peanut butter fan (Skippy reigns as the best peanut butter in my book), I wanted to love this cereal. Nature's Path Panda Puffs Cereal is part of the brand's EnviroKidz line for children, and it can be found at Amazon for just over $4 for a 10.6-ounce box. This cereal is organic, made without GMO ingredients, and contains no artificial flavoring or coloring. Every cup has 170 calories, along with 4.5 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 9 grams of added sugars, and 3 grams of protein. It's mainly composed of cornmeal, cane sugar, and peanut butter. 

Sadly, my encounter with Nature's Path Panda Puffs was far from love at first crunch. Though the texture was satisfying (similar to Cap'n Crunch), the flavor just wasn't there. Considering that it contains 9 grams of sugars, I expected this gluten-free cereal to taste sweeter. Not only was it bland, but there wasn't nearly enough peanut butter flavor for my taste. Because of its overall lack of appeal, I'd recommend gluten-free cereal buffs to opt for more flavorful grabs on this list. 

Now, this is a gluten-free peanut butter cereal I can get behind. A 12.2-ounce box of Peanut Butter Chex goes for around $5 on Amazon. Each single-cup serving includes 170 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of added sugars, 2 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. The cereal is composed mostly of whole-grain corn, cornmeal, sugar, and peanut butter. 

Peanut Butter Chex isn't the most peanut-buttery cereal out there, but it still tastes good. Its gentle peanut butter flavor is easily discernible, though the texture of each Chex piece is what I enjoy most. Its hollow lattice-like design makes for a crispy yet delightfully airy bite that is texturally satisfying and not too dense. One complaint I have about this cereal is that the corn taste competes with the peanut butter flavor, making for a slightly off-putting combination. Still, out of the two gluten-free peanut butter cereal options on this list, Peanut Butter Chex is my favorite. 

I really didn't like this cereal, which is tough, since I had high hopes for it. A 10-ounce box of 365 Gluten Free Cocoa Rice Crisps is available on Amazon for $4.69. For every 1⅓ cup portion, expect 140 calories, 1 gram of fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 11 grams of added sugars, and 2 grams of protein. The ingredients are organic, and include rice flour, cane sugar, and cocoa powder.

Trying 365 Gluten Free Cocoa Rice Crisps was exciting, because I thought the light crispy texture of the cereal would complement any rich and sweet cocoa flavors within. I was wrong. Though delightfully crispy, the flavor here threw me off. The cocoa didn't taste bitter, but it wasn't enjoyable. There was no richness, very little sweetness, and an odd stale aftertaste following each bite. Ultimately, I walked away from this gluten-free cereal feeling cheated, while simultaneously hoping that another chocolatey cereal option could satisfy my taste buds. 

I didn't expect to like Cascadian Farm Organic Brownie Crunch Cereal as much as I did, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. This gluten-free cereal is packed with organic ingredients, and costs a bit less than $4 per 12.4-ounce box on Amazon. Per 1 cup, the cereal contains 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 11 grams of added sugars, and 3 grams of protein. Its main ingredients are yellow cornmeal, cane sugar, cocoa powder, and tapioca syrup. 

After experiencing disappointment with chocolate cereals in the past, I had little hope that Cascadian Farm Organic Brownie Crunch would be any better. Surprisingly, I was pleased with the taste of this cereal — it had plenty of rich, robust, true chocolate flavor that wasn't at all bitter. It was sweet without being too sweet, and had a great crispy texture that held up well in milk. If you're a fan of deep, rich chocolate, this is a great option for you. 

This gluten-free cereal threw several curveballs at me, making me unsure of what to think about it. Three Wishes Cinnamon Cereal is available on Amazon for $6.33 for each 8.6-ounce box. A single cup of this cereal contains 130 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of added sugars, and a notable 8 grams of protein — which makes this a potential replacement for protein bar brands you should avoid. This product contains minimal ingredients, with chickpeas, tapioca, pea protein, cane sugar, and cinnamon as its major components. 

What threw me off about Three Wishes Cinnamon Cereal is that it smelled and tasted amazing, but ended on a sour note. Upon opening the box, a very comforting cinnamon-sugar scent accompanied the cereal, kind of similar to brown butter cinnamon rolls. And though the flavor initially tasted delightful, it eventually diminished into an unbelievably overwhelming flavor of what seemed like artificial sweetener.

