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Protein Cereal Ranking: Full Review of 22 Different Protein Cereals

Cereal is my absolute favorite food on the planet. If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, cereal would be it.

The only issue with cereal is that it’s hardly filling. Being mostly all carbs, I could easily polish off an entire box without feeling feel.

This is where protein cereal comes into play.

In recent years, high-protein snacks have popped up everywhere, and it was only a matter of time before protein took over the cereal aisle as well.

And because they’re all quite expensive, I tried them all so you don’t have to.

Protein Cereal Rankings

Protein Cereal vs Keto Cereal

Not every protein cereal on the market is keto-friendly, but the two almost always go hand-in-hand.

As you scroll through my ratings, you’ll find a mix of keto cereal and non-keto cereal. If the label says “protein” on it, or a serving is significantly higher in protein than standard cereal, I tried to include it here.

Why is most protein cereal also low-carb?

High-protein, low-carb diets are very popular right now. The keto diet has specifically gained a ton of traction over the past few years, so brands are accommodating those diets.

But even if you’re not concerned about carbs, by keeping the carbs in check, the cereal is seen as “macro friendly” in the fitness community, which is a major selling point. Macro-friendly is just a fancy way of saying that the nutrition is favorable (it means the macros– protein, fat, and carbs – are appealing).

While not everybody eats low carb, making the cereal both high-protein AND low-carb appeals to the masses.

But, with that being said, we won’t be exclusively looking at keto options- I love carbs, so I won’t be shying away from higher-carb cereal.

Protein Cereal vs Regular Cereal: Adjust Your Expectations

I happen to enjoy many different protein cereals, but that won’t be the case for everybody.

As part of my “research” for putting this post together, I naturally took to the internet to see what other people thought of these protein cereals.

If you do the same, you’re going to find that the reviews are constantly contradicting each other, so allow me to clarify things for you a bit:

  1. Protein cereal is NOT the same as your favorite childhood cereal. As much as I love high-protein recipes, they can never compare to the real thing. If you try a protein cereal expecting it to be Cinnamon Toast Crunch, you’re going to be disappointed.
  2. Protein cereal is expensive. In most cases, you cannot compare protein or keto cereal to regular cereal, because it will be about 3x the price. Look at these cereals as treats, not as pantry staples.
  3. Texture and mouth-feel are going to be different. If you’re going with a keto cereal, the texture is going to be different than regular cereal. While it will still be crunchy, it may be unusually airy, sticky, or stale-tasting depending on the main ingredients used.
  4. Everybody has different tastebuds. Just think about regular breakfast cereal: my favorite cereal is Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but you may not care for it very much. We all have different tastes!
  5. Keto dieters have different expectations. If you aren’t keto, you’re probably not going to love keto cereal. But if you’ve been eating keto for years, you may love a keto cereal option because you’ve become used to that lifestyle.

In short: adjust your expectations. These are NOT as good as your favorite childhood cereal, so if you’re going to give any of these a try, be sure to have an open mind.

It’s also worth noting that I will update these rankings as I try more flavors of cereals. For example, I didn’t love the Premier Protein Cereal when I tried chocolate, but once I tried the strawberry version, it quickly moved its way up the rankings.

My Official Protein Cereal Ranking

It’s time to get into it. Remember, these are my personal rankings of every protein cereal I have tried.

Tastes vary greatly, so you may very well feel differently than I do! And since there are so many factors at play, such as taste, nutrition facts, price, texture, etc, you may place more importance on other factors than I do.

I did my best to break down every single cereal I’ve tried, along with the pros and cons of each. Scroll down to find a detailed breakdown of each protein cereal, but here’s my official running list (that I will continue to update as I try more protein cereal):

22. Snack House Cereal

snackhousefoods.com

Nutrition: 2/3 Cup = 115 Calories, 5g Fat, 8g Carbs (1g Net Carbs), 15g Protein

Flavors Tried: Fruity Rubbles

Pros: It’s crunchy.

Cons: Expensive, small serving size, horrible taste, very bitter, insanely strong aftertaste…

Tastes Like: Posion.

