The best way to give kids energy in the morning is to eat a balanced breakfast that is low in added sugar. Here are a few of my favorite sugar free cereal options for kids.

Are you looking for a simple breakfast to start the day, but want to avoid sugary breakfast cereals?

Cereal has come a long way since I was a kid. The only choices we had were sugar-packed cereals marketed for kids, or plain bran and wheat flakes. Today, there are tasty options kids love (without the added sugar and the character on the box).

As a parent and pediatric dietitian, I look for quick and easy breakfasts like oatmeal and low sugar, ready-to-eat cereal. This article explains some of the benefits of cereal, added sugar intake recommendations, and the top low- and no-sugar cereals for kids and teens.

Health Benefits of Low-Sugar Breakfast Cereal

Cereals get a bad rap for being high in sugar and refined grains. But every cereal isn’t necessarily high in sugar and low in fiber. Low-sugar cereals have some surprising health benefits, most importantly, nutrient density. 

Breakfast cereals in the U.S. are fortified with essential nutrients: 

• B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, cobalamin, pyridoxine, folate, and niacin. The body needs B vitamins for most of its functions. 
• Iron is an important nutrient for brain development and growth, and helps prevent iron deficiency in kids. Meat may be the most well-known source of heme iron but breakfast cereals are an excellent source of non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is found in a variety of plant-based and enriched foods.

A recent study found that children who ate whole grain fortified ready-to-eat cereal had a higher diet quality than kids who didn’t eat cereal. And, according to a review comparing different breakfasts, kids who had ready-to-eat cereal for breakfast consumed more nutrients every day.

While most cereals are fortified, the biggest difference in nutritional benefits comes down to the sugar and fiber content. The best cereals are low in total sugar and high in fiber.

Ready-to-eat cereal is an affordable staple that many kids actually eat. Studies show that cereals with added sugar still offer nutritional benefits to children. Yes, kids get extra sugar, but they also get important nutrients they need for their growth and development.

How to Find Sugar in Cereal

The best way to know what’s really in a bowl of cereal is to turn the box over and check the ingredients and nutrition label. Look for added sugars because these should be limited. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that kids younger than two years avoid added sugars and kids aged two to eighteen years stay within 10% of their total daily calorie intake. 

Translated: A child who needs about 1,500 calories a day (a 5-year-old) would target a maximum of 150 calories from “added sugars.”

The first recommendation I give to parents is to look for added sugar and fiber on the nutrition panel.  

Under the carbohydrate listing, you’ll find the total sugars and added sugars, as well as fiber.

Some cereals may have a lot of added sugar. These tend to come from cane sugar, honey, fructose, and other sweeteners added during processing. High sugar cereal examples are Froot Loops, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, and Cap’n Crunch.

When searching for no sugar cereals, look for 0 gm of Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Panel. If you’re looking for low sugar cereals, look for less than 5 grams of Added Sugars.

Here’s a comparison of cereal with no sugar added vs. a popular cereal that’s marketed to children:

The Best No Added Sugar Cereal for Kids

Unsweetened cereals are better choices for children, in general. You can control how much sugar your child gets by adding fresh fruit for a little sweetness. Here are my top picks for low and sugar-free cereals for children. 

1. Kashi® Simply Raisin Whole Wheat Biscuit

This cereal contains whole grain wheat, raisins, vegetable glycerin, and spices. While there are 8 grams of sugar in this wheat biscuit cereal, the sugar comes from the natural sugars found in raisins. The dried fruit also adds flavor, fiber and iron. A great choice!

2. Nature’s Path Rice Puffs

The only ingredient this cereal contains is organic brown rice. Rice puffs are a good option for cereal if your child has a wheat allergy. The downside is that rice isn’t fortified with iron and it’s lower in fiber than other whole-grain cereals. The tiny rice puffs are kid-friendly and can double as a snack.

3. Post Shredded Wheat Original

Don’t be fooled by the rough outside of these mini wheat biscuits. Once they’re submerged in milk, they get soft for kids of all ages to enjoy. The only ingredients are whole-grain wheat and a preservative. While the carbohydrates seem high, there’s 8 grams of fiber in 1-⅓ cup! That’s 29% of the daily value.

Top the wheat biscuits with some fruit, sunflower seeds, or nuts to add flavor and crunch.

Comparison: Best Low- and Sugar-Free Cereals

*These are natural sugars are from the dried raisins. There are no added sugars.

4. Magic Spoon

There’s no wheat or rice in the Magic Spoon cereals. How is that possible? The cereal structure comes from the main ingredient, milk protein blend, which is a casein and whey protein concentrate, and a few natural fibers and food stabilizers. The milk protein makes this ready-made cereal high protein, offering about 13 grams of protein per serving. 

Is it good for kids? I was skeptical at first, but the nutrition information and short ingredient list contains only natural ingredients. The only downsides are the price tag and it’s limited availability at grocery stores.

5. Quaker Old Fashioned Oats

This may not be a ready-made breakfast cereal or 100% sugar-free, but oatmeal made from old fashioned oats is a low-sugar nutritious way to start the day. 

It’s made from one ingredient: 100% natural whole grain rolled oats. One serving contains 4 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar, which is a good ration to look for when you’re shopping for healthy cereals for kids.

Oats are not enriched with iron so stick to baby cereals for children younger than a year. Oats are technically gluten free but there can be trace amounts of gluten from processing. If your child has celiac disease, look for “gluten-free” on the package.

Resources

• High Protein Breakfast for Teens: Healthy Ideas that Satisfy
• Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day (Here’s Why)
• Fast and Nutritious Breakfasts for Young Athletes