Hold on now — I know what you're thinking. Monk fruit is technically a natural sugar substitute. Regardless, the fact remains that this cereal definitely tastes artificial, even if it isn't packed with aspartame or similar sugar substitutes. For that reason, Three Wishes Cinnamon Cereal, though promising, left me hanging in the end. 

Cascadian Farm Fruitful O's are pretty good, especially if you're a fan of fruit-flavored cereal. This option can be found for about $4.50 on Amazon for a 10.2-ounce box, and it's made without GMO ingredients. In 1 cup, you'll find 150 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 11 grams of added sugars, and 2 grams of protein. It is composed primarily of whole-grain corn cornmeal and cane sugar. This product is also organic, so you won't find any artificial dyes or flavors here — instead, each "O" is tinted with natural colorings, such as annatto and purple corn flour. 

This may not be my favorite fruit-flavored cereal on this list, but that doesn't mean you'll never find Cascadian Farm Fruitful O's in my breakfast bowl. Overall, I enjoyed its fun flavor, as I perceived notes of citrus and berry fruit infused in each bite. As for the texture, I can't say I was a fan. Though it isn't the worst I've come across, the O's were large and dense, which didn't make for the greatest mouthfeel. Nevertheless, I found myself pouring several bowls of this cereal because, overall, I really enjoyed it. 

Eh, it's okay — but I ain't crazy about it. Nature's Path Amazon Frosted Flakes Cereal sells for $5.30 for each 11.5-ounce box on Amazon. This organic and gluten-free cereal contains 160 calories per cup, along with 0 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of added sugars, and 3 grams of protein. This is one of the most simplistic gluten-free cereals on the list, containing only three ingredients (organic cornmeal, cane sugar, and sea salt). 

Despite its simplicity, Nature's Path Amazon Frosted Flakes Cereal didn't do much for me. This is one of those options that doesn't taste bad, per se, but also doesn't have anything particularly special about it. It tastes nothing like Frosted Flakes, and, in fact, doesn't taste like much of anything at all. These are simply sweetened flakes that might be a good option for people who like light flavor and minimal ingredients. As for me, this gluten-free cereal was a little too drab — aside from its pleasantly light and crunchy texture, I couldn't find much else to love about it. 

I love Honey Nut Cheerios, though it may not be for everyone, and especially not for anyone who's super-sensitive to gluten. This cereal can be bought on Amazon for around $5.75 per 27.2-ounce box. It contains 140 calories per cup, along with 2 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 12 grams of added sugar, and 3 grams of protein. Its main components include whole-grain oats, sugar, cornstarch, and honey. 

Honey Nut Cheerios is one of my favorite gluten-free cereals because of its simple taste and great texture. Each edible ring is neither too hard nor too soft, and features a light honey flavor with a slight nuttiness to it that only accentuates its sweetness. Still, despite my admiration of the cereal, I have to note that Honey Nut Cheerios is not recommended by Gluten Free Watchdog, because the organization alleges that this product's gluten-testing protocols are faulty. As always, do research and consult a doctor before making a gluten-free purchase. 

If I'm going to eat a gluten-free cereal that's chock-full of sugar, artificial dyes, and artificial flavoring, it should at least taste good! Lucky Charms is an old-school classic, as well as an affordable gluten-free cereal, costing $5.38 for a 26.1-ounce box on Amazon. 

In a single cup, expect to find 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. Like a few of the other cereals on this list, Lucky Charms is heavily fortified, with vitamins B, C, and D joining minerals like iron and zinc as part of the ingredient lineup. The cereal is composed mostly of whole-grain oats, corn, corn syrup, and a rainbow of artificial colors.

Lucky Charms is one of the tastiest gluten-free cereals out there. The texture of the plain cereal pieces is amazing. When combined with the soft and sweet flavor of the marshmallows, this is easily one of my favorite gluten-free cereals. Yes, it contains a few controversial artificial ingredients, but if you're looking for an inexpensive cereal that isn't pretentious yet still tastes good, Lucky Charms is a great pick. 

This list of the best and worst gluten-free cereals was determined based mainly on flavor and texture, namely when compared against traditional cereal options that contain gluten. Though pricing and ingredients were mentioned, they played little to no role in how each cereal was ultimately rated. All prices listed are based on availability as of the writing of this article.