Rating: 0/10

Overall Thoughts: When I tried Simple Truth keto cereal (next on this list) I thought for sure that it would forever be my least favorite cereal on Earth. Well, Snack House has beat it.

It’s rare that I try something that I find to be truly inedible, but Snack House Keto Cereal is exactly that. There is such a strong chemical flavor to this cereal that is tastes like you’re only eating chemicals. It’s extremely bitter with only the teeniest fruity flavor to it.

The package calls this cereal, but don’t be fooled. Yes, it’s crunchy, but that’s where the positives begin and end.

Not to mention, at $15 for 7 small servings, this is by far the most expensive keto/protein cereal I’ve ever purchased.

Normally I’d provide a link here for you to buy the cereal, but I’m going to do you a favor and leave the link off this one. Trust me.

Watch my video review for Snack House Keto Cereal here.

21. Simple Truth Keto Cereal (Kroger Brand)

kroger.com

Nutrition: 3/4 Cup = 120 Calories, 4g Fat, 10g Carbs (4g Net Carbs), 12g Protein

Flavors Tried: Cinnamon

Pros: The nutrition facts are quite favorable.

Cons: Quite literally everything that isn’t the nutrition facts.

Tastes Like: Stale rocks with the aftertaste of old milk.

Rating: 1/10

Overall Thoughts: This cereal is terrible. When it comes to healthy cereal, you need to adjust your expectations, but this is awful by any standards. It’s insanely crunchy, but in a stale rock kind of way. The taste is terrible, and it doesn’t improve in milk. Even though it doesn’t have much flavor, it still ended up having quite a bad aftertaste.

I’m all for being fair, and I don’t want to be mean… but I absolutely hated this one. It gets a 1/10 only because the Cheerio shapes are lovely. Otherwise, it is going to forever sit firmly at the bottom of this list.

This cereal can be found at Kroger, but you shouldn’t be looking for it.

Watch my video review for Simple Truth Keto Cereal here.

20. Wonderworks Keto Cereal

wonderworksfoods.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 150 Calories, 6g Fat, 17g Carbs (3g Net Carbs), 15g Protein

Flavors Tried: Cinnamon & Peanut Butter

Pros: Great nutrition overall. Cereal stays crunchy even in milk.

Cons: Has a mouth feel similar to styrofoam. Flavor almost disappears once added to milk.

Tastes Like: If you coated packing peanuts in flavored powder.

Rating: 3.5/10

Overall Thoughts: This cereal is about as bland as it gets. If you follow a keto diet and are missing your favorite cereals, Wonderworks cereal is not going to tackle those cravings. There are WAY better options out there. The nutrition facts are great, and a serving of this cereal is very similar to a protein bar (minus the carbs), but the flavor just falls short for me.

Considering this is a General Mills product, and they make great cereal, I was hoping it would taste WAY better. Unfortunately, the combination of a lackluster flavor (especially in milk) and very unappealing mouthfeel put this one towards the bottom of my list.

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Wonderworks cereal here.

19. Catalina Crunch

us.catalinacrunch.com

Nutrition: 1/2 Cup = 110 Calories, 6g Fat, 14g Carbs (5g Net Carbs), 11g Protein

Flavors Tried: Chocolate & Cinnamon Toast

Pros: Stays crunchy even in milk. A small list of ingredients.

Cons: Very expensive for a small bag. The flavor is really lacking and it comes with a bitter aftertaste.

Tastes Like: If you combined Cinnamon Toast Crunch with woodchips, but removed about 90% of the cinnamon sugar flavor.

Rating: 4/10

Overall Thoughts: I rank this cereal slightly above Wonderworks, but it is still one of my least-favorite protein cereals out there. The flavor is really lacking, especially for the chocolate variety, and it comes with a really bitter aftertaste. The cinnamon toast flavor is very average, and I believe you can do worse, but it is not at all worth the high price tag.

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Catalina Crunch here.

18. Nature’s Path Organic Keto Cereal

naturespath.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 110 Calories, 2.5g Fat, 20g Carbs (4g Net Carbs), 7g Protein

Flavors Tried: Cinnamon Toast

Pros: Generous serving size for only 110 calories

Cons: Lower in protein compared to other options and not very crunchy

Tastes Like: Burnt cereal that has gotten soggy in milk… even without milk.

Rating: 4.5/10

Overall Thoughts: I wasn’t originally going to try this cereal because it’s pretty low in protein, but I was told that it was incredible. Spoiler alert: it is NOT incredible.

The cereal has a burnt flavor to it, and the cereal itself is somewhat soft. If you’re following a keto diet and need a replacement for cereal, there are way better options out there. Especially considering this one barely tastes like cinnamon, let alone Cinnamon Toast Crunch (as the flavor name implies).

Give It a Try

I was expecting puffs, but the cereal pieces are tiny and shriveled.

17. Incredi-Bowl Cereal

incredibowlcereal.com

Nutrition: 1 1/4 Cup = 180 Calories, 9g Fat, 14g Carbs (7g Net Carbs), 15g Protein

Flavors Tried: Frosted Flakes

Pros: Favorable nutrition facts, generous serving size, very sweet for low-sugar cereal.

Cons: Lacks crunch, loses flavor in milk, and Frosted Flakes flavor is nonexistent.

Tastes Like: Cornflakes mixed with styrofoam and dusted with sugar substitute.

Rating: 4.5/10

Overall Thoughts: Unlike most keto-friendly cereals that are TOO crunchy, this Incredi-Bowl cereal is not crunchy at all. Rather, it is quite soft, especially in milk. The flakes themselves are not frosted and only seem to have some sugar substitute sprinkled on the outside.

Flavor-wise, these mostly tasted like vanilla extract and sugar substitute, which is a far cry from Frosted Flakes. Once combined with milk, the flavor completely runs off and the flakes themselves become incredibly bland.

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Incredi-Bowl cereal here.

16. 365 Protein & Fiber Crunch

wholefoodsmarket.com

Nutrition: 3/4 Cup = 220 Calories, 6g Fat, 38g Carbs, 9g Protein

Flavors Tried: Honey Almond Flax

Pros: High in fiber (9g per serving), an impressive ingredients list

Cons: Flavor is very subtle and doesn’t satisfy the sweet tooth as much as other options.

Tastes Like: Healthy vanilla granola mixed with soy puffs

Rating: 5/10

Overall Thoughts: This cereal has a very familiar flavor to me, and that’s because it tastes like a spot-on replica of vanilla granola I’ve eaten in the past. This definitely tastes more like healthy granola than cereal, and it is not overly sweet or flavorful. For 200+ calories and under 10g of protein, I’d look elsewhere. But if you happen to love vanilla granola, I do think you’ll enjoy this cereal.

Give It a Try

15. Schoolyard Snacks Cereal

schoolyardsnacks.com

Nutrition: 1 Bag = 100 Calories, 4g Fat, 5g Carbs (1g Net Carbs), 15g Protein

Flavors Tried: Peanut Butter

Pros: Nutrition is one of the most impressive options out there. Cereal is very crunchy and not sticky like many other protein kinds of cereal.

Cons: Has a slightly “overbaked” flavor, making it a tad bitter, and needs milk to really bring out the sweetness.

Tastes Like: If you slightly burnt some peanut butter and served it in the form of a crunchy puff.

Rating: 5/10

Overall Thoughts: If you’ve ever had any protein “puffs” out in the market, this cereal is extremely similar. The cereal is very crunchy, but the flavor is very much average. It was good enough for me to eat, but I wouldn’t be seeking this cereal out. Granted, I only tried the peanut butter flavor, so it’s possible that the other flavors are sweeter and more appealing.

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Schoolyard Snacks here.

14. IWON Organics Protein Crunchies

iwonorganics.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 120 Calories, 1.5g Fat, 23g Carbs (20g Net Carbs), 5g Protein

Flavors Tried: Berry & Cinnamon

Pros: Very minimal ingredients, low sugar, and fully plant-based

Cons: Very low in protein considering these are called “protein crunchies”

Tastes Like: If you took some Kix, added some subtle flavoring to it, and made it taste slightly Earthy.

Rating: 5/10

Overall Thoughts: This cereal reminds me of any corn puff cereal you may have had before (like Kix) but with an Earthy flavor due to beans and pea protein being two of the main ingredients.

That Earthy flavor isn’t as strong as some of the other cereals on this list, like Three Wishes or Love Grown, but it’s a noticeable flavor if you’ve never had a plant-based cereal before. The flavors themselves are pretty subtle, so this cereal is not very sweet overall.

My main issue with this “protein cereal” is that each serving only contains 5g of protein. Most normal cereal will have a couple grams of protein in a cup, so it’s not a ton more.

Give It a Try

These cereals are okay, but they a not very impressive from a protein standpoint.

13. KIND Protein Cereal

kindsnacks.com

Nutrition: 3/4 Cup = 230 Calories, 7g Fat, 35g Carbs, 10g Protein

Flavors Tried: Cinnamon Almond

Pros: Very crunchy and sweet cereal. Great for someone looking for minimal ingredients.

Cons: Strong “nutty” flavor with a bit of an aftertaste, and the cinnamon flavor is really lacking.

Tastes Like: Crunchy flakes coated in sugar but infused with a hint of “healthy food” thanks to almonds being the main ingredient.

Rating: 5/10

Overall Thoughts: This KIND cereal definitely tastes like a health-food cereal (if that makes sense) and not one that I would particularly turn to. With 230 calories and 10g of protein, it’s definitely not the greatest source of protein, but I need to slide it into the ranking where it fits. If I were looking for the most protein, this one would be lower on the list.

Taste-wise, this KIND protein cereal falls short. As far as cinnamon flavor is concerned, it’s very minimal. The almond flavor is significantly more prominent than cinnamon, that’s for sure.

Give It a Try

KIND protein cereal is nice and crunchy, but the flavor really falls short.

12. RX Cereal

rxbar.com

Nutrition: 1 1/4 Cup = 270 Calories, 9g Fat, 39g Carbs, 12g Protein

Flavors Tried: Chocolate Almond

Pros: Packed with almonds (assuming you like those, of course) and very crunchy.

Cons: One of the less impressive options there in terms of nutrition, and not suitable for a low-carb or low-sugar diet.

Tastes Like: Corn flakes mixed with cocoa powder and almond slices.

Rating: 6/10

Overall Thoughts: Considering the high price and the less-than-impressive nutrition, this would certainly not be my first choice. The cereal tastes OK, but if you browse the shelves at the supermarket, you can definitely find a much better “healthy” chocolate cereal out there.

I feel the same way about this cereal as I feel about RX Bars- I respect that the ingredients are minimal, but I just do not love the taste.

Give It a Try

11. Kashi GO Keto Cereal

kashi.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 160 Calories, 7g Fat, 18g Carbs (13g Net Carbs), 12g Protein

Flavors Tried: Cinnamon Vanilla, Dark Cocoa

Pros: Great option if you’re grain-free and gluten-free with a great crunch

Cons: Very expensive and definitely has an acquired taste due to the earthiness. Much higher in carbs than other “keto” options.

Tastes Like: Three Wishes Cereal, Love Grown Cereal, or virtually any other pea-based cereal

Rating: 6.2/10

Overall Thoughts: This cereal is definitely an acquired taste if you’ve never had anything that is pea-based (one of the main ingredients is chickpea flour). If you’re looking for a direct replacement for your favorite breakfast cereal, this is definitely not it. But if you are grain-free, gluten-free, plant-based, etc. this can be a decent option, just beware of the steep price tag. I happen to enjoy that flavor, so it fits firmly within my top 10.

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Keto-Friendly Kashi GO here.

10. Misfits Plant-Powered Protein Cereal

Misfits.health

Nutrition: 40g = 150 Calories, 4g Fat, 18g Carbs, 15g Protein

Flavors Tried: Chocolate, Choc Cinnamon

Pros: Extremely crunchy and impressive nutrition for a plant-based cereal

Cons: Flavor is not nearly as accurate or strong as you’d hope

Tastes Like: A very crunchy version of cocoa puffs with significantly less chocolate flavor

Rating: 6.5/10

Overall Thoughts: For what it’s worth, I thought that Misfits cereal would be one of my least favorite considering it is plant-based, low sugar, and very high in protein. The flavors are disappointing overall, but you can do much worse. As you can see by this list, this is one of the highest protein plant-based options, so it gets a bump up the ranking for that. If you want to see my full in-depth review of Misfits cereal, you can check that out here.

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Misfits cereal here.

9. Kashi GO Protein Cereal

kashi.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 210 Calories, 5g Fat, 37g Carbs, 13g Protein

Flavors Tried: Original, Peanut Butter Crunch, Cinnamon Crisp

Pros: Very crunchy, even in milk, and high-fiber, which makes this cereal quite filling.

Cons: Subtle sweetness and definitely more of a “health-food” cereal, so likely won’t satisfy sweet cereal lovers.

Tastes Like: A mix of flavored soy & rice “puffs”

Rating: 6.5/10

Overall Thoughts: The entire line of Kashi GO cereal is definitely more of a health food than a sweet breakfast cereal. The best way I could describe the flavor is if you took granola, but swapped out half of the oats with soy & rice puffs. If you’re looking for a high-protein option to replace your favorite breakfast cereal, this likely won’t be the replacement you’re after, but I happen to really like the flavor for what it is. Note: your opinions of this cereal will definitely vary based on the flavor you try, and I recommend the Cinnamon Crisp or Peanut Butter Crunch Kashi Cereal to try first.

Give It a Try

8. Love Grown Power O’s Cereal

lovegrown.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 120 Calories, 1.5g Fat, 23g Carbs, 4g Protein

Flavors Tried: Chocolate, Strawberry

Pros: Small ingredients list. Chocolate flavor creates delicious leftover chocolate milk.

Cons: Protein content is very low compared to other options out there.

Tastes Like: Thick cheerios with equal parts sweetness and earthiness.

Rating: 6.5/10

Overall Thoughts: Personally, I enjoy this cereal, but it is very much a “healthy” cereal and not super sweet. The flavor is overall pretty subtle, and a bean blend being the main ingredient makes these a tiny bit earthy.

This cereal is very similar to Three Wishes Cereal (next on the list) but with less protein per serving. If you’re in search of something really high in protein, this one won’t fit the bill, but I thoroughly enjoy it as a cereal, healthy or not.

Give It a Try

Some of the chocolate runs off Love Grown cereal very quickly, leading to delicious chocolate milk.

7. Three Wishes Cereal

threewishescereal.com

Nutrition: 3/4 Cup = 130 Calories, 2g Fat, 20g Carbs, 8g Protein

Flavors Tried: Unsweetened, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Honey

Pros: Gluten-free, grain-free, AND plant-based with very minimal ingredients. Stays very crunchy in milk.

Cons: Chickpea-based, so has a bit of an “earthy” flavor that you may not love.

Tastes Like: Crunchy chickpeas with very accurate flavors added.

Rating: 6.7/10

Overall Thoughts: The chickpea flour base creates a very distinct flavor, but I do not mind that. Three Wishes uses very solid natural flavors in their cereal, and I really enjoyed the cocoa and honey flavors. Milk complements the cereal really well and actually enhances the sweetness. Maybe my opinion is swayed on this one because I love their mission and what they are all about, but it’s definitely a tasty cereal!

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Three Wishes Cereal here.

6. Perfect Keto Cereal

perfectketo.com

Nutrition: 1/2 Cup = 100 Calories, 6g Fat, 17g Carbs (2g Net Carbs), 9g Protein

Flavors Tried: Chocolate, Cinnamon

Pros: Sweet flavor, very crunchy, great nutrition facts.

Cons: Arguably TOO crunchy, has a strong artificial flavor from the erythritol (the main ingredient in this cereal).

Tastes Like: Very sweet, insanely crunchy cookies when eaten dry, but just like cookies & milk when eaten as a bowl of cereal.

Rating: 7/10

Overall Thoughts: Trying this Perfect Keto cereal dry, I was not a huge fan. The flavor is actually pretty solid, but the crunch is just too much for me. I’m all for crunchy cereal, but the shape of these (like mini cookies) combined with the crunch is just a lot to chew on.

That being said, once added to a bowl of milk, these soften up great, and it tastes just like cookies & milk.

I don’t mind the sugar substitute flavor in these, but if you’re sensitive to that flavor, it might be overpowering in this cereal (much like Highkey Cereal).

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Perfect Keto cereal here.

5. Special K Protein Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch (DISCONTINUED)

specialk.com

Unfortunately, this Special K protein cereal has been discontinued as of 2023 to make way for a new protein cereal line

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 160 Calories, 1g Fat, 29g Carbs, 9g Protein

Flavors Tried: Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch, Honey Almond

Pros: Great flavor. Taste is as close to a “regular” cereal as you’ll find (at least when it comes to the cinnamon brown sugar flavor).

Cons: High in sugar for a healthy cereal and not as high in protein as other options.

Tastes Like: Cinnamon Brown Sugar tastes like a slightly softer version of Cap’n Crunch coated in cinnamon, and Honey Almond tastes like Bran Flakes sweetened with honey. The “original” flavor is too bland and lacking crunch for me, though.

Rating: 7/10

Overall Thoughts: Special K has always been one of my favorite “healthy” cereals out there, and that’s likely because it’s closer to a regular cereal with protein added to it. If you’re on the hunt for something low carb, sugar-free, etc, then Special K won’t fit the bill. But if you’re chasing flavor, Special K delivers, and I particularly enjoy the Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch.

For the purposes of this review, I’m pretending the “Original” flavor of Special K Protein Cereal doesn’t exist, because that one is not very good at all.

4. Highkey Cereal (DISCONTINUED)

highkeysnacks.com

Unfortunately, this cereal has been discontinued as of 2022 with no plans of returning.

Nutrition: 1/2 Cup = 90 Calories, 5g Fat, 11g Carbs (1g Net Carb), 10g Protein

Flavors Tried: Honey Nut, Fruity, Chocolate, Cinnamon

Pros: Lower calorie and carb that many other options, unique Rice Krispy shapes vs typical flakes or circles, overall very sweet.

Cons: Artificial sugar taste is very strong, so if you are not used to that flavor (or don’t like it) you’ll likely find it overpowering.

Tastes Like: A crunchier version of Rice Krispies cereal, but with extra sugar substitute added.

Rating: 7.5/10

Overall Thoughts: I very much enjoyed this cereal, but I’m basically immune to the artificial sweetener taste at this point. If you do not like that taste, you likely will not enjoy this cereal, because it is quite strong. Overall I find all the flavors taste much better in milk as it takes away some of that bitter aftertaste from the sweetener. Chocolate was my favorite flavor as it has the least artificial taste to it, with fruity a close second. If you want a protein cereal that can satisfy your sweet tooth, this will definitely do it.

Watch my video review for Highkey cereal here.

3. Premier Protein Cereal

Premier Protein Cereal
premierproteincereal.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 180 Calories, 5g Fat, 14g Carbs (12g Net Carbs), 20g Protein

Flavors Tried: Chocolate Almond & Mixed Berry Almond

Pros: One of the higher protein options out there, accurate flavors, and very crunchy.

Cons: The chocolate version got much soggier in milk and had an almost stale texture to it. The flakes themselves (for both flavors) may taste a bit dry compared to regular cereal flakes.

Tastes Like: A slightly stale version of Special K Red Berries Cereal

Rating: 8/10

Overall Thoughts: When I first tried Premier Protein Cereal, I had the chocolate almond flavor. While it was decent, I could definitely see the criticism. The chocolate flavor was solid, but it had a pretty stale taste to it and got soggy quickly in milk.

The Mixed Berry Almond flavor was way better, in my opinion (I guess that’s obvious based on the fact that it’s number 2 on this list). While the flakes are very crunchy, they do still have that very slight stale texture to them if compared 1:1 to regular cereal. However, the freeze-dried fruit and overall flavor of this one take it to the next level. In my opinion, it tastes very similar to Special K Red Berries, and it’s the closest replacement to regular cereal that you’ll find when it comes to protein cereal! Considering it also has 20g of protein per bowl, this one is absolutely worth buying.

Give It a Try

Watch my video review for Premier Protein cereal here.

2. Special K High Protein

specialk.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 240 Calories, 6g Fat, 29g Carbs (4g Fiber & 9g Sugar), 20g Protein

Flavors Tried: Chocolate Almond

Pros: Very high in protein, has the texture of regular cereal, gets a little bit soft (but not soggy) in milk, unlike many other protein cereals

Cons: Chocolate flavor is a bit subtle overall, higher in calories than other options, a little bit dense

Tastes Like: A subtle chocolate cereal, but complimented very well by milk

Rating: 8/10

Overall Thoughts: Since this is a Special K cereal, I can already see that the majority of people that are going to try this cereal are people who have never tried a protein cereal before. And in those cases, I can absolutely see the reviews being negative.

However, if you’ve tried other protein cereals out there, you’ll find that this cereal eats more like a regular cereal than any other options out there. The flakes themselves resemble normal Special K cereal, although a bit denser and slightly chewy (not enough to be off-putting).

The chocolate flavor is a bit subtle but very pleasant. And, I love that this cereal starts to soften a bit in milk, which makes this cereal taste 10X better with milk in my opinion.

You can absolutely tell that this is a protein cereal when you eat it, but it’s a great option, especially with 20 grams of protein.

Give It a Try

Watch my review for Special K High Protein Cereal here.

1. Magic Spoon Cereal

Magic Spoon Cereal
magicspoon.com

Nutrition: 1 Cup = 150 Calories, 8g Fat, 15g Carbs (4g Net Carbs), 13g Protein

Flavors Tried: All of ’em

Pros: Great flavor. Taste is as close to a “regular” cereal as you’ll find.

Cons: Expensive & not sold individually. A slightly sticky texture gives this cereal a strange mouth-feel.

Tastes Like: Depends on the flavor, but a few of them taste like spot-on replicas of your favorite cereal. For example, fruity tastes just like Froot Loops to me.

Rating: 8.5/10

Overall Thoughts: I happen to love Magic Spoon, and it has become my go-to protein cereal. It is definitely a bit sticky to the point where you’ll be picking it out of your teeth, but if you can look past that, the flavors are unmatched. Many people don’t love this cereal because of the texture, but it still has a great crunch to it and I can get past the stickiness.

There are quite a few flavors available, but since I’ve tried them all (I’ll leave the seasonal and limited flavors out), here is my ranking from favorite to least favorite:

  1. Fruity
  2. Peanut Butter
  3. Frosted
  4. Maple Waffle
  5. Cocoa
  6. Cookies & Cream
  7. Cinnamon
  8. Blueberry

Pro tip: If you buy Magic Spoon (or any other protein cereal for that matter) it comes with a hefty pricetag. If you want the cereal to last twice as long, mix it with your favorite breakfast cereal! For example, mix half a bowl of Peanut Butter Magic Spoon with half a bowl of Reese’s Puffs. Not only will the box last twice as long, but the taste will go through the roof, too.

The Magic Spoon cereal bars are not nearly as good, but the cereal sits firmly at the top of my list.

Give It a Try

Protein Rice Krispies Treats
I not only eat Magic Spoon often, but I use it recipes sometimes, too!

Is Protein Cereal Worth It?

As you can see by this long list, it totally depends on the cereal.

While the prices will be all over the map, many of these protein cereals will set you back $10 per box, which is a hefty price to pay.

Is it worth it?

To me, they’re worth trying as an occasional treat. None of these options are pantry staples for me due to the high price tag, but if you love cereal and want to work a healthier option into your rotation, some of these are great options.

Sure, you can turn any cereal into “protein cereal” by using a protein shake as your milk (a popular protein hack in the fitness community) but that just makes your cereal taste like whatever protein powder you use.

It works in a pinch, and I’ve done it a handful of times, but it’s far from ideal.

If a protein cereal can give you a high-protein treat without sacrificing flavor, then it’s absolutely worth trying for me. If nothing else, it satisfies my totally curious nature.

Do you have a favorite from this list? Or is there one I may have left off? Let me know and I’ll do my best to get my hands on it to add to this list!

Share The Love

Chris

Sunday 30th of July 2023

I'm lucky my closest store is an Amish discount store that sells cereal for 75¢-$1.50 per box/package including protein cereals. I am not a cereal and milk person, I either eat it dry or in plain Greek yogurt with added protein powder.

I like both chocolate and strawberry Premier at $1.50 a box and they have it in stock fairly often. Magic Spoon was great other than the cinnamon flavor. Incredi-Bowl was great as a dry snack, especially at 75¢ a box.

I've tried a lot of the higher protein granolas too. Made me realize overnight oats is actually good lol.

Now I need to see if you have reviews of protein bars so I know what ones to watch for at 30¢ each. Quest are my favorite.

Matt

Monday 7th of August 2023

Oh wow, that's a great deal! If you need protein bar recommendations, I actually have a second blog dedicated to protein snack reviews: proteinsnackfinder.com

Sue C.

Sunday 21st of May 2023

You have no idea how upset I am that Special K discontinued the protein brown sugar crunch. I ate this every single day in my yogurt for years! Why?!?! The injustice!!! lol

Matt

Friday 26th of May 2023

I'm guessing they wanted to make room for their new keto cereal but it is truly an injustice!

Laurel

Thursday 13th of April 2023

Hey dude, great list!! I noticed that several of the items are missing the net carbs, though. If you have time to add them in, that would be awesome! Also, have you tried the Three Wishes fruity flavor yet? I'm finding myself trying to compare all of the ones listed to the ones I'm experienced with already, but that's pretty much the only brand I've tried on the list (aside from Catalina Crunch in chocolate...which I definitely will not buy again). I think the 3 Wishes fruity cereal is pretty good but am definitely wondering how it compares to other brands. And I can't go buying in bulk again because I just don't go through it fast enough (which is why I still haven't tried other protein cereals...still working through leftover Three Wishes boxes!!)

Matt

Thursday 13th of April 2023

I really enjoyed the fruity Three Wishes cereal! I think in general, Three Wishes tastes a bit more like "healthy" cereal than other brands, but if you've had it before and know you like it, then I don't think there's any reason you wouldn't enjoy the fruity flavor. It has Trix vibes, in my opinion.

Douglas Riley

Wednesday 9th of November 2022

Like the article, 1/20/22 diagnostic with type two diabetes, was eating Catalina crunch , have recently started eating the three wishes , I like it , I just add a half of banana. I’m going to try the manic spoon next , if I can find a finance company to cover the cost lol 😂.

After hard work eating properly and exercise I’m no longer in danger of diabetes. Under control .

Joanna

Tuesday 11th of October 2022

This was such a fun review to read. I saw it linked in your one YT video. You put a lot of time and effort into it and it shows. I either like something or hate it. I usually pitch stuff that isn’t delicious so this was helpful in knowing what to try. I have had the Love Grown Bean cereal and Magic Spoon cereal and do agree that Magic Spoon gets stuck in your teeth but the flavor and texture are spot on. I love the maple waffle and smores flavors the most. It is only like a 1-2x a week meal for me with fruit and almond milk and I mix it with a cheaper cereal like rice puffs or kamut puffs by Arrowhead mills. They have a lot of volume and provide excellent texture, too.

Matt

Monday 17th of October 2022

Thank you so much, Joanna! Mixing cereal with kamut puffs was a trick I used to use allllll the time to make my cereal last longer. One of the most underrated "hacks" out there for adding volume, that's for sure.

About Matt Rosenman

With over 15 years of experience in health and fitness, Matt Rosenman is the expert voice behind cheatdaydesign.com. Matt’s philosophy is simple: no foods are off-limits, and a healthy lifestyle shouldn't be complicated or restrictive. As a certified personal trainer with a bachelor’s degree in Health Behavioral Sciences, Matt brings well-rounded expertise to his blog. From revamping classic recipes with a nutritious twist to debunking health myths, he guides his readers through the maze of fitness fads with science-backed advice. Featured in major publications and with a strong following on social media, Matt is committed to making “healthy” uncomplicated—proving there's no need for a cheat day when you’re enjoying delicious, better-for-you meals every day. Join Matt on his mission to simplify health without sacrificing flavor. Learn More